Andor: Season 2: Episode 2: Sagrona Teema
What is it ? : On Mina-Rau, Bix Caleen and the other Ferrix refuges find out that the Imperial vessel has brought an audit team, who are working their way through the farms, and have already killed some people who tried to run away. Bix encounters the Lieutenant in charge who asks her out for a meal, but she pretends she is married to dissuade him.
On Coruscant, Dedra Meero tells Partigan that she doesn't want the job dealing with Ghorman for Krennic, but he tells her that although it will appear as a demotion, it's a fantastic opportunity to operation without any supervision except Krennic. Also Syril Karn has risen to a supervisory position at the Bureau of Standards, introducing a new employee and showing him where he used to work and how he's been promoted. Later the two meet at their home.
On Chanrila, the wedding continues onto it's second day, Mon Mothma's husband Perrin accuses her of having an affair with Tay Kolma, who got drunk the previous night and whose marriage is falling apart, with gossip suggesting that Mothma is the reason. She meets with Tay Kolma later, and he tells her that his life is falling apart and he feels a bit bitter especially witnessing all the opulence of the wedding, when his business dealings are failing due to Rebellion which he is helping her pay for, she agrees that he will be compensated and apologises for not noticing his needs. Luthen Rael questions her about the situation, and begins stalking Tay Kolma, obviously concerned that he is a weak point in the Rebellion. As speeches are given and there is a ceremonial climb of a mountain to receive a blessing, but Luthen and his companion are concerned that Andor is still out of touch and they cannot contact Bix either, so she returns to Coruscant to use the equipment in the shop to try to discover what is happening.
Andor himself is still a prisoner of the group of Rebels, the fight has led to two factions, one in the base that Andor was returning to, and the others in the prototype Tie Avenger is stole. The group in the Tie Avenger, unable to pilot it, but able to use the weapons, start physically turning the ship with ropes to align it's weapons on the others. The group hiding in the base call for a parley, and they prepare to decide who is the proper leader through what initially looks like a gladiatorial fight, but turns out to be a version of Rock Paper Scissors. While they are distracted, Andor opens a hidden panel and retrieves a blaster, managing to get back to the Tie Avenger and launching while the Rebels grab their weapons to fire at him, but he speeds off into the sky and away.
High Points : The intrigue is fantastic in this episode, Tay Kolma quite rightly feels like his actions are being punished so wants compensated, something Mon Mothma as an old friend of his agrees with. But Luthen Rael seems to have his own plans for how to deal with the situation, not trusting someone influenced by money.
Also while I felt the situation with Bix was the weakest element of the first episode, now it really comes into play. The tension as the refugees from Ferrix have to deal with this surprise inspection, all while communications are cut off by the inspection, and expecting Andors return at any moment, is absolutely fantastic. And the scene where the Imperial Lieutenant has an edge of sexual menace, that she deals with, but knowing she is still suffering from her torture at the hands of the Empire adds to it wonderfully.
Low Points : The scenes with Andor being held by the Rebels does seem to be dragging, I'd expected Andor to have picked up some of Luthen's skills by now, and he really seems to be reacting to the situation rather than taking control of it. A minor criticism however, for reasons I'll mention below.
So what do you really think ? : Again a really solid episode, things are still moving slowly, but the tension they managed to develop in certain scenes in the first season, they're definitely building upon. And the characters are all involving, and it's great to see Syril and Dedra are together, although I do want to see lots more of Partigan who looks to be getting sidelined in favour of Krennic.
Final Words : So the situation on Mina-Rau looks to be building, as that's where Andor is likely to be heading, taking a stolen Imperial Prototype straight into the middle of an audit of that world. Although given the power of the Tie Avenger, it's possible he's going to end the Audit, but lead to bigger problems when the Empire responds to that. It's also possible that the attempts to contact Bix and Andor might also lead to detection by the Empire.
And Tay Kolma, a character I've always liked, as I'm aware of the actor from other series he's been in over the years, seems like he's going to be killed off by Luthen Rael. He's obviously swayed by money, and there's no way the Rebellion can match the resources of the Empire, so he'll always been a vulnerable spot. And he already mentioned that his work is done, the foundation set up, and Mothma's financial records have been wiped clean. So he serves no purpose in Luthen's eyes except as a potential traitor, so I really don't expect him to survive the next episode.
Score : 9/10
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