Okay, we spent the last two full episodes preparing for the heist of the Imperial garrison on Aldhani in Star Wars: Andor, and tonight it finally happened. Was it worth the wait? Yes and no, in my opinion.
Andor episode six, entitled “The Eye,” sees our protagonists in the Aldhani rebel cell waking up on the morning of the operation, as Nemik (Alex Lawther) talks to Cassian (Diego Luna) once more about the bigger picture.
Then we get to meet the local populace known as the Dhanis, as they dutifully march their way toward their now-occupied sacred valley for an ancient cosmic ritual that we’ve learned takes place once every three years, and which our heroes plan to use as cover for their escape. I’ll be honest and say that my first disappointment came when the Dhanis turned out to be just another bunch of humans (I’ve been saying this show needs more weird aliens), but I guess if they weren’t it would be much more difficult for the entirely human rebel cell to pose as members of their tribe. But the fun thing about the Dhanis is that they clearly don’t care much for the Empire either, immediately burning a ceremonial goat’s hide they’re presented with before the ritual begins. It’s around this point that Vel (Faye Marsay) gives the signal, and the heist proper kicks in. Disguised as Imperial officers, Cassian and company infiltrate the garrison and take a number of hostages, including the family of the high-ranking commandant (played by Stanley Townsend of The Current War) whose belt no longer fits him because he’s so “fat and satisfied,” as Andor himself would say. Then everyone converges on the station’s underground vault, where the bulk of the episode’s action takes place.
And when I say “action” I meant it, because unlike last week’s, this is an extremely action-heavy episode. That’s a problem for those of us (like myself) who prefer talking to running and shooting, but the setpieces are staged in entertaining-enough ways and for the most part I was kept on the edge of my seat to find out which of the characters would make it out of this particularly hazardous mission alive. So here’s where showrunner Tony Gilroy, his screenwriter brother Dan Gilroy, and their various talented collaborators started to lose me: I’ve praised both Rogue One and Andor for being more grounded, serious versions of Star Wars, but in this episode I think they may have taken that conceit a little too far for my tastes. I’m not saying that heart attacks and paralyzation by being crushed are things that should never happen in the Star Wars universe, but they do feel just a hair out of place in this usually fanciful Galaxy Far, Far Away. These are things that happen during the vault heist when it inevitably goes wrong, as many viewers predicted it would. And I’m absolutely fine with casualties being part of the “war” element represented in the name of this franchise, but some of the specifics here just felt a little icky and certainly more upsetting than I’m used to.
Regardless, the mission is more or less a successful one, give or take a few dead rebels, and the rebels make their way out through the meteor shower, past a squadron of attacking TIE fighters, and to a nearby moon where a four-armed doctor (hey, thanks for giving me a weird alien) attempts to save Nemik’s life. Outside, Skeen (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) pitches a double-cross to Cassian– at first I thought it was a test of Andor’s loyalty to the Rebellion, but apparently he meant it, or Cassian thought he did anyway, because he shoots him dead right then and there. Nemik doesn’t make it (who would have predicted?), Cassian demonstrates his honesty and is rewarded with the young rebel’s manifesto, and we cut away to Coruscant to check in on Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard). Both the senate and Luthen’s antique shop are buzzing with news of the raid, and Rael celebrates privately in his back room away from the prying eyes of customers. But we as viewers know it’s a hollow victory because of the amount of losses suffered by the team. At the same time, a win is a win, and I suspect the Rebel Alliance will be seeking Cassian Andor’s help again soon. I’m definitely still enjoying this show and very curious to see where things are headed next, but I just hope that the Gilroys remember to keep one foot in the fantastical along the way.
New episodes of Star Wars: Andor are released Wednesdays, exclusively via Disney+.
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