Andor – Announcement Review

After the highs of “The Eye,” it would have been easy for Andor to take a beat, allow its characters to collect themselves, and take a week off before delving into the next great set piece of the series. So, it says a lot about the series that “Announcement” felt almost as tense as the heist of last week, albeit in a slightly different manner, as the series set about tying off loose ends and opening some naïve eyes to just what was being asked of them due to their role in the resistance.

As I hoped after the initial three episodes, this week marked a return to Ferrix and a chance to once again get to see Fiona Shaw absolutely crush it as Marva*. In my review last week, I had wondered as to what might be the spark that gets Cassian to start to buy into the rebellion wholesale (or, at least as something more than a money-making opportunity and as something ultimately worth dying for). I wasn’t at all surprised to see that Marva’s impassioned speech will likely go onto to be just the spark he was needing (one hopes that the fire doesn’t ultimately come from seeing her hanging in the square in Ferrix, but again, I wouldn’t be shocked if he needs that one final, JoJo Rabbit nudge in the direction of revolution). Cassian is slowly making his way through the key stages of his hero’s journey, as he attempts to hide away from his fate through sex and the beach (again, not a bad combo to use to hide), but still can’t quite resist keeping away from the rebels in his midst. Marva, Vel, Lucien – they’ve all gotten in his head and he knows that he can be useful in ways others might not be. We know that, ultimately, he’s going to get in with the Rebellion – on his own terms, naturally – but watching it slowly seduce him into turning his abilities fully against the Empire has been so interesting to watch.

*Her line reading on “that’s love” was just perfection and was the exact thing needed to show us just what their mother-son relationship has been. Every hero needs the person willing to tell it like it is, and Marva is certainly that for Cassian – in addition to being his mother who loves him dearly.

Similarly, the journey of Mon Mothma from behind-the-scenes financier to head of the Rebellion has been far more complex than I initially assumed it would be. Like Cassian – and Vel, who was angry that Lucien didn’t come find her himself and that she hasn’t been reunited with Cinta yet – Mothma got a crash course in just what a Rebellion means this week. As someone used to calling the shots and attempting to control those around her with her money, presence, and prestige, it’s easy to understand why she was so shocked to realize that Lucien ran the Aldahni operation without her knowledge – even if he presumably used some of her money (likely laundered through his store) for the heist. The reality of what a revolution entails – it’s not just finances and trying to make change from within, but often requires major actions that draw attention, fire, and can cause the noose to tighten more than some might wish – was a wake-up call for several characters this episode, but none more so than Mothma. While her friend Tay Kolma might not have understood how much Mothma was already risking with her behind the scenes work, he wasn’t wrong in pegging her as someone who lives in luxury whilst others in the galaxy have to hide in the shadows experiencing the heavy yolk of the Empire. She can enjoy her place in the upper echelons of society, even if she must work extra hard to shield her extracurricular actions from all the prying eyes around her. It’s exhausting work, but there are side benefits to her position, even if she has gotten used to them (and, in many ways, disenchanted with them) as she becomes more entwined with the Rebels.

As for our Empire-aligned characters, both had strong weeks, despite the decisive blow dealt by the Aldahni heist. Deera managed to get a promotion along with a massive target on her back through her research into linking the Rebel actions across the galaxy. And Syril got a gig in what appears to be the Star Wars version of the Severance office job (so many numbers and letters on a tiny computer screen). I still think the pair are going to find some way to team up in the end – whether it’s by Syril finding some key piece of information in his work and it coming to her attention (along with his knowledge/vendetta for Cassian) or some other link making him of use to her – but right now both have a common enemy and both want to advance their own standing through finding the person responsible. It makes sense to have tie their stories together at some point. If Syril somehow makes his way over to Coruscant (although it did appear Vel was on the same planet he lives on?), then we know the meeting is inevitable.

“Announcement” could have taken it easy, slowly moved the characters into to place for the next stage of the series (which, again, felt more like a slice of a longer film than a complete episode of television this week, but I’ll forgive it as the narrative arc was still strong), but instead it made sure to provide additional character development that will serve the series a great deal moving forward. Yes, Cassian ends the episode sentenced to six years in prison – which, since the series takes place only five years before Rogue One, we know he won’t actually serve – but that felt more like a steppingstone to his next quest in his journey and less like a real plot point. Mothma has taken her own step out of the shadows, trusting someone new at great potential cost to her own safety – after Lucien expressly told her not to (almost certainly as a push back against him after he didn’t warn her about his heist mission). And our Imperial characters are moving up in the world, both still with their focus set on Cassian and his actions. Just who Cassian will meet in prison – and how long he’s going to spend there – is my major question heading into next week. We know there are several key Rebel fighters on tap for the series in the future – perhaps it’s time to get Cassian pulled even deeper into the rebellion.