Andor Episode 7: Announcing the Aftermath

Warning: Spoilers for Andor Episode 7 Ahead!

Andor episode 7: “The Announcement” focuses on the repercussions of the Aldhani heist that was executed in episode 6. They are dealing with the loss of some of the team, and Coruscant is even affected by the outcome. Meanwhile, Cassian returns home.

The episode kicks off with Syril getting ready for his interview with the Bureau of Standards, and, of course, his mother is already criticizing him, this time over what he is wearing. It really has become clear as to why he is the way he is – we can’t help how we are raised or treated by our parents. Before his scene ends, he sees a news alert about the attack on the garrison and you can all but see the wheels turning in his head.

The Empire Is Ready To Respond

Meanwhile, Yularen and the other Imperial Officers are ready and eager to respond to the attack. He says these rebels might think they took the Empire by surprise, but that they know better. Their response? Empire-wide measures. A tribute tax equal to five times the amount that was stolen from Aldhani for any sector that is harboring partisan activity.

This is to make it clear that no one steals from the Empire and gets away with it. He even mentions that because they used the celebration as cover, it might get to the point where they outlaw celebrations.

This is when fans get a namedrop that will have them jumping out of their seats with excitement! Yularen mentions that he spoke with Emperor Palpatine himself the night before, and he assured him that the ISB will be taking the lead going forward. Palpatine will be proposing a bill to the Senate that will free their hands in all matters of surveillance, search, and seizure.

The Empire will be invoking the PORD (Public Order Resentencing Directive) which states any criminal act with even an indirect effect on the Empire will be branded a class one offense. All sentencing will be re-evaluated. This is a massive blow to the Rebels and even regular citizens. It is a massive set up for what is to come in the future of Star Wars lore.

Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) feels as though the Empire is playing right into the Rebels’ hands. She thinks that this is exactly what they are hoping they would do – and she is exactly right. She orders a record of all missing avionics, comm, navigation, and targeting equipment from all star systems. She wants her order to be confidential.

During his interview, Syril sets his intentions to his new boss. He says that he was only doing the right thing, and trying to uphold the law. He plans to have his record expunged and get his old job back.

Meanwhile on Coruscant

Mon Mothma arrives at the store of Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) while he is listening to the radio report about the attack, trying to get any word on where his team is now. He goes outside to greet her, and she goes inside under the guise of needing to exchange the gift she got for her husband. Her escort stays outside and they are able to talk freely inside thanks to soundproof windows.

She tells him she was worried he might plan something like an attack, and he immediately denies it, saying he wishes it was him. It doesn’t take long for him to admit it though, and she is furious. He tells her that revolutions are expensive and he couldn’t continue to wait on her and the mystery person she was planning to bring in to help access her family funds. Mon Mothma slips in that their meeting was supposed to be tonight, but they might reschedule because of what is going on.

Rael explains that this was the plan. They need the Empire to be fearful and to overreact. It is impossible to turn back now. The network is up, the weapon has been built, and they are now using it. He adds that they need every credit they can get now, and she should let him know how the meeting goes. Upon leaving, Mon Mothma announces that she will not be purchasing another item there at the moment, and she will return soon to see what new pieces might arrive.

An Order To Kill Andor

Meanwhile, Kleya (Elizabeth Dulau) travels to meet with Vel (Faye Marsay), who is looking much different out of her farmer clothes. Kleya tells her that they did good work, and that the money has been moved already. She inquires about the trawler, and Vel assures her it has been buried and is gone for good. When Vel says she thought “he” (we assume Luthen Rael) would be there at the meeting, Kleya responds that there were losses, and he is dealing with them. However, he had doubts about Skeen so now that is one less thing to worry about.

Kleya tells Vel that there is one loose end from their mission, and that is Cassian Andor. She tells Vel his real name, stating that Vel knew him as Clem. She says this is what a revolution looks like, but he can’t be walking around with Luthen in his head so he needs to be taken care of. Vel knows this means she is supposed to kill him, and she doesn’t seem very happy about it.

Cassian Comes Home

The long-awaited reunion of Cassian and B2EMO, and we suppose Maarva (Fiona Shaw) as well, is here. When he gets home the door is locked, which surprises him. He is then immediately filled in about what has been going on since he left. Ferrix is under Imperial authority and troopers took over the hotel in order to watch for him. Maarva is mad that he came home, and says he shouldn’t be there.

She tells him that Tim Karlo is the one that turned him in, but that there is no need to stew over it because he is dead now. Cassian tells her that he came back to get her and they can leave the mess behind. He has enough credits to go anywhere, and the three of them will leave, and it is all going to be different now. Fans of Rogue One will know this is not how it all ends, and that makes this scene absolutely heartbreaking.

When he goes to see Bix, she explains that pretty much everyone there blames him for what happened and that if he is seen he will be turned in. She tells him that he needs to get as far away from there as possible, and he says he is and she shouldn’t worry about him anymore. Cassian just wants to know who the buyer is, but she says she doesn’t know. He says that if she ever speaks to him again, she should tell him that he held up his end of the deal and he needs to forget about Andor. Adding in, and that goes for everyone, is a bit of a dig. Before he takes off, he leaves money behind, saying it is enough to pay back everyone everything that he owes.

Back at home, Maarva tells Cassian that she isn’t going to go with him. She explains that she can’t go, but he can’t stay. She is old and the rebellion needs her. The attack on the garrison has shown her that people are standing up against the Empire now. She adds that he needs to stop searching for his sister, and that finding her is a fantasy.

During that conversation, we also get a little bit of insight as to what happened to Clem, Maarva’s husband. He was killed and hung in the square by troopers.

The Party on Coruscant

A new face is introduced at Mon Mothma’s husband’s party on Coruscant. Tay Kolma (Ben Miles) is one of Mon Mothma’s oldest friends and a banker. The two walk to a quiet place at the party, and she says she would like to tell him something that only three people in the galaxy know about because she needs his help. And that is when it becomes clear he is the one she was wishing to bring into the Rebel operations.

Tay asks her if her help is needed politically or personally and when she says political, he tells her that she should reconsider speaking. He goes on to explain that he is weary of the Empire, expecting her to need help for them, not against them. She confides to him that the Mon Mothma everyone knows is a front, and that she is purposefully being an irritation. Claiming that she has learned from Palpatine – “if I show them the stone in my hand, they will miss the knife at their throat.”

Mon Mothma tells Tay the cover story is that she is forming a Chandrilan charitable outreach program and he will be chairman. This will involve visits to Coruscant so that they can meet under cover. He asks her what the money is really for, and she says she won’t answer that as he is better off not knowing.

Andor Finds Paradise?

Towards the end of the episode, it changes location to Niamos. Cassian is living there under the name Keef. He is with a woman and he is hiding guns and credits for her. This is very much a party planet, or at least the area he is in. He finds himself constantly nervous about troopers and drones that are around, however. A shoretrooper stops him and continuously asks him if he has been running and if he is a part of “it” but without explaining what he is talking about. Andor is confused and when a bunch of people go running by, he offers to stay there until the shoretrooper can return.

This is where we get probably the most exciting moment of the episode for Rogue One fans. A couple of KX-series droids, like K-2SO, are seen making their way up the beach. They are with the shoretrooper, of course, but this is when fans will be on edge waiting to hear Alan Tudyk’s voice and hopefully finally see Cassian’s friend (and the best Star Wars droid ever) come into the series.

This doesn’t happen, however. Instead, Andor is apprehended and accused of anti-Imperial speech, fleeing the scene of anti-Imperial activity, and more. He claims that a mistake has been made, and we viewers know he was not a part of whatever went down. But he is sentenced to six years, and is carried off, claiming he is just a tourist. The judge apologizes, saying this used to be a six month sentence and he should take it up with the Emperor.

Overall Thoughts

Coming off of the best episode of the season, Andor episode 7 does a great job of keeping the pacing going as well as dealing with the aftermath of the garrison attack. We are shown where pretty much everyone is and what they are up to, including those that were not in the show the last couple of episodes.

Those who know how Rogue One ends up, will be very intrigued to see how we go from Cassian being in jail to being released and a major part of the Rebellion. With several episodes to go, hopefully he doesn’t spend too long locked up. Fingers crossed this is where he teams up with K-2SO – we don’t want to wait much longer for that friendship.

New episodes of Andor stream Wednesdays.

Rating: 7/10 SPECS

This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.