– Spoiler Review –
Cassian’s time in prison comes to a thrilling, emotional close in Andor’s “Episode 10 – One Way Out,” while Mon Mothma faces the reality of what she might have to sacrifice for the cause and Luthen bares it all to keep a valuable asset in place, further cementing Andor’s status as a phenomenal show.
Especially in the last few weeks, I’ve been trying to start the Andor reviews with some discussion on their potential political commentary, as it’s been eerily and damning and importantly prescient in its messaging. While this discussion is a coincidence, though if it’s not then the team behind Andor are either from the future or having visions of it, dropping “Episode 10 – One Way Out” today feels like a commentary on the not so red wave of the United States midterm elections, highlighting how if enough people rise up, combat the fear of the oppressive side, they might have a chance to break free. It’s going to be an uphill battle, and not won overnight, but Kino’s speech, impressively delivered by Andy Serkis, felt like a rallying cry we could take advice from in the real world as well. But in less coincidence-bearing thoughts, the prison break showed the power of working together combined with the reality of rebellion, that people will fall in the process, that one might not be there to see its end, but if the goal is good, if the goal is worth it to see others free, is it not worth it? Freedom is never an easy fight and oppressive regimes, governments, or politicians won’t let their power go easily, but between either seeing the prison guards hiding or the command center officers not resisting, leaders forget there are everyday people working for them and those people can and will see the might of those rising up, either going down with the ship or stepping aside, with freedom something everyone can rally behind eventually. There’s also a powerful conversation this episode to be had about what one will have to give up in the fight for what’s right, besides one’s one life, as every character in “One Way Out” grapples with what they are willing or already have given up, revealed excellently in stunning performances and hauntingly good writing by Beau Willimon.
With Cassian, he tells Kino, moments after the end of last episode, they have to go tomorrow, they have to fight now because another chance might not present itself. Kino’s still in disbelief, even after his holler-worthy response to Cassian’s question last episode, and Cassian tries to shock him into understanding, telling the supervisor he’d rather die trying to take them down than giving them what they want. The chemistry between Diego Luna and Serkis is fantastic throughout the episode, though the energy they bring to this fight, how much you can tell Cassian believes what he’s saying about giving his own life, and how Kino is grappling with the truth, sells the desperation of the situation and is just the tip of the iceberg of the journey these two go through this episode. As they return to their cells, I love how Serkis plays Kino here, the way he lets understanding wash over him, the resolve that settles in as he makes up his mind to go along with their plan, though when the ending of “One Way Out” comes, his work is even more impressive considering what we know then. The following morning, the escape begins, with Cassian back at sawing pipes in the bathroom, and at first I didn’t quite get what he was attempting, but it quickly dawned on me as the water started pouring out. As the new prisoner is brought in, the fight begins, Kino leading the war cry as Cassian jams the elevator and they attempt to climb it and take out the guards. Foretelling the fact they might not be successful right away, the water is a failsafe, so when the guards go to fry the floor (almost everyone getting on a table in time), it overloads the system and shuts down the floor’s power to shock them. While more prisoners fall in the process, Cassian is eventually able to bring down a guard and get a blaster, killing the other guards and clearing the way for their escape, the other prisoners taking weapons and going to free the other floors and shifts to bring their overwhelming numbers against the minimal guards. Cassian and Kino get to the command center, opening up the doors and powering down the facility after some minor reluctance on the officers’ parts, but Cassian knows they need to send a message to the others, so they believe what’s happening and join them, and there’s no one better for the job than Kino.
Serkis has already given a stellar performance this episode, but the speech here is empowering and inspiring, especially with how more committed to it he gets as he goes how much more he believes it, feels inspired as well, and it gains a haunting edge when viewed after finishing the episode, elevating Serkis’ performance into something truly unforgettable. As the prisoners rise up, storm out, they find themselves on the precipice of the loading dock, ocean below for them to swim across to freedom and they begin to jump in droves…just not Kino. Moments before Cassian is pulled into jumping by the crowd, Kino reveals he can’t swim, a heartbreaking revelation but completely changes our view of everything he’s said and done up until this moment. When Cassian is here lecturing him he’d rather give his life to the fight than to the Empire, Kino isn’t having the same issue…he’s dealing with the reality that even if they escape, he won’t be able to. So as Kino comes to join the escape and become its reluctant leader, he’s figuring out if he’s willing to give up his own chance at freedom or not to help save the others, so his big speech to the facility is when he truly understands the power he has and decides his own potential lack of freedom is totally worth it. Giving up one’s life is no easy thing to accept, as Cassian has, but knowing you might end up right where you started, the others leaving you behind, is so much worse. Will he manage to get out, waiting for the next prisoner transport and taking it with anyone else willing to stay behind/also can’t swim? Will we ever find out? It’s a tragic ending to such a cathartic escape, but it’s a stark reminder of the cost of freedom, no matter the best intentions, as the cost will be high for many to help others achieve it. I also loved how Kino’s speech incorporates Cassian’s earlier words to him, proving the former’s inspirational skills are already in full effect, as an innocuous line about rebellions and hope becomes a big part of Jyn Erso’s speech in Rogue One, and now we’ve seen the hope, and its cost, Cassian went through to deliver such a line to her in the first place.
While Kino grapples with giving up his own freedom and Cassian reveals how much he can give up, Mon Mothma struggles with what she might be willing to sacrifice for the cause…and how easily she might be willing to do it. Tay Kolma brings Davo Sculdun (Richard Dillane), the loan shark, to meet with Mon, and holy sithspawn is the dialogue biting, revealing, and layered. Sculdun already knows what Mon wants, Tay’s filled him in, but of course a meeting with an influential Senator and the potential of a favor is what brings Sculdun to her home. After a little exchange on how the place hasn’t changed, Davo sounding a ton like egomaniac Elon Musk by saying great wealth means freedom from others opinions so why not change up the place, Mon doesn’t spend much time on his frivolous efforts at conversation, her quick and direct words trying to get to the point are apparent to Davo but he knows he holds the cards regardless. Saying the new regulations are preventing her from moving her family wealth around are cumbersome yet avoidable, he tries to tell her taking advantage of the loopholes shouldn’t make her feel like she’s tarnishing her reputation, but we quickly learn his fee might sully her feelings on the deal. Since it’s for charity, Mon and Tay think a simple fee on the funds transferred will be enough for Davo, but he claims he’s so rich, money doesn’t really matter to him anymore (okay, Elon), instead asking for a favor. He wants to come back, just once to their apartment, and while Mon laughs, Genevieve O’Reilly allowing relief to wade into her reaction to the news, Tay is still bracing for impact, and Davo lands a whopper: he’d like to bring his 14-year-old son back with him. Mon immediately picks up on the meaning but is too shocked to believe it, asking him if he’s serious, though he deflects by saying it’s just to introduce them, not securing a betrothal. She asks if he has any other offer and when he doesn’t, she has Tay escort him away, the meeting over. Davo parts by asking her to think on it, and when she says she won’t, he claims it’s the first time she’s lied to him. As they leave, we close in on Mon, shuddering in anger yes, but also in visible concern and pain, as Davo seems to be correct, she is actually thinking about it, and she’s shuddering because it’s crossed her mind. Is she willing to give up her daughter’s rights, just like hers were, to secure her safety and the safety of the movement, of the rebellion? I’d like to know a little more about Chandrilan traditions and how marriage works, but from what we’ve seen of Perrin and Mon, it doesn’t always seem to factor in love, making Mon’s potential decision with Lida’s future even more stark. But since they are already mostly estranged, as I’m sure Mon’s ruminating over, the final connection being broken by her choice here might just be worth giving up for freedom from the Empire for Lida and others in the future. Such a choice, such a reality, is something Luthen’s already warned her about earlier in the season and it’s only just the beginning for Mon now.
Though how does Luthen know about those choices? We’ve seen him switch from Luthen, a leader of the rebellion to Luthen, the kindly artifact collector, but there’s such a disconnect, something happened along way. “Episode 10 – One Way Out,” doesn’t quite reveal how or why he started this movement, but it does offer a spell-binding glimpse at what it takes to be the one who does. The episode starts Luthen’s part with Kleya telling him one of their secret meeting signs has been tripped, her warning him off of going to meet this mysterious person and him telling her, since it’s been a year and if it’s a trap he’s already lost, why no go? The mysterious person turns out to be a member of the ISB, Supervisor Lonni Jung (Robert Emms), who’ve seen throughout the show, mostly in the background, even offering in an earlier scene this episode they still react the typical Imperial way in the situation regarding Dedra’s trap with Anto Kreegyr’s pilot. It’s the episode’s first hint we’re going to focus on Lonni, as we linger on him and Partagaz instead of following Dedra as she leaves the room, and the next time we see him he’s ducking into the darkness of the underground levels of Coruscant, winding his way through the alleys and streets to a lift. Inside, Lonni locates a hidden earpiece, Luthen’s voice greeting him, congratulating the man on his newborn child, a chilling tone that immediately gives off a whole new vibe to Luthen than we’ve seen before. While Luthen avoids taking responsibility for Aldhani, like he did with Saw, Lonni warns him about Dedra’s plans and focus on “Axis” aka Luthen, but comments about his kid only reminds the ISB agent why he wants to meet in the first place: he wants out. When the lift stops, Luthen awaits in the dark shadows of the planet’s underbelly, a black cloak billowing behind him, and I immediately thought of a Sith Lord. Not that he WAS a Sith Lord, but it feels like no accident his look and where he is recalls Palpatine hiding in the shadows as Darth Sidious, carrying out sinister plans in the darkness against the ruling body of government and sorcerers, though his hood being down, his face open and exposed, the association remains but the difference clear. His words to Lonni, who challenges Luthen if he really understands the sacrifices he’s made and why he wants to stop and to protect his daughter, his family, offer a haunting look inside Luthen’s mind, laying bare the similarities and differences between him and Palpatine. Stellan Skarsgård has offered great performances in the role so far, but even after an exceptional one by Serkis, Skarsgård steals the show as he devours an impressively written monologue where Luthen lays it all bare to keep Lonni in place. Whereas all the other characters spend this episode learning what they are willing to sacrifice, we learn from Luthen he’s already sacrificed himself, he’s already given everything, from love, hope, kinship, morals, decency, and more for a sunrise he’ll never see. The speech is littered with impactful, memorable, and haunting lines about what cost it takes to start a rebellion, the sacrifices which have to be made to kick start it, so that heroes may rise and cleanse the sins of the founder long after they’re gone. This stunning speech ends with Luthen saying Lonni will stick with him, as he needs all the heroes he can get, since he’s already the villain from how he’s used the enemy’s playbook against them, burning away everything inside for dreams he shares with ghosts. He didn’t get a chance to contemplate what his actions would mean, the ground already gone from beneath his feet before he realized it, so where the other characters of Andor go through their struggles, he’s long past his. With the way Cassian feels after his time in the prison, ready to give it all, it’s no surprise he’ll find himself back to Luthen since he was offered the chance to give himself all at once to defeat the evil instead of be chipped away like the prison tried to do. And even if it’s not by the next episode, I imagine the finale will see them working together soon.
Here are a few other things:
- There’s a brief update on Ferrix this episode, as we see Cinta overhear Maarva’s friends telling a doctor she’s hiding her pills instead of even denying taking them, so she’s getting far, far worse. The camera cuts away from Cinta to see someone else watching the situation unfold, either keeping an eye on Maarva or on Cinta, it’s not clear, so any return by Cassian to Ferrix to see his mother will bring many different forces down around him.
- This almost felt like a season finale, but there’s still TWO episodes left and I am not prepared for a show this good to have to go, but if these past 10 episodes have been anything to go by, they’ll be a fantastic final two episodes of season one. Season two is in production already, so hopefully we’ll have it before 2023 is over, early 2024 at the latest!
- Nicholas Britell captures so much emotion throughout the episode, from the cathartic escape and Kino’s speech, his work will be one to judge future composers against on Star Wars TV shows and movies.
Andor’s “Episode 10 – One Way Out” has some of the show’s most haunting and impressive performances to date, as the characters come to grips with what they are willing to sacrifice for their freedom, making for one of the finest recent episodes of television.
+ Perils yet necessity of rebellions for freedom
+ Serkis delivers a stellar performance
+ Skarsgård stuns in his final monologue
+ Tense, cathartic, and heartbreaking end to the prison arc
+ Mon’s internal struggle
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.
ANDOR SERIES REVIEWS:
Season One Premiere “Episodes 1-3” | Ep. 4 “Aldhani” | Ep. 5 “The Axe Forgets” | Ep. 6 “The Eye” | Ep. 7 “Announcement” | Ep. 8 “Narkina 5” | Ep. 9 “Nobody’s Listening!”