Everything good must come to an end and what a befitting one it was for Andor Season Two. After three arcs comprising of nine, stellar episodes, surely the sophomore season of Andor cannot maintain its magnificent run with its closing, three-episode arc, right?

Wrong.

They ended it with a flourish, easily earning its place alongside the Breaking Bads and Sopranos for TV series and in terms of film, Avengers: Endgame of perfect endings.

Set a year following the (second) Ghorman Massacre and Mon Mothma’s public denouncement of Emperor Palpatine, Episode 10 sees both the Empire and the Rebels at the precipice of the leadup to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. With the Empire’s claws rapidly closing in on him, Luthen stands to make the most important decision that will pave the way to an eventual, crucial win for the Rebels.

No Guts, No Glory

In a move that essentially sets everything in motion, Luthen’s mole in the ISB, Lonni Jung calls for an ad hoc meet that leads up a chain of events, kicking everything into overdrive. The rush to get the information to the Rebels, while at the same time, fulfilling the self-prophecy in his iconic monologue in Season 1.

“… 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! You’ll stay with me, Lonni. I need all the heroes I can get.”

Obviously affected but not enough to dissuade her commitment to the Empire, Dedra reverts to an old obsession which will ultimately cost her everything. And having followed this character since Season 1, the conclusion of her personal arc in the Star Wars saga, should we say, is much worse than death.

While it did feel rushed at times, we figured the writers did well in plugging unanswered plot holes and addressing loose threads, neatly tying a bow in answering questions in regards to why certain characters did not appear in the 2016 epic.

We also appreciate that the writers took time to demonstrate how competent Kleya is. The spine of Luthen’s rebel cell, operating behind the scenes and coordinating agents, Kleya is more than just the one with the radio. All of this is interspersed with the retelling of her history with Luthen which makes it all even more heartbreaking.

We just cannot get enough of Ben Mendelsohn and his portrayal of Director Krennic. From just an egoistical, power-tripping Imperial in Rogue One, they really fleshed out his motivations. This is, of course, a perfect summation of the dichotomy of how scarily efficient and ruthlessness of the Galactic Empire  compared to their goofier portrayal in the movies.

While the series as a whole was a giant setup towards the Rebel’s first significant win against the Empire as seen in Rogue One, Episodes 11 & 12 serves as the perfect pre-watch leading up to the actual movie. One-third spy thriller, one-third emotional drama and the remainder filled with awesome K-2SO scenes, these episodes may very well be the most-watched of Andor Season 2. Melshi’s dynamic with Cassian is revisited and K-2SO was allowed to shine in scenes which borderlines horror movies territory.

The final chapter of Andor Season 2 demonstrates how much more chaotic, desperate and minute-by-minute the Rebels’ fight against the Empire in Rogue One really was. If you think that you are ready for what is to come, especially if you have watched Rogue One a gazillion times, you are not ready for the barrage of emotional gut punches throughout.

Rebel Yell

Themes of loss, acceptance and hope – everything explored since the first ever episode of Andor are touched upon. Bringing everything to full circle and  makes you watch Rogue One from a whole new perspective.  From a side character tasked with babysitting Jynn Erso, Cassian Andor have evolved into easily the most wholesome and relatable Star Wars character.

The Andor series, as a whole, is proof that Star Wars does not have to just be about lightsabers, force lightning, and the Skywalker family. Keep this up and Disney are on the right trajectory in not only getting a new breed of fans but reconnecting with those of old in one fell sweep. As an aside, this season provides a perfect transition to immediately watch Rogue One after credits roll.

This fourth arc completes the sequence of flawless, 12 episodes of Andor Season 2 and Luthen summed them all up perfectly when he uttered the line “Used up all the perfect”. Hopefully, there’s some left in Disney’s tank for whatever project comes next.

Final Score: 100/100

The finale of Andor Season 2 drops 9am on the 14th of May for Malaysian / Singapore viewers or 6pm Pacific, 15th May. 

All twelve episodes of early screeners of Andor Season 2 was provided by Disney+