REVIEW: ‘Andor’, Episode 7 – “Announcement”

This week’s episode of Andor explores the fallout of the Aldhani heist, and how its effects have more of a reach than anyone could have imagined. “Announcement” finds Cassian (Diego Luna) returning to his home planet of Ferrix, only to learn that his escape led to a heavier Imperial presence. The Imperial Security Bureau starts to crack down on planetary systems, while Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) continues to track potential Rebel activity. And Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) finds herself tangled up in a web of politics and deception as the Rebellion heats up.

Issac Newton famously said that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. With “The Eye” exploring the actions the Rebels took on Aldhani, “Announcement” explores the reactions of various people. When Cassian attempts to spirit his adoptive mother Maarva (Fiona Shaw) off of Ferrix, she refuses – saying the Aldhani heist inspired her to stand up to the Empire. Meero’s persistence pays off, as she’s been the only ISB officer willing to take the Rebel threat seriously. And Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) shows just how far he’s willing to go to take the Empire down. He even tells Mothma, “No one ever forges weapons they’re not willing to use” – a pointed statement that underlines the struggle that’s just begun.

And what of Cassian himself? Surprisingly, this episode doesn’t have him appear until the halfway point, but it also proves that his road to Rebellion will be a long one. Even though he thinks that the Aldhani heist was a one-and-done deal, he isn’t prepared for how it’s affected his loved ones. Not only does Maarva not want to leave, but Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona) wants nothing to do with him. Whether he likes it or not, Cassian’s made a big change – and that leads to a fateful confrontation by the episode’s end. Luna doesn’t get to say much in this episode, but once again he lets his facial expressions do the talking. And all I can say is that I’d never want to get into a staring contest with this man.

The real star of Andor Episode 7 is O’Reilly as Mon Mothma, as fans start to see the glimpses of the Rebel leader she’ll become. At first, she’s shown to have doubts about how far the Rebellion is going, even seemingly cutting ties with Luthen. However, she reaches out to an old friend, gaining his support for the Rebellion. Director Benjamin Caron and writer Stephen Schiff stage this scene with expert precision, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats while Mothma hosts a fancy party, using it as cover to gain leverage for the situation. The best espionage stories should have you fearing for the protagonist’s life no matter the situation, and Andor has excelled at this in spades. It also helps that Schiff, like showrunner Tony Gilroy, has experience with the genre due to his work on The Americans – if it weren’t for the holograms and hovercars you’d think this was just a great spy thriller and not a great spy thriller set in the Star Wars universe.

Another way Caron builds tension is with a scene featuring Cassian sneaking through the streets of Ferrix, haunted by memories of his adopted father Clem (Gary Beadle). Caron expertly cuts between scenes of Cassian shrinking into shadows as the Stormtroopers approach and the past scenes where the Empire confronts Clem. Another scene finds Cassian confronted by Imperial forces on a beach planet, turning what should be a scene of relaxation into one of terror and paranoia. And it features the appearance of another Rogue One character that Cassian will get to know in the future, which is a nice surprise.

Andor Episode 7 is all about action and reactions, as the fallout of Cassian’s time on Aldhani spreads across the galaxy. The stage is set for the next story arc, and I’m interested to see how the second half of the series plays out.

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