‘Andor’ Season 1, Episode 9 Review
by Frank Martin
It seemed as if Andor was on a narrative path of having two episodes of buildup and then one episode of action. The entire story structure was built in arcs, and while that still seems to be the case, things are a bit different for this third go around. Rather than have the third episode filled with action, it was much more filled with tension and suspense. That’s not to say that the next episode will start a new arc or reset the buildup. It just means that this arc had an extra episode of intense buildup before the action that will inevitably come in next week’s installment.
The suspense in this episode came primarily on three fronts. The first is the main storyline: which sees Cassian (Diego Luna) still stuck in prison. But the situation is becoming more tenuous and dire. He even has his foreman, Kino Loy (Andy Serkis), turning to his side in the episode’s closing moments — indicating that a breakout is imminent. Meanwhile, ISB agent Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) is rapidly closing in on him. It’s only a matter of time before they come face-to-face, and the hunt is heating up. Lastly, Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) is facing financial issues, and it’s also revealed that it Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay), the one who lead the raid at the Imperial garrison on Aldhani, is her cousin.
It’s unclear whether or not Cassian will have any outside help during the breakout. A relationship has been built up with him and the other inmates over the past two episodes, so they may have all of the characters they need. But there’s still the need to connect the title character to the Rebellion at large. So far, the heist has only lit a spark of his notoriety. But the series has promised to turn him into a Rebel hero. Fans will just have to wait until the next episode to see whether or not his breakout from prison contributes to his legend.
Andor airs Wednesdays on Disney+