Andor Season 1 Episode 8 Review : Under constant duress

Andor Season 1 Episode 8

THIS RECAP & REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) is approached by Dedra (Denise Gough) as she investigates the events of Ferrix. Syril reveals why he’s been obsessed with Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and insists on joining Dedra in her pursuit of the Rebellion. This leads her to apprehend Bix (Adria Arjona) for questioning. Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) continues her passive-aggressive battle with her husband, Perrin Fertha (Alastair Mackenzie). Her relationship with banker friend Tay Kolma (Ben Miles) probably jeopardises the banker. Cassian is sent to a maximum-security prison with gruelling measures to keep inmates in check. He’s assigned to an assembly line-up headed by the no-nonsense Kino Loy (Andy Serkis). Luthen (Stellan Skarsgård) meets with Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) on Segra Milo

Forming the start of a 3-episode arc, ‘Narkina 5’ continues to immerse us into the inner workings of the Empire. Cassian Andor continues to be the common link between multiple sub-plots, but the show makes each one of them worth our while. Spending time to keep audiences invested in each character’s motivations, ‘Andor’ doesn’t need to have high-octane action sequences to keep tensions turned up. The prison sequences are pretty harrowing, made more taxing by seeing Cassian gradually lose his nerve as he realises how much trouble he is in. Diego Luna’s performance is gripping throughout, and it is also lovely to see Andy Serkis out of a motion-capture suit. He brings much gravity to the role, irrespective of how long he’ll stick around. It will be crucial to see his escape plan since there’s no way he will serve his entire sentence. The most critical event is the encounter between the partisan Saw and Luthen, with Forest Whitaker delivering a rousing monologue on his current stance. Their exchange highlights the challenges of putting together a united front against the imposing Empire.

The Empire continues to be despicable in many small ways, once again showcasing how we don’t necessarily need to see them destroy entire planets to fear them. ‘Andor’ continues to be a breath of fresh air showcasing what it takes for ordinary people to stand up to tyranny. This episode is an excellent example of the enduring value of substance over spectacle, something that’s been lacking in ‘Star Wars’ over the years.