Andor episode 11 review: Diego Luna's series sets the perfect pace for a grand finale

4/5

Story:

Andor is finally free from the rule of The Empire. However, in a world that is ruled by them, how free is he really? Find out.

Review:

"Let's call it, war." Because every rebel is born out of a war that is necessary for a change. And Andor’s journey towards the rebellion is very much on track.

Andor episode 11 commences with Diego Luna's Andor in an absolutely new avatar. He is more determined than ever.

Diego is also an expression king and that is clear with the minute he hears his mother's news. Even in briefer appearances, this actor leaves you craving for so much more.

Maarva, as expected, is dead. She does not make an appearance, at least not as a person. However, filmmaker Benjamin Caron has used other ways to show her presence on the show.

This series’ cutest droid Bee also makes an appearance this time and he's adorable as ever. Bee feels things more passionately than humans do and thus, his story alone is heartbreaking.

Indian origin Varada Sethu has appeared once again and this time, thankfully, she's just slightly more than the last episode. In the role of Cinta, she is always a delight to watch, even if just for an extended scene.

Denise Gough’s Deedra Meero is here and she slips back in her role. Given her history in the series, she has to do the bare minimum now to express what she wants to convey, which is commendable.

The machines are back and they bring the old-world charm with them. Not just the machines, we also have the aliens that will make you feel like you have transported back into the world of The Mandalorian briefly.

Faye Marsay's Vel is back and her new avatar is just so appealing. She is fierce and yet has a suave to her with this character.

Genevieve O’Reilly’s Senator Mon has shown all of her shades and so, there isn’t much surprise to her in this episode. However, she’s never disappointing.

Bix is back and she has changed. The Empire has ensured that she does. Adria Arjona's make-up does most of her work and she does the rest with her acting.

Kyle Soller's Syril is back with his mother. His quest to find Andor has clearly not ended and there’s in fact a lot more to come – his scene promises at least that.

Stellan Skasgard and Forest Whitaker are back. They're both their best selves of the series. Saw, obviously, is the better among the two. Luthen, too, has his moments but after his first impressions, he's just an extension of those. That is till you see him in action.

Andor's role in Rogue One is just as extension of Luthen's here. You can even consider it vice-versa. That's just how good they are.

This episode has subtle messages. Here, a sun shining through the cloud is proof that Andor hopes and somewhere knows that Maarva would be proud of him. And with that, the episode gets its perfect end.

Verdict:

A loud applause for Benjamin Caron who has managed to direct some of the best moments of Andor season 1 so far. He has brought back the magic of Rogue One but also left the flavour of Andor intact. Dare we say, he took it many notches above too. This episode sets the pace for grand finale and we think you wouldn’t want to miss out on that.