Andor Season 2 Episodes 7-9 Review
‘Andor’ has always been a show that has never been afraid to show the horrors of how a fascist regime will do anything to get what it wants, while delivering prescient messages about rebellion and sacrifice. Episodes seven, eight, and nine of season two hammer these points harder than ever before. The three episodes are shocking, with a level of intensity never seen before in ‘Star Wars’. All aspects of the craft – acting, writing, directing, music, costume, set design and much more come together to deliver an extremely moving piece of ‘Star Wars’.
Episode seven opens up on Yavin 4, which is looking much more developed than the visit earlier in the season. While season two’s structure prevents audiences from seeing the origin of the Rebel Base, it’s just not relevant to Cassian’s story. What is relevant on Yavin is his interaction with the mystical Force healer, which treats the Force with amazing reverence and gracefully shows that some, like Bix, might accept it, and others, like Cassian, outright reject it. It’s a nuanced take on one of the franchise’s defining concepts. But Cassian is quickly whisked off to Ghorman with Wilmon with the possibility of assassinating Dedra Meero. Wilmon is showing more of a radical bend now than Cassian, a fighting development for his character after what he’s been through.
On Ghorman, audiences witness the horror of the Imperial occupation. The press lies about who the Ghor are, lies about their supposed violence and objections to “Imperial norms”. It’s a brazen way to strip the Ghor of their humanity and identity. Curfews are instated, barricades erected, and an atmosphere ready to blow. Dedra and the other Imperials receive reinforcements, led by crisis specialist Captain Kaido, played by Jonjo O’Neill. O’Neill is fantastically evil as Kaido, a man indifferent to the slaughter he’s about to instigate. His look is carefully designed, with a horrible scar running down his face, to make him ooze evil.
Dedra Meero and Syril Karn have their climatic turn in these episodes. Syril’s time with the Ghorman Front has caused him to question his mission with the Empire. His turn marks an important shift in his character. He finally learns that the Empire isn’t all about law and order as he once thought, but instead incites chaos to get what it wants. Kyle Soller delivers a phenomenal performance as Syril, his face full of despair, replaced with a feral anger when he sees Cassian. And to be killed by Carro Rylanz, a man driven to violence after wanting to remain peaceful. His altercation with Syril was a gut wrenching moment, as the rebel leader confronted his manipulator.
The massacre itself was shockingly brutal. The Ghor anthem and other subtle music cues are used to ratchet up tension for something the audience knows is coming, before it boils over. It’s a moment of TV that’s bound to stay with the viewer for a long time, as civilians are mercilessly gunned down for a tyrant’s land grab. The KX Droids were equally destructive, But what is bound to leave audience members shook the most is the final radio dispatch from Palmo One, as the Ghormans beg for help, and that ultimately they don’t understand why they’re being targeted. Like Cassian himself, it’s enough to make tears well up.
The final episode in the arc is a tense spy thriller as Cassian gets Mon Mothma out of the Senate after delivering her speech. The setup with Bail Organa’s team being corrupted, the ISB trying to shut down the speech, and Erskin Semaj’s betrayal injects a lot of suspense into proceedings, deepening the escape. Mon’s speech is fantastic, and cuts right to the importance of truth in society, which is something that everyone can relate to in the current day, but is also a reverberation of how important these concepts are across history and how they’re timeless. Genevieve O’Reilly delivers an Emmy-level performance, showing Mon’s nervousness, rising confidence, and horror when Cassian shoots her driver.
This leads to the final moments of the episode, as Cassian returns back to Yavin 4. Cassian is dealt another blow as Bix says goodbye to him, the culmination of her making her own choice and meeting the Force healer. She leaves Cassian, fearing that he’ll give up the Rebellion for her. It’s a personal loss for Cassian after days of tragedy, and her speech makes the audience feel the weight of that. It’s balanced out slightly by the introduction of K-2SO however.
Overall these three episodes of ‘Andor’ are some of the best episodes of ‘Star Wars’ television, with an impactful look at how the Empire treats its citizens with masterful writing, acting, music and more. The show seems more relevant to today’s society than ever before, reminding audiences that tyrants will use the same strategies time and time again to cement their rule, and urges them to remain constantly vigilant.
