Andor Bix Caleen

I do hope she gets something more to do in S2 than just be Cassian’s damsel in distress.

 

She was very much NOT a damsel in distress for most of the season. She had her own agency, her own life, her own business, her own contacts with the rebellion, and it was Cassian who came to her for help, multiple times, and not the other way around. It was only after the Empire took that all away from her that her agency was destroyed. A metaphor for what the Empire does to society, I suspect.

 

I hope Bix is back next season. She's got more story to come I think.

She could have a really interesting dynamic with Luthen about the consequences of his tactics. Her trauma may also relate to Anto Kreegyr (and his 30 crew) demise due to Luthen and Saw's wilful neglect, giving impetus to a more humane way of rebelling. As well as fighting against the actual torturers and murderers.

 

Bold Prediction!

We won't see much of Bix, Brasso, and B2 in season two. Maybe just one episode where Cassian checks in with them.

 

One arc where he finds them.

 

Cassian sends Mothma to recruit them as a Rebel cell.

 

But I’m in love with Bix, so she has to be back.

 

Let’s hope the Empire didn’t use their noise cancelling headphones to somehow brainwash Bix. Turn her into a sleeper agent or out and out spy.

 

That would actually be very interesting twist. But probably not.

 

It’s neither interesting nor likely. In a much lesser or sillier speculative sci-fi story, perhaps it might fit. But not here. I mean, what would such a twist say about the human condition? That some sounds from a headphone can turn you into a fascist? Dumb. No thanks.

 

I agree with you on that. This isn’t Order 66 on the clone wars with organic computer chips over riding thought.

I do wonder what long term effects we’ll see Bix Carrie’s with her after her detainment. How long was she a prisoner? Will see have lost her nerve? I think we were already seeing some of her resolve com back before the spaceship took off.

Could she go the other way and become more hard edge than Cinta? Bix is going to have a lot she takes with her from being a captive. She’s escaped but is she free of it?

 

Of course no headphone sound can turn you into fascist. That would be dumb. But I find idea of affecting subconscious and messing it up somehow is IMO interesting. Like Bix would never in her right mind do such a thing for villains who tortured her. But she is confused and Empire had a chance to do all sort of things to her. I was reminded of Jorin Sol by that post https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jorin_Sol
In comics he was brainwashed by the Empire to murder rebel leadership while he was not consciously wanting to do that. I think it was okay legends comic too. And Jorin was not fascist either, he was just mentally broken.

Sure brainwashing/programming has been used a lot already in sci-fi and such. And you can find it silly too, but I don't. Human psychology is interesting and idea of brainwashing itself is terrifying. I believe we are very complex mental systems and our actions could be manipulated in terrible ways if organization like Empire would be given free hands to do so. I think free will is actually very limited. Decisions we think we make freely are actually done by our brain before we are consciously aware of them. We build these mental schemas unconsciously all the time and we often act like we are used to. So I think it's not silly at all to think that malevolent power could affect you in a way you would be used as agent against your conscious will by replacing your schemas with their preferred ones.

But I agree it's not very likely and it would also ruin the more serious point how torture really affects you. Bix was tortured, not brainwashed. Her escape was obviously not planned either. So in this case it's probably not a good idea, but in general I'm not against such a plot, even in Andor.

 

The Manchurian Candidate is proof that brainwashing can make a very compelling and suspenseful story. But I would argue that, to be convincing, it needs to be the focus of the story, at least a major plot arc. In season 1, Bix didn't get enough focus to make that happen. She'd need a lot of spotlight time in season 2 before I could buy into the idea of brainwashed Bix selling out her friends.

 

Yes I think it doesn't work in this case, but as an idea it is not bad at all. Especially in Star Wars setting with jedi mind tricks and clone control chips already established. But definitely not the best way to handle this Bix-situation. It would change the nature of her treatment too much and cheapen the drama.