*Episode premise spoilers, which spoils the end of episode 9.*
Look, I went into Andor full of excitement and anticipation, which had been building the entire four years I waited between the announcement of the series and the premiere. I knew I loved Rogue One, and I knew I loved Diego Luna. I was more than prepared to love this show. But seriously, I love it. This is the best Star Wars has been, and that’s before I even add in my obvious bias. Every week, it is just. That. Good.
At the end of episode 9, Cassian and Kino learned a horrible truth: no one is leaving Narkina 5. When a prisoner’s sentence is up, they simply get moved around, never released. With this push, Cassian urges Kino once more to get on board with the escape plan he and some of the other inmates have been working on. They have a limited window in which to act, and if they ever want to be free, they have to move now.
Before I get to the escape attempt, I must acknowledge that other things did happen in this episode, and all of it is great. New laws have made it much harder for Mon Mothma to access funds for the Rebellion, and she’s forced to entertain a possible deal with the devil in order to freely use her own money. Luthen meets with an asset who’s questioning their resolve, and the two consider just what a rebellion requires. Stellan Skarsgård gets a killer speech that’s full of incredible lines. Just to cherry-pick a few of my favorites, I’m obsessed with, “I share my dreams with ghosts,” and “I burn my decency for someone else’s future.”
Quickly, our character of the week is Major Partagaz, played by Anton Lesser (who’ve I seen in different things but know best as Qyburn on Game of Thrones.) He’s the head of ISB, Dedra’s boss and an unsettling true believer in the Empire’s vision of order and control. He’s just chillingly evil and scary, but like Dedra, I appreciate that he’s also truly painted as human. I like that he’s an icy cold fascist, but he’s also a superior officer who has no patience for squabbling among his subordinates. There’s more than one scene in the series of him cutting through an ISB officer’s bullshit to make them clearly state what it is they’ve actually accomplished. Again, like Dedra, his shrewdness and competence just makes him even more of a threat.
But this episode is all about the inmates in Cassian’s shift banding together to try and break out. I love that they’re not just trying to escape for themselves, a small group of exceptional man enacting a brilliant plan to steal away. Their mission is to upset the whole apple cart, giving every inmate a chance to benefit from their plan and the risks they’re taking. The whole story is dark and intense, but it also just sings with hope. This is Star Wars. I love it.
Andy Serkis has been fantastic throughout his role on this show, and he’s especially great here. I love how he plays Kino’s fear and reluctance mixed with his rage and desperation as he hits his breaking point. He gets an excellent speech moment too, and he sells the hell out of it.
Okay, so Cassian frickin’ Andor. It’s not just that he’s smart or brave. It’s not just that he has well-honed observation skills and all manner of abilities that come in handy in a situation like this. It’s his deep understanding of how his oppressor thinks. He pushes for the escape plan, not merely because he’s anxious to get out, but because he sees that, tactically, this is their best opportunity. When Kino argues that the Empire is too powerful to beat, Cassian shoots down, “Power doesn’t panic” (incredible dialogue all through this episode.) He sees how the Empire has grown complacent to its own might, and they have to strike now before their enemy scrabbles to reinforce its hold over them.
More than that, I love that Cassian doesn’t need to be out front to lead. He’s instrumental in crafting this escape plan, and he’s clearly a leader in this, but he doesn’t need to claim ownership of it. In fact, as he bands the inmates together, he pushes others forward, recognizing the qualities in them and inspiring them to step up. Not in a touchy-feely way—he can be pretty forceful about it, at one point asking a nervous Kino, “Is that the best you’ve got?” But he rallies them, he’s the glue holding everything together as they work as a team. It’s really beautiful to see, and such a different type of hero.
Honestly, what more can I say about Diego Luna’s performance? He’s just giving his all week after week, but in such a subtle way. Everything he does feels true to Cassian’s character, from his line deliveries to the way he holds his hands behind his head when ordered to stand “on program.” This is the latest in a 24-episode journey of watching the Cassian of the pilot become the Cassian of Rogue One, and Luna never misses.
Side note: Luna has spoken more than once about how he finds it very difficult to act in English, and especially in Star Wars with its jargon and made-up words. I appreciate his openness about those insecurities. But extra kudos to him, because every one of Cassian’s lines sounds natural to me.
No comments:
Post a Comment