REVIEW ‘Andor’ Season 2 Chapter 2 (Episodes 4-6)

Andor Season 2 Chapter 2 (Episodes 4-6) covers various themes of espionage in action, the emotions and actions of a capital city on the brink of civil war, and the importance of sacrifice. In the next year, skip ahead to BBY 3 (three years before the Battle of Yavin); the main stages for this chapter are Ghorman, Coruscant, and D’Qar.

Beau Willimon pens Andor Season 2 Chapter 2, with Ariel Kleiman continuing to direct this batch of episodes. Coruscant remains a major setting for this chapter, showcasing the lower levels that are rarely seen in live-action Star Wars media. Ghorman is a natural progression as a location to focus on for this chapter because Director Orson Krennic’s (Ben Mendelsohn) plans, set in motion in Chapter 1, take effect. It’s cool to see D’Qar during the Galactic Civil War era for the first time, since we’re first introduced to the planet with Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) as a Resistance base in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. 

Andor Season 2 Chapter 2 opens with Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona) hiding out at one of Luthen Rael’s (Stellan Skarsgård) small hideout apartments in the lower levels of Coruscant. The two try their best to live in the apartment, still coping with Bix’s nightmares. Episode 4 is a great way to see Bix and Cassian trying to live a normal life on Coruscant, but they’re constantly looking over their shoulders wherever they walk. Of course, the chapter doesn’t take too long to give Cassian his next mission.

As for Luthen and his assistant, Kleya Marki (Elizabeth Dulau), in their Coruscant antiquities gallery, the two learn that one of the bugs they planted in one of Davo Sculdun’s (Richard Dillane) antiques might be discovered if they don’t retrieve it. Luthen and Kleya directly join some of the other series characters in their espionage mission. They navigate Sculdun’s party to stealthily retrieve the bug planted in one of Sculdun’s antiques, which they procured for him years ago.

The tension intensifies in Andor Season 2 Chapter 2.

Kleya tries to get the bug back, using ISB supervisor Lonni Jung (Robert Emms) for help. Kleya bleeds to twist the planted bug loose and keep an eye on the nearby partygoers distracted by the rest of Sculdun’s collection. Meanwhile, Lonni sweats buckets holding the antique piece in place. Willimon’s writing and choice to add Krennic to the nearby partygoers raises the nail-biting secret mission because Krennic is an Imperial officer who’s typically cunning enough to discern when something suspicious is happening around him.

In Andor Season 2 Chapter 2, Luthen also learns how Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) has been quietly running an operation on Ghorman for the past year, but doesn’t know the endgame. Without the whole picture and facts, Luthen sends Cassian to Ghorman to assess whether Carro Rylanz (Richard Sammel) and the Ghorman rebels, known as the Ghorman Front, are worth supporting.

The strongest dialogue of Andor Season 2 Chapter 2 is between Cassian and Luthen at the beginning of Episode 6. When Cassian quickly determines that supporting the Ghorman Forces is a lost cause, Luthen tells Cassian how Cassian shouldn’t have just told them to be careful and leave. Luthen uses this moment as a teachable lesson for Cassian to be a better Rebel leader. When Luthen throws the comment at Cassian, “You’re still thinking like a thief.” Cassian responds cleverly, “I’m not thinking like a thief, I’m thinking like a soldier.” But Luthen gets the last excellent rebuttal: “But you have to think like a leader.” 

Cassian and Luthen’s back-and-forth debate is effective in Andor Season 2 Chapter 2 because it provides insight into Cassian’s experience with the Rebel Alliance, both past and present. Cassian began as a common thief and scoundrel in Season 1, but became a soldier by the end of the season. Then, in Andor Season 2 Chapter 1, Cassian shows some leadership when he inspires another rebel to finish the mission on the Sienar base. Of course, we see Cassian’s eventual rise to rebel leader come into fruition in Rogue One. 

Kyle Soller continues playing Syril fantastically.

Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) begins Andor Season 2 Chapter 2  by running the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) branch on Ghorman, in the capital city of Palmo. Dedra continues to check in on him as he helps her by infiltrating the Ghorman Front and gaining the trust of its leaders, Carro and his daughter, Enza Rylanz (Alaïs Lawson).

Soller plays Syril as a spy in Andor Season 2 Chapter 2, but Soller makes Syril stand out like a sore thumb so well. This isn’t a critique, but praise. Syril isn’t supposed to be a good spy because he doesn’t have any prior training or experience, and his happy expressions when he thinks he’s doing a good job say it all. Syril ends up gaining less good information from the Ghorman Forces than the Ghorman Forces obtain, which Syril then feeds to them.

Wilmon Paak’s (Muhannad Ben Amor) storyline takes a turn in Andor Season 2 Chapter 2 because he begins on D’Qar, meant to quickly teach one of Saw Guerra’s (Forest Whitaker) men how to safecrack the locks on the Empire’s rhydonium fuel station starship fuel tanks. However, Saw’s mental state is already unstable, threatening Wil’s life if he can’t do what Saw asks of him. 

Whitaker reminds viewers how well he plays the Saw character. Every speech or decision Saw makes is done with precision and eloquence. Whitaker gives an inspirational speech in Episode 5, where Saw convinces Wil to inhale the rhydonium fumes just as Saw does. Saw explains how Wil has to let the fumes in, and it will give Wil clarity and the edge to truly be a part of the Rebellion.

For those who don’t know Star Wars lore on rhydonium, inhaling rhydonium can cause brain damage and damage someone’s vocal cords. An exposed person’s skin could also be dangerously affected. Some people like Saw inhale enough rhydonium for its perceived psychedelic effects. Ultimately, Whitaker brings another wild performance through Saw again, solidifying Saw as an extremist rebel leader.

The politics in Andor Season 2 Chapter 2 are intriguing.

Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) takes a small backseat of screentime in Andor Season 2 Chapter 2, but still works hard to thwart the Empire’s plans on Ghorman within the Senate. For most of the chapter, Mon attempts to gather Senate support against the increased Imperial presence on Ghorman. Even though Mon faces setbacks in the Senate, watching her try to gain political support is intriguing enough to witness. For those who enjoy dramas like The Crown or Designated Survivor, they will understand and connect with the importance and riveting nature of political conversations.

By the end of Andor Season 2 Chapter 2, Mon’s cousin and Chandrilan heiress-turned-rebel Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay) lands on Ghorman per Luthen’s orders. When Cassian’s assessment turns sour, Vel and her girlfriend/work partner Cinta Kaz (Varada Sethu) reunite after years since they left Ferrix. Vel and Cinta help the Ghorman Front disrupt Imperial activities on Ghorman.

By far, the weakest character writing in Andor Season 2 Chapter 2 is for Vel and Cinta’s storylines. Vel and Cinta are badass characters in their own right, but they’re sidelined to become fully realized characters. After pushing the boundaries and opening the conversation of sexual assault in the Star Wars universe in Chapter 1, the universe still doesn’t achieve writing well-developed queer characters on-screen.

The payoff of Vel and Cinta’s story in Andor Season 2 Chapter 2 begins well, especially with the first shot of them meeting at the cafe in Palmo. The shot through the window nails how they are yin and yang for each other. Sadly, Vel and Cinta’s relationship ends poorly with Cinta’s death, for the sake of pushing the narrative of sacrifice. This is an example of how the theme of sacrifice doesn’t work well for character development or the overall story.

The problem with Cinta dying in Andor Season 2 Chapter 2 is that she is an underdeveloped character compared to her counterpart, Vel. Cinta needed more screentime for the death to have the full impact; the way she dies in this chapter cheapens her character. Cinta’s passing is almost offensive, considering how much the writers built up Cinta’s ability to execute her missions for Luthen. The poetic takeaway is that Vel and Cinta aren’t meant to work together on missions; they only do well when they work separately. 

Andor Season 2 Chapter 2 successfully fleshes out Ghorman’s life and culture with richness for the first time in Star Wars movie or TV history. The underlying themes of a planet reflect the lives of locals in real-life countries, where information wars and rebellions are reality. This chapter commits to Tony Gilroy’s vision of making a good follow-up to Rogue One in the espionage genre. By the end of this second chapter, viewers will be on an emotional rollercoaster based on where the Rebellion and Empire tactics and pieces land.

Andor Season 2 Chapter 2 is now streaming on Disney+, with new episodes released every Tuesday.

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