Chris Connor reviews episodes 7-9 of Star Wars: Andor season 2…
After six episodes Andor’s second season has laid the groundwork for a grandstand conclusion to one of the finest pieces of Star Wars media. While it may appear slow in some regards, the meticulous attention to detail and careful storytelling have gradually moved the pieces of Tony Gilroy’s intricate puzzle into place. After the previous episode, it’s clear the rebels on Ghorman are growing in ambition and resilience in their efforts to uncover the true nature of the Imperial presence on the planet.
As with the first season the final stretch here makes the arc structure all the more impactful. Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler) on writing duties and Janus Metz’s direction deliver on huge stakes action, which is some of the best across any Star Wars TV project and certainly the hardest hitting. Coupled with this is some real tension born out of the show’s political moments with Mon Mothma making decisions that will impact not just her future but the fate of the eventual Rebel Alliance. The juxtaposition of the all out action and more dialogue driven thrills really shows how sharply plotted the show is and how carefully thought out every scene has been to get us to this point.
Episode 7 sets the tone for what will be a highly tense final two episodes in this particular arc. The rebellion is now taking on more of a recognisable shape, having set up base on Yavin 4, glimpsed earlier in this season and of course one of the Star Wars universe’s most iconic planets. Cassian is still not quite the rebel leader we see in Rogue One, here disobeying orders, and struggling to be part of a wider machine.
Episode 8 really steps things up a notch, delivering events fans have been anticipating across the show’s run, and it certainly does not disappoint. More casual fans less versed in the lore may be shocked by the direction the episode takes, hammering home the cost of the rebellion and the stakes for those rallying against the Empire.
Diego Luna and Genevieve O’Reilly deliver some of their best work to date as their characters in a show full of sublime performances. It is a joy to see characters who have been kept apart for the show’s run to date begin to intersect as we move closer to the situation as laid out in Rogue One and ultimately A New Hope.
Andor’s penultimate arc is one of its very best, making every moment leading up to it all the more impactful, hammering home the nature of the beast they are fighting against and the cost of freedom. It is timely given the state of real world events and contains some of the best action and performances likely to be seen in any show in 2025, regardless of its franchise trappings.
The final three episodes promise to make this a show for the ages.
Chris Connor
