‘Andor’ Season 1, Episode 12 Review
by Frank Martin
If one wants to know what makes Andor so great, all they have to do is look at the title sequence that proceeds every episode. It’s hard to discern exactly what it means in the beginning, but by the season finale, it’s become clear that the title sequence is representative of Cassian Andor’s (Diego Luna) journey throughout the season. Even more than that, though, it’s also representative of the show as a whole, a metaphor for the galaxy’s simmering and slow building rebellion. Because, ultimately, Andor is about getting gritty while fighting oppression.
The events of this episode were set up last week. After Cassian’s mother, Maarva (Fiona Shaw) died, the Empire allowed her home planet to hold a funeral in her honor. They did this in the hopes of catching Cassian when he came home. Instead, their plan backfired when a pre-recorded message from Maarva inspired her friends to rise up against the Empire, resulting in a catastrophic skirmish. Cassian used the events as cover to rescue Bix (Adria Arjona) from captivity. He then offered himself up to Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) in the episode’s closing moments, beginning his journey as a full-fledged Rebel.
In the beginning of the title sequence, nothing is quite clear except for the blank vastness of space. Over time, the Andor name — as well as the Rebel symbol — slowly emerges. This is very symbolic of Andor’s journey from obscurity to hero. He wanted nothing to do with the Rebellion. He just wanted to successfully live his life. But over the last year, he has come to realize that the Empire must be stopped. This realization grows slowly, much like his name in the title sequence. It’s indicative of a very profound journey that culminates in this season finale.
Andor is now streaming on Disney+.