Aldhani

The first three episodes were setting things up but the acting was really good. This episode pulls it together and Andor becomes more engaging. Game of Thrones fans will recognize The Waif and the Mountain's Frankenstein creator.,Qyburn. I don't think you have to be a Star Wars Fan to appreciate this show. The whole production looks more like a movie than a TV series. It might be good to watch Rogue One again to recall why we came to love Andor in the first place. I think this series is capturing the fragmented universe the was left when the Jedi and the Republic were all but wiped out. It sets up why A New Hope was needed. I hope the old Star Wars fans will stay with it until the more recognizable pieces of the puzzle become evident. I love Luke Skywalker too but without the rebels there would be no stolen plans for Darth Vader to be chasing.

After the gigantic battle of episode 3, we slow down here to introduce new locations and characters as Cassian starts his rebel journey. Saying that this episode is slow is not at all a critique though. It grants some time for great world-building and interesting inner-Empire politics and drama.

I enjoyed the ISB's metaphor that rebellions are a virus that needs to be contained. I was also beyond happy to see the return of Coruscant here! It's so interesting to see this capital planet become more gloomy after the empire took over.

Seeing Luthen's double life was very fascinating. Stellan is simply doing a phenomenal job playing the character and it's really cool seeing him and Mon Mothma secretly plan as they live their two-faced lives.

We oddly continue to follow Syril's character after he loses his job. There is clearly a deeper character arc they're delving into with him that I want to see. I like that he is still being focused on despite the plot currently moving on without him.

Dropping Cassian in the middle of a large-scale suicide mission is an awesome idea. While Cassian despises the empire, he has yet to be convinced a rebellion is the answer. I'm excited to see him have to put his life on the line regardless and eventually change his views.

Every member of the heist group has their own quirks and personality traits that are instantly evident. I felt familiar with each of them very quickly. I'm expecting many of them won't make it out alive, so I'm dreading the bloodshed to come.

This episode achieved its purpose of making me anticipate the future of the show. Can't wait for more!

This show takes itself seriously and it is very refreshing. It doesn't need jedi or the force or huge battles to tell a convincing story. This is strictly a personal story. Some are nobodies, some are higher ups, and they're all looking for something.

My favorite parts in this episode involved the officers of the empire. Something about the sheer cleanliness of the atmosphere and the strict demeanors of the officers draws me in. I am very excited to see how that plot line progresses.

From what I've seen, Mon Mothma is the only familiar character so far. And this show proves that you don't need familiar faces to tell a compelling Star Wars story.

My only gripe is that the weekly release schedule might hurt the viewing experience for some.

Overall, I'm excited for the future of this show.

Cassian prepares for his first mission.

This is another strong episode that lays solid foundations for what is to come.

The best scenes for me all take place on Coruscant and involve characters like Mon Mothma and settings like the security council. These scenes portraying the logistics and politics of both the rebellion and the security of the empire are excellent. For Star Wars fans who like certain blanks around the movies filled with purposeful world building, it is the stuff of nerdgasms.

Cassian's scenes introduce more characters and slow burn towards an event likely to happen in the next episode. For me they are not quite as interesting as the above, but they develop the character's arc very effectively.

Visually it continues the superb production designs of the show so far and we have more variation with the different settings on Coruscant.

All performances are strong, particularly Genevieve O'Reilly.

The writing, fan service and background lore are amazing. I haven't seen such dedication in trying to create a real SW-universe since the OT.

This episode shows that Andor is Star Wars on a whole different level than previous Disney shows.

It's mature, gritty and dark. It contains politics, subterfuge, espionage, layered conversations (whatever that means ;-) ). It's fast paced when it needs to be and slows down when it can be. In these slower scenes we are given the lore and worldbuilding us SW-fans truly deserve.

This is Star Wars heading for the right direction. Can't wait for what's coming!