Andor has taken us on a rollercoaster of emotions throughout this season, but episode 11 was pulling at all of our heartstrings. In last week’s episode, we were taken aback by the decisive action that our favorite characters took. From breaking out of prison to hiding just underneath the Empire’s nose, we couldn’t take our eyes off the accomplishments of the rebel cause.
But in episode 11, we are at the precipice of the calm before the storm. As the story moves slowly, we get to see just how much the influence of war has weighed on these characters. They’ve remained strong and resilient all this time, but everyone has their breaking point. The consequences of war are fierce, let’s just hope they can recover from their losses.
Continuing the Tradition
Mon Mothma has been a fan favorite in Andor since her first appearance, so it’s only normal that we would all feel for her when times get tough. Mothma has propped herself up to be this stoic figure who can always find a way out of tricky situations. But not this time. With little to no resources left to assist with her financial scheme, she has no choice but to accept Davo Sculdun’s offer of betrothing her daughter to his son.
Throughout the season, we’ve seen Mon Mothma’s distaste for the old traditions of Chandrilan culture. She finds clarity and power in being independent and keeps a good distance from her husband, Perrin. Married at a mere 15 years old, she knows firsthand just how dangerous these conventions are. She just never expected those same customs would fall upon her daughter.
This is Mon Mothma’s sacrifice. To ensure the Empire doesn’t find out about the missing 400,000 credits in her account, she will have to give up her daughter’s childhood to protect the rebellion. Sacrifice doesn’t have to come in the form of loss. Sometimes, it takes the shape of our worst nightmares coming true. Even though her daughter, Leida, has accepted this reality, Mothma is breaking inside. Thanks to the incredible acting of Genevieve O’Reilly, the audience sees Mon Mothma’s walls collapse. Tears threaten to escape as she looks at her daughter, wondering how many more days of innocence she has left. In war, nothing you love is safe.
31 Men Gone
After his starstudded monologue in episode 10, Luthen is back to doing what he does best, convincing even the most stubborn of allies. Sacrifices during war is just a part of the game, and Luthen knows this well. But when he finds out the ISB is about to target Anto Kreegyr and his men, there’s little Luthen can do to stop it. His intent is keeping his other men out of harm’s way. However, in an attempt to reason with Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker), he only finds himself in more predicaments.
Saw is furious and confused as to why they can’t go in and help Kreegyr before the Empire strikes them down. Tensions continue to rise as Saw suspects that Luthen has spies all over the galaxy, even watching him. The only way for the infighting to cease is, to tell the truth. Sacrificing Anto Kreegyr is a smaller price to pay. It’s at that moment that Saw understands why they cannot interfere. If the Empire were to capture Saw instead of Anto, the entire rebellion would be at risk. For now, they will have to lose 31 men for the price of saving one.
Luthen’s character is the perfect foil to those in the Empire and the dark side. As many online have commented, Luthen lives in a morally grey area, and that certainly came out in this episode of Andor. Luthen tries to save the lives of others, but he inadvertently succumbs to acting like his enemy. And while he is certainly on the side of good, he knows that the only way to win this battle is by surrendering his morality so others may live.
Alone Again
After swimming to their freedom, Melshi and Cassian have finally escaped the threat of the Empire, for now. As Cassian and Melshi make their way to safer grounds, we all can’t help but feel for what Cassian is about to discover. While they’ve been making their way back to civilization, Maarva Andor has died. The people of Ferrix are reeling from such a monumental loss, showing that Maarva’s words and wisdom touched more people than just Cassian.
Any hope that’s left after their treacherous journey is gone once Cassian radios into Ferrix. Even though I know all of this is fictional, I grieved with Cassian as he finds out the devastating truth about his adoptive mother. Deigo Luna does a spectacular job of displaying the immense amount of sadness and loss Cassian is facing. He is taken aback and shocked, now realizing their conversation on Ferrix was the last time he’d ever see her. This moment may even light a fire underneath Cassian. The Empire took away any chance of reuniting him with his mother. After everything that Cassian has lost, this may be the event that leads him to revolution.
If the death of his mother wasn’t enough, Cassian also has to sacrifice the companionship of Melshi. The galaxy has to know about the atrocities the Empire put them through in prison, but to cover more ground, they must part ways. We never find out if Cassian told Melshi about his mother, but it makes me wonder if Melshi had known about Cassian’s mother’s death, would he have separated from his friend? Luckily, we do know the two become reunited thanks to Rogue One. But, now with no family or friends, Cassian is all on his own.
A Familiar Ending
This episode of Star Wars: Andor had many ups and downs. From Bix’s tortured state to Luthen’s badass escape from an Imperial Starship, there were many moments that left us in awe. However, the one that gave me chills at 1 o’clock in the morning was the last minute of the show. Before the screen goes dark, we see Cassian looking out over the ocean, just like in his final moments during Rogue One.
Others online also commented on how eerily familiar the final shot was. Each time Cassian looks out to the horizon, a new chapter of his life is about to start. In the final arch of the show, Cassian is set to be one of the most influential rebels of all time.
Stay tuned for the Season 1 finale of Star Wars: Andor next Wednesday at midnight PST. Tune in each week for another thrilling recap! Until then, get caught up with last week’s episode here!
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