Andor has finally come to an end, and what a ride it was. Tony Gilroy gives us a moment to exhale after the Ghorman massacre and its aftermath. The pace slows down once again, but that’s not a bad thing-this arc serves as the crucial buildup to Rogue One. Honestly, I was hard-pressed not to jump straight into Rogue One after these last episodes. There will be spoilers ahead, so let’s dive in.
The Final Chapters
A year has passed since the Ghorman massacre. The Empire has tightened its grip, and Luthen’s operation on Coruscant is under constant threat. An emergency call comes from his contact in the ISB, Supervisor Jung. Jung had been withholding the fact that he had secret access to Dedra’s systems for years. He reveals to Luthen that the Empire’s energy plan is actually a front for the Emperor’s secret superweapon, but he refuses to share more unless Luthen helps him and his family escape off-world to safety.
Luthen is dismayed-he’s only human, and he can’t control the actions of his assets, who are human too. He returns to his store to begin destroying evidence of their operation. Meanwhile, Imperial spymaster Major Partagaz faces similar problems. Jung is found dead, and Dedra acts independently, arresting Luthen prematurely. Luthen nearly dies in a botched suicide attempt. Dedra is disgraced and arrested, with the conniving Supervisor Heert taking over the hunt.
We also learn about Luthen’s past as an Imperial sergeant and how he found Kleya as a war orphan, hiding from his unit during a civilian massacre. These flashbacks occur while Kleya infiltrates the hospital where Luthen lies in a coma. She makes the heartbreaking decision to end his life and escapes under cover of planted explosives.
Krennic arrives, interrogating Dedra to determine how much Death Star information has leaked and who might be involved. Though she initially cooperates, Krennic ultimately throws her into prison. Meanwhile, Kleya is at a safehouse, using a hidden radio to call for rescue-the information she holds on the Death Star is vital.
Tensions rise in the ISB as Krennic warns Major Partagaz that he cannot protect him if he fails to contain the situation. On Yavin, Wilmon hears the distress call and informs Cassian that Luthen is reaching out for help. Despite Rebel command’s disapproval, Cassian, Melshi, and K-2SO take a U-Wing on an unsanctioned rescue mission.
They reach Kleya, but an Imperial team has traced her radio signals and moves to capture her. The ISB troopers raid the apartment, declaring their intent to capture the rebels. A firefight breaks out after a stun grenade fails to incapacitate Cassian and Melshi. Kleya is injured and unconscious. The raid goes sideways as K-2SO jams the ISB troopers’ communications and uses Supervisor Heert as a human shield, resulting in Heert’s gruesome demise. The rebels escape with the vital information.
Cassian and his team return to Yavin with an injured Kleya, only to be met by a hostile Rebel leadership. Cassian broke protocol, after all. He meets with the alliance leaders, relaying news of Luthen’s death and the secret Imperial superweapon. Most leaders doubt the information, as many were not on good terms with Luthen or his methods. Cassian does his best to convince them but is put under house arrest for his prior insubordination.
Meanwhile, Kleya, having lost her place, is unsure what to do next. Back on Coruscant, failure has its price. Partagaz anticipates his fate and spends his final moments listening to Nemik’s manifesto on freedom and the Empire’s unnatural need for control. His former subordinate, Supervisor Lagret, allows him to take his own life to avoid arrest.
Finally, Cassian makes his case to Vel, and they mourn their fallen comrades over a drink. The next day, Rebel command acts on the news, sending Cassian on a mission to meet his contact in Saw Gerrera’s group. We also see Dedra’s fate-imprisoned in an Imperial work camp, crying as the lights go out in her cell. The episode closes with Bix and B2EMO living peacefully on a farm planet, as Bix gazes toward the horizon, holding a baby.
Final Thoughts
There was a slight hiccup when Cassian remembered his sister, but I doubt that thread will ever be fully resolved. One fascinating aspect of the series is how, despite the absence of a major figure like Palpatine, his influence is still deeply felt-much like in A New Hope.
Dedra grew on me as a tragic character. She started as a hard-nosed Imperial but seemed to find love and happiness with Syril in her own strange way. However, her ambition and actions ultimately trapped her, especially after Krennic recruited her. Alan Tudyk’s K-2SO was a highlight in these final episodes-I missed his dry wit and sarcastic humor.
The acting throughout this final act was top-notch. Both main and supporting characters delivered performances worthy of Emmy nominations, if not wins. The slower pace didn’t bother me; I saw it as a necessary buildup to Rogue One. In fact, it made me want to watch the movie again immediately.
On the technical side, there was noticeable de-aging, especially for Luthen’s flashbacks and Krennic, to match their appearances in Rogue One. Mon Mothma and Cassian also sported their classic haircuts.
Andor felt like watching a Star Wars novel come to life-reminiscent of James Luceno’s Rogue One: Catalyst. Unlike that novel, which focused on major players like Tarkin and Krennic, Andor gives equal care to background Rebels and Imperials. For me, this show surpasses all other Disney Star Wars series by a wide margin. While I still enjoy The Mandalorian (first two seasons), The Clone Wars, and Rebels for what they are, Andor takes the storytelling to a whole new level.
Farewell, Andor. I don’t know if we’ll see anything like it in Star Wars again, but I sure hope we do. If other shows received the same care and quality-not necessarily the same tone-as this one, the galaxy far, far away would be in a much better place.
***
English (US) · 