Andor: Season 2: Episode 11: Who Else Knows?
What is it ? : Heert having taken over from Dedra when she was arrested, begins to try to discover who attacked the hospital and killed Luthen. The hospital director complains about the interruption to operations, but Heert threatens to arrest him for interfering with an ISB investigation. They gain access to the security camera footage and watch footage of Kleya, noticing how she seems to know where the cameras are and mainly avoids her face being recorded, they are also astounded that it was only a single agent that did this as they had assumed it was a team of 3.
At the ISB, Krennic visits Partagaz, saying that he doesn't think he'll be able to protect him from the fallout, and Partagaz complains about the scale of the project, how it's so far behind that he's surprised that it wasn't discovered long ago, even commenting on the name, Death Star.
At the safe house where Andor and Bix once stayed, Kleya assembles a transmitter from parts and begins sending out a signal as Axis, calling for final extraction.
Krennic visits Dedra, accusing her of being a Rebel agent, asking who else knows about the Death Star. She tells him no-one, she accidentally received the information, he asks her how long she'd given access to her files to Lonni Jung, which she is surprised at. Krennic tells her that Lonni accessed her files the day before, all of the information about the Death Star. She attempts to pass the blame to him, telling him that she needed these scraps of information because of the secrecy he caused disrupting her investigation. Months before Krennic's people interrogated a member of a Moff's staff, who described Luthen and his starship visiting Jedha, which would have led her to capturing Luthen before. As he leaves he tells her that the ISB will try it's best to get on without her insight.
Heert visits Luthens shop, where it is explained that the data is all lost, but the communications system wasn't totally destroyed, due to it's innovative design which ties into Imperial systems.
On Yavin, Andor and Melshi are drunk and playing cards with K-2SO, while elsewhere Wilmon is asked by his girlfriend Dreena what device he keeps under their bed which beeps. He pulls out his Axis Cell communicator, but it is currently silent, but he takes it to Andor to explain that they're getting a signal from presumably Luthen.
Out of ideas Heert visits Dedra, telling her that a rapid conclusion to this investigation might help her, and she tells him to return to the beginning of the Axis investigation, as they found communication devices on Ferrix.
He returns to the shop, but the technician says it will only be useful if someone else is transmitting.
In the safehouse, Kleya sends out another signal, which is received by Wilmon and Andor, who recognise it as a final call for extraction. Wilmon acts as a distraction, while Andor, K-2SO and Melshi take Andors ship without permission, ignoring commands to return to base, and make the hyperspace jump to Coruscant.
Also receiving the signal, Heert has it triangulated, and sets off with an ISB Tactical squad towards the safehouse, landing only minutes after Andor and Melshi reach the safehouse. Kleya tells Andor of the Death Star Information, of Galen Erso, making him memorise it, as she doesn't intend to leave.
Outside, Heert's squad jam communications, and begin moving through the building towards the transmitter location, while on board Andor's ship, K-2SO realises that communications have been jammed, and decides to take action. . . .
High Points : Although every episode is linked together, this one and the final episode feel like a extended single episode, dropping us in the middle of action with a cliffhanger in a way no other episode seems to have done this season. So we're building tension, the heroes are right in it, with Imperial Forces moving in on them, with no way for K-2SO to warn them. We know Melshi, Andor and K-2SO are going to make it through, but with Kleya making Andor memorise the data that needs to get to Yavin, her character is in a very vulnerable position, as we don't know if she makes it out alive.
The series continues to look stunning, and it's great to have K-2SO back to provide some levity. The scene where he's playing cards with Andor and Melshi is funny, and I really like his line when they're arriving at Coruscant that he's been here before, in a parade with 200 other KX units, which was attended by Emperor Palpatine, to which Andor comments he sad he missed it.
Low Points : Although Ben Mendelsohn is fantastic and menacing as Krennic, he's been a bit wasted in this series. Why is it Krennic questioning Dedra, when it makes far more sense to see the relationship that formed between her and Partagaz play out, something we never get to see.
So what do you really think ? : Another stunning episode, Andor has turned into one of the finest TV series ever made, not just Star Wars TV series, but any. The scripts, acting and story is up there with Breaking Bad, The Wire, etc. They've learned so much from the mistakes they made in season 1, which had many brilliant moments and was very watchable. But season 2 is damn near perfect. Obviously there are elements which make no sense except to make it a good story, but the plot line and characterisation really makes this something you can discuss and discuss as new elements occur to you.
For example, one that has had me and my wife talking for the past 48 hours, is Kleya, so wonderfully portrayed by Elizabeth Dulau, It's become obvious to us that Kleya is 50% of the Luthen Rael spymaster persona. While Luthen himself is a slightly nervous man, she makes up for that, giving him the drive, making decisions when he won't. And now he's gone, she herself is unsure of her place, so used to being part of his efforts, she feels that her life is now also over, which is why she is passing the information onto Andor, that Yavin isn't a place for people like her, and that as part of Axis, she won't be wanted, and in many ways she is right, but like Luthen, she can build a new persona and role for herself, this doesn't need to be the end for her.
It's such a shock to discover that Andor was Elizabeth Dulau's first acting job. While she's done other things since, it just seems astounding that she's not been around for years with a talent like this.
Final Words : So, one final episode to go, to bridge the gap from Coruscant, to Rogue One, we'll see how well it does it, as Andor has shown itself a bit willing to have far more endings than it really needs.
Score : 9/10
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