By George & Josh Bate
WARNING: The following review contains spoilers for Andor – Season 2, Episodes 10-12
After a jaw-dropping trio of episodes last week that rank among the greatest television episodes of all time, Andor comes to an end. This season has been extraordinary from start to finish, but these last six episodes have particularly stood out for their masterful writing, disturbing relevance to real life, palpable intensity, and emotional core. A surprise to no one, Andor wraps up in resounding fashion, seamlessly leading up to the events of Rogue One, expanding upon one of the show’s most interesting characters, and affirming that this is the greatest Star Wars series to date.
Andor Season 2 episodes 10-12 pick up one year after the events of the Ghorman Massacre and don’t waste a moment to get the plot moving. Unlike some other Andor arcs which take their time to get going, this final arc plummets viewers right into a conflict. Lonni Jung, Luthen’s mole in the ISB, reaches out to Luthen for an in-person meeting, a rarity that signals something significant is on the horizon. The scene that unfolds between Lonni and Luthen brilliantly showcases a remarkable strength of Andor – to cultivate incredible tension and suspense through dialogue alone, not reliant on overt visual spectacle or action. Lonni informs Luthen that the ISB are onto both of them and that Dedra Meero will be coming for Luthen soon. Most strikingly though, Lonni reports that the Empire is building a superweapon, which was why they took such an interest in Ghorman. This scene demands repeat viewing as there is an abundance of rich material to digest. Lonni’s desperation to find security for his family and his fear for what the Empire is building coupled with Luthen’s concern about the Death Star and decision to kill Lonni to tie up loose ends makes for a thrilling start to the episode. Given Luthen’s absence in subsequent Star Wars stories, it has always felt inevitable that his journey would come to an end in Rogue One. However, a testament to the quality of writing in the episodes, the stakes still feel so high as episode 10 begins and Luthen’s entire world begins to collapse.
It’s not long until Lonni’s suspicions are confirmed and Dedra Meero makes an appearance at Luthen’s shop. This scene has shades of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds all over it, with Dedra and Luthen both knowing one another’s intent but disguising it with niceties. The tension continues to rise until Dedra pulls out the starpath unit that started her pursuit of Luthen in the first place. Much of Andor has been building up to a confrontation between Dedra and Luthen, and this scene does not disappoint in the slightest. Just when you think Dedra has the upper hand, Luthen makes the ultimate sacrifice and tries to kill himself, yet another selfless act he has engaged in over the course of the show. If he were to be captured, Kleya, Cassian, Bix, and all sorts of rebel secrets would be revealed, forcing Luthen to commit suicide in order to retain his silence.
In one of various heartbreaking threads in this final block of Andor episodes, Luthen doesn’t die at his own hand, which means it is left to Kleya to finish the job. It’s a cruel stroke of fate for Kleya that she, Luthen’s closest ally and friend, must be the one to kill him. The resultant interspersing of Kleya infiltrating the hospital and flashbacks to Kleya and Luthen’s relationship proves to be the strongest element of episodes 10-12. Kleya has been a bad ass since day 1 on Andor, but this season she’s received a major upgrade, something that continues to come to fruition in these episodes. After retrieving the listening device in episode 6, Kleya plays a central role in another of the show’s most intense moments as she makes her way through the hospital, disguised as a nurse, in order to kill Luthen. Season 2 has leaned heavily into espionage influences, and these episodes continue to do that in showing Kleya go full 007.
In our various reviews for Andor episodes, we’ve continually noted that the series’ two outstanding qualities are its ability to evoke strong emotions and nail-biting tension. Usually, these two qualities manifest independently throughout the show, but that is not the case here as Kleya’s infiltration into the hospital is accompanied with a series of insightful flashbacks. The backgrounds of Luthen and Kleya have been shrouded in much secrecy throughout the series, although this veil is finally lifted here. Flashbacks depicting how Luthen came to detest the Empire, how he adopted Kleya, how Kleya became so motivated to fight the Empire, and so on not only add brilliant context to their relationship – they also make Kleya’s murder of Luthen all the more devastating. In a series filled to the brim with fascinating characters, it is a testament to the performances and writing that bring Kleya and Luthen to life that these are two one of the show’s best and most complex characters. Elizabeth Dulau is simply extraordinary as Kleya, a feat all the more remarkable given that Andor was her first on-screen television credit. Stellan Skarsgård, meanwhile, adds new dimensions to Luthen as his character’s journey comes to an end.
Back on Yavin, Cassian is forging a new life for himself in the wake of the Ghorman Massacre and Bix’s departure. He, Melshi, and K-2SO all enjoy frat house living, as series creator Tony Gilroy described, before they are pulled away to rescue Kleya from Coruscant. At this point, the Rebel Alliance on Yavin is organized and thriving, and yet Cassian still finds himself an outsider somewhat. He doesn’t fully buy into the formality and organization of the Rebel Alliance and is willing to disobey direct orders in order to remain loyal to Luthen.
The trio make their way to Coruscant and the safe house Cassian and Bix once lived in. With the Empire closing in on Kleya, Cassian and Melshi meet up with Kleya, who informs them that the Empire is building a superweapon. This is the first time that Cassian learns of the Death Star, setting into motion a series of events that sees Cassian eventually sacrifice his life on Scarif. Meanwhile, seeing a character as perpetually composed as Kleya breakdown with grief and fear hits hard and shows the toll fighting this cause has taken on her. Again, enough can’t be said about how amazing Elizabeth Dulau is as this character.
With the ISB closing in, Andor enters into yet another wildly intense scene. We may know the fates of Cassian, K-2, and Melshi at this point, but we don’t know what comes of Kleya, making this scene have particularly high stakes. The raid on the apartment block had us on the edge of our seat, while K-2’s eventual entry into the proceedings had us cheering for joy.
K-2 plays a fairly small role in Andor Season 2, something that Tony Gilroy recently explained in an interview as due to how K-2’s inclusion immediately changes the tone of the show. With that being said, K-2 is certainly used effectively with the limited screen time he has in Andor. After a terrifying introduction in the previous block of episodes, the sassy droid played by Alan Tudyk turns from villain to hero and saves the day in the nick of time.
With Kleya physically safe (while emotionally still reeling from the trauma of losing Luthen), the group heads back to Yavin. There, Cassian tries to inform the Rebel Alliance leaders of the news about a superweapon in development after Mon and others have a pointed conversation with Saw Gerrera about their warring philosophies. The Death Star has loomed large over Andor and, naturally, it plays a bigger part as the series nears its end and transitions into Rogue One.
The conclusion of Andor sees Cassian prepare for his mission to the Ring of Kafrene, which is where he is introduced in Rogue One. There’s something so heartbreaking about seeing Cassian ready himself for this mission as the audience knows that this set in motion a series of events that culminates in his death. In characteristically epic and emotional fashion, the final episode concludes by briefly touching on where multiple characters are at. We see Saw Gerrera on Jedha and catch up with Wilmon, but the best is saved for last.
After being entirely absent in these three episodes, Bix appears as she is depicted from behind walking in a field. A few moments later the camera cuts to show Bix from the front, revealing that she is holding a baby. This baby is, of course, Cassian’s son, a reveal that concludes Andor on a saddening yet hopeful note. Cassian never got to meet his son nor even know that he has a son, and yet his son will inevitably grow up knowing of his father’s heroism and bravery. We can’t think of a better note for Andor to end on, showing that, in more ways than one, Cassian’s legacy lives on.
VERDICT: 9/10
A surprise to no one, Andor masterfully concludes in resounding, heartbreaking, epic, intense, and uplifting fashion. Not a moment is wasted as viewers are plummeted into a high-stakes situation involving Luthen, Lonni, and the ISB’s discovery of their dual identities. The suspense and intensity don’t slow down from there as an Inglorious Basterds-esque scene sees Dedra and Luthen confront one another, Kleya having to infiltrate a hospital and kill Luthen, and Cassian and company staging a rescue of Kleya. In a perfect blend of Andor’s greatest two quality – an ability to elicit strong emotions and depict visceral, almost unbearably intense sequences – Kleya’s infiltration of the hospital is interspersed with insightful flashbacks to the origins of her and Luthen’s relationship, which adds even more complexity to two of the series’ most interesting characters. The final moments of the last episode seamlessly transition Andor to Rogue One, proving that Andor Season 2 is to Rogue One what Rogue One is to A New Hope. Just when you think things can’t get any more powerful, the last piece of the series reveals that Bix gave birth to her and Cassian’s child, showing that Cassian’s legacy will live on in more ways than one. More mature and relevant than Star Wars has ever been, Andor concludes without missing a beat, affirming that it is the greatest Star Wars series to date.