‘Andor’ Season 2 Ep. 11: The Ultimate Jailbreak

"I need the endgame!" Echoing from episodes past, long before in-story chronology, Luthen Rael snapped this command at Supervisor Lonni Jung, his insider within the Imperial Security Bureau. The presence of a tracker like Meero overseeing what seemed to be an ordinary mission such as Ghorman signaled the Empire’s true intentions. Similarly, just as Dedra Meero uncovered Luthen’s identity through fragmented clues, the seasoned rebel operative surmised that the empire’s apparently arbitrary and inexplicable activities throughout the galaxy were indicative of a covert objective, one he hadn't yet deciphered.

SUBSCRIBE TO The News PulseDIGEST FOR LATEST NEWS AND STREAMING SUGGESTIONS

Neither Lonni nor Luthen lived much longer after uncovering that concealed item. On the evening prior to their demise—Lonni at the hands of Luthen, and Luthen through suicide with assistance from his adoptive daughter and ally, Kleya—Lonni dedicated an entire three hours delving into Dedra Meero’s documents, utilizing security clearances he had illicitly obtained. It became evident that our protagonist significantly overestimated herself. While hunting for Axis, her alias for the enigmatic Luthen, she acted as a gatherer, collecting intelligence whenever possible, even keeping wrongly sent files rather than notifying authorities about them.

As part of her efforts, she compiled the complete blueprint for the Emperor's supreme armament, the Death Star. The project sourced minerals from Ghorman, utilized Khyber crystals from Jedha, underwent assembly on Scarif, employed prisoners for component manufacturing, operated under the guise of an "Energy Project," relied heavily on Dr. Galen Erso—a pivotal figure—and had been in development by Director Orson Krennic over the span of ten years.

As Dedra discovers during an intense interrogation where she is both scolded and questioned relentlessly by the gloved Krennic, all this data was pilfered by Lonni Jung. It turns out that Jung managed to access her highly classified account for three hours the previous evening. that The information was relayed to Luthen Rael, who subsequently eliminated Lonni. (War is a brutal affair, and Luthen lost his claim to being considered virtuous when he chose to further a noble objective.) Later, Luthen then shared this with Kleya, the individual whom Axis project leader Supervisor Heert (played by Jacob James Beswick) pressures medical personnel into disclosing under surveillance camera observation.

If the Empire doesn't capture her, she'll share that information with the larger Rebellion. There’s no need for me to illustrate what that scenario would entail since you've already witnessed the consequences. Star Wars .

The marvel of this second-to-last episode of Andor Even though we know what happens to almost every remaining character on the show—thanks to their futures being revealed in the prequel film—it remains intriguing. Rogue One , their legacies solidified in The initial Star Wars movie, A New Hope It ranks among the most thrilling 30-or-so minutes of TV I have ever watched.

What will become of Dedra Meero under imperial confinement? Throughout Krennic’s questioning, her dread, humiliation, and unadulterated fright are evident beneath her usual disdainful expression, almost as though they were layered upon it. As one of the limited number of characters not involved in subsequent film narratives following this period, her fate remains uncertain.

Just like Kleya, Cassian along with his rebel allies K-2SO and Melshi (played by Duncan Pow), who was beside Andor during their escape from prison in the previous season's outstanding episode "One Way Out," respond to a cryptic emergency signal transmitted over one of Luthen’s channels. Acting swiftly, they decide to go off-grid from the Yavin base and head for Coruscant, the central planetary system, seeking answers about what Luthen needs urgently. However, upon arrival, only Kleya meets them at the rendezvous point. Inside the dilapidated safehouse where Cassian and Bix had earlier attempted to create a sanctuary—a place becoming increasingly desolate with every scene—that serves as an eloquent and poignant recurring image—Kleya informs Cassian that Luthen did not make it.

In her view, she doesn't have to make it through either. She doesn't appear to want To stay alive, her reasoning is that the valiant rebels on Yavin IV have consistently viewed Luthen as an unsavory ruffian; she believes she wouldn't be made welcome among individuals like those, and frankly, she isn't interested in being so.

Kleya prioritizes ensuring that Luthen’s final message reaches its destination. Even as Cassian and Bix left Coruscant for Yavin, and the rebellion's focus moved towards organizing a more structured resistance on their new base, followed by Senator Mon Mothma escaping from the capital after accusing the Emperor of genocide, Luthen and Kleya remained behind specifically to gather this particular intelligence about an enigmatic super-weapon concealed within each bewildering act of Imperial brutality.

However, at this critical juncture, the two seasoned rebel operatives find themselves separated by great distances. Cassian adamantly refuses to abandon Kleya only to perish as some kind of honor show for her mentor-like figure. Meanwhile, Kleya strongly urges Cassian to heed her intelligence closely, emphasizing that the fragmented sentences and specific names she conveys hold crucial data surpassing all others across the cosmos.

Throughout this time, a tactical unit under Commander Heert’s leadership heads towards their destination, with Major Partagaz providing support from within the ISB headquarters. They are portrayed similarly to how one would film U.S. military forces or police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams—both essentially combat units employed domestically as tools against citizens considered adversaries by the state. This depiction includes close-ups of armed officers secured tightly in vibrating vehicles, shots focusing on their boots, protective gear, and weaponry—the quintessential display of aggressive authority meant for maintaining control over societal issues framed as threats to liberty.

Unfortunately for the fascist goons, these hideous pigs who threaten hospitals and treat apartment buildings like enemy fortresses, this is still Star Wars, and every once in a while a gigantic killer droid leaps into action to kill you all.

Let's cheer for K-2SO, played by actor Alan Tudyk, who portrays an exceptionally polite yet immensely lethal repurposed Imperial security droid. After realizing that communication has been blocked and that stormtroopers have arrived with the intent to eliminate his companions, he takes the logical step of eliminating as many Imperials as possible.

However, at the end of the episode’s cliffhanger, we witness the tactical squad advancing toward the previous secure location with weapons ready. K-2SO is absent from the scene. Neither Kleya nor Cassian has any clue that the Empire has deciphered their code and located them. Will they survive this encounter?

Sure, they definitely will. Andor, Melshi, and K-2SO are some of the main characters. Rogue One , the Star Wars prequel that Andor It is a Star Wars prequel. Kleya, Dedra, and Partagaz remain the unanswered mysteries. However, our titular character along with the vital intelligence he safeguards will endure. This crucial data will eventually reach Princess Leia Organa, who will then deliver it to Luke Skywalker, enabling him to obliterate the Death Star. The prophecy of Cassian Andor, known as the Messenger, shall be fulfilled.

I am aware of everything, but it doesn't really matter to me. Writers Tom Bissell and director Alonso Ruizpalacios have created something firmly grounded in rich material, making it challenging to overstate the numerous aspects through which this episode excels. So, do you want? The Americans/Better Call Saul —Looking for spy-thriller style action? Consider it done. Craving intense character interactions you've been eager to witness for a long time? Absolutely. How about intricately crafted scenes of tension where armed officers move cautiously through a bleak futuristic apartment complex as though it’s Dredd Do you wish to think that through human creativity and dedication, the fascists can be defeated?

Do you?

Sean T. Collins ( @theseantcollins he or she writes about television for Rolling Stone , Vulture , The New York Times , and anywhere that will take him , truly. He and his family reside on Long Island.