REVIEW: ‘Andor,’ Episode 6 – “The Eye”

Andor has spent the past few episodes setting up Cassian (Diego Luna) and his new Rebel allies to steal an Imperial payroll on Aldhani. Now that heist finally comes to fruition in Andor Episode 6. While Cassian and other Rebels infiltrate the base, they soon find themselves fighting for their lives. But Cassian also finds himself questioning his motives. Is he really in this for the money? Or can he give himself to something greater, as Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) asked him to?

What I really love about “The Eye” is how it turns a particular Star Wars trope on its head. The “heroes infiltrating an Imperial base” has been done many times, from A New Hope to The Mandalorian. Here, writer Dan Gilroy and director Susanna White explore the work and timing of planning a heist. It isn’t enough to just put on a uniform and say, “I’m a soldier,” you have to move and think like an Imperial. It helps that they have an inside man in Lieutenant Gorn (Sule Rimi) but that only takes you so far.

There’s also the classic heist trope of “everything goes wrong at the last possible second,” which adds some much-needed tension to the story. And I do mean tension; there’s a scene where the moment to strike arrives, and Rebel leader Vel (Faye Marsay) misses it because she’s wracked with anxiety over pulling off the plan. Viewers will be on the edge of their seats, not just because this heightens the danger but because it feels realistic. This is a huge mission the Rebels are attempting to pull off; if it goes wrong, they lose everything.

White not only knows how to stage tension but also action. The back half of Andor Episode 6 becomes a chaotic blur of blaster battles and a high-pitched chase scene through Aldani. The latter sequence highlights the episode as Cassian pilots a freighter containing the Rebel’s stolen goods through a hail of fireworks. The screen grows awash in reddish-orange flames, which turn white hot when fireworks strike TIE fighters—the end result: one of the best dogfights in the Star Wars franchise.

White isn’t the only person to play around with the usual Star Wars tropes. Throughout the episode, Gilroy touches upon the shades of grey present in Rogue One and expands upon them. One of the Rebels, Nemik (Alex Lawther), turns out to be a former Stormtrooper; the actions he underwent radicalized him, and he and Cassian have a spirited debate about how far they’re willing to go in the fight for the Empire. As Cassian previously said, the Empire is too “fat and satisfied” to notice pockets of rebellion, which is why the heist at first goes off without a scratch. It’s a far cry from the terrifying force presented in other media and shows that even intergalactic dictatorships have growing pains.

But once again, Luna gets the big moments of the hour. Throughout the episode, Cassian is asked what he believes in by the other Rebels. And an answer provides itself by the episode’s end, alongside a chance for Luna to deliver some great acting. He excels at fiery speeches, but the look he gives speaks volumes. In the same way that Pedro Pascal often uses body language to convey Din Djarin’s movements in The Mandalorian, Luna can provide insight into Cassian’s mood with a single glare or shift of the mouth. And that’s great acting.

Andor Episode 6 is peak Star Wars, putting a new spin on a franchise-old trope while also exploring the tipping point in its title character’s life. Even though the first season is only halfway done, there are still plenty of stories to go before Cassian reaches Rogue One — and plenty of opportunities for him to become the leaders fans know and love.

New episodes of Andor will be available to stream Wednesdays on Disney+.