Watch Andor Season 1 with Tony Gilroy, and catch the first three episodes from Season 1 on the Disney+ YouTube channel or enjoy the entire first season now streaming on Hulu for a limited time.
There’s more than one way to be a rebel.
While Andor is the story of Cassian Andor and how he became the person we met in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, his rebel origin story isn’t the only one unfolding in the captivating series. Whether it’s the unforgettable breakout from Narkina 5, or the small acts of rebellion by Maarva Andor, Brasso, and even humble fishermen, their stories are just as vital in shaping Cassian into the rebel hero he ultimately becomes.
In “Daughter of Ferrix” and “Rix Road,” directed by Benjamin Caron and written by Tony Gilroy, the final two episodes of the groundbreaking first season of Andor, we follow Cassian after his escape on Narkina 5 back to his home on Ferrix. As the season concludes this chapter in Cassian’s life, we see the citizens of Ferrix rise up, proving that if people stand up for what’s right in even the smallest of ways, those moments matter – and can reverberate across an entire galaxy.
A Certain Point of View
As “Daughter of Ferrix” begins, Cassian Andor and Ruescott Melshi cling to the side of a cliff with bloodied hands while a ship scouts overhead. We understand quickly that the Empire has been alerted to the Narkina 5 prison breakout. Cassian and Melshi are fugitives – but they’re on the run together, a preview of the trusting relationship the two rebels share in Rogue One. Including Melshi in this story was brilliant, and not just because it’s a callback to the film. It’s a tantalizing hint that these two characters have a long and fraught history together, and there’s more of their story for us to discover.
The scene shifts back to Ferrix. We’re rarely treated to a droid's point of view in Star Wars, and seeing the world through B2EMO’s eyes is unexpectedly affecting. He’s in a daze, trembling as gentle voices around him discuss his worst fear coming true. Maarva Andor has died. His anxiety builds, threatening to spill over into panic, when the steady presence of Brasso comforts him.
Brasso knows what makes Bee tick (literally and figuratively), so giving him a new focus is a thoughtful kindness to extend to a droid. Star Wars droids are more like people than machines, and B2EMO expresses astonishing amounts of emotions that are easy to identify with. You’ll never feel the urge to hug a droid more strongly than in this scene, and it just increases the more times you watch it.
“Scob the Empire!”
Maarva’s death puts an unavoidable confrontation into motion. Luthen Rael and his rebel operatives, the Imperial Security Bureau, and the relentless Syril Karn all have Cassian Andor in their sights, and now they know where he’s headed: home to Ferrix.
Meanwhile, Cassian and Melshi are about to encounter the biggest surprise of this season of Andor, and their names are Dewi and Freedi Pamular. Cassian and Melshi need to get as far away from the planet as they can, so they make a run for it when they come upon the brothers’ ship. But you can’t pull a fast one on these two fishermen. Instead of turning in the fugitives for a reward, however, Dewi and Freedi rebel against the Empire their way: by giving Cassian and Melshi a lift to Niamos. The Empire won’t be killing the fugitives today, the genial Dewi declares.
So Much Trouble
Before Vel Sartha leaves for the funeral on Ferrix, she visits her cousin Mon Mothma. Mon finally confesses just how precarious the tightrope she’s been walking is. Her finances, which have been bankrolling Luthen’s operations, are certain to come under Imperial scrutiny. As she finally talks to someone with a sympathetic ear, this is the most vulnerable we’ve ever seen the stoic senator. Genevieve O’Reilly’s performance shines as Mon Mothma is given the safe space she’s needed to express her fears.
Later, Luthen departs from another tense visit with Saw Gerrera, and he finds himself right in the path of a Cantwell-class Arrestor in orbit above Segra-Milo. (If you’ve watched the episode before, you’re probably smiling already because of what’s about to happen.) The massive Imperial cruiser locks a tractor beam on Luthen’s haulcraft, but he’s unfazed. In one of the most stunning scenes of the series, the haulcraft fires countermeasures to break free, then fires particle beam emitters to slice through TIE fighters before jumping to hyperspace. Wizard.
End of the Road
“Rix Road,” the final episode of Andor’s first season, now has all the pieces on the board. Cassian, who learned about Maarva’s passing from the well-meaning Xanwan, is on his way to Ferrix as expected. So are Syril Karn, Dedra Meero, and Luthen Rael. Xanwan has the presence of mind to let Brasso know about Cassian, but he also lets it slip to the clever Imperial informant Nurchi. Everything’s set up for an explosive confrontation.
As for Mon Mothma, she’s found temporary solutions to her missing money problem – but they’re both heartbreaking. Knowing their driver is likely an Imperial informant, Mon takes advantage of Perrin’s past problems and accuses him of gambling again. The driver looks convinced despite her husband’s loud protests. Even though their arranged marriage is a seemingly loveless one, there’s remorse in Mon’s eyes as her ploy works. Between making accusations she knows are false and introducing her daughter to the Sculdun family as part of Chandrilan courting tradition, Mon’s learning that she’ll have to make hard personal sacrifices if the Rebellion is going to succeed.
Cassian arrives on Ferrix, stopping to visit Clem Andor’s funerary stone (which is a beautiful detail). He sneaks into a dark tunnel hidden from the eyes of the Empire, where Brasso finds him. Oh, yes, it’s time to talk about Brasso.
A grappler who dismantles ships in the salvage yard, Brasso is strong in body and spirit, and absolutely someone you want on your side. He agrees to cover for Cassian without argument; he takes care of Maarva when her son is away; he stays in her home to give a frightened B2EMO one last night there. And, most importantly, he gently delivers Maarva’s final message to her son. Brasso chooses to be kind in a galaxy that’s anything but.
He’s fiercely loyal and just plain fierce, so it’s no surprise that his small act of rebellion involves a brick in his hand.
Stone and Sky
The funeral of Maarva Andor is destined to become an iconic Star Wars moment. As Maarva delivers her own eulogy via a hologram projected over the funeral attendees, her wish to join the Rebellion is clearer than ever. Words become Maarva Andor’s rebellion. Her speech talks of history, community, and the life they’ve all built on Ferrix together. She inspires the gathered crowd to revolt against Imperial occupying forces with the cry, “Fight the Empire!”
With a roar, Brasso swings the brick made of Maarva’s ashes to strike down stormtroopers with one heavy blow after another. (She’s officially a rebel through and through.) And while Cassian and Bix Caleen aren’t among the crowd, her last words reach them as well. “Wasn’t she great?” he asks Bix when he finds her, who nods with the first hint of a smile on her face in a very long time.
Brasso gets Wilmon Paak to safety at Zorba’s shiplot, where they’re reunited with B2EMO and Maarva’s friend Jezzi. Cassian and Bix make it there shortly after. They part ways as Cassian decides it’s time to fully commit to the Rebellion. His friends escape the Empire’s clutches onboard a dilapidated shuttle, soaring through the Ferrix sky toward an uncertain future.
Where will Cassian, Brasso, and Bix meet again? And what acts, big and small, will they take against the Empire in the future? We’ll find out when Andor returns in season 2 this April.
