Before I begin, there will be heavy spoilers for the Star Wars Andor series episode 10,
T=titled One Way Out, and all Andor episodes up to this point.
If you haven’t seen it yet, proceed with extreme caution.
You have been warned.
This is the Andor episode 10 breakdown and review you have been looking for.
Andor episode 10 is out!
There are still no Jedi, no Force, no Sith, no Darth Vader, and no lightsabers.
These are the things most people associate with Star Wars.
But not having these elements is not a bad thing.
The Star Wars universe is huge.
Bigger than anything any of us could imagine and the Andor series is showing us a corner
of that galaxy where regular people have to make their own way.
Hope, where there should be no hope.
Faith in themselves and the fact that they will not be saved by someone with the ability
to take on an Empire alone.
The Jedi are gone, and no one is waiting for them to come back to save them.
The tone of this episode is sacrifice.
And what an episode it is!
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Now…let’s get on with today’s Star Wars Andor series breakdown and review.
As I said in the opening, this episode’s theme is about sacrifice.
As I breakdown the episode I’ll go into that theme as it relates to each subplot of
the show.
At the end I will give my thoughts of this episode and each one preceding it.
You won’t want to miss it.
So, stick around.
The tenth episode of the Andor series opens with Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and Kino Loy
(Andy Serkis) just after the events of episode 9 culminated in the death of Ulaf.
As Ulaf lay dying from a stroke, the doctor tells Cassian and Kino that no one is getting
out of the prison.
That instead of being released, the prisoners of Narkina 5 are just being transferred to
another cell block where they will spend the rest of their days.
Now, Cassian Andor is able to get Kino Loy to make a decision.
Stand and fight, with the chance of escape, or wait for his death in the prison production
facility.
Easy choice, right?
Well, it takes Kino a minute, but he ultimately decides to join Cassian.
His decision to make is that of sacrificing either his freedom by staying for the rest
of his life, or possibly sacrificing his life much sooner by fighting.
Either choice means he may have to sacrifice his life.
The scene then cuts to the ISB.
Where we finally get to see Major Partagaz of the ISB, or Imperial Security Bureau, up
walking around.
No longer confined to a chair behind the table in the ISB conference room, he is joined by
Supervisor Dedra Meero and Lonni Jung as they discuss what should be done with the dead
rebel pilot from the previous episode.
Ultimately Lonni Jung wins the debate.
Not that there was much of a debate, but Dedra Meero is visibly upset that they aren’t
just going to sit back and wait for the Rebel leader, Anto Kreegyr.
Instead Major Partagaz agrees with Jung’s suggestion that they follow standard protocol
in this situation and investigate the “unknown ship” as to not raise suspicions.
This is the first time we get to see Dedra Meero lose a debate against her peers.
And we can tell she isn’t happy about it.
In this scene there is no outward sign of sacrifice, but that comes later in the episode,
and I’ll get to that.
We are then taken back to Narkina 5, where the bulk of this episode takes place.
Although, I mentioned that Kino Loy made a decision to fight for his freedom or die trying,
this is where we get to see how dedicated to that decision he really is.
As the floor becomes activated in the cell block, Kino announces that they are going
to fight.
There is only one way out!
A voice comes over the intercom that all inmates will not speak while on program in the halls.
This is to control the leak of information that two shifts of an entire production floor
had been killed due to a prisoner transfer.
The prisoners comply and play nice as the Empire demands…biding their time.
It’s now time for the prisoners to decide whether to go about their days as normal with
the possibility that they could live longer by not revolting, or possibly sacrifice their
lives for a chance at freedom.
When the scene changes back to Ferrix, there isn’t much notable, other than Cassian Andor’s
mother has seemingly stopped taking her medicines.
Apparently, the meds take away her appetite, and she would rather eat.
Maarva Andor has decided to her give up her meds for food.
Seems insignificant, but I’m sure this is bringing us the decline and eventual death
of Maarva Andor, the woman who saved Cassian Andor from Republic retribution when he was
just a small boy on his home planet of Kenari.
We are getting the scene from the perspective of Cinta Kaz, a rebel fighter from the Aldhani
Heist.
At the end of the short scene, we see a man looking suspicious watching on as he finishes
questioning a bystander.
I’m sure we will find out who he is soon enough.
If you are looking for something tying this story to the larger Star Wars universe, there
are stormtroopers.
It’s good to see the boys in white again.
We then shift to Mon Mothma’s home, where she is having a meeting with Tay Kolma, a
Chandrillan banker trying to help Mon Mothma procure funds, and Davo Sculdun.
A seedy banker able to get Mon Mothma what she needs.
But it comes at a price.
If she is to do business with Sculdun, she will have to allow his son to meet Mon Mothma’s
daughter, to loosely arrange a partnership.
I’m hesitant to call it a betrothment because this isn’t the arrangement.
Davo Sculdun makes that clear.
Mon Mothma is insulted and has Sculdun escorted out.
But this leaves her in a bad place.
Either sacrifice her maternal instincts by allowing the union to take place, ultimately
sacrificing her 14-year-old daughter to the whims of the shady banker, or don’t take
the deal and sacrifice by not having funds for the rebellion.
In turn this sacrifices her daughter’s future, either way.
On one hand she loses her daughter to another family.
On the other hand, if she doesn’t allow it, she sacrifices her daughter’s future
to the unknown future of living in luxury under Imperial rule.
Then…we finally get to see Luthen Rael again in the next scene.
Where his assistant approaches him, upon what could be his return from his meeting with
Saw Gerrera.
She informs him that a man, not yet named, has left a sign that he requests a meeting.
Luthen Rael’s assistant, Kleya warns that the meeting is against her better judgment
and this could be a trap.
He tells her to stop wasting time, that if it were a trap, they were already caught.
The relationship between the two of them seems to be that Luthen Rael is the leader, and
Kleya is the assistant.
But looking closer, this may be something different.
I’ll get to more of that in another video.
This is another short scene that doesn’t outwardly show sacrifice but just as it is
with Lonni Jung, this will come together in the final scene.
Then…the moment we’ve all been waiting for.
Back to Cassian Andor, Melshi, and Kino Loy in the prison on Narkina 5.
It’s time to nut up or shut up.
Coming together, the prisoners decide to act.
In another video, I called the prison system ingenious.
Don’t mistake that for admiration.
I should have said diabolical.
But there is a flaw.
As the electric floors do provide a certain amount of security against an uprising, a
short in the electrical system removes that security in an instant.
Not having enough guards with conventional weapons proves a mistake.
The floor gets shorted out and the prisoners act immediately.
Taking over the prison, Cassian Andor and the others quickly gain control of the entire
building, resulting in the entire prison being overrun by the inmates.
Through The entire uprising, Kino Loy reiterates, Only one way out!
And that one way is over the side into the waters below.
Which is ironic.
Kino Loy mentioned one way out many times but was unable to take the way out because
he can’t swim.
He sacrificed himself for the freedom of his fellow inmates, as he stands at the edge,
he watches as they all flood to take the leap to freedom.
I’m sure he’ll be back, though.
Cassian won’t just leave him there to face the retribution…I hope.
The final scene is of Lonni Jung heading to deeper levels of the Coruscant underworld.
He makes his way down until the elevator door opens to a waiting Luthen Rael.
Lonni Jung is the one who has requested the meeting with Luthen.
He tells Luthen what the ISB is up to, and how Dedra Meero has been tracking a Rebel
leader known only as Axis.
Who we all know is Luthen Rael.
Lonni Jung then tells Luthen he wants out.
He no longer wants to be an informant and that he’s a father now and has to look out
for the safety of his child.
Luthen reminds him of his oath to the Rebellion.
Lonni then brings the theme of the entire episode together by pointing out what he is
sacrificing and asks Luthen what he’s sacrificing.
In not so many words, Luthen tells him everything.
He has to remain alone, and he knows he won’t live to see the end of the Rebellion he has
started.
How does he know this?
Interesting.
Okay, that’s the breakdown of each scene and how it pertains to the theme of sacrifice.
My review of this episode…with each episode the Andor series gets better and better.
The intrigue, the suspense, the average person standing up when there should be no hope.
For a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace.
The galaxy got used to that…but now they are gone.
It’s up to these average citizens to give themselves hope and have faith that they can
do it alone.
We all know how it turns out, the Rebellion succeeds in ridding the galaxy of the tyranny
that is Emperor Palpatine and his Empire…okay for 34 years they rid the galaxy.
But you get my point.
As I said before, if you are watching this show hoping for a Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi,
lightsabers, or any of the other stuff found prevalent in Star Wars stories to date…then
you’re looking in the wrong place.
This is about regular people beating the odds and overcoming Fascism and Imperialism.
And it’s nice to see that.
The biggest thing for me is that we haven’t seen acting like this in any Star Wars project
to date.
The Andor series is well-written, directed, and the acting level is phenomenal.
I keep going back to it but there are times when the characters don’t even have to speak.
You can see their words in their expressions and movements.
When Kino Loy is deciding what to do about his current situation, you can see on his
face that it isn’t an easy decision to make, but there is really only one choice.
Given that he decides to revolt against his Imperial captors, you can still see the fear
and worry all over him.
When they show the production floor, just prior to the uprising, one man’s hand is
shaking.
A small detail, but it's the small details that make this show the best thing to come
from the Disney Star Wars era.
This Andor series actually has me worried.
Not worried for the show…but worried for future Star Wars projects.
Namely, the Mandalorian.
As the Mandalorian has been acclaimed by Star Wars fans united, and it being my favorite
culture in the Star Wars universe, Andor sets the bar really high.
The level of commitment Tony Gilroy, the actors, and the rest of the Andor production crew
must be giving is phenomenal.
I can’t give enough credit to this team for bringing us a compelling story with believable
emotion, and suspense like I have never seen.
That’s saying a lot because I’m also a fan of paranormal horror films.
Yeah, there aren’t many aliens in the Andor series but if that’s your biggest complaint,
I’m sorry that it hasn’t lived up to your expectations.
But this show is an 11 out of ten for me.
With only two episodes remaining in the first season of the Andor series, it’s going to
be a long wait for me when season 2 finally releases.
It’s the show I didn’t know I wanted.
I wasn’t particularly thrilled when it was announced.
But if you’re not watching it because you know the fate of Cassian Andor, just remember,
you knew the fate of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader before the Star Wars prequels were made.
I’ll be doing more videos on this series very soon.
So hit the subscribe button to be notified when I do.
This is Gerald, a Star Wars Fanatic signing off, wishing you all great health, happiness,
and peace.
Thank you all for watching and remember, this is the way…the only way!