With the season finale of Andor coming in just one week, we got the penultimate episode of season one this week, which sets the stage for what figures to be a finale filed with fireworks.
“Daughters of Ferrix” continues with the tension, but it also sees all the pieces on the board moving into place for the finale. It’s another great episode, but one that is obviously setting up the payoff to come. Let’s dive in to our review, and as always, full spoilers are ahead!
SUMMARY:
On Narkina 5, Cassian and Melshi attempt to flee from the Empire’s grasp. They attempt to steal a quad-jumper from some alien fishermen, but they are caught. These fishermen blame the Empire for polluting the water, so they share sympathy for the prisoners over their hatred of the Empire, agreeing to give them a ride to Niamos.
On Ferrix, B2EMO mourns the death of Maarva, and as a public figure the locals prepare for a public funeral. Dedra Meero orders the Empire to allow this, hoping that it will draw Cassian Andor back. Meanwhile, Cinta and an undercover ISB agent keep an eye on Maarva’s home, waiting for Cassian.
On Coruscant, Vel visits Kleya and demands to talk with Luthen but is denied. Vel tells Kleya that Andor’s mother has died and that she’s heading to Ferrix, and wants Luthen to know. Vel then visits Mon Mothma, and the two watch as Leida is becoming increasingly interested in the Chandrilan customs that Mothma has grown disillusioned with. An emotional Mothma confesses to Vel how she’s in serious trouble and must come up with 400,000 credits before the Empire’s investigation begins, or else.
Also on Coruscant, Syril Karn is contacted by one of his former officers with news that Cassian’s mother has died and that there’s a funeral on Ferrix. Syril steals money from his mother and, presumably, is headed there.
Luthen pays Saw Gerrera a visit on Segra Milo, where Saw prepares to assist Anto Kreegyr’s attack, having come around to Luthen’s original proposal. But Luthen gives Saw the choice whether to let Kreegyr’s men die and preserve a key contact, or save the men instead. Saw comes to realize that Luthen has spies all over the place, and realizes that in Luthen’s eyes he’s just another expendable pawn. Luthen insists that the difference between Saw and Kreegyr is that Saw could turn him in to the Empire. As Luthen leaves, he is apprehended by an Imperial cruiser above the planet, searching for partisan activity. Luthen deploys counter-measures, escaping the ship’s tractor beam and destroying TIE Fighters before jumping to hyperspace.
On Niamos, Cassian recovers his things and contacts Ferrix with a message for Maarva, but is told of his mother’s death. Melshi tells him that the galaxy must hear about what’s happening, and the two agree to go their separate ways and sound the alarm. As Melshi leaves, Cassian looks out over the sunrise above the ocean.
REVIEW:
This episode is all about moving the pieces into place on the board for an explosive finale to follow. Every character we’ve really focused on this season is now primed and ready to go. Cinta (and Vel) are waiting for Cassian to come back, as is the ISB and Dedra Meero. Syril Karn is too, but for different reasons, as he’s looking to clear his name and get revenge. All they’re waiting for is Cassian’s return, and it seems only a matter of time.
One of the few notable figures not headed to Ferrix is Mon Mothma, but her moments in this episode underscore the danger she’s in (with a brilliant performance from Genevieve O’Reilley, as always). Mothma is shaken and afraid, in a way that we haven’t seen of the poised and confident leader we’re used to. She’s shaken by her daughter’s embrace of the Chandrilan traditions, but seems to understand it to a degree. But she’s also shaken by her dire financial strait, and this is the most open we’ve seen her in the series about it as she talks with Vel. She’s missing 400,000 credits, and the Empire will begin looking into her finances soon. If they find those credits missing, she’ll be caught money laundering, at best, and suspected of what she’s really up to at worst. It turns out that she’s been supplying Luthen’s actions financially, but that Luthen isn’t aware of the trouble she’s in.
But Vel knows, and it seems Vel is growing disillusioned with Luthen. She’s not able to even speak to him here, despite stealing millions of credits for him on Aldhani. And it seems she’s coming to question his intentions and actions. Which, of course, she should, because all of these people are merely pawns for Luthen in his game of chess, just like Saw and Kreegyr (but more on that in a moment). But with how many credits Vel stole, and her hearing that Mothma needs 400,000, I’m guessing that Vel will steal from Luthen, going behind his back, to get Mothma the money she needs to cover her tracks. We don’t know what kind of fallout that would cause with Luthen (though I suspect he’d not want the Empire investigating Mothma’s finances either), but I’m guessing it’ll happen. That would also give Mothma an out from having to “introduce” her daughter to Davo Sculdun’s son – especially since it seems Leida might accept the offer, based on her embrace of customs.
With Leida, we see a daughter rebelling against her mother. Leida’s relationship with Mon is strained, and she seems to favor her father’s way of thinking than her mother’s. Leida has a good relationship with Vel, but not with Mon. It taps into the larger theme of this episode (and to a lesser degree this season) about relationships with mothers. This episode is driven by the death of Maarva, and Cassian’s desire is that his mother would be proud of him. Leida’s desire, on the other hand, is seemingly to do the opposite of whatever her mother would want. And then there’s Syril, whose mother only really cares about him for pragmatic reasons: that he’s got a good reputation and job. A person’s relationship with their mom is such a crucial thing, and these three characters have drastically different attitudes.
Zeroing in on Mothma, we see that she’s having trouble with her own daughter… so how could she possibly lead a rebellion? The reason she’ll become the figurehead of the fight against the Empire, the central piece that unites the rebel cells, is not because she’s perfect but because she’s driven by an unwavering desire to do the right thing, and because she sees and values people in the midst of it. She’s not so lost in the cause so as to miss the fact that these people are the cause. That’s the difference between her and Luthen, who is shown to regard these people as merely pawns for his larger game. Saw comes to realize that in this episode too, and I love how it comes right as he’s preparing to aid another rebel cell, just like Luthen wanted and Saw initially refused. Saw’s preparing to join forces… but Luthen’s actions here are what drive him further away from it. Luthen isn’t going to be the one to unite these groups because he’s unwilling to fully trust any of them, unwilling to actually open up to them, unwilling to actually value them beyond the pragmatic. It’s all about the fight for him. A noble fight, and one worth having, and a fight that Luthen is helping tremendously. Yet in the long run, what is needed is a coordinated effort. And I think we’re seeing how, for all the good things that Luthen is bringing to the fight against the Empire, he’s not the one to do it. He seems to hold all the cards now, while Mothma seems shaken, but in the end their roles will be reversed.
Speaking of Luthen, his ship is one of my favorite new designs in a long time. The whole sequence with him fleeing from the Imperial cruiser was fantastic, and it was so cool to see the full arsenal of weaponry and tricks that Luthen has up his sleeve in his ship, including the twin lasers that take out the TIEs (though it would have been cool if we hadn’t seen that in the trailers). It was a great moment and I loved it, but I think it’ll also play a key role. The Empire has no idea who this “axis” is (as shown by the fact that they’re asking Bix if it’s Kreegyr), but if you remember, Syril told Dedra a few episodes ago that he’d be able to recognize the voice. This Imperial cruiser has heard Luthen’s voice, and if there’s any sort of recording (and of course there will be), I think we’ll see Syril’s memory come into play. Luthen seems to be in trouble.
And I can’t wait to see how all of this payoff turns out next week, in the season finale, but for this week, the episode ends with Cassian and Melshi parting ways. I love how Melshi is now fully committed to the cause, wanting the galaxy to know about the evils of the Empire, and it seems Cassian is there too. We know that they’ll team up again, on Scarif, so their mission to sound the alarm is successful. I’m hoping (and assuming) that Melshi will show up next season too. But that leaves Cassian alone, looking out over the sunrise. It’s an obvious parallel to the end of his life, on Scarif, as he embraces Jyn in a hug on the beach. Here, he’s alone, but there, he’s in the embrace of Jyn. The rebellion gives him a family again. Here, he’s just now jumping into the fight, but there, he’s all-in – even to the point of giving his life.
This moment comes right after Cassian sends a message back home that his mother will be so proud of him, and as he thinks of his mother’s death, thinking about how she would have been proud of him, he looks out over the ocean. And remember what he tells Jyn on Scarif as they look out over the ocean? “Your father would be proud of you.” I have to imagine that, at the end of his life, Cassian was thinking about Maarva – and how she would be so proud of him, for fighting back against the Empire and giving his life for something that truly mattered, like she wanted. Just like Jyn’s father would be so proud of her, so too would Cassian’s mother be so proud of him.
Because for all of his running and all of his indecision this season, I think Cassian’s a rebel now. I can’t wait for next week, to see how all of these threads tie together and pay off, but in the meantime this was another great episode of an incredible series. It’s crazy that there’s only one more episode left.
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