Andor Andor Episode 1.12 (Season Finale!!) Discussion Thread (Spoilers Allowed)

I didn’t like Star Trek Picard dropping “sheer ****ing hubris” and other just sort of edgy casual uses of the f word, but I think in this scenario, a well timed “**** the empire” after 40 years of a franchise built on people ****ing the Empire is well earned.

 

This or having Mace Windu saying it, is pretty much the only time where the f word wouldn't really be that jarring. Hell, Mace had BFM incribed on his lightsaber.

 

I was surpised that pretty much all the charactors that really mattered survived

 

So finally finished after watching for 15 minutes then traveling then watching 2 minutes then later finally finishing.
What an ending. Good buildup, rumors were spot on, all our characters put into one final scene/struggle. Cassian saved Bix! This is classic startup of how rebellions are born. Would have been better had we seen the town preparing more for this moment and why everyone would go to Ferrix expecting Cassian just to show up when he's a wanted man but overall it works for me. The end credit scene was cool, not very intriguing unless this is something you've never scene before.
Can't really ask for a better first season of Andor if you'd ask me.

 

I give this episode an 12.... bloody perfect... shame liitle on Mon Mothma....

 

Maarva Andor just kind of reminds me of my own grandmother. Deranged Irish woman.

Spoiler

She’s also dead

 

Since Sgt. Mosk seems to see the Empire as a broken pedestal after witnessing their incompetence and brutality in fighting the rioters, do you think he'll join the Rebels?

 

RE: Mon's money: Perrin's gambling is to cover the transactions, Leida's introduction is to cover up the deficit.

RE: Cassian rescuing Bix: we see them empty out the hotel, and it has been established that there is a secret way in (Maarva wanted to open it up to let the rebels in). The funeral was a big distraction, we see all the soldiers facing away from the hotel. He has allies on the inside to guide him. I didn't think it was a stretch.

RE: Luthen showing up in person: the season has consistently set up that Luthen is obsessed with Cassian as an open end. He has been on edge with fear that this could backfire on him, OF COURSE he wants to go in person and make sure it gets taken care of. His showdown in the last episode was small potatoes, I doubt his ship is on a most wanted list. We know his ship's IDs are all fake - they won't get him that way. Fondor haulcraft are common enough that Cassian has flown them and knows what they can normally do. They aren't going to pull over every Toyota Camry in the country because someone in a souped up one ran from a traffic ticket.

RE: Vel and Cinta: I agree that their stories haven't really paid off yet. Vel has been better, but I get the feeling we are waiting for something big to happen with Cinta. I don't necessarily mind that the kill Cassian plotline specifically didn't pay off for these characters, because I can't necessarily think of a version of that scene that I would really miss. A lot of scenes for characters are more important for showing the characters than for advancing the plot - we learn a lot about Cinta and Vel from how they approach this assignment. I'm willing to be patient, but I have a little concern that the next four years of story are being compressed into one season could see some side character plotlines like this fall by the wayside. Nothing in the show so far has given me reason for anything less than total optimism, so we will see.
RELATED: It might be a good option if season 2 could focus in on Cassian/Luthen/Mon, and split some of the side characters into miniseries. Something like a Ferrix 5 miniseries, a Vel/Cinta miniseries, and a Melshi miniseries. Might feel like we got the 5 season version after all.

 

Good points. It was obvious ID:s are fake and ship's droid could produce several of them- Luthen orders one from Alderaan. But Luthen's actions were pretty unusual over Segra Milo. ISB should be interested in such an incident sooner or later. They are all now more focused on Anto Kreegyr thing though, or Andor or Mon Mothma. They must have dozens of such cases of rebellion across the galaxy so one Fondor haulcraft resisting arrest really doesn't seem that important while it definitely made an impression to that captain of Cantwell-class Arrestor cruiser.

Besides in Star Wars context it was not a big deal. This is after all galaxy in which jedi used to exist, so inquisitorius may also take notice of unusual activity as well. Also Crimson Dawn, Hutt cartel smugglers and the like are powerful enough to do such a thing as well. It doesn't really connect immediately to Axis-thing at all. So while it definitely was unusual from the point of view of that one imperial cruiser, it might not be unusual enough to capture interest galaxy-wide like Aldhani thing for example did. It was impossible to hide such loss of funds from workers.

 

She might have said it for fun, knowing that there would be ADR.

 

Ok. Where to start..?

Perhaps the sheer spectacle made the finale feel underwhelming at first. But after rewatching it a second time and thinking about it. The finale has a similar low-key brilliance to it like a Brent Friedman episode of The Clone Wars. This may be my favorite episode of season one. Or maybe its because this episode lends itself so well to fanon. You have been warned!

Originally I predicted Syril would be a wild card. But no, he was just there to cement his relationship with Dedra who will likely take the weight of the Empire's cluster**** of Ferrix and be in the same boat now. It wasn't her fault the other guy was an impatient moron but that's not how things work with the Empire. Going back to Coruscant without Axis is going to end her career. But atleast she doesn't report to Vader. Things came full circuit and they are clearly meant for each other, lol. Just like Boris and Natasha, they will probably be a toxic dynamic duo trying their best to catch Cassian. Did Mosk live through this and not get caught in the crossfire? I lost track of him both times. The real while card was the entire funeral procession. A plan already well in motion by the time Cassian got there. He slotted right in to go rescue Bix. I actually think Cassian showing up was an outright Batman Gambit by Brasso or whoever masterminded the early funeral.

Nemik's manifesto is like a narrated prelude to Maarva's call for the sleepwalkers to kick the crap out of some Emperial scumbags. Again I have to admire the interconnectivity. Depending on which came first. Makes me wonder if Fulcrum was not pleased with Hera and crew when she told them to abandon Kanan. Not just for the safety of the rebellion. But pissed that the Spectres, Ezra's transmission may have incited a riot on Lothal with an equally respectable body count. There are some definite contrasts here to the Rebellion on Onderon under Ahsoka's direct guidance which makes me wonder if these impacted her decision to come out of hiding in season 2. But one thing I thought was not cool was that after credits scene. I have no idea how things slot together in the timeline.

It doesn't feel like Luthen, Vel, and Cinta did much in the episode. Luthen spends the action parts in an epiphany watching fires stoked and flames engulf the square seeming both moved and horrified. Instead of killing the mercenary to protect his name, Luthen comes face to face with the consequences of Aldhani. He preached about sacrifice a few episodes ago. The war unfolds before his eyes. The unnecessary deaths of citizens fighting. The pointless off-screen sacrifice of Kreegyrs' group is more bitter. And in the middle of it, we get Mon Mothma giving her daughter away to an arranged marriage. Is this a metamophor for selling her soul?

I think Luthen changed his mind on methods. People throughout the galaxy have been fed up long before Aldhani. He doesn't know Aldhani inspired Maarva. He may have greater resolve to unify different factions of the Rebellion now. He may be more open to recruitment.

It's not that crazy Cassian beat Luthen to his ship. If the Empire including an important lady showed up why wouldn't Luthen also show up to kill him? Made it easier for Cassian to spot him with the binos and Luthan was arrogant enough to park in the same spot. It was a good guess. Lathen not looking right back at Cassian after being spotted is the nail in the coffin for the fallen Jedi theory IMO.

After being an unjust prisoner of the Empire, Cassian had already woken up from sleepwalking. It was likely after that he listened to Nemik's manifesto. What changed now is like Cinta he's really motivated by revenge after seeing what the ISB did to Bix. Revenge also seems to be one of Luthen's motives. These are still not the noble heroes of the Rebellion the OT introduced. It's only Vel who seems to treat the Rebel cause as more than revenge which will make her character interesting. She may become a deconstruction of the standard issue moral compass character. It was kind of silly those two didn't do anything but pack up and leave. But made the most sense to get out of dodge and fits with Luthen's realizations.

10/10

 

I love the the Macguffins from the prison, did actually feature in the post credits piece.

 

It's just to predictable and obvious in a show that tries not to be like that. I liked how the scene starts out zoomed so far in it looks like they are building a giant version of the James Webb Space Telescope. Like they are building an enormous intergalactic spy satellite but no its the Deathstar. And from my layman's eyes it looks really far along. My main issue is it makes Rogue One feel closer than it should.

The Deathstar makes since it'll become a big plot point in Andor since it's a big deal in Rogue One. Saw was obsessed with finding the Imperial super weapon in Rebels.

It's lucky sources say 5bby for my sanity. Looking at Andor from Rebels it feels like it makes more sense for Andor to just barely overlap season one of the animated show.

Comparing Whitaker to his model in Rebels makes it seems like after the time skip this season Andor could already be concurrent with season 3 somewhere close to the Geonosis arc and Secret cargo which would make Mothma's scenes in this episode extra tragic because it won't take long for the ISB to uncover her.

Feels like that's moving to fast.

 

That’s actually one of the things I liked most about the ending. In the end, all these people obsessed with finding, killing or detaining Cassian, never see him! Why? Because a rebellion breaks out, and that becomes a much bigger and more important thing than their limited, respective “hunt Cassian” missions.

As with the rest of the show, this episode shows how rebellions transcend individuals. Cassian is important, but he’s essentially a window into the complex interpersonal and political dynamics that drive a rebellion. And the finale stayed true to that ethic, resisting the temptation to have multiple contrived face-to-face meetings between Cassian and all the key characters from the different storylines.

As always, Gilroy went with a more organic (and unpredictable) realism. Cassian having chats with everyone from every storyline, in the end, would have been inconsistent with that style.

I think this is a large part of what TV writer Gennifer Hutchinson has described as the extraordinarily “subtle and confident” decisions of the writing team on Andor.

After a second watch, I’m knocking this up to a 10.

 

All good points. I liked it more after watching it a second time too. After letting go of my expectations I really liked the idea that the rebellion derailed everybody’s plans.

 

Yup. It took me a second watch to fully grasp that, and now it’s one of my favorite episodes, behind No Way Out and The Eye.

 

Yes, he survived. He's last seen looking at the aftermath and taking a swig of whiskey. The Empire he idolized as "bastions of law and order" have just shown themselves to be cowardly thugs, and it's a revelation he is not taking particularly well.

 

I really want him to become a rebel.

 

ISB: The Hunt for Fulcrum

 

Looks like the actor has already confirmed that he’s not returning. I actually like that final shot of him. Not everyone will become a rebel or an Imperial. I like to think Mosk goes home and spends more and more time in the local pub.

 

This was a key nuance in his character. A lesser show would’ve portrayed his as mad about the disruption. Ultimately, as ruthless as he can be, he’s absolutely committed to the rebellion.

That too. But he strikes me as a passionate dude in need of a purpose, who attaches himself to the wrong purpose. If he sees the rot at the heart of the Empire, I could imagine him becoming a particularly committed rebel. That just feels right to me. Though a few years at the pub could work too.