This review contains full spoilers for episode six of Andor, now available to view on Disney+. To remind yourself of where we left off, check out our Andor Episode 5 Review.
The stakes are heightened and spectacle is delivered in Andor’s thrilling sixth episode. Susanna White directs a masterful 45 minutes of television that fulfills all of the promises built in the episodes before it. Tense action, meaningful stakes, and satisfying payoffs combine to put Andor in a league above other Star Wars projects as it reaches its midway point.
The complacency of the Empire comes back to bite them in this episode, and while the rebel gang’s plan is a well-designed one, it wouldn’t be half as effective without the arrogance of the Imperial officers taking centre stage. It does a great job at further reinforcing the young, almost naive, nature of an Empire still learning how to rule over a galaxy bubbling with unrest. The revelation that Taramyn is a former Stormtrooper reinforces that the lines between good and evil are blurred in Andor, further emphasised by the actions of the rebel gang who take a woman and child hostage at gunpoint – arguably a more heinous act than we’ve seen the Empire commit so far.
Even among all of the turmoil, there are still moments reserved for comedy, including an amusingly “compressed” Imperial belt bringing Cassian’s earlier quote about the Empire being “fat and satisfied” more literally than he could have imagined. There are moments of light relief where small lines such as Nemik’s about “not being tired anymore” really hit the mark. Crucially, these aren’t just throwaway one-liners that wink towards the audience to elicit a laugh, but to further build out character in an enjoyable way. This being Tony Gilroy, these pockets of humour are vastly outweighed by moments of high tension.
It’s an expert execution in quietly setting a scene that could be cut with a knife.
Of course, the centrepiece of the episode is the heist itself, which is brilliantly directed by Susanna White and a superb nail-biter from the moment Andor and company step into their stolen Imperial uniforms. It’s an expert execution in quietly setting a scene that could be cut with a knife – cross-cutting between the different factions at play in real-time to give us a proper sense of any slip-up being fatal. Even Vel, who has been unflappable up until now, shows signs of nerves with actress Faye Marsay fantastically showing hesitation on her face before an impressive abseil worthy of its GoldenEye bungee jump roots.
The whole episode is expertly soundtracked by Nicholas Britell, whose rhythmic percussion simmers away during the heist’s opening sections before the whole orchestra bursts into life during its explosive final stages. He’s one of the finest composers working today, since his stunning Moonlight and The Big Short scores, and only goes further to cement that status with his work during the heist.
What’s a great heist without its hiccups, though? All the planning in the world can never account for technology letting you down as Imperial soldiers are alerted to the break-in. What ensues is frantic, exciting action that reaches an explosive new height for the series. A thrilling shootout where shots actually hit is a welcome change for Star Wars, but maybe not for some of our heroes, who unfortunately don’t see the end of it. The fact there are tangible stakes at play and that any moment could be a character’s (apart from a predestined select few) last is refreshingly exciting.
The oppressive screeches of TIE fighters offset the natural beauty of Aldhani as a celestial spectacle fills the sky.
What occurs on the ground is nothing compared to the majesty of everything happening in the air. The oppressive screeches of TIE fighters offset the natural beauty of Aldhani as a celestial spectacle fills the sky. It’s a truly stunning sequence containing some of the best-looking shots ever seen in Star Wars, as blues, greens, and oranges paint the gaps between stars. With no weapons to fire back with, Andor is forced to use the meteor shower against the enemy while dodging it himself – a stark metaphor for nature itself being opposed to the Empire and its ugly regime bringing unbalance to the force.
After the storm, there’s still time for one last sting in the tail, as Skeen’s unsavoury offer is put to Cassian. A fantastic character moment at the end of an action-centric episode, it’s an offer he characteristically doesn’t give much time to. His swift, decisive course of action shows he hasn’t quite cemented his path to becoming a true rebel – not yet one with a cause, but one who is starting to learn he may not be able to ever escape its calling.
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