Warning: Spoilers for Andor Episode 8 Ahead!
Last week’s episode of Andor showed the Empire catching up with the rebel, but they still did not know his actual identity. He was falsely arrested and judged, which they did not seem to care about. However, he is actually guilty of crimes against the Empire.
Andor Episode 8 immediately starts off with Cassian Andor being transported to Narkina 5 because he is labor worthy and will be working in an Imperial facility. Before getting on he once again claims his innocence. Of course, he is using a fake name which is making it harder for him to be located, but chances are it is only a matter of time. Fans that have watched Rogue One know where this ends up.
Syril Karn Gets His Wish
Syril Karn is working in that boring job still, but Lieutenant Dedra Meero from the ISB comes to see him and questions him about what he knows about Cassian and the Ferrix incident. Meero says that he keeps sending false inquiries about Cassian Andor to the ISB and asks why. Karn’s response is that he is a murderer and a threat to the Emprie – if he only knew, right?
This conversation leads to Meero, and the ISB, being more alert about Andor. They now believe that he has been working to steal things from, and work against, the Empire for some time, and Ferrix was the first mistake he made. Their plan is to hunt him down, little do they know they already have possession of him.
Another K-2SO Hint
The facility that Cassian is forced to work at has titanium floors that can cause the shoeless prisoners a whole lot of pain if necessary. Because of this, the guards don’t carry weapons, only buttons that will activate it. The prisoners are given more luxuries than one might expect in jail, especially one run by the Empire, but their life isn’t great either. They spend twelve hours a day on an assembly line. The facility is split into rooms and tables, and it quickly becomes clear that they need to hustle and keep numbers up if they want to be however happy they can be there.
This is where the talented Andy Serkis comes in. He plays a fellow prisoner but he is supervising and running the room – the best life he can ask for there. He tells Cassian that he must keep production up if he wants to be happy there. Eventually, it is revealed that they are building KX-series security droids here. Another hint at Andor meeting K-2SO? This is something that longtime fans cannot wait for. Perhaps he will be the one to build his friend.
The assembly tables are pitted against each other, with the slowest one being fried by the floor as punishment. The floor is also activated when it is time for rest to ensure that the prisoners stay in their beds. When someone steps onto the floor in the middle of the night, he is electrocuted to death. Over the course of the episode, Cassian gets very good at being very quiet. He minds his own business, is extremely observant of prisoners and guards, and just bides his time.
Back on Ferrix
Fans get a little bit of time with Bix as well, this episode. She is doing what she can to take care of Maarva. Vel and Cinta are there on Ferrix as well, trying to keep an eye out for Cassian to return, since they are instructed to kill him.
Bix contacts Luthen’s antique shop on Coruscant, looking for Cassian and triggering a conversation between Kleya and Luthen. She is telling him that he is not thinking clearly but she is. She shuts down the frequency so that Bix can no longer contact the shop. She also gets Luthen to drop Bix’s name, and where she works, and says that Vel and Cinta can go check it out if things are safe.
The ISB is also on Ferrix, looking for ties to Cassian thanks to Syril’s heads up. They also come to Bix and try to detain her, but she runs. They do eventually capture her, however, and bring her to Lieutenant Dedra Meero.
Saw Gerrera
Forest Whitaker, who plays Saw Gerrera, has been teased for Andor for a while now, but we finally get to see him in this episode. Luthen goes to meet with him, and accuses him of being the one who attacked the garrison but in a fun and friendly way. He wants Gerrera to meet with his people and have them pull together to be a rebellion together. Luthen says they need the Empire angry in order to accomplish what they want.
Luthen confesses that he is terrified the Empire’s power will grow too much and they will not be able to do anything to stop them. He needs Gerrera’s help, and he believes Gerrera needs his too. Gerrera doesn’t agree – at least not yet.
Overall Thoughts
The prison parallel between Karn and Andor in episode 8 brings a lot to the story. It is done very well, flashing between the two and comparing their lives. Sure, Karn is not technically in prison, but it clearly feels like it to him with his job. He wants more than anything to be back working for the Empire. Andor? He just wants to break out of prison.
The little we see of Mon Mothma in Andor episode 8 shows her in her own sort of prison cell as well – having to chat it up with voters to keep a Senate position she only wants so that she can work against the Empire. We learn a little bit more about her life and her marriage. Her and her husband were married when she was 15, as is the tradition.
Things are really coming together in this episode, and there are still four of the season yet. It seems that all of the main characters are in some type of prison, yearning to get out. Perhaps at least one of them will succeed next week, when Andor episode 9 hits Disney+.
Rating: 7/10 SPECS
Andor is streaming on Disney+. New Episodes drop on Wednesdays.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Tessa Smith owns MamasGeeky.com and is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic and a huge geek. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for almost ten years and is a member of several Critics associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association. She grew up watching movies, playing video games, and reading comic books — and still loves all of those things. She proudly lets her geek flag fly and spreads the word that there is nothing wrong with being a geek.
