Episode 9 of unbelievable Star Wars collection Andor hit Disney Plus on Wednesday, with mercenary Cassian Andor adjusting to life in a shiny dystopian Imperial jail with electrified flooring. It is particularly galling when you think about that he was thrown in there as a result of some random trooper determined to be a bully (and never due to the crimes he really dedicated).

Since he is utilizing an alias, the Empire does not even know it is Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in custody, and it is nonetheless looking the rebels answerable for a significant heist. Imperial Safety Bureau, or ISB, Supervisor Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) desires him to verify the id of a mysterious insurgent recruiter and is getting ready to interrogate Cassian’s buddy/former flame Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona).

We all know the recruiter is Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), who’s been making an attempt to persuade fellow insurgent Sen. Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) that his extra violent strategy is the one method to combat the Empire. 

Andor takes place 5 years earlier than Rogue One, which tells the story instantly earlier than unique Star Wars film A New Hope. It is time to interrogate all these episode 9 SPOILERS.

Endless jail sentences

NARKINA 5 — Cassian has gotten fairly slick at his jail labor, giving him strong cowl for an escape plan he is hatching with a fellow inmate. They’ve noticed holes within the safety system and intend to assault the guards as a brand new prisoner is escorted into the room. He is additionally sneakily submitting away at a water pipe throughout his rest room breaks, which is an exquisitely basic TV prisoner transfer.

Jail unit supervisor Kino Loy (Andy Serkis, who additionally performed Supreme Chief Snoke within the sequel trilogy) is suspicious of Cassian’s conduct. He is nearing the top of his sentence, so he desires to keep away from any tomfoolery from the blokes he is overseeing. 

Cassian tries to get the extra skilled Kino to inform him what number of guards are on every degree of the jail, however Kino will not play together with the plottin’ and schemin’ as a result of he thinks the Empire is all the time watching them.

“No one’s listening!” Cassian shouts at Kino, understanding that Imperials are lazier than they seem.

It is kinda fascinating that the concern the Empire instills in individuals makes the totalitarian regime really feel all-powerful, notably to these keen to evolve. Rebellious thinkers like Cassian can see the fact of rank-and-file Imperial incompetence, however convincing others is not simple.

There’s additionally an overwhelming sense via the episode that aged prisoner Ulaf (Christopher Fairbank) is not gonna final for much longer, regardless of being tremendous near the top of his sentence. He is battling the work, and seems to be struggling some type of cognitive decline — it is a chillingly life like and unhappy scenario to look at.

Regardless of all this, the jail stays orderly till Cassian and the boys get wind that the Empire fried a whole flooring of inmates for “making hassle.” Kino urges calm however is clearly freaking out.

All of it involves a head when Ulaf has a large stroke and a health care provider (who’s additionally a prisoner) is compelled to euthanize him, telling Cassian and Kino he cannot actually save anybody.

He additionally reveals {that a} flooring of inmates rioted after a prisoner who’d seemingly been launched after ending his sentence was unintentionally dropped again in as an alternative of being despatched to a different detention heart. The Empire fried all of them to maintain it quiet, however that clearly did not work. Most likely as a result of the regime is primarily staffed by merciless, silly jerks.

Understanding the Empire is not going to let him or anybody else out, Kino lastly tells Cassian there are “by no means greater than 12” guards on every degree, confirming that he is on board with the escape plan.

Imperial interrogation

FERRIX — Dedra shifts between calm, persuasive and threatening in her interrogation of Bix, and it is superb to look at. 

“The very worst factor you are able to do proper now’s bore me,” the sneering Imperial tells her captive.

Bix appears to come back near revealing Cassian’s most up-to-date go to however does not crack. It is admirable, but it surely ends in Dedra calling on her torturer buddy Dr. Gorst (Joshua James). No less than he is well mannered and smiley.

It hurts out that he is developed an audio torture method that makes use of the recorded dying cries of Dizonites, a species the Empire slaughtered for resisting its enlargement. And the cries of the species’ kids have proved to be simplest. I suppose that is an environment friendly use of horrific warfare crimes, in case you’re a soulless monster.

We do not hear the sound, however Bix has a extreme response nearly instantly after it is activated. Pity she is aware of little or no of use to Dedra.

The native Imperial boss asks to hold Paak, Bix’s buddy and the proprietor of the radio she used to contact Luthen, as a warning to others having rebellious concepts. Dedra agrees, due to course she does.

Democracy withers

CORUSCANT — Within the Imperial Senate, Mon Mothma voices opposition to the cruel new safety measures the Empire pushed via within the wake of the Aldhani heist. She’s shouted down, as a result of the Senate is spiraling towards irrelevance — Emperor Palpatine will dissolve it completely 5 years after this level, in A New Hope.

“Lengthy dwell the Empire!” somebody yells. 

Deflated, she returns house to seek out that her cousin has arrived — it seems Mon is expounded to superior insurgent true believer Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay).

After Vel acts like a cool aunt to Mon’s teenage daughter Leida (Bronte Carmichael), she and Mon have a tense alternate concerning the violent techniques concerned in anti-Imperial work she’s doing for Luthen.

“We have chosen a aspect. We’re combating towards the darkish,” Vel responds. “We’re making one thing of our lives.”

Nevertheless, Mon is having doubts about the entire insurgent effort and asks Vel to “act like a spoiled wealthy woman for some time” earlier than she leaves.

Mon’s efforts to collect cash for the rebel have additionally run into issues. Her banker buddy Tay Kolma (Ben Miles) suggests they enlist assistance from sketchy financier Davo Sculdun, which is a breathtakingly lovely Star Wars felony identify. 

All hail Davo Sculdun.

Connecting the dots

At ISB headquarters, Dedra delivers a report on Coruscant and begins to attach Cassian to Aldhani with the Aldani heist. She and her superiors additionally give you a scheme to set a entice for unseen insurgent Anton Kreegyr, whom Luthen needed extremist insurgent Noticed Gerrera to work with. It feels just like the Dedra is getting nearer and nearer to Luthen. 

Exterior the constructing, she additionally runs into ex-security officer Syril Karn (Kyle Soller). He is apparently turn into obsessed along with her since she questioned Cassian, stalked her to her office, and mainly says he is in love along with her fascistic methods. Dude, simply cease and go house.

She is not having any of it, and tells him she’ll have him arrested if she sees him once more. Oh, Syril, you huge idiot.

Rogue ideas, unanswered questions and Easter eggs

• Christopher Fairbank, the actor who performs Ulaf and who had a small-but-awesome position in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman — he is the terrified goon, who has the distinction of listening to the superior “I am Batman” introduction.
• Refreshingly, this present avoids the TV jail trope of inmates making an attempt to shank one another. The prisoners appear fairly supportive of fellow inmates — other than the occasional bout of despair — and it is kinda heartwarming.
• Mon’s jerk husband Perrin mocks Vel for not having a husband, since Chandrilans marry of their teenagers. 
• I really like how Syril obnoxiously slurps from his bowl of cereal after telling his excruciatingly overbearing mom that he is been promoted. 
• What the heck do the dying Dizonites sound like?

Come again for extra Easter eggs and observations subsequent Wednesday, Nov. 9, when episode 10 of Andor hits Disney Plus.