The 10th episode of Andor saw Cassian and his pals break out of the prison, using a power even greater than that of Jedis or the Force. Diego Luna and Andy Serkis as Kino Loy work together in a terrific Star Wars episode on Disney Plus.
The tenth episode of Andor is the best episode yet of the best Star Wars show. One of the show’s more action-packed episodes, it pays off tiny moments of setup from previous episodes and is chock-full of catharsis.
The episode, the climax of the three-episode arc on Narkina 5, is representative of one of the driving factors that makes Andor such a compelling Star Wars tale: By breaking free of the constraints of the Force and the Jedi Order, there’s more room to maneuver, and more stories to tell.
[Ed. note: Spoilers follow for episode 10 of Andor.]
There’s no Darth Vader on Narkina 5, and there are no Sith Lords. But that doesn’t make the prison there any less terrifying — if anything, the lack of magic-adjacent Star Wars stuff helps make the prison feel more real and more scary.
Ever since we were introduced to Narkina 5, I’ve been excited for the eventual prison break. First of all, the events of Rogue One tell us Cassian and Melshi will make it out together. But more importantly, Tony Gilroy is not going to introduce us to a space jail without an amazing prison break sequence.
The sequence absolutely delivers, not just through tense excitement and sheer adrenaline, but with a sense of catharsis, as Cassian, Melshi, and their fellow prisoners use the tools of their oppression to set themselves free. They manipulate the electrified tungsten floor, of course, allowing them to roam freely. And crucially the weapons they use in their fight for freedom are the tools they used to build in the prison — wrenches, pipes, and even their own bodies. When the guards shout “on program” to the prisoners for the final, fateful time, director Toby Haynes shows us how many of the prisoners are hiding these tools behind their backs while holding their hands up behind their heads.
