– Spoiler Review –
Promising a glimpse at a larger and growing world after the opening three episodes, Andor delivers and then some in “Episode 4 – Aldhani,” which is full of the consequences of everyone’s actions in the premiere, an introduction to the larger galaxy, great world-building, and exceptional acting once again.
After being the driver of the action, Cassian Andor is more of a passenger in “Aldhani,” not just literally on Luthen’s personal ship, but figuratively as he’s thrown into something much larger than him, alongside people who have been in it longer than he has, as much as he likes to think he’s been in the thick of it all these years. The episode starts with Cassian and Luthen discussing what’s next, Luthen so sure of Cassian’s compliance he doesn’t waiver in his push and offer to the young revolutionary. Cassian fights it at first, claiming he’s already fought, he’s already been in the fight, but Luthen reveals the truth of his service (a cook on Mimban, not a fighter) while prodding at the anger that lies underneath regardless. He promises to give Cassian a chance to use that anger all at once, to hit the Empire hardest instead of taking a piece of himself, a little at a time, until there’s nothing left and they still stand. There’s a prescient line of Luthen saying Cassian will die fighting the Empire, and this seems to galvanize Cassian, the promise of actually hitting back with his anger where it really hurts. Oh…and the credits too, a big haul of 200,000, certainly helps his desire to stick around, to join whatever Luthen has planned. But trust is needed too, as while the promise of credits is nice, what’s to stop Cassian from taking the ship and flying away, either back to Ferrix or some other hole to hide? After they land on Aldhani, Luthen is about to depart the ship to meet with his contact but he stops to offer Cassian a precious necklace* of his, explaining the potential credits he could get if he hawks it, but also how it’s important to him and he wants it back after everything’s over. It’s a sign of trust, of belief in what he’s doing and can offer Cassian, and as Cassian contemplates leaving, it’s clear this gesture is what pushes him over the edge to stay and see this through.
For the rest of the episode, which jumps around to different characters, introducing new and familiar faces in this era, Cassian joins Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay) on a trek across the beautiful landscape of Aldhani (shot in Scotland, hence why it’s so otherworldly and beautiful), coming to understand his place in an upcoming operation to steal from the Empire. He doesn’t say much when they arrive at Vel’s camp, as the team already there, already working on their mission for months, is instantly suspicious and concerned about Cassian (going by the codename Clem) being added only 5 days before their big job. Being quiet is the smart choice, as he doesn’t undermine Vel’s leadership then, as she works to dispel their concerns and keep them in line, letting her vouch for him while he learns about the group by watching them. For someone we’re used to see smooth talking through any moment or meeting, which we saw a lot of in the first three episodes, it reveals he still has a lot of young Kassa in him, like when he watched from the outside of the group about to explore the downed ship they saw in the sky and quietly inserted himself into the march. By the end of the episode, we finally see them explain their job and plan of action to Cassian, which he picks apart until they reveal they’ve thought of an excellent exit strategy (something I hope we get to see on screen, it sounds beautiful…and I believe we’ve seen it in the trailers already), later begrudgingly bringing him into the team by giving him all their schematics so he knows the plan inside and out by morning. His silence and observations as they unveil the plan, plus all of Vel’s hard work, is enough for the team to accept him for now, and it’s obvious he’s curious enough to see it through, to see if it works, beyond just knowing there’s a giant payday waiting for him at the end. Overall, their heist sounds like an exciting next step in the story and I can’t wait to see it unfold, and likely go wrong at times, in the episode(s?) ahead.
We don’t learn much about Vel’s team, but their suspicions and concerns about adding someone so late to the job brings a lot of tension and shows just how much Luthen is asking of Vel of not just in this mission, but having Cassian join. He’s ruthless with her when she objects, but it’s less with vitriol and more in how he manipulates her, pushing on her insecurities or desires, promising her this what leaders do, how you become a great one, saying Cassian is the final string needed to ensure the job’s a success, something he needs desperately to be true. We later learn why he’s so adamant the job succeeds, as he’s running thin on credits to keep these operatives and machinations in play, so stealing from the Imperial payroll (or armory, depending on who you ask, but weapons can be sold for credits) is a necessary step to continue this nascent effort against the Empire proper. Vel does an admirable job with her team, even their Imperial turncoat who shows up later, and I feel like she has what it takes to make a leader in the years ahead of the rebel effort. Among her team there’s Karis Nemik (Alex Lawther), Arvel Skeen (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Taramyn Barcona (Gershwyn Eustache Jnr), Cinta Kaz (Varada Sethu), and Lieutenant Gorn (Sule Rimi), which like I said earlier, we don’t learn much about them, other than they are all married to the cause, eager to see this through, just as much as Luthen, their shadowy backer none of them besides Vel and Cassian know about, plausible deniability and all that. Beyond Cassian’s fury and focus in the fight against the Empire, and his history of wheeling and dealing, I’m curious why Luthen felt him so vital for this mission. Is it because he’s willing to kill, kill for the cause, so if things are going wrong, unlike the others in this close-knit team, he’ll do what needs to be done to see it through? Cassian revealed he’s done some dark things for the Rebellion in Rogue One and we might be barreling towards that with this cast of new players potentially on the chopping block.
Luthen leaves and heads towards Coruscant, which is when he slides into a secret part of his ship, putting on his misleading public persona. It’s a stellar, short scene as he washes his face, puts on a wig, and dresses in fancy, frivolous clothes, acting out his smarmy antiquities salesman persona before he has to perform it for real. It doesn’t take long for him to do so, as none other than Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) arrives!! I have been eagerly anticipating her start on the show, as seeing her wheel and deal within the Empire’s corrupt system and making moves outside it to bring its downfall, is one of the most intriguing and exciting aspect of Andor for me. At first, it seems like Mothma is there just for a gift for her husband, but it’s quickly revealed to be play acting, Mothma dropping her smile and Luthen returning to his hardboiled self and not the kindly salesman. They are part of a circle, and a small one at that, working towards rebelling against the Empire, and her inability to move credits like she used to is what’s forcing Luthen’s hands to get Cassian to ensure the Aldhani job goes well. The circle is so small, it’s later revealed not even Mothma’s husband, Perrin Fertha (Alastair Mackenzie), is in her confidence with her machinations. But she wants to expand the circle, as she thinks she found someone who can help them, but Luthen is instantly against the idea, until she points out she’s the public face and she’ll be the first in the gallows if they are caught. She knows the risks, she knows the consequences more than anyone, and it’s likely he’d go free in the end, so he cedes the point. As for who she’s bringing in, I wouldn’t be surprised it’s Saw Gerrera, already revealed to be in the show in trailers.
Stellan Skarsgård’s switch from the Luthen we’ve already met and his salesman persona, and back again in the middle of a conversation, gives a look at the depths he’s willing to go to protect himself and hide his true intentions. As great as his switch is, O’Reilly’s as Mothma, as she slumps her shoulders and cuts a meaner, edgier tone, later going back to her beaming outward personality is masterful and already shows the level O’Reilly is going to bring to this much deserved expansion to Mothma’s storyline. The weariness in her tone, the fear when she speaks of being the big target, hit me right away, making her friendly entrance into the shop even more impressive. When she returns to her home, she finds her husband setting their giant dinner table, having invited over guests he enjoys and has fun with, but one look at the invite list sends Mothma over-the-edge. To her, these guests are the ones fighting her every move, destroying homes and planets’ freedoms for their own gains, and she has him cancel it, promising to consult her beforehand instead of taking the initiative. He’s bored, but it’s not because he’s callous, it’s because he has no idea what she’s really trying to do, and he likely doesn’t understand the depth of the problems these Senators and governors are causing. It’s a very surprising development, her husband so out of the loop, and I’m curious what all drives her to keep him that way…does she not trust him, his mercurial and innocent nature charming after a long, hard day in the Senate or working on her Rebellion plans but not the most reassuring with secrets? O’Reilly might’ve had her first time on screen as Mothma scratched as deleted scenes, but after Rogue One and Star Wars Rebels, it’s clear she’s deserved more time in the role and it looks like she’s bringing everything she has to this chance in Andor. My expectations were met after this alone and I can’t imagine where things will go from here.
On the Imperial side of things, we still spend time with Syril Karn, but we’re introduced finally to Denise Gough’s Dedra Meero, a Lieutenant in the Imperial Security Bureau, reporting to hardline Major Partagaz (Anton Lesser). An opening scene at the ISB building on Coruscant, with the Major putting his various teams to task for incompetency, aptly sets up for the audience this arm of the Empire and its goals, as Partagaz claims they are healthcare workers looking for sickness within and without, and eradicating it, not the marketing line the galaxy thinks they do (which Dedra regurgitates much to the Major’s disappointment at one point). Dedra is navigating an office full of sharks, all vying for promotions and keeping their heads, and she comes in conflict with Lieutenant Supervisor Blevin (Ben Bailey Smith) once she finds out the missing star path unit Cassian stole from a planet in her district was confiscated in the incident on Ferrix. They butt heads, in one of many great scenes with biting dialogue with layers built in, and she takes it to the Major, who rules in Blevin’s favor of not relinquishing the unit, but not before telling her despite not finishing certain reports, she’s impressed him with other metrics for the time being. But Dedra isn’t going to let this go, much like Karn couldn’t let the death of his fellow workers go, and I can’t wait to see what the ambitious, yet righteous Dedra gets up to, as she’s giving me Karn-vibes but someone with the knowledge and means to actually start an investigation and know when and how to pursue someone…and I can only bet they will cross paths soon enough. When I saw Gough’s performance in Under the Banner of Heaven, I was excited for her in this role and the intensity of purpose she’s displaying in this episode alone seems to promise a similar level from the actress, so no matter what comes next I’m intrigued to see more.
Speaking of Karn, he’s dressed down by Blevin, alongside his manager and Sergeant Mosk (who raises his hand at one point in their reprimand, and combined with Blevin’s response, left me laughing), losing their jobs and costing the company control of the sector, which now falls in the hands of the Empire. Karn packs up and returns home, landing on Coruscant but taking an elevator down several levels in a literal representation of how far he’s fallen, into what felt like a condo area. The door he stops at opens to reveal his mother, Eedy Karn (Kathryn Hunter), who immediately slaps him before crying and hugging him afterwards (another time I about died laughing). Besides saying “mother,” Karn doesn’t speak, his righteousness blunted after the repercussions of his actions, but if Momma Karn slapping him is any indication, he’ll get over it soon; the rare mother relationship in Star Wars is already off to a funny, interesting start this episode.
Here are a few other things:
- *The necklace contains a wonderful little surprise of a reference, the Ratakan, an ancient race made popular as part of the story in the classic Knights of the Old Republic video game. Jordan Maison at Cinelinx breaks down their history if you aren’t familiar with them or the game!
- This was just a beautiful episode, from the glitzy looks at Coruscant to the vast mountains and plains of Aldhani, and I’m glad to we’ll be on Aldhani for more than one episode. In fact, I really liked how they really leaned into Scotland for the planet, considering they shot there, talking about the highlands and lowlands, and how the Empire came and drove them out of the highlands, like an alternative history for Scotland but in Star Wars.
- Some interesting planet names dropped in the opening ISB meeting: Ryloth, recently seen during Imperial times shortly after Revenge of the Sith in The Bad Batch and later in Star Wars Rebels around the same time as this show; Arvala-6, while new, is close to Arvala-7, where Din Djarrin found Grogu; and lastly Scarif, timely considering the allusion to Cassian’s death this episode.
- Also, Luthen’s art room had some intriguing Easter Eggs, as this list on Twitter breaks down a few (the Purge doesn’t happen until after this show’s first season, so the Mandalorian armor didn’t come from there; the World Between Worlds reference is rather wild!)
Andor “Episode 4 – Aldhani” is our first step into the larger galaxy and a tense and intriguing glimpse it is, from Mon Mothma’s introduction, the inner workings of the ISB, and Cassian’s first steps in being part of a big job with the nascent Rebellion.
+ Building out the galaxy (of the show)
+ Mon Mothma arrives on the scene, showing both sides of her battle
+ Dedra’s intro and the ISB
+ Scenery and Setting of Cassian’s latest mystery
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”