A Road was the Destination

Last night's finale of Andor, "Rix Road", concluded not just the best Disney+ original series, but the best show I've seen this year. I guess it's a close competition between Andor and House of the Dragon but the writing on Andor was, for my money, certainly more consistent in quality. And I realised I wasn't looking for anything this good in Star Wars anymore. It was a very pleasant surprise, and it continued to surprise, week after week, right down to last night's finale.

I'm glad I was wrong about Maarva's death, that she really did die, because, as a point of dramatic weight, her death is so much more interesting. Fiona Shaw really sold that hologram speech, too, another great performance in a series filled with great performances.

Some critics are calling the finale boring, and I noticed it's the episodes actually written by Tony Gilroy that seem to get this criticism most, to the point where it feels like people have an ax to grind with him. I'd have to really scour "Rix Road" to find a speck of boredom.

I'd say the episode's two highest points were two rescues--Cassian rescuing Bix and Karn rescuing Meero. When Cassian promised Bix and the others that he would find them, it felt like Daniel Day Lewis in Last of the Mohicans. I got chills. But maybe I liked the Karn and Meero bit even better.

I love how, in an instant, viewer sympathy is twisted around. Here are the good people of Ferrix, rebelling at the instigation of Maarva's stirring speech, and here's Meero, the ruthless woman who tortured Bix. But then, suddenly, Meero is the frantic woman caught in a rabid crowd of madmen, and Karn, whom she had no reason to expect to even be on the planet, is there. And he requires no thanks. They're so wrong and so sweet. I'm getting Lannister vibes.

I lovded Luthen cracking a genuine smile for once at the end of the episode. I loved Mon Mothma's manoeuvre with her husband about his supposed gambling problem. I love all the evocative detail on the world of Ferrix. I love this show. I can't believe I have to wait till 2024 to see the rest. I hope it'll spend next year accruing a big fan base of people binging it. I hope Bob Iger puts Tony Gilroy in charge of Lucasfilm.

Andor is available on Disney+.