Chris Connor reviews the fifth episode of Star Wars: Andor…
Following the more action packed third instalment, Andor’s fourth episode was a more sedate affair and this more leisurely pace continues in ‘The Axe Forgets’. However, this works well in the show’s favour, fleshing out the world and allowing us to engage more with its characters, giving us further glimpses at the bureaucracy of the Empire and birthing of the Rebellion.
Much of the focus of this episode is on the raid hinted at in its previous episode, and while we don’t actually get to the raid here, seeing the organisation or lack thereof of our rag tag group of heroes is a revelation. Rather than lurching from set piece to set piece, we really see how the plans come together.
No Star Wars project has given us such a clear glimpse at the humanity underneath the stormtrooper helmets as Andor has; we can see that these are people trying to live their lives and the upper echelons are determined to get ahead no matter the collateral damage. This more real, human version of the Star Wars universe is incredibly refreshing and shows the scope for the franchise beyond the Skywalker lineage. One can only hope this is something that is carried into other projects, be it The Mandalorian or Ahsoka.
The tension and infighting of the rebels in this episode is again something that we’ve seen little of in previous projects beyond Rogue One and with the movement in its inception it is only natural that there would be internal struggles about the chance of success and each members’ worth. This episode also gives the show more of an espionage feel than the noir undertones to date, with our group preparing to go undercover to infiltrate the Imperial camp.
From a visual perspective the continues to forge a truly stunning aesthetic feel, shying away from The Volume that proved so successful for The Mandalorian, in favour of location shooting. This is most noteworthy in the sequences on Aldhani with some gorgeous vistas and landscape shot. Again we feel the menace of TIE Fighters like never before and the sparing use heightens the tension and the odds against our crew.
While there is little in the way of shootouts, we get to spend more time with the various factions the show has introduced to date. As such their motives feel clearer and mirroring the rise of the Rebellion with Imperial infighting is such a clever contrasting through line. Kyle Soller’s Syril Karn has been given a surprisingly large focus, with real character development and growth. He could quite easily have been a throwaway character, but the show having 12 episodes gives these characters room to breathe and explore their psyche.
As we hit the midpoint in Andor’s first season, the pace may have slowed but this gives ample room for world building and character development that some other Star Wars projects have been guilty of lacking.
The slow build up to the raid will likely pay off in a more action packed sixth episode but here it allows us to explore the mindset of the rebels, their sense of desperation and what has brought them together. We also get further glimpses at political unrest and further Imperial squabbles, bringing Star Wars back to the more overt political nature of George Lucas’s first two trilogies.
Chris Connor
