Andor Season 2 Recap — Ion Cannon #459 - Ion Cannon | Star Wars Entertainment Reviews

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(00:00):
Always reported good 10 standingby red 9.
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Cannon Podcast. Laugh it up Fuzzball, your
source for entertainment reviewsfrom a Galaxy far, far away.
This is it. Hey laser clickus.

(00:23):
Welcome to the Ion Cannon podcast.
I'm one of your hosts Steven andI'm joined by my friends and Co
host Tom and William. We are back with our season 2
and or like all up review which is very, very exciting.
Yeah, so I want to give you guysa little time to digest and or
it was a lot of Star Wars in a very, very short amount of time,

(00:44):
which I mean, we can't complain about, it's pretty awesome.
But you know, 1212 episode almost maybe 12 hours, 10 ish,
10 to 12 hours of Star Wars content dropping in the span of
like 22 days. I think it is right is it's a
lot that is a lot of Star Wars and I love it.

(01:08):
But now that you've all had a chance to digest and or I guess
it's been just over a week sincethe just over a week, week and a
half maybe since the finale aired.
Now we're going to dive in to the four arc season and really
talk about all of our favorite stuff, kind of look back at the

(01:28):
season as a whole. There's a lot we actually didn't
get to in our in our review of the finale 'cause we wanted to
save it for this episode. So yeah, I guess let's let's
dive in. Tom, Steven, do you guys have a
maybe we'll start with like, do you have a favorite moment of
the show? Oh, that's really tough.

(01:52):
That's tough because there's so many.
Yeah, it's it's hard. It's hard.
It's. I think it might, I can pick one
like I so my initial impression is like, I feel like it has to
be the Gorman Massacre. And I was like, that's a weird
thing to say as a favorite. So I'm not gonna pick that one
'cause I but we'll, we'll come back to that, I'm sure.

(02:14):
I think one of the highlights for me though, has gotta be the
interaction between Dedra and Lutheran in the final arc.
You know, we one of the things we talked about a lot after
season 1 is, you know, Luther's got his little speech that he
gives to Lonnie, I believe, about, you know, everything he
sacrificed and the goals of the rebellion.

(02:34):
All these things where it's likeyou just really get the
intensity and the writing is just, you know, phenomenal.
And I through a lot of the season, I was a little
disappointed. I don't want to say disappointed
with Lutheran. I he didn't have those kind of
same big stand out moments like I was kind of looking forward to
until this one and it delivered perfectly.

(02:56):
They were saving it. They were saving it for the just
the right moment. Phenomenal dialogue, phenomenal
acting between both of them, like it was just that.
That was the thing with so much of the season is just their
tension you could cut with a knife.
What about you guys? Hey, this is gonna be a curl

(03:18):
one, but this one always sticks out to me.
When Monmouth was talking to herdaughter right before the
wedding and she's spilling her soul trying to convince her
daughter. You really don't have to do
this. You can walk away from this.
And the daughter turns to her. You can walk away from this.
And I remember my my mother whenshe was talking to me, she was
drunk and and Monmouth was just spilling it and trying to

(03:40):
convince her daughter. You don't have to do this.
And just the cruelty of the daughter saying, I wish you were
drunk. Just you just felt so sorry for
Mamathma at that point. And that that's and it was
brutal. I don't know why that just
sticks with me because it's justcruel.

(04:01):
And then the second one was, let's just call it the dinner
party with Cyril, Deirdre and Deirdre's mom.
I mean, Cyril's mom. Yes, that was that.
That was great. And then I have to say the one
thing I love is when it's over, you hear Denise Denisco, I'm
sorry if I pronounced your name wrong.

(04:21):
And then also Cyril's actor talking about that instant where
he's on the bed. That was unscripted.
But that was just, I was brilliant, that whole thing.
And just those are those are two.
And then naturally, Steven, the one you brought up with with
Luther and Deirdre in in the store.
I mean, just the writing, the acting and just the nuances of

(04:44):
the scene were just incredible. Yeah you I, I love both all
those those moments you guys called out.
I think another one for me was Mon Mothma as well and and her,
you know escape from the the Senate.
Everything was just so well done.
That's that's another one and almost any moment with major
party Gaz is just great. I love all of his dialogue yeah

(05:08):
it's the the season was just phenomenal end to end.
I, I, I think let you know, let's so the, this the show,
season one took place over a fewdays, right?
Season 2 takes place over 4 years.
We go from from 4 BBY or five BBY all up to 1 BBY and or yeah,

(05:33):
I think it's four. Yeah.
So it takes, it takes, takes place over 4 years 'cause
there's 4 arcs and you know, thefirst arc we get Cassian
stealing a, a, a Thai Avenger and, and which was awesome to
see right? Sign our fleet systems and
getting stranded on, on Yavin for we get Cassian's friends

(05:55):
evading the empire. I mean, a Rao we get man
Mothma's daughter's wedding director Chronic starts forming
a plan to subdue Gorman and of course, you know, the hideout on
Mina Rao as well and and everything that happens.
So the empire invades. Yeah, I, I think that the I

(06:17):
think the I like each arc for its own reasons.
I think if I had to pick, I think the wedding was my
favorite part of act 1. You know, arc 1, arc 2 is the
Gorman stuff and I think arc act3 is or actually act 2 is like
the the listen device. Act 3 is the Gorman stuff.
Act 4 is Luther and Clay it it'sall just so good in in

(06:41):
hindsight, having, you know, digested for a bit.
How do you guys feel about the that first the first arc?
I think it still holds up prettywell.
Certain parts of it are definitely better than others I
would say. Like I I mean, I love the TIE
Avenger sequence to be clear, but like the rest of Cassian's

(07:03):
story, I thought was a little onthe weak side here.
Yeah, same. And I I think the intent was to
in hindsight, the intent was to kind of show the rebellion is
not perfect and always the smartest.
How they went about it necessarily isn't 100% perfect.
I agree with you, but. Yeah, when when they were doing
the rock, paper, scissors thing that kind of got OK, you know,

(07:28):
it it it kind of worked. It did show at least the
immaturity of this part of the the rebel cells, that they
needed at least a strong leader.And that's one thing that they
did lack. But it also at this point kind
of set up the brutality of the Empire, especially when it came
to Bix and on the planet where her and Brassa were.

(07:53):
So I mean it, it set up really well, you know, but in some
cases it was just that tad bit slow.
Yeah, it kind of felt like, and by the end it was, it was
getting a lot more action, of course, and, and and more
exciting. And I think the interesting
thing about this season, and I guess season 1 had this to a
degree as well as it's because it's it's very much focused

(08:16):
around arcs and distinct stories.
The first episode of the arc cansometimes be a little slower,
but it was still very well written and very well acted and
kind of it builds up and up and up until the crescendo at the
end of the arc. But while there's four arcs a
season, there's quite a big timejumps in between.
I don't think it actually hurt the show at all.

(08:36):
And in in fact, maybe it helped it 'cause it could, it could
focus on, they're able to focus more on like the big moments in
these characters lives. Your thoughts Steven on the on
the format? One thing I, I do want to
mention that was in one of the interviews that Tony Gilroy has
given kind of post the show, there was a he was talking, I

(08:58):
think it was with Seth Meyers onlate night about, you know, his
his entire family now are you know, he edited the show, I
believe with his brother and hisson is an actor as well.
And his son would come through and he said they would idiot
proof the dialogue where he his son would read the dialogue as
dumbly as he could to see if it if it still worked.

(09:18):
One of the things I did not realize is one of the two rebel
leaders on Yavin, who is, is hisson flying the the tic tac toe,
which I thought was just a phenomenal role to give to, you
know, a family member. Like, yeah, I need you to act
like the biggest idiot. Yeah.
Exactly, I did appreciate that and it is cool to.

(09:38):
See the. Origins of Yavin 4 right?
We we find out that you know andcause throughout the season
really see the the the famous rebel base grow throughout the
arc. Also this was not a good episode
for characters from arc. I mean from characters from
season 1. Poor Brasso, he dies.

(10:01):
Takoma dies in the most brutal way possible.
Luthan, we don't actually see ithappen, but man Luthan taking
him out with Scinta as the driver, who knows what she does,
but clearly Tay does not survive.
It's even though we know we're going into Rogue One and a lot

(10:23):
of these characters we don't seein the film, they don't all have
to die, right? We've learned I think that that
was a a mistake a lot of Star Wars fans make.
But we don't see them in a New Hope or we don't see them in the
original trilogy or whatever it is.
And so clearly they can't make it and it's not true.
They can survive and some do right.

(10:44):
We we find out that I'm sure we'll talk more about this, but
Bix survives and Willman survives and many others.
But there's quite a few who alsodo not make it, like Por Brasso
and Take Coma, both of whom wereI.
I really liked both of their characters and so it was
certainly sad to see them go. I I think it's actually Bob.

(11:08):
Go ahead, Steven. I.
Was that I? I actually think, especially
now, it was particularly smart to have Brasso killed in the
first arc led me to believe thatwe were going to see one of, you
know, Cassian's friends die in just about every arc.
And that did not end up being the case at all.
But it meant, like you said, youspend the entire season waiting,

(11:29):
waiting for Bix to die. Or, you know, whoever, whoever
it might have been. Yeah, and, and to find out later
that we can just talk about it for now for a moment, that she
leaves Cassian and goes off on her own kind of making.
He doesn't want, he cares about her so much.
He he keeps threatening to leavethe Rebel Alliance.

(11:49):
And she tries to make the decision for him and say, no, I
I know you'll sacrifice, you know, you're needed here.
And I know you would give that up for me, 'cause you want to be
with me and protect me. And so I'm going to leave you in
advance just as like. Oh, it's heartbreaking.
But she knows that she needs to get Cassie into where he is in

(12:10):
Rogue One, even if she doesn't realize why.
Yeah. And of course, to find out that
she's pregnant and then, you know, I'm sure she knew that at
the time and that, you know, Cassian never, never knows.
It's it just adds it a little bit extra.
Both hope and heartbreak to the whole story.

(12:32):
Yeah. Yeah.
But it was nice to see throughout this season, Bix goes
from being still dealing with the trauma from Doctor Gore's
torture and kind of how she thankfully pulls herself out of
it and is able to, you know, getrevenge on Doctor Gorst and

(12:58):
ultimately have a somewhat of a happy ending in in the show,
which was nice to see. The fascinating thing is, I
think even Lutheran sat there and told Cassian that they need
to have her strong and and he kind of helps with that by
giving her the information of where she can find the doctor
that basically tortured the heckout of her and she can get her

(13:20):
revenge. And it was really sad to see her
get to that low point to where she's taking whatever it is to
to, you know, get her back to feeling well, you know, whatever
kind of drug that was. You saw a little bit of a
glimpse that, you know, when shewas fine to go shopping and she
was always pushing Cassie and you know, let's try and be

(13:40):
normal, but it was always hidingthat thing to her.
She was always hurt underneath and she needed to to come to
grips with what what happened toher.
And Luther gave her the out and gave her the opportunity to take
care of it and get back on her feet.
Interestingly, before we move onfrom Vicks, there was a rumor

(14:04):
that I remember reading back in 2022, it's a few years old.
And I actually went back and looked it up because I, I was
like, I know I saw this somewhere.
It was on CBR that said that theactress who plays Bix, Adria
Arjona, had signed on for futureStar Wars projects back at the
time. It was never corroborated.

(14:25):
And and you know, sometimes Lucasfilm will and like Disney
will have, they'll have contracts with actors.
Even if they don't, nothing willcome of it.
Just just in case. But I wonder, do you it's
possible we could see a big spinoff series of some sort in the
future potentially? Do you remember that being

(14:45):
mentioned that, that there were plans for her?
It will be fascinating to see what that's going to pan out to
be. You know, 'cause we were always
promised, you know, the, the other show there, we're promised
shows left and right, but nothing ever comes of it.
And it's the same thing. Possibly with this.

(15:06):
What they could write for her and where it's going to go would
be a fascinating topic to see play out.
But she, she's got a kid. Where are they going to go with
the storyline with it Now? You've already got error with a
child. Are you going to kind of do the
same thing with Dixon, a child? I hope not, just to be clear.

(15:26):
Agreed. I see there were jokes of, you
know, like Marvel is kind of working towards like a Young
Avengers kind of thing. I would hate to see, I don't
know, Star. Wars.
I actually really like the youngJada Knights.
The books are great, but. Yeah, you could have.
You could have, bro. And.
Cassian Junior and Jason and whoelse?

(15:51):
Someone I'm forgetting? Those are the ones I'm aware of,
but man I really hope not. I don't, I don't see where they
could go with her at this point.I really don't I, I don't I I
can see it with Hera and I'm I'monly drawing a parallel because
Hera's got Jason. I I see where they can go with

(16:13):
that story, but I don't see it here because Cassie and Cassian
is not a force user. If you want to go that that
deep, you did have the force user or the force sensitive on
Andor know that there is something that he was destined
to do. OK, but he was not a force user.

(16:35):
I don't see anything. You know, I mean, to be fair,
sorry, I don't want to go down this path, but.
I don't I don't I. Just kind of imply you maybe
don't need to be a force user ortraditionally, but God I hope we
are not headed that direction so.
But but what within the Rebel, what within the Rebel Alliance?
She's she's left. What within the Rebel Alliance

(16:58):
going forward can they use that character for?
He's already walked away. There's no point of her coming
back unless something, let's saythe Empire finds out she's got a
kid, comes and steals the kid, then she's gonna go on, you
know, a holy crusade to get the kid back.
To to steal Cassian Junior. No, no.

(17:19):
But as crazy as it is, but, but I hate to say it, as crazy as it
is, that would be the only story.
Yeah, I'm sure they can think ofsomething, but yeah, I don't
think they're going that route, so.
Yeah, I don't. I don't see it.
I really don't. Yeah.
Well, let's see, this takes us, I guess to the second arc with
the beginnings of the Gorman front.

(17:41):
And this is, it starts in the second arc, but really takes
place over the course of two arcs.
We also get a lot of time with Cyril and Didrea and maybe this
is the time to talk about their relationship because that that
storyline is just it's so good. It it's like the two most odd

(18:03):
characters and an even odder relationship.
And yet it just is just it. It works perfectly.
I I their their relationship is just gold every single moment.
I know, Tom, you mentioned some of the moments earlier, but.
Yeah, and, and I just remember you go back to first season
where Cyril saves her on Ferrick's and they're in that

(18:26):
store and you're just staring atthat scene where they're just
looking at each other in their eyes.
And I just remember saying do not even kiss her.
I never expected this to come out in a season 2 at all.
That was the most interesting, let's say, relationship I have
ever seen put on screen. But if she weren't?

(18:48):
So it's not just like she's using.
Yes, she actually seems to care about him and and there's.
Also happy to be used until he'snot.
Until you realize that she's crossed the line.
Right, and she even tells him toto his face that you know what,
be prepared to leave. And when we relieve, we're going
to be and when we leave, we're going to be heroes.

(19:10):
It's like she did care for him, but that was just the most
interesting relationship on screen I have ever seen.
Yeah, and and just watching Cyril be a mole for the for the
Empire and and. Try to enjoy it.
So good. Sorry, Steven, I.
Think you're going to? No, I'm just.
I think one of my favorite things I keep wanting to be

(19:32):
like, and this is like such an example of how Cyril was like a
standout actor and I'm like, well, but really everyone was a
standout actor. So I can't like just pinpoint
one or the other. But that being said, I I do
think you can kind of point to the Gorman arc in particular in
the development of Cyril's character with Dedra's as well

(19:53):
to some degree. They just do such a phenomenal
job of this kind of slow build of the Gorman resistance, this
slow build of sterile realizing like what's actually going on
out in the Galaxy of Dedra's. I must say greed, for lack of a

(20:14):
better word. Maybe ambition is the right
word. And willingness to kind of do
anything. It's just phenomenal, that
build, it really is. I think I think one of the best
scenes between the two of them is when they're in the ISB
headquarters with part of gas and they were talking about what

(20:35):
was happening on Gorman and they're both giving their their
reports. But Cyril makes that comment and
I'm going to paraphrase it, but I think it's correct.
Or he's just like you, he's paraphrasing that to himself.
He's saying in so many words, I'm giving information to the
ISP. I'm basically making right for

(20:56):
what happened to me in first season.
Oh my God I love this. Yeah.
And part of guys has the line back of like not the only one
with. Over eager or whatever that is,
yeah. Yes.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yeah. That was that was so, so
beautifully written and so beautifully acted, honestly.
Every moment in the I in with the ISP is just so good.

(21:18):
I I loved every minute. But but yeah, seeing Cyril just
get so he's always been a true believer, right?
And he is. So he's so desperately wants to
do the right thing. And sometimes he kind of bumbles
over himself and, and and makes mistakes, but he's always tried
to do the right thing for the empire, even going as far back

(21:39):
as when we first meet him in season 1.
That's why he goes after Cassianand to make it all the way up
into the, you know, even if he isn't part of the ISB, he's just
working for them. Being able to work with the ISB
is like his dream come true. And until he realizes that, wow,
they're actually playing the Gorman front.

(22:00):
And, you know, he he thought maybe there was something really
going on at 1st and he realizes that no, he's he's part of the
problem and it's all part of Didre's plot.
And it it is just like that's the moment he and did Ramiro are
are are done for both as a couple and you know him

(22:24):
personally. It is.
It's just so well written and so, so good.
Let me ask you a a leading question given like if I'm not
blanking on the words, like if, if Errol hadn't been shot, if he

(22:44):
hadn't been, you know, potentially in trouble on
Gorman, do you think he would have turned?
Do you think he would have joined the rebellion?
I don't know. I I don't think he would have.
I think maybe he would have justgone.
Off That's a great. That's a great.
Question. You think so?

(23:05):
I it's hard to tell 'cause he's reacting so, so much in the
moment, but I do think part and I, I thought there was a line.
I know that there's Leia's line Episode 4.
I thought there's a line in the show as well.
I'm blanking. But the, you know, like the
tighter you close your fist, themore that's true.
It looks through your fingers. I, I do think that applies to

(23:30):
pure, like he was the Rebell, like he was the most loyal
servant of the Empire and they we're kind of doing everything
in their power to push him, pushhim back, push him away.
Yeah, it it's, that's a great question because I I I would say
it would be a toss up. I think.

(23:53):
I think if anything praises is his if he didn't see Cassian, It
seemed like it was at that moment that it was, it was like
a breaking point decision. But it's like, am I going to go
against the Empire or am I goingto stay with the Empire with all
the carnage going around me, walking through all that carnage

(24:14):
and not getting hit with any blaster fire.
OK, well, everybody else is, am I going to stay with the Empire
with all this carnage, or am I going to join the Rebellion?
And it seemed like at that point, that's when he saw
Cassian. And it's like you could see in
his face you ruined. You could see.
It's like you ruined my life. I finally get my revenge on you.

(24:37):
And it seemed like you will never know that answer because
that, I think, was the point in which a decision would have been
made either way. But he saw Cassian and.
And then, you know, we would never know at this point.
Yeah. Yeah, and it is an interesting
what if for sure, 'cause I if you can get someone like Cyril
to turn, then you've really tighten that grip too much, you

(25:01):
know? Yeah, totally.
A true believer, a true belief, just like Deardor.
Deardor was a true believer as well.
And even she, like, I, I, I do wonder how, you know, 'cause she
ends up in a prison on Narcena 5.
And that's like she, she goes from being a loyal ISP officer

(25:24):
to, you know, a suspected rebel,which is hilarious.
And like, of course she would never do that, but I could see
how all signs appoint to her. And then ending up in prison on
Narcena 5. Yeah.
I wonder like would would she become disillusioned with the
Empire too at that point? I don't think so.

(25:48):
Like I, I feel like her responseis much closer to the I've been
wronged by, you know, these. People and.
You know I will. I will.
It is once I'm in power, I will have my revenge.
And she was even thrown that little bone by the one ISB

(26:08):
officer that came to her when she was in the cell and sat
there and said, look, you are basically in so much hot water
right now. I need you to give me
information to her how I can, how I can figure out how the
rebels are communicating with each other.
And if you do that, maybe I willput in a good word for you to
get you out of this. And she's the one that told him
go back to when they were on Ferricks and how they

(26:30):
communicated back then. Yeah.
I OK, I think she stays in the prison on Arcina 5.
And I think, you know, if she doesn't come to an unfortunate
end within the prison, I kind ofexpect that, you know, the New
Republic adventure takes over. And they're like, no, you just
get to stay there. Right.
Yeah, like we're not letting you.

(26:52):
How did how did you end up in prison?
And yay, Yeah, exactly. And the hardest thing about her,
which was a great storyline, he did a lot of this to herself
because she even admitted to critic, he's a scavenger.
He had all these reports that were somehow getting across her
desk that she never reported, but she was reading.

(27:12):
But she to herself had a very valid point, because she was
still trying to dig up the information for trying to find
Luthan's character and and nobody was sitting there
listening to her. And she was still trying to
prove herself right. But the Empire's not listening.
But she did all this to herself.The most ironic thing though, is

(27:33):
that she so desperately wanted to take down the rebels that in
her own accidental way, it's really her fault that the Sika
of the Death Star got out and that the Rebels were able to
defeat the Death Star. It really all comes back to her
because if she hadn't been searching for the information,
she wouldn't have had it in her in her computer system.

(27:57):
Lonnie Jung wouldn't have brokeninto her system when he broke
into her system. He wouldn't have found it,
passed it on to Luther, who passed it on to Clay, who passed
it on to Cassian, who passed it on to the Rebel Alliance
leadership, who then knew to go search for Galen and Jin and get
the information they need off ofScariff.
So they could send that to, you know, give that to Princess
Leia, who gives it to the Rebel Alliance.

(28:19):
It all comes. Back.
To Didra. And Critic point that out.
Yeah. And Chronic really pointed that
out. It's like in so many words, you
are helping the rebellion without even knowing you are
helping the rebellion. Yeah, and it's kind of a it is.
For someone who fought so hard and was willing to cross so many

(28:41):
lines in the service of the Empire, it is quite ironic that
she is ultimately the the she's ultimately the source of the
Death Star leak. And yeah, so, yeah, it's just
so, so good. Such a good storyline.
One thing while we're on the topic of Narcena 5 though, you

(29:02):
know what we did not get in Narcena 5 this in Season 2 is
any appearance of our good old friend from Narcena 5, Kino Loy,
the day shift manager. I know what you guys, I'm glad
we didn't see him. So Steven, you're, you're saying

(29:24):
something. I just.
He of course not. He escaped and he's living a
happy life on exactly, you know,he's just the fact that we
didn't see him that that is the only thing that could mean.
He's certainly not still in prison, certainly didn't get
killed by the Empire, you know, and drown.
Because, remember, he couldn't. Swim.

(29:44):
Exactly. He probably drowned.
Or did he? I don't know, but I'm glad they
didn't give us an answer to that.
As much as I loved his character, I'm glad they didn't
try to answer every single thing.
It would almost put tied it up into too much of A bow.
It's actually, I give the show alot of credit for that reason.

(30:07):
I think they're and nothing elseis coming to mind at the moment,
but like I felt like they did a very good job of not, I don't
know, getting distracted by, youknow, whatever the various, the
various things they could have done.
I think the biggest thing it it's like for something like

(30:29):
this, would it serve the story well to bring the character
back? And if they felt that at this
point it really didn't, then there was no point having that
character there. Yeah.
And I think that's one of the things Tony Gilroy does so well
is, you know, obviously as fans,we would love to see Kino Loy
again, right? And I think you could then
there's a case we made for, oh, let's please the fans and and

(30:51):
show Kino Loy return. But from a storytelling
perspective, I think it's betternot to have him.
And that's where Tony Gilroy hasso much restraint and so much
he's very smart when it comes towriting it.
And that shows in in many ways in the script, but including
let's not just do all the the fan service, let's do things

(31:13):
that serve the story first and foremost.
Yeah, Lei is another example. I think it would have been very
easy to to throw a a cameo in there at some point.
Because she's, you know, she's working with the Rebel Alliance
at this point. She could have been on Yavin at
some point. We don't know.
Very easily. I mean, we know she is on Yavin

(31:33):
not much longer, right? Like right?
And the other one I think that would have been service was to
have any kind of mention of Jen Urso.
I think Dave discussed that one towards like that was that was
something to wear. And I I appreciate that was
never even considered. It may have been, but never even
thrown into the show because that would have just been lip

(31:55):
service going into and going into rogue one.
I mean, you can understand GalenUrso, but the throw in gin.
No, I, I, I I think that was a smart choice.
Yeah, for sure, for sure. Yeah, it's.
One of things I find fascinatingnow, like I don't know about you
guys. As soon as the show finished, I
went and watched Rogue One. It it really does reframe the

(32:20):
show or the movie in fact, whereit it feels a little bit odd
that Jin is the main character instead of Cassian.
Yes, yes, yeah, exactly. I had the same thought and it it
you know, it's funny because I Ilove Rogue one.
I but I, I haven't watched it in, you know, maybe a year,
right, just because there's a lot going on.

(32:42):
I had a, you know, baby 10, you know, 10 months ago and stuff
hasn't been a moment to go sit back and re watch rogue one.
And so of course, I waited, evenwatched Andor twice before
actually going and and watching rogue one just last week.
And to your point, Steven, it was it, it fills in a lot.

(33:02):
I, I, it's almost embarrassing to say, but I, I'd forgotten how
much the Rebel Alliance knew about the Death Star prior to
Rogue One. And that the whole reason they
send Cassian is because he has rumors of this Death Star thing.
And that's why he goes to meet Tivic and, and, and learn more.

(33:23):
And so initially when I was watching the end of this
Evander, I was like, Oh my gosh,they, they've like spoiled
everything. They, they know all the details
of, of the Death Star. There's no way they're going to
make it and, and survive. And they do.
And they show it to the rebel Alliance leadership and the
Rebel Alliance leadership mostlydismisses it, which again, kind
of shows how I don't know that that that rebel Alliance

(33:44):
leadership council is just not great.
They. They have, they have, they have
some issues. There's two of them I think that
are. There's two, there's two of
them. The rest are fine.
There's two that are like terrible, not not good, which I.
I find the Gorman one to be that.
Are you kidding me? What you're planning has just
been through you're you're one of the ones just like

(34:04):
questioning all this stuff. Hello.
Yeah, yeah, but but no like whenyou're when you're watching
Rogue One. I think some of the moments that
came to mind right when Cassian goes to meet Tivic and as soon
as he says I I think Tivic says someone that signed his name

(34:26):
Urso and and Kassen recognizes well Galen or so because he
heard that from from Clay and heknew exactly who Tivic was
talking about. Of course we talked about how
the why the rebels saved Gin they needed to can follow up on
the Urso lead and confirm that connection was sought to verify
the rumor. There's also, you know, they

(34:48):
need to the reason they need to find Gin was to not just learn
about the Death Star, but was tofind the, the, the, you know,
the, the way that the vulnerability in the Death Star
and how they could destroy it. Also, like Chronic's line, the
breeches have been filled right now.

(35:09):
It's like, Oh my gosh, this makes so much more sense.
He's talking about did Ramiro right?
He's talking about Lonnie Jung. It's it just, it completely
changes these little lines of dialogue like, Oh my goodness.
And now we know the real back story.
And it is, it's great. It is really.

(35:29):
Yeah, I I think it was a a bold decision to make the real finale
the movie. And I, I honestly think they
pulled it off like they did a a phenomenal job.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, they did a really
good job. Yeah.
And and well, I guess the I was in isolation a little bit.

(35:50):
We talked, I think we talked about this in our review, a
little bit disappointed of the final episode because it's not
as this big exciting moment evenlike Rogue One, right where
you've got Darth Vader showing up at the end and trying to stop
the Death Star plans. They have the important
information. And it is very much yeah.

(36:11):
He gets to Yavin 4 and the RebelAlliance leadership doesn't, for
the most part, doesn't really believe him.
Even Bail Arghana barely believes him.
And it's almost a, it's almost alet down, maybe because nobody
believes him and the informationthat he has.
And it's very much a more of a quieter moment.

(36:33):
And Bale finally comes to him with Monmouth's support and
says, OK, you can go look, go meet with Tyvek, see what you
can find. And he leaves in his, the same
outfit we see him in in the beginning of Rogue One.
And so it, it, even though it leads into Rogue One, it was
almost a little bit of a, a, howdo I say a downer, but like a

(36:56):
slower, like it ends more with a, a whimper in many ways, but
only because the finale is RogueOne.
If you think about it from that standpoint, then it's like, oh
OK, this all makes complete sense.
Well, I, I think, I think look at it as this ending was the
bridge getting you into Rogue One.

(37:18):
I don't think if you're writing the show, what would have been
your Big Bang to end the series,to lead you into a movie that
really is the end of the series 'cause it really is.
Season 3. Rogue One is that and, and you
couldn't have like, you know, let's say somebody come in

(37:41):
invading Yavin for out of nowhere and they defeat them
before they go off and figure out the plans for the Death
Star. They couldn't do that.
They had to have it basically doa very quiet bridge going into
Rogue One because that's the natural progression of the
story. Yeah, yeah.
So you know, it, it, it, as you said, Tom, it is a Rogue One is

(38:05):
basically the third season. And with that in mind, it it it
is a it's a great ending. Which you have to look at it
from this point of view, how cool is it to basically have a
movie that's almost 10 years oldbasically be the third season of
a series that really wasn't in anybody's mindset until like,

(38:25):
what, five years ago? Fiveish.
Years ago, yeah. Yeah, and then all of a sudden
they took basically nothing and gave you a full back story to a
movie that is brilliantly written and was outstanding to
watch. Yep, that's very true.

(38:48):
OK, so I guess we, we didn't even finish.
There's some still some arc stuff in arc 2.
We were talking about connections to Rogue One.
And I'll be honest, I, I, I lovesaw Guerrera's lines in Rogue
One. I quote them all the time, but I
I even missed the, the connection.
I we were talking about our doing our review of the second
arc and how Saw keeps, you know,he keeps breathing the

(39:13):
rhydonium. We're like, that's so weird.
I didn't make the connection until much later that the in
Rogue One when he's using that gas mask and and taking a breath
of something, I thought it was like oxygen or whatever to help
him breathe, but it's actually rhydonium fumes.
And and that that arc in the second or that that those scenes

(39:34):
in the second arc with Sagurira stealing the fuel and him like
breathing the the rhydonium fumes was in was, is kind of
showing how he gets addicted to the stuff that he just keeps on
breathing in Rogue One. And once I realized that, I was
like, Oh my gosh, that's that's cool.

(39:57):
I'll say maybe I'll be slightly controversial.
I think looking back Oz arc throughout all the entire season
probably my least favorite moments.
The moment in kind of season, like an arc 2, just even with
your kind of epiphany, like it just it feels like a thing that

(40:19):
didn't need to be there. Ditto for a woman.
Like you know, woman's I think is a fine character, not a
standout for this show. I don't feel like a lot of this
ad stuff for those cases. I'd have to agree with that.
I think the only thing that I appreciated about the arc was

(40:40):
when he had Willem trying to figure out that device and was
having him train basically the Imperial spy.
Other than that, the only thing this did was prove that DA
Guerrera is nuts. Yes.
I excellent point, Tom. I.
Do agree with you, Steven, in that I feel like it's the the

(41:00):
one thing they could have cut and you wouldn't have
dramatically hurt the season to have not have saw there.
I I think it's it's helpful to have him there in that you can
see the different ways that the various rebel factions interact
or, you know agree or don't agree.

(41:20):
And so from that standpoint, it is it it it's interesting.
But the specifics of the scenes I thought were yeah, I think
they were they were the ones that was soccer and Willman.
And of course the the early we talked about earlier the the
Rochambeau on Yavin four were the ones that were like didn't

(41:45):
they were not as strong I think as the rest of the season as as
well done as they still were. And I think the, it's one of
those that you really have to also be paying close attention
to to even get why things are happening.
Cause the way they talk is a little more confusing as well.
I think if you're just watching casually it's easy for stuff to
go over your head, which I I've certainly know with people I've

(42:07):
I've talked to as well. I think the other thing when it
came to saw, the only thing thatcatches my eye is that the in in
in the final arc where they're literally arguing with him
saying we know you're on Jetta, we know you're on Jetta.
He's like, no, you don't. It's like that.
That got to a point where it's like it got a little old really

(42:30):
quick. The memes are hilarious.
If you look online about we knowwhere you are.
And the one that sticks to me is, yeah, I think it's Disney
World in the background. He's wearing like ears and he's
got a balloon, which I thought was funnier than heck.
He's like, no, you don't. But I it just proves that he's
nuts. I thought he was used better in

(42:50):
the first season because of Luther when he went to go talk
to him the first season about, hey, I need you to join the
rebellion, but I need you to do this instead.
And they were talking about thatother part of the rebel group
that they were actually setting up.
I can't remember what that happened, what that group was,
But I think he was used better in the first season than this

(43:12):
one, 'cause he was more sane in the first part in the first
season. In this one, you could tell he
was just going flat out nuts. Yeah.
For sure. Let's see.
Another great, great, great, great dynamic in this season was

(43:32):
Lutheran and Claya, and they have some great moments.
There is the the third or secondblock where Claya has to
retrieve the listening device from Davos Golden's private
collection. And that for just having a high
retriever listen device. So tense.
That was just so well, so well filmed and having.

(43:54):
Well, look on Lonnie's face was priceless.
I mean, what are you doing here?And just like you're going to
come work with, you're going to come with me, you're going to do
everything that I say, and everything's going to be fine.
And you could just tell their terror on his face.
Yeah, it was just, it was phenomenal.
I love those moments. And then of course, you know
when Lutheran is is finally caught.
Steven, you mentioned this as one of your favorite scenes that

(44:17):
I completely agree that that moment when Didger walks in the
door is just, it's perfect, is perfect.
And then we get the the whole flashback with Clay as we learn
more about her and we learn this, you know, we see her
infiltrate the hospital and, andhave to take Luthan off of the
life support. It is it just her dynamic with

(44:41):
and Luthan with? Luthan is just so good.
Yeah, I I think Claya might be one of the the standouts from
the show. I think this was her first
acting. Gig it was yeah, supposedly,
yeah. Fresh, fresh out of acting
school, whatever that involves. Just yeah, kind of incredible.

(45:04):
Yeah, the part, the part with her I love the most.
And and it again, a sad moment is when she's breaking into the
hospital and she does all that stuff by herself.
And then when the ISB gets in there, they're just like, what?
What do we know so far? Oh, it has to be a team of three
to five, three to five, You know, three to five infiltrators

(45:24):
came in here and set off, you know, the bombs that are over
here by the air ambulances and then the diversion that happened
over here. And, OK, sitting here bringing
this little old lady up a coupleflights of stairs or a little
alien or whatever, those three to five people and three to five
people that came in and did thiswhen it was actually one.
Yeah. Yep.
That's incredible, yeah. It's so great, man.

(45:49):
I just, I just want to go back and rewatch the whole series
season. It's just so good.
Yeah. We also get, you know, Mon
Mothma fleeing the Senate after declaring the emperor as a
threat. I loved every moment with Mon
Mothma this season, whether it'sher daughter's wedding or, you
know, hers. Yeah, like Tom, you mentioned

(46:12):
the memes around Saw Guerrera. Most of the memes I saw were
around Mon Mothma. Things like, you know, many
shots were downed in order to get these plans.
You know, everyone's outside I. Haven't seen that one.
I've I've not seen that one. That's pretty good.
Yeah, no, she. Was doing a lot of very

(46:32):
important work. No, no.
No, you, you she was no Genevieve O'Reilly just does a
phenomenal Mon Mothma and just everything every time.
I think honestly of the season, the scenes of Ma and Mothba are
probably my favorite overall, just like across the board

(46:53):
because I don't know why it justdoes such a good, great job.
And it it's she brings that kindof air of not really regalness,
but yeah, she just does such a phenomenal job with.
And it really feels like it's, you know, she's just trying to

(47:13):
expose walking that careful lineof being discovered and, and
trying to expose the the emperorand, you know, seeing how she
is. Yeah, she discovers that there
is spies even in her, you know, in her, her staff and how her,

(47:34):
you know, finally seeing her Cassian take out her driver, who
we've known as a spy for two seasons.
And even the relationship with her, her husband Perrin and her
daughter Lita is really, really interesting.
And I, I do wonder, right. We in some ways the second
season almost redeems Perrin because he was kind of terrible

(47:57):
in the first season. He's still kind of terrible, but
less so in the second season. Really.
I don't know it's he seems somewhat better is still kind of
not great he. Did what he.
Ends doesn't he end the season with?
Was it Tay's wife? Yeah, he does.
Well, that's true, yeah. I didn't say Foley.

(48:18):
I I didn't say Foley. I just say.
Oh man. He's he's less horrible to Mon
Mothma, I guess, is what I'm trying to say in in the second
season. Well, did.
You guys read, I was going to say, did you guys read that
supposedly there was a cut scenein which he does confront her
and he does say, look, well, this is this is what I've read,

(48:39):
OK. And and take it with a grain of
salt, But there was supposedly ascene that was written in which
he does confront her and he goes, look, I know what you're
doing. Why don't you trust me?
So it's like. It's scene.
It it it's it's supposedly a scene that if it was done, if it
was shot, he was basically saying I am on your side.

(49:02):
I see what you're doing and and you and even confronts her
saying the lies about my gambling are false because
remember, she did say that in the first season.
Yeah. So that was out there.
And I read that if it is true, that would have changed the
dynamics immensely between the two of them.
Yeah, I do wonder also what, how, how do you think Leyda

(49:25):
feels now? Like I think from her
perspective, her her mother potential, she probably doesn't
know anything. All she knows her mother kind of
spoke out against the emperor, maybe incorrectly, who knows?
And then is now a haunted down and very much a one of the

(49:46):
galaxy's most wanted. I it would be interesting to see
how she feels now. Does she kind of write off her
mother? Does she?
I don't get the sense she cares about her mother very much.
Yeah, I, I would agree with that.
I, I agree with Steven. I, I, I think for her, it's,
it's over. Yeah, I think it's over.

(50:08):
It's done with. And I'm going to go live my life
with my arranged marriage and this big statue that was given
to me by Lutheran, which if it'sreal or not, I don't know.
But hey, you know. Yeah.
And then of course, there's the,the Gorman Massacre, which we
talked about a little bit at theat the, at the top of the show,

(50:29):
but it was just, it really delivered.
This was the moment, I think Tony Gilroy said there were two
moments he knew they had to hit in season 2.
Monmouth went leaving the Senateand the Gorman massacre.
And they delivered on both counts and does a really great
job of weaving together what waspreviously in Canon and, and the
two different variants of the, the Gorman massacre that existed

(50:51):
in Canon up until this point. And it's just.
Shot so beautifully. It's I mean, I think this show
is already the best Star Wars television show we've ever
gotten. I think the Gorman Massacre
episode might be the the peak. Like I yeah, I generally don't

(51:14):
know if we'll ever top that episode in Star Wars television.
I'd have to wholeheartedly agree.
I mean, just the tension that was built up throughout the
whole process. I just yeah, I.
It's not even just the tension either.
Like I the the the way Tony Gilroy brings the the

(51:36):
personality of the people to life and the environment, the
singing like it just, it is. It's all there.
Yeah, it's, it is so well done. It really, it really is.
I I also just really appreciatedthe how great of a job they did

(51:59):
on the, the, the bill fleshing out the world.
This is something that Andorra has been particularly good at,
right? Whether it's building the entire
city of Ferrick's out in, in Rogue One or I'm sorry, Rogue
One, the season 1, or, you know,planting the, the crops, this
very rare crop a year in advance.

(52:21):
So they could have the fields ofMina Rao.
And then when they, when the strike happened, they ended up
having to cut down the fields and preserve it and transport it
to a sound stage just so they could continue filming Mina Rao
or how they built out again, so many different locations and
cities. Gorman and others, the, the

(52:46):
detail they go into on the sets,on the costumes, even the, the
music, it's just, it is you can just tell I, I think we talked a
lot about how in the acolyte, right, we were like it, it was
an incredibly expensive show, but you kind of wondered where
did the budget go? This is the exact opposite,
right? You can it's a very expensive

(53:06):
show and you can tell exactly where the budget went.
It feels so, so high production value and every scene just oozes
it. Even the shots are very they're
almost artistic, right? Something you might find like an
art house film, but are but in like a major Star Wars, you

(53:30):
know, TV series. It's just every moment.
It's just so well done. The the hardest thing for me to
say about this when you brought up the Acolyte is when I look at
this, I look at Andor. Andor was done my opinion.
Andor is done by a creative teamthat knew what they wanted, knew
the property and knew how to getit done right.

(53:55):
And that's from set design, that's from, you know, the
writing, that's from the music, that's from all the elements put
together that they wanted to putthe best thing within budget out
the door and give it to the fans.
And that's exactly what they delivered.
Yeah, yeah. So good.

(54:16):
There is one thing that I kind of saw in, in hindsight after we
did a recording that I, I wantedto get your guys thoughts on.
And honestly, it doesn't really bother me at all.
But that's K2 SO and it is so great to see K2 SO up here in
the third arc. We talked about it in our view
of how intimidating the KX droids are and how you don't

(54:37):
really know oh, is this K2 SO ornot?
And finally it turns out, oh, itis K2 SO and we really get him
more in an arc for but it is a very different story than we got
in Canon. Previously, there was a a a
comic special that came out, I think 2017 that revealed how

(55:01):
Cassian and and K2 SO meet. While it does, it is not a
completely consistent with Canon.
I think I'm OK with that. You know, I, I, I love when they
follow along with Canon, but they don't always have to when
there's a, a better story to be told.
And especially when it's a kind of a one off comic, It's a

(55:23):
little bit, I feel like a lower bar.
That's just me personally. How how do you guys feel about
them changing the K2S in that story to?
Me this is just like classic Star Wars, right?
Like. We'll find out they actually at
both times. I mean like classic legend Star
Wars. Or the.
Universe was like, hey, so we just finished up, you know, like

(55:47):
we're in the 90s, we've finishedepisodes 4-5 and six.
Here's Boba Fett's back story. And then, you know, some point
later, like, hey, actually Boba Fett's now a clone of a guy
named Django Fad and they're like, oh, let me rewrite all
that. So I this did not bother me in
this latest. I I the hardest thing?
I think I've mentioned this maybe in the past.

(56:11):
The hardest thing is when you have so much media out there,
the the hardest thing is you can't expect everybody to read
everything. There is so much media out
there, it's hard to keep track of it.
And if you've got people who areonly watching the series, that's
all they're going to believe. They're not going to really
believe that something happened in a comic if they're not going
to go out and buy the comic. And you can't expect the people

(56:32):
who are watching the series to read the comic to understand
that this is the way it happened.
So this is how K2, SO and and, and Cassian met.
This is how it's going to be going.
Forward. Yeah, exactly, I think.
It's another example as well, like Tony Gilroy had said, you
know, he they adjusted Mon Mothma's speech from rebels

(56:56):
'cause you know, he wanted to write his own speech and clearly
the right choice 'cause he did aphenomenal job.
So. Well, and we also find out that
it's, yeah, he adjusted the speech, but it's in some ways a,
it's, it's, they even make it very clear it's a different
speech, right? He, he ends up remaking the
speech or Maan Maan Mothma ends up doing a, a, an alternate

(57:17):
version of the speech that she'sbrought, she broadcast to the
rest of the Galaxy. And, and so that it, it's a,
it's a great way of getting around that they could write
their own speech and then be like, yeah, no, now she has the,
there's the one for the Senate and there's the one for the rest
of the Galaxy. And they are similar but
different. Right.
And it seemed like more that thesecond one that was done in

(57:39):
Rebels was for the rest of the Galaxy, but also for rallying in
the troops. So it it still works out.
They didn't disregard that. But you see, on top of that, you
do have more people that are going to be watching ATV series
than reading a comic. Though he was able, yeah, he was
able to make both speeches work within the same universe without

(58:00):
overshadowing one another. Yeah, I guess the one thing last
piece on on K2. SO the one part I, I do wish
we'd gotten a little bit more ofK2.
SO in his normal as his normal self, you know, then they just
like basically 2 episodes because he's only in the last

(58:20):
arc and the first one's all about Clay and Lutheran.
So I wish we'd gotten more of K2.
SO, but what we got was so good that I'm, I'm OK that it wasn't
a ton and I'm I'm also sure it was very expensive so they they
couldn't do too much of it. Yeah, I mean, like I said, they
really had a a tight budget and I think they spent it bad as

(58:41):
well as as well as they could have, even if I too would have
loved more A2 SO. Yeah, let's talk about, and
we've talked a little bit about Cassian's arc, but let's, let's
talk a little bit more about himbefore we, I think we're getting
close to wrapping up, but beforewe finish up.
So Cassian we see in season 1, it's really all about how he, he
joins the, the rebels and is prepared to, to, to be a, a

(59:06):
rebel in season 2. We it's, it's really interesting
because while this show is called Andor and it's, and it's
his story, a lot of other characters in many cases take
the main role right in in arc 1.He's kind of just on even 4
almost the whole time in Arc 2. He goes to he goes to, to

(59:29):
Gorman, but then he leaves and lets Val and Cinta kind of take
over the the main story there inArc 3.
Yeah, he he shows back up on Gorman and Mosley just kind of
watches and and and and and runsaround a bit.
And then, you know, an Arc 4 is really where they, you know,

(59:52):
he's about getting the Death Star plans out of there.
And we see him go from, from being someone who is, yeah, he's
in the Rebels, but he's kind of trained under Luthan, right?
He's Luthan has a different way of operating.
And he is, he's hesitant to follow orders.
He's constantly going off on hisown, stealing ships, doing what

(01:00:14):
he thinks is most important rather than following the
command structure. And as a result, he's not been
advancing as as quickly. What did you Steve?
What are your thoughts on on Cassian's arc this season?
Kind of how he ends up where he does in Rogue One.
I, I mean, this sounds slightly weird, but I, I really
appreciate the depth it adds to his arc in Rogue One.

(01:00:37):
In Rogue One, the arc very much felt like he starts out very
callous and, you know, relearn the value of hope.
And I think now with the contextof Andor, it makes it much more
clear that he is kind of always been at war in some ways
internally on, like how brutal to be how, you know, focused for

(01:00:58):
his own benefit. He should be it.
Like I said, it adds a lot more nuance.
It makes him feel a lot less, I'm gonna say like, hard than he
was originally. And he still had to learn those
lessons from Lutheran about sometimes whether Lutheran and
Cassian are right or not, sometimes you have to cross

(01:01:18):
certain boundaries, at least in their perspective to to get the
job done. Like killing Tivic, for example,
being a rogue one. But you're right, he's not he's
not. He doesn't necessarily like
doing it A. A great description.
Yeah, and I, I thought it also, I know we talked a lot about

(01:01:39):
when Rogue One first came out. A lot of people like, oh, are
are Jen and Cassian? Do they are they falling in love
at the end as the the Death Stardestroys Gareth?
And I think the answer based on Rogue One is a resounding no,
right? They are two people who are who
know they're going to die and are trying to comfort each
other. But.
I I actually don't know if I agree with that.

(01:01:59):
Really, 'cause I think he believes Bix is still out there
and he knows he wants to reunitewith Bix.
That's that's my take. Probably, but I do think, I
don't know it 'cause that's a, that's over a year before Rogue
One, right? So I would not be surprised if

(01:02:21):
Cassian's perspective is like, yeah, Bic's left, you know,
maybe she's coming back. But I'll does he wanna?
Do you wanna take that bet? I guess that's fair 'cause she
leaves at the end of Arc three. Yeah, I maybe.
I don't, I think. You're.
I I don't know that I would necessarily say that, you know,

(01:02:41):
they are forever connected, Jen and Cassia and, you know, after
the events of Rogue One. But I do think it's not, I don't
think it's out of the realm of possibility that you know.
It does definitely change our perspective of it though, right
where you're you're, you're like, oh man, he's dying and
he's never he's he doesn't actually get to reunite with

(01:03:01):
VIX. And it is.
It's definitely heartbreaking, definitely hurts or see that.
He has a. A child and Tom.
Well, no, 'cause I'm, I'm thinking about the whole thing
about passing has always, alwayscome back to find Bix or Brasso

(01:03:22):
or or his Droid. He's always come back.
In the end though, I think he probably, if he had survived, he
would have gone back to Bix because he always went back.
I think how would he have found her?
I think he would have tried it as hard as he could to find her.

(01:03:43):
OK, but but he's always found her.
Regardless of where she ends up,he's always been able to find
her. As Jin says, he'll find her.
He'll find a way to find her. Well, kind of a moot point now,
isn't it? Yeah.
He's he's, he's kind of, he's kind of a crispy critter right
now. Yeah, yes.

(01:04:05):
But yeah, I think Cassian's arc was, I was, I was really
appreciative of of his arc and how it shows him he's not just
like, Oh yeah, I'm the spy now, right.
It's not very it's very not one-dimensional.
He is, he is kind of struggling with how much does he follow
orders versus do what he knows is the important thing.

(01:04:25):
You know, he's constantly going rogue and so to say.
And and so it's also perfectly in character for him and and Jen
to be like, yeah, we're coming with you.
Let's I'm, you know, casting tells Jen, I'm coming with you.
Let's let's go find the Death Star plans.
It is very much something he is kind of known for around around

(01:04:49):
the Avon base. And the the dynamics too, right
between the different rebel cells was interesting.
We talked about Sagarera, but also how Luthan, we didn't
really talk about this, but how Luthan he is so much.
He's so secretive and holds his card so close to the vest and

(01:05:11):
and he's willing to cross any line to do what needs to be
done. In the end, he kind of burns
bridges not just for himself, but kind of for all of his
followers too. Or even Clea is afraid of going
to Yavin 4 'cause she doesn't think the rebels are going to
treat her well. Which is another really
interesting dynamic that kind ofadds some more Shades of Grey to

(01:05:35):
the the various dynamics. The fascinating thing is the
amount of stuff that he did for the rebellion and still be
treated that the way he was in the same thing with Clea is just
fascinating about this. Yeah, it's it.
It's fascinating. That's all I can say.

(01:05:58):
I I have to leave it at that. You know what also we didn't get
and again, this is another situation where I think I'm OK
with this, but we didn't get Cassian's sister.
They they played it up and they he was searching for her a lot
in season 1 and it's kind of thepoint is kind of dropped in
season 2. Tom, what did you think of were

(01:06:20):
you OK with this or would you like to see Cassian's sister
show up? I.
Kind of didn't have a problem with it.
I think it because it would still leave a what would have
been the purpose of bringing thesister in at this point?
I know people are sitting here trying to figure out, well, was
Clay his sister? Well, that was actually proven
to be no, that's not the case. I did wonder.

(01:06:40):
That for a minute, yeah. Yeah, you know, and then other
people just like, well, is clay I supposedly lay.
It's like, no, that was not the case people.
But when it comes to, you know, I think it's something to where
if it's served a purpose for thestory, I I could see it play

(01:07:00):
out. But the way the story was told,
I think it was logic did not bring the sister in at this
point, because what would have been the point?
It's it's the same thing like bringing in Generoso.
What would be the point of bringing her in at this stage?
And now that you've got the sister thing, yes, he was
looking for in the first season,but there's a certain point in

(01:07:21):
which what's going to be more important at this stage?
Are you going to be more more into the rebellion and serving
that purpose and Bix, Bix is nowgoing to be your number one
priority? Or are you going to leave both
of them aside and go back to looking for your sister?
And then you're leaving basically the Rebel Alliance,
You're leaving Bix, you're leaving all that stuff behind
just to go chase your sister. Yeah.

(01:07:45):
And is the sister and technically, is the sister still
alive? That would be the biggest thing.
You don't know. Yeah, I look forward to the
prequel to the prequel to the prequel, A New Hope that
explains all of this. Yes, I mean, Tony Gilroy,
Speaking of Deadline, did say that he actually had, you know,

(01:08:07):
an idea for how they were going to bring the sister.
And in Season 2, at one point hesaid, you know, he often leaves
little threads for to pick up on.
And he had a very melodramatic version of how Cassie and sister
would play out in season 2. But he realizes they went along,
you know, the the absence of hissister is a very important
absence in his life. And that was a hole that will

(01:08:28):
never be filled. And he thought it's it's better
to leave it unresolved. And again, I, I again, I I'm
glad they're, they're using somerestraint and not necessarily
resolving every single plot point.
So I thought it was well done. Yeah.
I do have to ask quick speculation.

(01:08:51):
What do you guys think happened to Gorman?
Did the planet the the explode from the extraction process?
I, I we never really find out what happens.
It's unfortunate. I I think a mining disaster,
William. Oh no.
Being UN unlivable those darn I.I hear the empire is sending aid
though to make sure you know. A planet for aid.

(01:09:16):
Unfortunate really. I hear Jetta also had a mining
disaster, so you know. Yeah, in that case, the planet
didn't arrive in time. The.
I, I hear the Emperor is gonna be looking at, you know,
improved galactic mining safety regulation.
To help with the experience. There's a mobile space station

(01:09:36):
that will be traveling around tohelp visit the disaster sites.
Oh my gosh, I love it. Yeah, I, I, I agree with Steven.
I don't think the planet survived.
I I think they mined it. They mined it until basically it
imploded because where are they going to get the raw materials
if they needed that planet or the Death Star?
And more than likely the planet was probably bigger than the

(01:09:58):
Death Star in and of itself. Because when you take something
that big and kind of get into all the minerals and stuff, I
would say that the Death Star may be half the size of the
planet Gorman. And that's why there's no more
Gorman, because it took a whole planet to create this.
Moon. Or maybe like Gorman is the

(01:10:18):
Death Star. Yeah, maybe, you know, maybe.
We know it's already built, but.Yeah, why anyway, buddy?
I also hear you know, maybe Gorman survived the first Death
Star but turns out they finishedup the first project then they
needed a lot more calcite immediately.
So you know, if it wasn't over mined and destroyed the first

(01:10:41):
time, I would not love for the second time.
Exactly. Oh yes.
Well, man, this is just such a such a good season.
I think I was surprised by who did and we we kind of talked
about who didn't didn't die. Bix survives, Claya survives,

(01:11:03):
Val survives, Willman survives and Daedra survives.
I think those are the those are the new characters who make it
through to the end. Even poor all major party Gaz he
he dies, Luthen dies, Cinta Brasso, Cyril take coma it

(01:11:24):
really. Is.
Yeah, quite a high body car count.
I mean, I guess technically, like, you know, Lena survives
too. And you know, B2 e-mail
survives. There's there's a few others,
but yeah, quite a high body count.
But did you notice, I was going to say I'm sorry, but did you
notice the majority of the deaths were done off screen, but

(01:11:48):
one? Yes, actually, you're right.
Yeah, because brasso is done offscreen but bigger boss is done
off screen. Lutheran's off screen.
Yeah. Or actually, no, no, sorry,
Lutheran is. Lutheran is well.
Lutheran's on screen ish. Ish.
Yeah, ish. OK, but let.

(01:12:11):
Me put it Cyril was also on screen shot.
Yeah, but a way of being shot, right?
Because Lutheran stabbed himself.
Yeah. But yeah, no, you're right.
Like a lot of them were off screen, which I think is a very
they do a really good job of drawing, like toeing the line
without being showing some pretty violent things without
actually being too violent and making it still relatively

(01:12:33):
family friendly, which is good. Except for one ISB officer that
was used as a shield which I still crack up at.
I'm sorry that still cracks me up every time I see it.
It's I shouldn't be laughing, but just the brutality of it was
just. Yes they did.
That was just just brutal. Also, they did a really good job

(01:12:55):
of incorporating a lot more aliens this season, which I
appreciated. Season 1, I know that was one of
the criticisms. There was not a lot of aliens.
Season 2 felt there was a lot more aliens in the season, which
I also appreciated. So man, I guess should we get
into our into our ratings? Cuz I, I feel like we've, we've

(01:13:18):
pretty well covered this, this second and and final season of
of Andor I. Think we did a really good job,
Tom. You want to go first.
Yeah, I'm going to give the fullseason a 9.5.
I really enjoyed this season. I, I just, I think we've said
enough throughout the, every single time we've reviewed this

(01:13:40):
episode. I think I've said enough about
the show to where it's like I I've just I don't know where
Star Wars as a live action series can go after this.
I hope more like this. I, I know, I know Andorra is,
we're, we're very, we're very much heaping praise on, on

(01:14:01):
Andor. And I know it's not everyone's
cup of tea and that's fine. You don't have to learn
everything. I think for us though, I
certainly loved Andor and was very, very, very happy with how
it turned out. Yeah, I I would love to see Tony
Gilroy try and come up with something else along this line.
I could see, and this is just, hey, if you want an idea, I

(01:14:25):
could see them use Claya as as to put a show around her.
You want to talk about when this, this whole series, the
breakout character, that character was amazing.
And every time she was on screen, she was riveting and she
held my interest like you wouldn't believe because you
couldn't, you could not tell that young lady.

(01:14:47):
That was her first actual actingjob, especially going against
Skarsgar and everybody else. This, how she held herself, was
amazing. Such a phenomenal job.
Yeah, so I'm, I'm giving the series as an overall a 9.5 and
my 9.5 womp rats are going to keep Playa company while she's

(01:15:08):
sitting there on Yavin 4 and giving her hope that there will
be a new day and she should be happy that she gets to see the
sunrise. Whereas Lutheran in his speech
said that he doesn't know if I'll ever see a sun, that he
knows he will never see the sunrise when it's all over, if I
paraphrase that correctly, or a sunrise I will ever see or

(01:15:30):
something like that. But they're basically giving her
comfort that she gets to see these sunrises.
So there you go, Steven. Oh man, I'm gone back and forth
here. We're revealing just season 2,
right? We're not reviewing the whole

(01:15:52):
yeah, just Season 2. I I'm debating I think I have to
give it a 10 it's between A10 and a 9.5.
And really the only reason to give it a 9.5 is because like
sure I would have liked to see more of Luthen's, you know, ship
in another cool space battle or I would have liked more K2 SO or

(01:16:12):
maybe a bigger finale. All of those things are true and
would have could have made the show better.
But the really I'd only be giving it a 9.5 for some, you
know, reason that like maybe there'll someday be a better
Star Wars show and that'll deserve A10, But I think if any
show deserves A10, it's and or season 2, like 12 episodes.

(01:16:38):
I don't have the stats in front of me, William.
I'm sure you do or will by the time I'm done, you know, buying
time for you to pull them up. I.
Actually do. I don't think there's a bad
episode in the bunch. Like there might be maybe some
some maybe from like the first arc where I was like this, you
know, this episode felt a littlebit on the slow side, but the
fact that they released them as arcs I think eases a lot of that

(01:17:01):
'cause you can tell when they'retrying for a broader story
that's gonna take a little bit longer to pay off in times.
The Gorman arc was like, this isthe problem.
Every arc and every story they're telling is phenomenal.
Whether it's Gorman, whether it's Cyril and Dedra, whether
it's Cassian and Bix, whether it's Mon Mothma, whether it's
Luthan, whether it's Cleo, like they all had a plus story.

(01:17:24):
So yeah, I'm gonna have to give it a 10.
No regrets, love it. Yeah, you, you know, fun fact,
you did rate an Arcana 5 and nobody's listening a 6.5 out of
10. Really.
But one way out was a 10 out of 10.
So there you go. You redeemed yourself in the the
the final episode of the arc. Wait, wait, sorry, which one is

(01:17:46):
Narcena? The first two episodes of the
the Narcena 5 trilogy, but the the third one you gave it 10 so
you know. Wait wait, now I'm you're
talking about from season 1? From season 1.
Yeah, yeah, all. Right, I'm reviewing just season
2. Oh I know, I know.
Season 2 nothing was lower than 8 so.
You gave a 6.5 to something in this.
Nothing was lower than 8IN in this season from any of us.

(01:18:10):
So yeah, so good. So, so good.
Yeah, man, Steven, I I Tom, I think you guys are both spot on
it this season is just so good. It is everything, the acting,
the cinematography, the music, the I got.
Well, I guess the music maybe not quite as good as season 1,

(01:18:31):
only because Nicholas Patel is not here and Brandon Roberts
does a good job, but it's not quite the same.
Still, like everything is just it's like the so everything is
at the top of their craft. And it is a phenomenal show.
Yeah, there's like, I can have little nitpicks here there.
It's not a perfect show, but it is darn near perfect.

(01:18:54):
It's just about. And it it it it kind of came
when the show was announced. It kind of like, yeah, we all
love Rogue One, but it was a, itwas a spinoff of a Rogue One
based on, you know, a character who is, is great in Rogue One,
but I wouldn't, you know, he wouldn't have been.

(01:19:16):
I think he was maybe surprising for a lot of people that he got
his own show and it turned out to just be a phenomenal,
phenomenal series and a phenomenal second season.
It's interesting. I go back and now I'm like, oh,
do I like season one or two better?
There's moments I love in season1.
I think season 2 is better overall, but season 1 is like

(01:19:37):
there's some amazing moments there too.
And it's just a great, great show end to end.
So I think I'm going to give it 9 1/2 womp rats out of 10.
I I, I, I feel like it's probably maybe more of like a
9.9 womp rats potentially, but it is, it is really close to a
10. But yeah, these, these 9 1/2

(01:19:59):
womp rats, they are, you know, they're, they're, they're on.
They're on Yavin 4. There's actually the Womp Rat
Squadron and these 9 1/2 womp rats are, they're going to help
take down the Death Star. You don't see them in A New Hope
or Rogue One, but they're there.They're they're in the

(01:20:20):
background helping every, every moment.
So yeah, 9 1/2 womp rats. Well, I think that about wraps
up. I think that about wraps up this
this season. It was interesting.
I saw a report from the wrap andit's about a week or so old now.

(01:20:42):
So take that with a a grain of salt, but they're and or season
2 already at the time, about a week or so ago, the wrap was
estimating that and or season 2 had brought an estimated $300
million in subscriber revenue for Disney Plus just in the
first couple weeks. So yes, it's great.

(01:21:03):
I'm sure that that was not what and or cost yet.
So keep bringing in more money, but we want more stuff like
this. We want to see, you know, more
high production value shows all the stuff is great, but like
let's more of it is fantastic. So that was awesome to see.

(01:21:26):
Of course, we're not done right.We still have, we still have
tales of the Underworld that we have to review that dropped a
couple weeks ago at this point, about 3 weeks ago as we were
recording this. But there's been so much Star
Wars stuff we had to get throughand or first we thought we went
back and forth. Do we record tales first?
We do and or season recap. We said let's do the and or
season recap. There's so much Star Wars

(01:21:48):
content. Let's spread it out a little bit
rather than jamming it all in atonce.
So we'll we should have that next week, I think is our
current plan. So we are going to talk about
Tales of the Underworld because it's we love Star Wars animation
and and then we get a little bitof a break for the summer.

(01:22:09):
We don't really know. I think Lego Star Wars and
visions are the only things later this year.
Not a lot yet. We're entering a a quieter
period period for Star Wars on Disney Plus, but we have a lot
to look forward to in the futurewith Maul next year,
Mandalorian, Grogu, and I'm surethere's gonna be a lot of stuff

(01:22:30):
they haven't announced yet. So it'll be interesting to see
if they keep it this quieter schedule now on Disney plus or
if they it's just the calm before the storm.
I, I hope I love all the Star Wars content, but I hope it's a
little bit of a quieter schedulethat gives us more time to go
back and re experience and enjoyall the the great stuff we've
gotten so far. So we'll still have ion Canon

(01:22:52):
episodes for you guys, though, so don't worry.
Thank you all for listening and until next time, may the Force
be with you. Thank you for listening to the
Ion Cannon Podcast, your source for entertainment reviews from a
Galaxy far, far away. For over a decade, Ion Cannon
has covered every corner of the saga, from the films and

(01:23:12):
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(01:23:36):
associated with Lucasfilm, The Walt Disney Company, or any and
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2018.

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Andor Season 2 Recap — Ion Cannon #459

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Andor Season 2 Recap — Ion Cannon #459