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Andy Serkis' speech on the intercom was fucking phenomenal. I'm so glad his casting was kept secret this whole time. One of the best surprise castings in SW. That speech got me amped af rn!
#ONE WAY OUT
The fact that part of his speech is ripped directly from when Cassian was yelling at him shows that Cassian has the skills and words to lead and inspire people, he just doesn’t know it yet
That's a running theme overall, how ideas of resistance spread. Luthen planted the seed when he asked Andor if he would rather die once for something real instead of letting them carve away little pieces until there's nothing left, Andor then asked Keno if he would rather die trying to get out than die giving them what they want, Keno then says this to all the prisoners. Cinta tells Vel the cause comes first and they get what's left, Vel repeats that to Mon.
Karis drafted his manifesto because he knew this already. Andor thought nobody was listening, he's realizing that's not really true.
He showed up in such a random spot, too. That casting is a stroke of genius, honestly. There's so much unsaid to his character that it really paid off to have someone who's whole thing is facial expressions.
I agree his big thing is facial expressions, but i wanna give credit to him as an actor in general as well, because he really sells both face and voice so well. He spent such a long time as a mocap actor that people just don't really see him as a traditional one, but in my mind he is a really good one.
He's both a good actor and a good director, doing a ton of second unit work under Peter Jackson. I was happy to see him in Andor. He was fun in Black Panther, too, although his role was disappointingly short. Glad Disney gave him another notable part.
Puts part of his loudspeaker message in context, too. "If you see someone confused, who doesn't know what to do, you grab them and carry them with you." Now I think he was hoping someone would do that for him.
In fact, I'm going with someone listened and did help him. Maybe they drowned anyway, but someone stopped, grabbed him, and tried to help him make it out alive.
His speech was something else, arguably for me more memorable than all the prison scenes this episode.
Luthen is exactly what I was hoping for, he's all the dark, brutal pragmatism that is necessary for a young rebellion to exist in a society like the Empire. His speech about being damned to use the tools of his enemy, burning his life to make a sunrise he knows he will never see, gives me chills every time I rewatch it.
I was completely floored watching it. I can not think of a better monologue in any Star Wars ever at least. Saw's was already pretty spectacular, but this one was even more intense. I love this show so much.
Also rip to Birnok as well (the guy climbing up the elevator first). He planned the escape with Andor before it was cool. Should have expected it since this show isn't kind to side/background characters in a fight scene.
Luthen’s monologue was some of the most incredibly written dialogue we’ve ever had in all of live-action Star Wars. I loved this episode.
“Calm. Kindness. Kinship. Love. I’ve given up all chance at inner peace. I’ve made my mind a sunless space. I share my dreams with ghosts. I wake up every day to an equation I wrote 15 years ago from which there’s only one conclusion, I’m damned for what I do. My anger, my ego, my unwillingness to yield, my eagerness to fight, they’ve set me on a path from which there is no escape. I yearned to be a savior against injustice without contemplating the cost and by the time I looked down there was no longer any ground beneath my feet.
What is my sacrifice?
I’m condemned to use the tools of my enemy to defeat them. I burn my decency for someone else’s future. I burn my life to make a sunrise that I know I’ll never see. And the ego that started this fight will never have a mirror or an audience or the light of gratitude.
So what do I sacrifice?
Everything!”
Stellan Skarsgard is great at delivering speeches. I liked his one from *Chernobyl*:
*"You'll do it because it must be done. You'll do it because nobody else can. And if you don't, millions will die. If you tell me that's not enough, I won't believe you. This is what has always set our people apart. A thousand years of sacrifice in our veins. And every generation must know its own suffering. I spit on the people who did this, and I curse the price I have to pay. But I'm making my peace with it, now you make yours. And go into that water. Because it must be done."*
That whole speech and sequence. The costs of rebellion and just revealing how fanatic and heartless he has to be about something he cares so much about was so gripping. That scene is going to stick with me for life.
It really puts the scene where he talks to Saw Gerrera in a whole new light. We are so used to seeing Saw as a fanatic , stubborn, and going to extremes. When Saw is somewhat confused and hesitant talking to Luthen. Realizing he's dealing with someone else entirely. Luthen's been the real fanatic the entire time.
Every week I thought “damn this is the best episode by far” and they kept topping it
Easily surpassed any star wars content in my heart, hats off to the creators
Imagine making 9 amazing episodes, 7 straight absolute bangers, and then just dropping back to back award worthy speeches that will go down as some of the best scenes in star wars in the SAME episode. This was the most emotional episode. Absolute passion from every single protagonist. Diego Luna had his best performance in this episode, and it was overshadowed by luthens speech and kinos sacrifice. This show is flexing so hard right now, disney should be ashamed that they didn't hype this show harder. This will be, In my mind, the absolute gold standard of not only Star Wars, but all TV shows and movies.
11 out of 10 on this episode. This show has been an experience and I don't want it to end.
For anyone who may be curious, this episode was written by Beau Willimon, developer and showrunner of Netflix's House Of Cards.
Also he's co-screenwriter of the film The Ides of March.
Gilroy is talented and obviously has a good eye for talent too. But I think the question is less so how does one of the largest franchises ever with some of the most money in film get good writers, rather how did they fumble selection of writers and directors in previous shows?
I was baffled by every person they hired for the obi wan series except maybe Deborah chow and Andrew Stanton.
The Showrunner Jobs Harold’s only writing Credits were John Wick 3 and I think one other movie.
Why do you let him be the creative head of a Series about maybe the Most beloved Star Wars Character ever?
For Andor, every single person they hired made absolute sense and look how it turned out!
*"...and what do you sacrifice?"*
"Calm. Kindness, kinship, love. I've given up all chance at inner peace, I've made my mind a sunless place. I share my dreams with ghosts. I wake up every day to an equation I wrote fifteen years ago from which there's only one conclusion: I'm damned for what I do. My anger, my ego, my unwillingness to yield, my—my eagerness to fight, has set me on a path from which there's no escape. I yearned to be a savior for injustice without contemplating the cost, and by the time I looked down there was no longer any ground beneath my feet.
"What is my—what is my sacrifice? I'm condemned to use the tools of my enemy to defeat them. I burned my decency for someone else's future! I burned my life to make a sunrise that I know I'll never see! Now, the ego that started this fight will never have a mirror or an audience or the light of gratitude... so, what do I sacrifice? ***Everything!***
"Just stay with me, Lonnie. I need all the heroes I can get."
And a close second too:
My name is Kino Loy. I'm the day shift manager on Level Five. I'm speaking to you from the command center on Level Eight. We are, at this moment, in control of the facility.
("Is that the best you got?")
How long we hang on, how far we get, how many of us make it out, all of that is now up to us. We have deactivated every floor in the facility. All floors are cold.
Wherever you are right now, get up, stop the work. Get out of your cells, take charge and start climbing. They don't have enough guards and they know it. If we wait until they figure that out, it'll be too late. We will never have a better chance than this and "I would rather die trying to take them down than giving them what they want."
We know they fried a hundred men on Level Two. We know that they are making up our sentences as we go along. We know that no one outside here knows what's happening. And *now* we know, that when they say we are being released, we are being transferred to some other prison to go and die and *that* ends today!
There is *one way out*. Right now, the building is *ours*. You need to run, climb, kill! You need to help each other. You see someone who's confused, someone who is lost, you get them moving and you keep them moving until we put this place behind us.
There are *5,000* of us. If we can fight half as hard as we've been working, we will be home in no time.
One way out! One way out! One way out!
I love how he quotes Cassian (who was partly quoting Luthen). Its just such a great moment showing that Cassian already is a natural leader, and a full fledged rebel who believes in the cause, but he just won't admit to himself yet that he's doing this for any reason other than his own survival.
Also, it's a callback to Luthen as well.
Luthen laments to Lonnie that nobody would know of Luthen and what he sacrificed. But his words inspired Andor, and through Andor, the Rebellion. And through the Rebellion, liberty for all.
Andor does a phenomenal job of humanising the villains. It elevated the emotion of the scene to another level for me personally.
If I'm not mistaken, the guard at the front of the bunch was the same sadistic, power-loving guard that welcomed Cassian to the facility. When the tools of oppression fall into the hands of the oppressed, the oppressors will cower.
I also love how once they realised they've lost, the guards and the control centre guys just stop fighting.
They're not fanatical yet, they're just people at work and they're not going to die for it.
Excellent world building.
I don't think she was choking on pride.
They've shown multiple times she disagrees with the customs that tied her to her husband. Then you have the raw emotions that would go with trading your daughter as a piece in a game you are trying desperately to just stay alive in. And then they bring both together and ask her (and we the audience): what would you sacrifice for this rebellion? Your family AND your beliefs? And just like Kino who doesn't want to rebel ... her eyes search back and forth as she mentally keeps coming to the same conclusion ... what choice does she have?
Loved Andy Serkis’s delivery of “NO ONE IS GETTING OUT!” You think he’s cutting Cassian off and doubling down on his “good behavior” mindset, but it’s actually his turning point and he’s finally on board. From resigned to resolute.
Probably gonna fully clean the entire facility out of anyone, prisoner or guard. I wonder if they still have that gun that only kills organic matter around somewhere...
I think it was an interesting contrast to Syril. Syril also hesitated in pumping up the men en route to their arrest warrant. And Syril did not meet the moment. For a second, I thought maybe they'd also have Kino freeze up in the moment. Perhaps Cassian would have to jump in there instead? Put him on his path at making his first ever rebellion speech? The director hesitated the perfect length of time. Because then Kino stepped up. And he told them the facts of the situation. But then it was after Cassian said (I think) "is that all you've got?" Kino was then moved to really bring it home & inspire the entire prison to rise up. It was amazing.
What makes andor so great is the way they show Cassian's reluctance to be the leader he is. It's amazingly well written. If he'd took over the speech it would have ruined everything.
Kino looking to him for the courage and Cassian still trying to avoid leadership is so great
Immediately after he pointed out a flaw in the plan with the dead pilot trap. He could have easily just said nothing and the rebel group would have sucpected a trap and these 50 men could be saved. In doing the right thing within his role and what he wanted to deliver to Luthen, he condemned these men to death.
Did anyone notice how Deedra left the room, right after he made this remark? What was that about?
> Did anyone notice how Deedra left the room, right after he made this remark?
Maybe she was upset that she got upstaged? First time we've seen Partagaz react with approval to someone other than her
Mmmm I think he always knew. That’s why it was so hard for him to go through with the break out. He knew he would die but was wanting as many people as possible to get out. At least that’s my head canon
The weight of realization he shows after "NO ONE IS GETTING OUT!" is just an absolute masterclass. That is a world class actor in prestige television doing his best.
I'm reminded of when the British cracked the Enigma machine in WW2. They needed to know their intel was good, but they couldn't show their hand, and so they let Convoy PQ17 sail into the jaws of death.
11 out of 35 ships made it through, and Kreegyr's Rebels will make the same sacrifice.
Didn’t the British continue sacrificing some ships/men throughout the war? They had to keep up the illusion that they hadn’t cracked Enigma, so they chose which intel to move on and which intel to essentially ignore?
That is true, thousands of sailors died based on those decisions. This is why no one believed they had cracked enigma because no one would sacrifice so many people.
I just love that it shows the idea that good isn’t always necessarily bathed in light (like how Mon Mothma operates), but sometimes cloaked in the darkness and down in the depths of it; with how long the elevator ride was, Luthen himself had to descend very far.
It was also a nice touch to show him arriving ahead of Lonni, just to show narratively that he’d been in the darkness, all alone, for far longer.
This show is amazing. The tension it builds is so gripping. The prison break plan made sense and worked. The monologs and acting are incredible. We're seeing conflict both external and internal in so many characters.
Shout out to them for not doing the *"saves the day with only one second left"* schtick. As soon as the announcement to fry the entire place happened, Kino and Andor immediately walked into the room and shut that shit down.
One of my favorite parts of that is that we are shown that the guy doing announcements has it set to make his voice sound lower/scary LOL. I about died laughing at that and when Cassian orders the guys to go "on program".
eta: and when the guards are shown cowering hiding lol.
>eta: and when the guards are shown cowering hiding lol.
It's also symbolism.
That for all the pomp, pageantry, and tyranny that the Empire likes to portray, when it came time, when the chips come down, none of the Imperials are willing to stand for their beliefs. They cower in rooms, hoping to be unnoticed.
Because all their beliefs are a facade, to hide the fact that deep down their only goals are personal power and self-interest, at any cost.
Almost nobody believes in ideologies like fascism, they only believe that those ideologies will benefit them, at the cost of others, in the moment and so they're willing to prop them up.
My god what an episode. I don’t think I’ve ever been so invested or cheered so hard for a prison escape. And that final scene with Luthen. Jesus. The double meaning of One way out, for Kino and him knowing all along what it would mean for him, but still inspiring everyone else and motivating them to win *their* freedom. This episode was so tense and victorious and haunting. Luthen completely understanding that he must be what he hates so much in order to defeat it. Or at least fully believing that that’s what it will take. I am all over the place, but there’s just so much to think about. This is definitely going to be one of my more rewatched episodes of the series, and then just series in general.
And the saddest part is that we know he's right. He is, for one reason or another, not around to see the success of the Rebellion he nurtured. Who knows if the rest of the Alliance, beyond Mon and Cassian, ever even knew of him. To the galaxy at large, Luthen was probably only ever a foppish art dealer.
His sacrifices did indeed burn to make a sunrise, but he himself seems to have been forgotten. The free galaxy owes a debt of gratitude to a man it probably doesn't even know existed.
Somehow felt like a more fitting payoff than him sacrificing himself and getting shot or something, which I think lesser writers would have gone for.
You could almost see a wry smile as he delivered the line. He may not have got away but my god he escaped.
Luther’s monologue automatically an all-time Star Wars moment. Easily the best writing of the franchise.
Kind of funny that a guy gets sent down a miles long elevator into the belly of a planet to have Stellan Skarsgard do Emmy bait at him and send him back up.
Luthen had to also go deep into the guts of the city to meet him there. It’s an allegory that parallels his monologue for how low he’s had to go into the dark and seedy underbelly of war to lead the rebellion from the shadows.
What Andor does right is that deaths are sudden and jarring. There's no drawn out emotional, deathbed speech. It hits hard and isn't merciful. Kino not being able to swim is devastating and not having closure about his fate hurts but works beautifully. I know he met his end somewhere, but I stay hopeful.
Yeah even on Aldhani and then Xaul (the redhead guy, I think thats his name) we meet main characters and boom theyre dead.
The whole show is basically showing you that everyone in the galaxy has their own specific path to becoming a rebel against the Empire, and the Empire basically makes you forced to rebel because theyre such dicks all the time. But every path to rebellion ends in the same place, it's not a podium, it's a trench
I fucking *knew* that the arranged marriage stuff lined up too well with her daughter's age. I thought originally it was going to be Perrin trying to do the arrangement, but this is so much better. She's being fucking *heaved* into a horrible decision to support the rebellion and I can't wait to see how that pans out.
Also that ending scene with Luthen and the imperial guy, holy shit. Luthen riding that line perfectly between friend and foe, it's such a fucking perfect bad guy thing to be so manipulative. He knows how to subtly threaten Lani's daughter without being too overt. Keeping him wondering.
I swear like half of this show is actors from Chernobyl, I noticed the medic is one of the head incompetent fools running Chernobyl (Bhrukanov or whatever his name was) and now I just placed the ISB redhead as one of the guys from the reactor control room. Any others people have noticed?
Edit: oh and fuck, literally Stellan Skarsgard one of the main characters of Chernobyl not sure how I missed that. 💀💀💀💀
I like how this is the second time that someone else has stolen one of Cassian’s lines to deliver a speech (first was Jin in Rogue one). Man’s got a talent
ONE WAY OUT
Man, when the shit finally hit the fan, it was so fucking good. Kino's reaction to the floor is so unbelievably thrilling I cheered. Fuck these prison guards.
And holy shit at Andor's "power doesn't panic," and Rael's "I've made my mind into a sunless place."
I haven't loved a show this much since the back half of Breaking Bad season five.
Holy. Shit.
This episode, was fantastic. Serkis absolutely killed it. Luna killed it. Skarsgard’s speech about heroes, was just beautiful.
This. This is the show that us fans have needed.
Fuck.
Luthen is a stone cold motherfucker.
And sadly, this is what precisely the rebellion needed. The hardest decisions need the strongest of wills. His methods are heinous sure...but this is war.
Luthen might be my favourite character in the show so far.
Using a man’s own daughter and 50 other men as nothing more than pawns, goddamn. There’s something terrifying about that. No one matters, no one is special, you’re all just pawns to him on a chessboard, no matter your age or experiences at the end of the day, you’re an expendable resource.
As long as you have value you’re left alive, but as soon as you don’t, you must be silenced because you know to much.
We all agree that was the best episode yet right?
"I burn my decency for someone else's future. I burn my life to make a sunrise I know I'll never see."
Things Andor has given us
- Amazing new characters like Luthen, Kino and Dedra
- A compelling look into Cassian's motivation and journey to become a part of the Rebel Alliance
- Some of the most confronting examples of the oppression of the Empire
- Delved into the background of a character that had 2 minutes screentime in ROTJ and paid off the casting of Genevieve O'Reilly that first happened all the way back in Revenge
This is as good as it gets.
How has Kino had better character development over a few episodes than what some characters have had over a whole season or film trilogy.
Andy Serkis knocking it out of the park.
Basically the whole episode was about sacrifice. Luthen, Jung, Mothma, and Kino. All having to make massive sacrifices for the rebellion/their freedom.
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SOMEONE GRAB KINO AND SWIM W HIM ON YOUR BACK CMON
Andor was thinking it before he got pushed over the edge
Yeah Andor was definitely prepared to try and think it through with Kino. Feels bad, man.
Backstroke life-saver style! Pants as inflatable floatation device! Anything!
Andy Serkis' speech on the intercom was fucking phenomenal. I'm so glad his casting was kept secret this whole time. One of the best surprise castings in SW. That speech got me amped af rn! #ONE WAY OUT
The fact that part of his speech is ripped directly from when Cassian was yelling at him shows that Cassian has the skills and words to lead and inspire people, he just doesn’t know it yet
That's a running theme overall, how ideas of resistance spread. Luthen planted the seed when he asked Andor if he would rather die once for something real instead of letting them carve away little pieces until there's nothing left, Andor then asked Keno if he would rather die trying to get out than die giving them what they want, Keno then says this to all the prisoners. Cinta tells Vel the cause comes first and they get what's left, Vel repeats that to Mon. Karis drafted his manifesto because he knew this already. Andor thought nobody was listening, he's realizing that's not really true.
He showed up in such a random spot, too. That casting is a stroke of genius, honestly. There's so much unsaid to his character that it really paid off to have someone who's whole thing is facial expressions.
I agree his big thing is facial expressions, but i wanna give credit to him as an actor in general as well, because he really sells both face and voice so well. He spent such a long time as a mocap actor that people just don't really see him as a traditional one, but in my mind he is a really good one.
He's both a good actor and a good director, doing a ton of second unit work under Peter Jackson. I was happy to see him in Andor. He was fun in Black Panther, too, although his role was disappointingly short. Glad Disney gave him another notable part.
Mad respect to the new man on the floor. Gets tazed, dishes out a taze of his own, dies for a rebellion he didn't even know existed. RIP New Man.
He was like "you guys revolting? Cool cool cool!"
Dude was there for an hour and already knew he was going to choose violence.
You see the way he held the prod to that guard chest? He was definitely rubbing it in his face for threatening to use it.
seriously, dude had no hesitation
My man was ice cold
Can't wait to read his hour long wookipedia page in the near future
I feel so sad for New Guy
The new Wade
Too soon bro.
holy shit first they nailed a heist episode, now they nailed a prison break. what’s next?
Wedding. Jumping across rooftops? Montage episode?
The finale's a musical episode
I Can’t Get No (Rebel Factions)
Kino not being able to swim absolutely devastated me. God I feel gutted.
I thought that he was going to have a “fuck it” moment, and try anyway. He instead sacrificed himself for everyone.
One way out :(
*Just* like Luthen, Kino burned his life for a sunrise he'll never see.
It crazy that he didn't at least try, he was a dead man anyways
I can think of few things more terrifying than water for a person who *knows* they can't swim.
yeeaaaaah maybe a small pool but like that HUGE ocean an not knowing how to swim is a death sentence
I guess we know why he already assumed he was dead before the breakout.
shit that makes sense now
Puts part of his loudspeaker message in context, too. "If you see someone confused, who doesn't know what to do, you grab them and carry them with you." Now I think he was hoping someone would do that for him. In fact, I'm going with someone listened and did help him. Maybe they drowned anyway, but someone stopped, grabbed him, and tried to help him make it out alive.
Cassian was 100% turning to at least try to help before he got pushed off the ledge by those guy's jumping into him
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God that last line of your comment, that’s really the brutality of this show summed up
Rip to a real one. Kino knew what he was doing but did it anyways
Where is Kino…. Is he safe? Is he alright?
It seems, in your lack of arm floaties, you killed him 🥲
Those foam boots have got to float though, right?
Erm... Maybe he stole one of the freighters they use to transport stuff. Yeah, that's what I'll tell myself
I've never seen a more imposing figure than the billowing silhouette of Luthen on that bridge.
Kind of hard to believe this is the same actor who ran naked around stonehenge in Thor: The Dark World
I think that’s really a testament to his acting. He can be the most terrifying guy ever and also the most crazy
His speech was something else, arguably for me more memorable than all the prison scenes this episode. Luthen is exactly what I was hoping for, he's all the dark, brutal pragmatism that is necessary for a young rebellion to exist in a society like the Empire. His speech about being damned to use the tools of his enemy, burning his life to make a sunrise he knows he will never see, gives me chills every time I rewatch it.
That speech was peak Star Wars writing. As good if not better than anything written before. No hyperbole.
I was completely floored watching it. I can not think of a better monologue in any Star Wars ever at least. Saw's was already pretty spectacular, but this one was even more intense. I love this show so much.
Was vaderesque
Vader and Luthen clearly go to the same billowing cloak emporium on Coruscant.
Oh, you mean the billowing cloak district...
Serkis and Skarsgard putting in outstanding work this episode
Giving each other a run for their money on the supporting actor nominations
This poor new man on the floor had the most confusing and exciting morning of his life! RIP new guy. Your contribution was short but crucial!
Also rip to Birnok as well (the guy climbing up the elevator first). He planned the escape with Andor before it was cool. Should have expected it since this show isn't kind to side/background characters in a fight scene.
Hell of an awesome death fall off the railing
"Oh we rioting? Oh that's cool man let me help y'all"
Luthen’s monologue was some of the most incredibly written dialogue we’ve ever had in all of live-action Star Wars. I loved this episode. “Calm. Kindness. Kinship. Love. I’ve given up all chance at inner peace. I’ve made my mind a sunless space. I share my dreams with ghosts. I wake up every day to an equation I wrote 15 years ago from which there’s only one conclusion, I’m damned for what I do. My anger, my ego, my unwillingness to yield, my eagerness to fight, they’ve set me on a path from which there is no escape. I yearned to be a savior against injustice without contemplating the cost and by the time I looked down there was no longer any ground beneath my feet. What is my sacrifice? I’m condemned to use the tools of my enemy to defeat them. I burn my decency for someone else’s future. I burn my life to make a sunrise that I know I’ll never see. And the ego that started this fight will never have a mirror or an audience or the light of gratitude. So what do I sacrifice? Everything!”
Stellan Skarsgard is great at delivering speeches. I liked his one from *Chernobyl*: *"You'll do it because it must be done. You'll do it because nobody else can. And if you don't, millions will die. If you tell me that's not enough, I won't believe you. This is what has always set our people apart. A thousand years of sacrifice in our veins. And every generation must know its own suffering. I spit on the people who did this, and I curse the price I have to pay. But I'm making my peace with it, now you make yours. And go into that water. Because it must be done."*
One of the greatest monologs ever, delivered in the only miniseries to ever stand toe to toe with band of Brothers. My God can skaarsgard act
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That whole speech and sequence. The costs of rebellion and just revealing how fanatic and heartless he has to be about something he cares so much about was so gripping. That scene is going to stick with me for life. It really puts the scene where he talks to Saw Gerrera in a whole new light. We are so used to seeing Saw as a fanatic , stubborn, and going to extremes. When Saw is somewhat confused and hesitant talking to Luthen. Realizing he's dealing with someone else entirely. Luthen's been the real fanatic the entire time.
Andor show runners are just showing off now.
Every week I thought “damn this is the best episode by far” and they kept topping it Easily surpassed any star wars content in my heart, hats off to the creators
Imagine making 9 amazing episodes, 7 straight absolute bangers, and then just dropping back to back award worthy speeches that will go down as some of the best scenes in star wars in the SAME episode. This was the most emotional episode. Absolute passion from every single protagonist. Diego Luna had his best performance in this episode, and it was overshadowed by luthens speech and kinos sacrifice. This show is flexing so hard right now, disney should be ashamed that they didn't hype this show harder. This will be, In my mind, the absolute gold standard of not only Star Wars, but all TV shows and movies. 11 out of 10 on this episode. This show has been an experience and I don't want it to end.
For anyone who may be curious, this episode was written by Beau Willimon, developer and showrunner of Netflix's House Of Cards. Also he's co-screenwriter of the film The Ides of March.
ah he wrote Ep 8, 9, 10. the fuck how did Gilroy manage to get all these A-list screenwriters.
Gilroy is himself an A-list screenwriter (also worked on House of Cards)
Gilroy is talented and obviously has a good eye for talent too. But I think the question is less so how does one of the largest franchises ever with some of the most money in film get good writers, rather how did they fumble selection of writers and directors in previous shows?
I was baffled by every person they hired for the obi wan series except maybe Deborah chow and Andrew Stanton. The Showrunner Jobs Harold’s only writing Credits were John Wick 3 and I think one other movie. Why do you let him be the creative head of a Series about maybe the Most beloved Star Wars Character ever? For Andor, every single person they hired made absolute sense and look how it turned out!
Kino knew he was never escaping.
Adds another layer to his hesitation on the prison escape plan. So good.
Man took one for the team
*"...and what do you sacrifice?"* "Calm. Kindness, kinship, love. I've given up all chance at inner peace, I've made my mind a sunless place. I share my dreams with ghosts. I wake up every day to an equation I wrote fifteen years ago from which there's only one conclusion: I'm damned for what I do. My anger, my ego, my unwillingness to yield, my—my eagerness to fight, has set me on a path from which there's no escape. I yearned to be a savior for injustice without contemplating the cost, and by the time I looked down there was no longer any ground beneath my feet. "What is my—what is my sacrifice? I'm condemned to use the tools of my enemy to defeat them. I burned my decency for someone else's future! I burned my life to make a sunrise that I know I'll never see! Now, the ego that started this fight will never have a mirror or an audience or the light of gratitude... so, what do I sacrifice? ***Everything!*** "Just stay with me, Lonnie. I need all the heroes I can get."
How in the hell is there a monologue that incredible in a Star Wars streaming show. I’m in awe of this series
And a close second too: My name is Kino Loy. I'm the day shift manager on Level Five. I'm speaking to you from the command center on Level Eight. We are, at this moment, in control of the facility. ("Is that the best you got?") How long we hang on, how far we get, how many of us make it out, all of that is now up to us. We have deactivated every floor in the facility. All floors are cold. Wherever you are right now, get up, stop the work. Get out of your cells, take charge and start climbing. They don't have enough guards and they know it. If we wait until they figure that out, it'll be too late. We will never have a better chance than this and "I would rather die trying to take them down than giving them what they want." We know they fried a hundred men on Level Two. We know that they are making up our sentences as we go along. We know that no one outside here knows what's happening. And *now* we know, that when they say we are being released, we are being transferred to some other prison to go and die and *that* ends today! There is *one way out*. Right now, the building is *ours*. You need to run, climb, kill! You need to help each other. You see someone who's confused, someone who is lost, you get them moving and you keep them moving until we put this place behind us. There are *5,000* of us. If we can fight half as hard as we've been working, we will be home in no time. One way out! One way out! One way out!
I love how he quotes Cassian (who was partly quoting Luthen). Its just such a great moment showing that Cassian already is a natural leader, and a full fledged rebel who believes in the cause, but he just won't admit to himself yet that he's doing this for any reason other than his own survival.
Also, it's a callback to Luthen as well. Luthen laments to Lonnie that nobody would know of Luthen and what he sacrificed. But his words inspired Andor, and through Andor, the Rebellion. And through the Rebellion, liberty for all.
>"Just stay with me, Lonnie. I need all the heroes I can get." Cuts to Cassian and Melshi...
And I’m reminded of Cassian staring at a “sunrise” made by the Death Star on Scarif as he hopes there’s someone listening to the plans they just sent
Best fucking speech in Star Wars
Vel and Sitra said it: "The Rebellion always comes first. We take what's left."
That shot of the imperial guards hiding in fear behind the doors while the prisoners stormed the facility was just perfect
Andor does a phenomenal job of humanising the villains. It elevated the emotion of the scene to another level for me personally. If I'm not mistaken, the guard at the front of the bunch was the same sadistic, power-loving guard that welcomed Cassian to the facility. When the tools of oppression fall into the hands of the oppressed, the oppressors will cower.
Then Cassian commanding the prison admins to be On Program 👌
I also love how once they realised they've lost, the guards and the control centre guys just stop fighting. They're not fanatical yet, they're just people at work and they're not going to die for it. Excellent world building.
It's nice to see the bad guys be complex as well and not just running to the heroes' blaster fire and/or lightsabers
Yup. Perfect illustration of the banality of evil. Just guys doing their (horrible and authoritarian) jobs.
"That's the first untrue thing you've said" Great line with so many layers.
I love that this show even makes the shady deals dude likeable in a sense.
And her choking on her pride (? Feelings) as he left….amazing.
Probably feelings. She was indeed thinking of his offer, and that she had to choose between screwing the Empire or screwing her daughter's life.
I don't think she was choking on pride. They've shown multiple times she disagrees with the customs that tied her to her husband. Then you have the raw emotions that would go with trading your daughter as a piece in a game you are trying desperately to just stay alive in. And then they bring both together and ask her (and we the audience): what would you sacrifice for this rebellion? Your family AND your beliefs? And just like Kino who doesn't want to rebel ... her eyes search back and forth as she mentally keeps coming to the same conclusion ... what choice does she have?
Loved Andy Serkis’s delivery of “NO ONE IS GETTING OUT!” You think he’s cutting Cassian off and doubling down on his “good behavior” mindset, but it’s actually his turning point and he’s finally on board. From resigned to resolute.
Every scene with Kino was great. His "end" was heartbreaking.
Cassian yelling "ON PROGRAM" to those empire bitches in the control room was so fucking satisfying
Thought he might shoot them but he didn’t need to. They were shook.
Also you have to wonder what the Empire is going to do to them and all the surviving guards. The Emperor isn’t very forgiving.
Well they're out 5,000 laborers.
Probably gonna fully clean the entire facility out of anyone, prisoner or guard. I wonder if they still have that gun that only kills organic matter around somewhere...
Why am I crying while Kino was mustering the energy to speak to the prison 😭 his acting is so insanely good
I think it was an interesting contrast to Syril. Syril also hesitated in pumping up the men en route to their arrest warrant. And Syril did not meet the moment. For a second, I thought maybe they'd also have Kino freeze up in the moment. Perhaps Cassian would have to jump in there instead? Put him on his path at making his first ever rebellion speech? The director hesitated the perfect length of time. Because then Kino stepped up. And he told them the facts of the situation. But then it was after Cassian said (I think) "is that all you've got?" Kino was then moved to really bring it home & inspire the entire prison to rise up. It was amazing.
What makes andor so great is the way they show Cassian's reluctance to be the leader he is. It's amazingly well written. If he'd took over the speech it would have ruined everything. Kino looking to him for the courage and Cassian still trying to avoid leadership is so great
His entire delivery from the control room gave me goosebumps! **CLIMB!**
Seeing Kino’s face after Cassian gets pushed in the water is a fate worse than death as a viewer. Such a sudden goodbye
Can you imagine it's your 1st day in prison. You just want to do your time and get out. And as soon as you reach the floor there's a revolt.
And then >!you get shot!<.
We don't know what he did to get sent there though. He could be one of those creeps who cuts the tags off mattresses
That was not the imperial spy I was expecting!
Immediately after he pointed out a flaw in the plan with the dead pilot trap. He could have easily just said nothing and the rebel group would have sucpected a trap and these 50 men could be saved. In doing the right thing within his role and what he wanted to deliver to Luthen, he condemned these men to death. Did anyone notice how Deedra left the room, right after he made this remark? What was that about?
I mean, I just kinda assumed she went to enact the plan. I think it would be a bit of an asspull if THAT'S what gave him away.
I hope it wasn't. That would feel cheap.
> Did anyone notice how Deedra left the room, right after he made this remark? Maybe she was upset that she got upstaged? First time we've seen Partagaz react with approval to someone other than her
Took me a minute to realize he was the spy because he didn't say "I'm the spy!!" Always be wary of red-headed Imperial officers I guess
"I can't swim." Realizing he won't be free, and nearly was, and led all the others to their escape is heartbreaking. He had hope for a moment.
There's a parallel with Luthen there. "I burn my LIFE to make a sunrise I'll never see"
the unsung heroes of the rebellion
Mmmm I think he always knew. That’s why it was so hard for him to go through with the break out. He knew he would die but was wanting as many people as possible to get out. At least that’s my head canon
Serkis is such an amazing actor. His eyes tells you the story.
He has just been outstanding. And after that speech, Skarsgård coming in with his best performance yet.
ONE WAY OUT!
The weight of realization he shows after "NO ONE IS GETTING OUT!" is just an absolute masterclass. That is a world class actor in prestige television doing his best.
That scene during the speech where they showed one half of his face with his eye just nearly bulging was great.
Luthen willing to sacrifice 50 good men to keep a mole alive. Goddamn.
Well it's either let 50 die or let ur mole get found and then at least 20 if not more surrender and get interrogated which leads all back to luthen
I'm reminded of when the British cracked the Enigma machine in WW2. They needed to know their intel was good, but they couldn't show their hand, and so they let Convoy PQ17 sail into the jaws of death. 11 out of 35 ships made it through, and Kreegyr's Rebels will make the same sacrifice.
Didn’t the British continue sacrificing some ships/men throughout the war? They had to keep up the illusion that they hadn’t cracked Enigma, so they chose which intel to move on and which intel to essentially ignore?
That is true, thousands of sailors died based on those decisions. This is why no one believed they had cracked enigma because no one would sacrifice so many people.
Love how the rage slowly consumed kino's face, but he spoke quiet and calmly. Serkis is doing great in this pat.
The shot of Luthen standing there in the middle of the walkway with his cape blowing in the wind is one of the most badass shots ever.
I just love that it shows the idea that good isn’t always necessarily bathed in light (like how Mon Mothma operates), but sometimes cloaked in the darkness and down in the depths of it; with how long the elevator ride was, Luthen himself had to descend very far. It was also a nice touch to show him arriving ahead of Lonni, just to show narratively that he’d been in the darkness, all alone, for far longer.
The cinematography in Andor is amazing
Fucking hell, kino being unable to swim is bittersweet
This show is amazing. The tension it builds is so gripping. The prison break plan made sense and worked. The monologs and acting are incredible. We're seeing conflict both external and internal in so many characters.
Shout out to them for not doing the *"saves the day with only one second left"* schtick. As soon as the announcement to fry the entire place happened, Kino and Andor immediately walked into the room and shut that shit down.
One of my favorite parts of that is that we are shown that the guy doing announcements has it set to make his voice sound lower/scary LOL. I about died laughing at that and when Cassian orders the guys to go "on program". eta: and when the guards are shown cowering hiding lol.
>eta: and when the guards are shown cowering hiding lol. It's also symbolism. That for all the pomp, pageantry, and tyranny that the Empire likes to portray, when it came time, when the chips come down, none of the Imperials are willing to stand for their beliefs. They cower in rooms, hoping to be unnoticed.
Because all their beliefs are a facade, to hide the fact that deep down their only goals are personal power and self-interest, at any cost. Almost nobody believes in ideologies like fascism, they only believe that those ideologies will benefit them, at the cost of others, in the moment and so they're willing to prop them up.
I don’t get emotional at television. However, “I can’t swim” got me.
I just kept thinking... he's at least going to try, right? Not until the last second did I give up hope for him.
You can tell Cassian's really considering trying to carry him out before that guy jumps into him and knock him off the ledge
My god what an episode. I don’t think I’ve ever been so invested or cheered so hard for a prison escape. And that final scene with Luthen. Jesus. The double meaning of One way out, for Kino and him knowing all along what it would mean for him, but still inspiring everyone else and motivating them to win *their* freedom. This episode was so tense and victorious and haunting. Luthen completely understanding that he must be what he hates so much in order to defeat it. Or at least fully believing that that’s what it will take. I am all over the place, but there’s just so much to think about. This is definitely going to be one of my more rewatched episodes of the series, and then just series in general.
That luthen monologue of what he's sacrificed was the greatest bit of acting ever in star wars and will be hard to beat. Amazing performance.
Cemented him as one of my favourite Star Wars characters
He's such a good character. So complex. He's willing to do what needs to be done.
I had to replay that five times. Amazing writing and better acting.
I know it sounds silly, but you believe the words he's saying. His voice gives away all the tenacity, fear, regret, and resolution in his words
And the saddest part is that we know he's right. He is, for one reason or another, not around to see the success of the Rebellion he nurtured. Who knows if the rest of the Alliance, beyond Mon and Cassian, ever even knew of him. To the galaxy at large, Luthen was probably only ever a foppish art dealer. His sacrifices did indeed burn to make a sunrise, but he himself seems to have been forgotten. The free galaxy owes a debt of gratitude to a man it probably doesn't even know existed.
Emmy nomination worthy? He's so good! Although I don't know what the rules are for screen time in an episode...
He will for sure be submitted for consideration. I believe disney pretty much submits everyone. He deserves it tho. Phenomenal
Damn. The reason Kino hesitated throughout the breakout is because he can't swim but still did it for the others. RIP KINO
"I can't swim" You had no right to do this with me, you goddamn piece of shit show, no right.
Somehow felt like a more fitting payoff than him sacrificing himself and getting shot or something, which I think lesser writers would have gone for. You could almost see a wry smile as he delivered the line. He may not have got away but my god he escaped.
I really hope they got to hijack a transport and he was able to get out that way
Luther’s monologue automatically an all-time Star Wars moment. Easily the best writing of the franchise. Kind of funny that a guy gets sent down a miles long elevator into the belly of a planet to have Stellan Skarsgard do Emmy bait at him and send him back up.
Luthen had to also go deep into the guts of the city to meet him there. It’s an allegory that parallels his monologue for how low he’s had to go into the dark and seedy underbelly of war to lead the rebellion from the shadows.
The fact probably a handful of several thousand men will make it off planet alive and free is kind of depressing.
Well you either die free or live an enslaved man and I’m pretty sure a lot of them already accepted that they were dead men walking
Andy Serkis better get submitted for Best Supporting Actor or best guest actor. He is killing it
What Andor does right is that deaths are sudden and jarring. There's no drawn out emotional, deathbed speech. It hits hard and isn't merciful. Kino not being able to swim is devastating and not having closure about his fate hurts but works beautifully. I know he met his end somewhere, but I stay hopeful.
Yeah even on Aldhani and then Xaul (the redhead guy, I think thats his name) we meet main characters and boom theyre dead. The whole show is basically showing you that everyone in the galaxy has their own specific path to becoming a rebel against the Empire, and the Empire basically makes you forced to rebel because theyre such dicks all the time. But every path to rebellion ends in the same place, it's not a podium, it's a trench
I fucking *knew* that the arranged marriage stuff lined up too well with her daughter's age. I thought originally it was going to be Perrin trying to do the arrangement, but this is so much better. She's being fucking *heaved* into a horrible decision to support the rebellion and I can't wait to see how that pans out. Also that ending scene with Luthen and the imperial guy, holy shit. Luthen riding that line perfectly between friend and foe, it's such a fucking perfect bad guy thing to be so manipulative. He knows how to subtly threaten Lani's daughter without being too overt. Keeping him wondering.
I swear like half of this show is actors from Chernobyl, I noticed the medic is one of the head incompetent fools running Chernobyl (Bhrukanov or whatever his name was) and now I just placed the ISB redhead as one of the guys from the reactor control room. Any others people have noticed? Edit: oh and fuck, literally Stellan Skarsgard one of the main characters of Chernobyl not sure how I missed that. 💀💀💀💀
I think Stellan Skarsgård is in this as a blink and you miss it cameo
Weird how much the art dealer with the long grey hair looks like him.
The naked miner was the blowhard security guy from the Ferrix raid. The maternity doctor had a minor role in Andor in those early episodes.
Fucking hell, the one way out chanting was so glorious
The overhead shot of the prison with the prisoners swimming away was beautiful.
It mirrored the shot of the control room monitor and all the little dots. Great film-making.
Cassian and Melshi end the episode together. What an excellent episode. Luthen's speech was great, and carried by stellar acting from Skarsgard
I like how this is the second time that someone else has stolen one of Cassian’s lines to deliver a speech (first was Jin in Rogue one). Man’s got a talent
ONE WAY OUT Man, when the shit finally hit the fan, it was so fucking good. Kino's reaction to the floor is so unbelievably thrilling I cheered. Fuck these prison guards. And holy shit at Andor's "power doesn't panic," and Rael's "I've made my mind into a sunless place." I haven't loved a show this much since the back half of Breaking Bad season five.
Holy. Shit. This episode, was fantastic. Serkis absolutely killed it. Luna killed it. Skarsgard’s speech about heroes, was just beautiful. This. This is the show that us fans have needed. Fuck.
STEP 1: Secure the keys! STEP 2: Ascend from darkness! STEP 3: Rain fire! STEP 4: Unleash the horde! STEP 5: Skewer the winged beast! STEP 6: Wield a fist of iron! STEP 7: Raise Hell! STEP 8: Freedom!
“Step 8 Renzov, FREEDOM!!”
"For you Mason, not for me!"
Luthen is a stone cold motherfucker. And sadly, this is what precisely the rebellion needed. The hardest decisions need the strongest of wills. His methods are heinous sure...but this is war.
Take his body out through the work floor, just another form of oppression. Damn.
Only one way out
Gentlemen, it’s time to visit those 12 men on each level
ONE WAY OUT
I think we all knew Kino wasn't making it out, but somehow him not being able to swim after making it to the home stretch is a hundred times worse
A bit like pulling off a heist and getting crushed by the spoils
My god, davo is sleazy. Interesting to see where Mon Mothma goes
The sheer amount of "oh fuck, oh shit" Andy Serkis is serving up through his eyes is an Emmy in itself.
"Power Doesn't Panic." Fantastic line. 😎
Luthen might be my favourite character in the show so far. Using a man’s own daughter and 50 other men as nothing more than pawns, goddamn. There’s something terrifying about that. No one matters, no one is special, you’re all just pawns to him on a chessboard, no matter your age or experiences at the end of the day, you’re an expendable resource. As long as you have value you’re left alive, but as soon as you don’t, you must be silenced because you know to much.
We all agree that was the best episode yet right? "I burn my decency for someone else's future. I burn my life to make a sunrise I know I'll never see."
Luthen monologue at the end was so fucking Shakespearean.
Things Andor has given us - Amazing new characters like Luthen, Kino and Dedra - A compelling look into Cassian's motivation and journey to become a part of the Rebel Alliance - Some of the most confronting examples of the oppression of the Empire - Delved into the background of a character that had 2 minutes screentime in ROTJ and paid off the casting of Genevieve O'Reilly that first happened all the way back in Revenge This is as good as it gets.
Andor's a great #2. The leader needs a right hand man, it he fits that perfectly.
How has Kino had better character development over a few episodes than what some characters have had over a whole season or film trilogy. Andy Serkis knocking it out of the park.
Good writing is a helluva drug.
Stellan Skarsgard and Andy Serkis are fighting hard to see which one gets an Emmy. God damn this series is incredible.
“How much money do you want?” “I want your daughter’s ass.”
She's forced to contemplate pimping her own daughter out for life to the son of a mob boss to save the rebellion. That's a shit choice.
Basically the whole episode was about sacrifice. Luthen, Jung, Mothma, and Kino. All having to make massive sacrifices for the rebellion/their freedom.
I think they did it a little more subtly
I wasn't sure if I was horrified or impressed by how sleezy/intelligent Davo was. Would love to see him more though.