'Andor' Episodes 1, 2 & 3 Recap and Review
When you remove the Jedi, the Sith, and Mandalorians from the Star Wars Universe, you are left with humanity and the grim reality of War
WARNING: Contains Spoilers
In the first three episodes of Andor not once is the Force mentioned. There are no Jedi, no Sith, not a single lightsaber to be found. Nobody has unbreakable Beskar armor, nor a baby ball of Force power to protect. There are only mortal beings stuck in the middle of a war they did not start but are desperate to finish. Andor is devoid of any of the pillars that Star Wars has leaned on since first gracing our screens in 1977, and it is because of that fact that makes Andor so great. Without the spectacle of the Dark and the Light there is nothing protecting these characters leaving them vulnerable and in danger at literally every moment. The characters are all so compelling because every decision they make is life or death and every decision requires they choose what is best for them and what is best for humanity. This feeling of grim mortality casts a shadow over these characters wherever they go leaving you glued to the screen and sitting on the edge of your seat. Without the protection of “Plot Armor” for most of the new faces the feeling that any of them could die at any moment creates a palpable tension that persists throughout the premier episodes. This could very well be the best premier of any show on Disney+ and is definitely the most compelling Star Wars series to date.
Episode One begins on a rainy walkway as Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) heads through an alley and into a seedy club. He begins asking about the whereabouts of an old employee. The attention he receives irks a couple Sentry Guards, there for a good time. Andor is informed that the Kenari girl, his sister, he is looking for is not there and he leaves without issue. He doesn’t get far before he is confronted by the guards trying to shake him down for money. They attack, and Andor defends himself, accidently killing one. The other begs for his life but the risk is too great and Andor makes the hard decision. He returns to the planet Ferix, but nightmares of his childhood cloud his mind. He thinks back to the day when an Imperial ship crash landed on his planet, he and his sister watched it from the village. He gets updates from his droid B2EMO before heading into town to meet with his friend Brasso (Joplin Sibtain) and together they get Andor’s alabi straight. Back on the corporate planet, Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) informs his superior about the murder of two of their guards. His superior decides they will lie about the murder, which doesn’t sit well with Karn. Back on Ferix, Andor meets with Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona) to ask her to reach out to a secret buyer to sell a very valuable item. Reluctantly, Bix agrees. Leaving, Andor is confronted by Bix’s boyfriend Timm (James McArdle) and it is abundantly clear that Timm does not trust Cassian. Back in Cassian’s memories, the tribe prepares to venture out the downed ship and young Cassian is determined to join, they head out, and Cassian leaves his sister behind. At the security outpost, Karn looks into the murder in secret. Bix leaves Timm behind and goes out. He tries to follow her but loses track and Bix contacts her mystery buyer.
Episode Two begins in Cassian’s memories as the search party treks through the jungle. In the present, Bix is alarmed when she sees a security bulletin searching for someone of Cassian’s description. After she leaves, Timm reads it too. Cassian visits Maarva (Fiona Shaw), he tries to act normal but Maarva immediately confronts him about the security bulletin. Andor quickly heads out when B2EMO informs him that Bix is looking for him. He meets Bix at a cantina and confesses to her he thanks her and leaves, with Timm watching. Frustrated with Andor, Timm calls in the tip on Andor’s whereabouts. At the Security outpost, Karn is informed about Cassian’s location. At Timm’s place, Bix joins him and the two spend the night together. At the security outpost, Karn is encouraged by a Sargent and they plan their apprehension of Andor. At night on Ferix, Andor prepares for his meeting with the buyer. In the past, young Cassian and the search party watch the wreckage from afar. The leader approaches cautiously. In the present, the buyer lands on Ferix and begins the long walk to the city. The buyer is revealed to be Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) as he boards a transport to shorten the journey. Morning comes and Bix wakes in Timm’s bed. Bix senses somthing off with Timm, but heads out to start her day. Andor gives a communicator with B2EMO ands sends it back to Maarva who reminisces about raising Cassian. In the past, the tribal leader passes one body before moving closer. She approaches another that falls out of the ship dead. Suddenly the other body gets up and shoots the leader in the back. The Tribe panics and attacks, killing the pilot. The rest of the Tribe take their leaders body back to the village but Cassian stays. On the way to Ferix, Karn gives a speech to the troops, reluctantly, and prepares for the mission while Luthen descends into the city.
Episode Three begins with young Cassian entering the imperial ship. The wreckage and technology is foreign to him. He is startled when he sees his reflection for the first time, it triggers him and he smashes the console. In present day, Cassian meets with Brasso to tell him of his impending escape. Luthen Rael arrives in the city where he meets up with Bix. She tells him of the bounty on Cassian but Luthen dismisses the threat. Karn and the security force arrive shortly after, splitting up and entering the city. In the past a younger Maarva finds Cassian destroying the control panels in the wreckage. She knocks him unconscious and takes him with her. In the present, the security force barges into Maarva’s house and searches for signs of Cassian. But Cassian calls into B2EMO on the comm, giving away his location, Karn and the rest head out to Andor’s location. Andor is in the abandoned facility when his joined by Luthen. The two negotiate while Bix is warned about the security team. She tries to leave to go find him when Timm stops her. Bix then realizes that it was Timm who called in the tip on Cassian. Luthen and Andor continue to negotiate but Luthen digs deeper about Cassian. Luthen then reveals that he is really there for Cassian himself, to recruit him. The security team march through the city as the towns folk bang on the bells to warn everyone of the securities presence. Bix runs to Cassian but is intercepted by the team. Luthen and Cassian find themselves surrounded so Lunthen blows up the doors, a fire fight erupts in the factory. The two escape into the furnace and into the city. The team holding Bix slam her head against a wall and handcuff her to a pipe, just as Timm finds them. A trigger happy guard shoots Timm as he rushes them and he falls to the ground dead. Karn and his team take up positions surrounding the factory and Karn himself occupies a small empty shop. Suddenly Cassian has his gun pressed against Karn’s head. They tie him up and set up their escape. They send a speeder out into the town and the force rains blaster fire upon it, causing it to crash. They approach it slowly but it explodes and they watch Cassian and Luthen escape on a speeder bike. They get to Luthen’s ship and escape into the stars.
Diego Luna is a force of his own in these episodes. Every scene sees him looking over his shoulder, questioning everyone’s motives, and running from his own actions. He has the motivation to find his sister that is driven in equal parts by love and guilt which drives him to very dark places in order to try and find her. Those dark places are darker than we have ever seen out of a “hero” in the series. Yes, in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story he is seen shooting a man to keep from drawing the attention of passing Stormtroopers; but here, he executes a man pleading for his life after killing another by accident. Cassian Andor may be the most complex character we have seen in these Disney+ series, far removed from the typical Archetypes which consistently occupy the Star Wars Universe. On the other side of the grey morality line that this series occupies is Kyle Soller’s Syril Karn. Karn is the antithesis to Andor in almost every way. Karn represent the established power while Andor represents the untamed masses that lurk under the thumb of the established order. Karn believes in justice without the knowledge of how to obtain it while Andor beliefs are muddled but has all the skills to figure them out. The two characters’ stories began together but will only end with one killing the other. The other stand out character is Bix Caleen played by Adria Arjona. Bix exhibits loyalty to Cassian, and is willing to go to great lengths to help him, but the risks are all too real to her now. Her loyalty to Cassian put her in direct conflict with her lover which ended in his death. It will be interesting to see how her feelings for Andor evolve after watching someone she cares about get shot dead in front of her eyes due to his actions. We only get a few moments with Stellan Skarsgård’s Luthen Rael but there is obviously a great complexity behind his wall of secrecy. He seems to represent Cassian’s entry into the world of Rebellion and espionage. The darkness and shadow that looms over this series is reflected in the setting and cinematography. Even though most of these opening episodes take place in a decently sized village it can often feel claustrophobic and lacking in space to hide. This is most apparent during the Corporate siege on the village, Karn and his men quickly suffocate the village and quickly descend upon Andor. Series creator Tony Gilroy is firmly in his comfort zone with Andor, having previously wrote Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and the Bourne Trilogy and directed the spy thrillers The Bourne Legacy and Michael Clayton. His understanding of the use of tension and buildup is palpable throughout the three episodes and his fingerprints look to be all over this series.
The only real criticism that can be levied against Andor is that these first three episodes could all be condensed into one 90 minute premier but that is the norm with these series. In fact, releasing all three together in the world of binge culture almost guarantees that they will all be viewed together and is the smart choice as opposed to releasing three incomplete episodes. Together, the three make up the best premier to come from a Disney+ Star Wars property. Although far removed from the action heavy and fun tone expected of the Star Wars properties, the series’ unique qualities is what makes it so great. The adult oriented themes and tones are a welcomed change in the galaxy far far away. But what’s more helpful is that the characters are complex and intriguing, the setting is beautiful in its grit and the story is compelling and inthralling. Andor is the example of the quality that can arise from taking the emphasis off the “Star” and placing it upon the “Wars.”