User Reviews

Every single plotline comes to a conclusion, but the end is just the beginning.

This finale is near perfect, the consequences of every action every character has made till this moment literally explode in their face, and we get semi-conclusions to the conflicts of all the characters and nearly every plotline.

I say near perfect and I'm giving it a generous 10, because not every conclusion like Vel and Cinta's was that satisfying or clear. Especially the unanswered question of what Cinta did on Aldhani. But hey, this is not the end of the show and we got one more season!

But despite some of the unanswered questions, I loved that nearly everything, even the question we had about the prison was answered here and they all had a part in the conclusion and weren't purposeless throwaway plot devices without a reason. (The prison one in particular is in the post-credit scene, don't miss it!)

I also love that every character, even the smallest ones that you don't even know much about is important to the rebellion's inception and you can say for each of these characters that if it wasn't for them, Empire wouldn't have lost. It goes so well with the theme of the show and what Maarva and Nemik were saying before and especially in this one, that even one person can make a change and help defeat the fascist forces if they wake up.

The highlight of the episode is obviously Maarva's speech that affects everyone and even makes Luthen change his mind which we haven't seen yet.

Seeing the high and mighty Dedra Meero on the ground getting tossed around and her finally feeling like everybody else, an ordinary person who isn't above anybody else after a full season of her scoring and getting Ws non-stop was definitely satisfying to watch. Dedra is a really interesting character and a pov the writers decided to show us because we root for her when she's in ISB, because she's an underdog working to be the best, but then she comes to our actual protagonist good guys and you realize "oh yeah, she a bad guy and she's really good at being bad too, maybe I should stop rooting for her" and you hate her when she's in the "real" world.

The culmination of her story with her simp Syril Karn was kinda obvious when their storylines started to clash, but I feel like Syril's plotline especially kinda lacked, was not that deep or substantial overall. Obviously, his storyline had to wait so Dedra's could catch up and they could clash then, but overall I think there could've been more between these two, and maybe he could've saved her in another instance way earlier and she could've (fall for him!?) that way. It's not that the storyline is not interesting, it's that it feels like Cassian has been through so much in the span of 12 episodes, but all that's happened to Syril is that he got to the fight in the third episode, and he has been simping ever since until now that they finally got together and she is, I'm assuming, perhaps in love with her and he's gonna be her right hand in the next season.

The action is also great once again and I love that they don't shy away from showing what actually happens in situations like this and the ordinary people unfortunately get killed the most and it's not all fun and games. They try to write the show as realistic as possible, and they definitely have achieved that in my opinion.

Maarva practically saved the galaxy just like Cassian did in Rogue One, and there wouldn't be a Rogue One if it wasn't for Maarva. We see the gradual change of Cassian from just a regular fighter who doesn't want anything to do with rebellions and such in the beginning, just looking for his sister, to working with rebels for money, to a guy who actually endured the oppression of the fascist Empire and saw that no matter where he goes, the Empire will be there, and he finally got a reason to join the rebellion and stick to the man. So I don't wanna see people saying Andor is a bad or uninteresting character. His character arc in this season was great, maybe not too obvious and more subtle, but it was there and it was great.

This also reminded me that we never heard of Cassian's sister again and it feels like the writers completely forgot about it. They only mentioned her once in the beginning and once in the middle and never mentioned her again. I just expected finding her to be a major storyline of the season, but so far it just has been the spark that started this fire and everything that has happened so far is because it all started because Cassian was looking for her. I just hope they address that in the second season because I thought it was gonna be way more important to the story and be one of the storylines but we never got anything.

Mon Mothma's storyline also comes to the point of a customary marriage that is arranged and not based on love (yet) that is all happening because of the problems Mon has faced. I saw a comment mentioning that Mon actually knew the driver was listening and she did that to drop all the accusations and financial transactions that could get her in trouble on her husband, which I didn't even notice, that's how subtle and great the writing of this show is, and also that makes her such a cunning character and perhaps evil a bit, but I guess that husband and child deserve it. One thing I love about her storyline is that usually in these types of stories you get rebellious young characters with parents, especially if they're politicians, that are more traditional and in favor of the fascist state or in this case, the Empire. But here we see the mother be more rebellious and democratic and her young daughter be more into the traditions and power and money instead. And from the looks of it, and it was perhaps obvious from before, the daughter probably will approve of the marriage happily and will serve the Empire well.

We also get more Bix in this episode and it looks like she's gonna be more of a major character in the second season hopefully since she didn't have much screen time in this season. So I hope she has a more prominent role in the next season and will be with the group Cassian is with.

The last scene is also perfect too and the perfect setup for the next season.

All in all, I liked this finale a lot, we got a satisfying conclusion to nearly all of the storylines and characters' journies. It perhaps might not be an absolute 10/10 like episodes like The Eye or the prison episodes were, because of some of the nitpicks like Cinta and Vel's relationship not being explored enough or their conclusion not being satisfying enough, and Andor's forgotten sister storyline I mentioned above, but it's a really good finale nonetheless and satisfying all around with tension and stakes at their peak and great acting all around.

Andor Season 1 was a stunning show in every respect and I'll be missing next weeks installment as I chomp at the bit for the next season to come out - it can't come soon enough!

The last episode brings most of the threads together and demonstrates the power of a united people under siege. Although it still leaves some questions unanswered for instance the relationship between Vel and Cintra - a story that has not yet been explored and could be interesting in S02. Whilst for me, this episode did not have the edge of the seat suspense that 'One Way Out did, there were still many outstanding scenes worthy of this finale; e.g., Maarva's soliloquy which I thought was perfection and served to fulfill her last wish which was to strike a blow for the rebellion and ignite the fire in the hearts of the Ferrix people leading them to stand up nd fight: Then there was the scene with the intense chemistry between Syril and Dedra following her rescue which literally ricochet off the screen and suggests there may be some romantic involvement in S02 although we'll have to wait and see.

The rebellion outbreak against the guards and the bombing is where Luthen gets his slap in the face and begins to understand the true value of Cassian who he originally came to assassinate with the help of his team. Cassian simultaneously has his own awakening where he finally sees that his only remaining choice is to accept the role of leadership and to fight the Empire.

Although some have said that Cassian's character is not the most colourful, there is subtlety there. The story arc of his development into a rebel hero is, in my opinion skillfully done, the prison episodes being the key pieces to his realisation of the horrific oppression that the Empire brings and how the only way to be free would be to stand up to them.

But by far the most ominous scene was saved for after the credits had rolled when we finally understand what the men in all the secret prisons were working on: The Death Star. It's all beginning to cook nicely. Truly, this is the best Star Wars offering I've seen, perhaps because there are inklings of familiarity in the emerging dystopia in our present time...Whatever the reason, I am hooked. Cant wait for Season 2.

... when Ferrix starts fighting back against the Empire and throws troopers on the ground is out of this world.

Rix Road slaps in every sense of the term. The slow build up is felt and effective. Maarva's presence is still pretty much all around, and we even get to see a recording near the end, which gets the spark into motion.

It's an all out fight and the cinematography is great. The directing is elite and to the point. We follow a lot of folks this episode, but Cassian is one of the main focuses. You feel the rage as the skirmish is popping off, and Dedra is submerged. You want her to get what's coming to her, but you're almost happy when Syril rescues her. It's weird.

The episode ends when a group of insurgents hops aboard a ship to fly off. And just when you think, there is one more loose end to tie up about the Luthen, Cinta and Vel situation, Cassian shows up and faces the problem in the eye. Literally.

Great ending marking the beginning of something greater ! Season 2 couldn't come soon enough !

Maarva's speech at her funeral might just have been one of the most powerful scenes in Star wars. Full of emotion. Really liked how the empire sat there and watched as the people rallied.

Episode did a really good job at ending the series, gave Maarva an emotional send off and finally saw Andor "join" the "Rebellion" which was simply long awaited.

Another brilliant episode of acting from the elite cast to top off a series of brilliant acting.

Overall a series which started slow, built up actual characters, made us like them and then exploded into action. Brilliant TV and can't wait for the 2nd series.

Andor has been the best show I can remember on TV since the early seasons of Game of Thrones, or Breaking Bad, or The Wire (which it is closest to in many ways). It is consistently well-made in every department, and approaches Star Wars with a seriousness and a respect for the common people that the shows and movies have never quite captured (some of the pulpy books in the 90s did a decent job of this, Mike Stackpole and Aaron Allston's Rogue Squadron series most notably).

Here, Season 1 ends with a bang, and continues at its high level of quality. But, I found that at the same time, it totally subverted my expectations. Andor has been a very serious show, with many dark elements. It does not really have humor in the way that other Star Wars does, and it does not break its tension with stupid playground antics like the MCU or the sequel trilogy. What Andor did here was far more impressive.

Going in, I was certain that many characters would die. Of course Andor had to live, but I thought Luthen might die, probably Vel and/or Cinta, certainly Brasso, and definitely B2EMO. I thought their deaths would be the trigger that pushed Andor over the edge as a Rebel (though after episode 11 he is already there).

None of these characters died. None of them were even injured. Dedra got rocked in the noggin (I cheered), but will survive to face her reckoning with ISB.

You'd think that the survival of all of these characters would be hard to understand, especially given the chaos on Ferrix. You'd be wrong. The tension is high. The stakes are high. What saves them all is that the Imperials, for all of their brutality and their arrogant control, remain unprepared. They do not think that this could possibly escalate beyond their ability to control it. They cannot easily identify the ringleaders in the crowd and the chaos, especially once everyone on Ferrix joins the riot.

And, at the same time, people DO die. Even a couple of minor named characters, so the tension and the stakes are resolved. Luthen sees the fruits of his efforts, and is visibly disturbed by it. This is what he wants, yet the brutal payoff to civilians is a huge price to pay.

It was a brilliant episode, because it brought all of its principals (minus Mon Mothma) to a climactic scene, but found believable ways for all of them to survive it. The fun of Season 2 will be seeing how they grow from it. What will they have learned, and how will they change? How will the Empire and the Rebel Alliance progress?

This is a cliffhanger without the cliffhanger. It is the promise that more will come, and I trust this production team to deliver a satisfying result. I cannot wait for Season 2.

If you've read this, spoilers and all, and you haven't watched Andor, all I can say is- Do. It is a slow burn, but it is well worth it.

Perhaps realizing that true majority of tire season finale passes with absolutely nothing happening, suddenly there are explosions and laser fire and thick smoke and somebody head butting a helmeted stormtrooper. Then it suddenly becomes as boring as it was before, until the end of the episode a few minutes later. It's like they couldn't figure out how to pull the different plot lines of the season together so let's just cover it up with noise and throw a bunch of noodles at the wall to see what sticks. Maybe the audience will just project their own interpretation onto the mess and it will all work itself out. SMH.

This feels like a perfect start for season 2, nothing feels untouched, tension was there, characters developed and I can't wait for more, it feels kinda like episode 3 in a way.

Even though Syrill wasn't much in the show since episode 3 I feel he will become a big focus in season 2, we see him coming closer to his goal, the empire as well as Andor. I only miss that we didn't see as much of Krieger since he was talked about quite a lot and could've been interesting, but I understand because it also would've been a little bit disorienting with that much focus on a lot of rebel groups. Since season 2 is already announced I think that we will see even more of saw.

Also, it was epic showing us what the parts were used for that cassian and the prisoners assembled. This show just did everything right from the start!

Rederick Douglass once said, "The thing worse than rebellion is the thing that causes rebellion." This quote was regarding the slavery and oppression plaguing America in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The whole episode, and frankly, the majority of the season, can be captured by 1 word. Emotions. What I mean by that is there is actual oppression and sadness that can be seen by people living under the empire, and how it increases as the empire grows. People are sad, oppressed, and have had enough, AND YOU CAN FEEL IT.

How one evil created another in the unbalance of power that the empire had become. Yes, you may say that he is the necessary evil and whatnot, but still, one bad doesn't make another wrong right, and all along, when we thought someone like Saw Garerra was messed up in his tactics and methods, in this series was saw another, and his name was Luthen. Both these actors' acting was phenomenal, and they performed their roles perfectly.

In this final episode, Luthen realised something. Even though he has become the very thing he wants to destroy (and he's conscious of it), he doesn't need to do the things he does anymore (to the level of killing someone you recruited, at least). This is because it's gotten to a stage where the people are rising against the empire. Regular civilians such as Maarva can make a speech that moved many, including Luthen (this scene was incredible, by the way). Luthens emotions displayed in this scene were so obscure, was he impressed, was it unexpected, was it relief, I couldn't tell, but I want to believe that he was in the mindset that (the rebellion had finally begun).

For the regular people, it got to the point where people went full-on against the soldiers with no weapons. Regular people, where moments ago we saw their sad emotions, their anger coming out, feeling like we knew them, were being plain killed by troopers while they were trying to protect their fellow town members.

This is also the reason that Cassian had the confidence to go to Luthen on his ship later. He knew that the rebellion had begun and that killing Cassian would be illogical as they need each other. Can't wait to see what happens in the next season!

This series perfectly captured life under the strict rule of the empire for ordinary everyday people in the universe of star wars, which was refreshing to see.

The writing (it made sense, for once in Disney SW), atmosphere, cinematography and acting were excellent. There was a lot of humanisation of characters, and we saw deep reasons and motivations for becoming a rebel.

Overall, this season/series gets a solid 9/10 for me.