Andor is gearing up for the season finale. We can anticipate the threads rejoining and the big final action on several fronts.
Dawn of Hope
Cassian himself is finally free, which ironically puts him in danger of being caught again. And this time it may be for something he actually did. His screentime in this episode is not particularly long. The scene where he and Melshi escape Narkina 5 provides some more worldbuilding. It shows what the Empire has been doing to controlled worlds and their native population.
The two aliens who ultimately help them however also show that the neglected folk of the Galaxy have had enough and are willing to stand up to the Empire. In fact, I daresay that this was the first time in the series that someone has done something to help others without having personal profit from it. Majority of characters in Andor so far have been mostly ruthless or selfish. The two alien fishers’ behaviour can perhaps be perceived as a glimpse of hope.
Everyone Come To The Funeral
Meanwhile, Cassian’s adoptive mother passed away and now everything revolves around her upcoming funeral. Nobody seems more heartbroken than Maarva’s old droid B2EMO. And if one can say that about portraying a machine, there is some great acting in that scene. The scene sets the mood and the plot for large part of the episode. Just between the lines we get some more cool worldbuilding when Ferrix burial customs are explained.
Soon everyone seems to have learned about Maarva’s death: the ISB, the Rebels, even Syril Karn who hears about it randomly via sergeant Mosk. And everyone flocks to Ferrix, planning to catch Cassian. Paradoxically, Cassian is the one who nearly misses the news. It is by pure chance that he is told about it by the operator Xanwan. It would be ironic if everyone came to the funeral only to find Cassian missing.
Sacrifice The Pawn
At the same time the ISB continue following their own leads in attempts to catch “Axis”. Bix, having endured brutal torture, is asked whether the man who contacted her was Anto Kreegyr. This is an opportunity for her to lay all the blame on him, deflecting all the suspicion from Luthen. What will she do? At the same time, Luthen himself is planning to sacrifice Kreegyr. This would be a way to throw the ISB off-track. But will the characters’ moral scruples finally get the better of them?
Meanwhile, as Anto Kreegyr’s doomed assault on Spellhaus is looming closer, Saw Gerrera learns about it and decides to step in at the most inopportune moment. Luthen is forced to reveal his hand and confess that he is sacrificing Kreegyr. Is this the moment when Saw Gerrera decides that the remaining Rebels are not to be trusted? Or is this the moment when he himself appropriates Luthen’s ruthless approach as his own?
One cannot gloss over the epic scene following Luthen’s departure. If any fans had been missing the “Star Wars” part of Andor, the small-scale, but really well-choreographed space combat made up for it. It further established how cool Luthen himself is. Combined with Stellan Skarsgård’s performance of a shabby-looking, but charismatic character, this makes Luthen a veritable Gandalf of the series.
Sell Your Daughter?
And speaking of ruthlessness, there is the dilemma Mon Mothma is facing in regards to arranging her daughter’s marriage. In an unexpected twist, Leida seems to have actually embraced traditional Chandrilan courtship rituals. That could make Mon’s job easier. But is she willing to go against her own values?
The dilemma of Mon AND her daughter’s unexpected reconnection with the more conservative ways of her homeworld is yet another great drama setup to place before the audience. This is not merely the old story of conservative parents forcing their traditions on their children. It goes one step further: it is Mon whose life is forever under the shadow of her arranged and clearly far from ideal marriage. But her daughter (perhaps in search for a stable anchor in her life) would embrace it. For Mon, it would mean backing away from her values in the sacrifice for something bigger. The tangle of relationships and moral dilemmas is well-constructed, and one cannot wait to see what will come out of it.
Towards The Finale
The episode ends with Cassian and Melshi going their separate ways to make sure that one of them will tell the story to the public. Cassian’s lone moment in the sunset on the seaside is clearly a referrence to Rogue One. Just like there, this is a moment where Cassian must accept a loss. But he also has to evaluate his future. Will he go to the funeral? And how is he going to tell the truth about the Empire, and to whom?
What will become of Bix, of Luthen, of Anto Kreegyr’s ill-fated assault on Spellhaus? What will Syril Karn find if he returns to Ferrix? And what will Mon Mothma do in regards to her daughter, and how will she bear the consequences? The final episode promises to be packed with action and emotions.
