Messenger

Writing this review after watching all three new episodes, helps me placing the events that happened better into the overall story.

I call this episode the silence before the storm, since it shows how the empire prepares a massaker to secure their control over the planet, which is vital to the construction of the Death Star.

On the other hand we see the rebellion prepare themselves to strike first and send a message. Foolish they are, the empire is one step in advance. Ceril slowly discovers the true purpose of his tasks. The empire has been planning a trap all along. Andor is there, but can he save the people of Ghorman?

Messenger sets the scene nicely following the next time jump. It sets in motion what feels like an exciting plot involving characters we have invested in over the past season and a half.

Events involving characters such as Cassian, Dedra, and Syril are at the forefront of everything and it leads compellingly into whatever comes next.

Certain aspects of Andor are now starting to connect strongly to Rogue One and also the original trilogy. I can feel the prelude to a massive nerdgasm, as the recognisable backdrops, characters, and foreshadowing all feature good storytelling opposed to just fan service.

This episode shows that we are close to the end now, and that something big is coming!

The episode does suspensefull build up really well, as we might see some of the major things, teased previously, unfold soon!

There were a sense of urgency and unease, as the decissions and choices made, has potentially major consequences!

The Ghorman storyline has been one of the major parts in this season, and it seems that we are about to reach the point of no return! The pieces are set, it feels innevatable, now we can only wait to see what happens!

The scenes with Andor and Bix were great too! Much like the previous qrc, I enjoy their development! We even got a tease to something that could tie all the way to Rogue One, concerning a "place to be"

The end promisses that it will only get better from here!

One of Andor's strengths lies in its nuanced character development. We witness Cassian's gradual transformation into the rebel spy we know from Rogue One.

Seeing Bix and Cassian in a different context reminds us that he begins as a reluctant rebel. We also observe his growing adaptability, his ability to become a chameleon.

Furthermore, the introduction of a Force user and their interaction with Cassian subtly foreshadow his destiny.

Meanwhile, Mon Mothma navigates the intricate political landscape of Coruscant as Ghorman faces increasing oppression under Imperial policies, leading to growing unrest among its people.

In stark contrast, we find Syril and Dedra in very different circumstances as their realities collide. Watching them react to forces beyond their control is compelling, with both actors delivering strong performances. Seeing Dedra trying to process her emotions and feelings presents complexity to the character as her humanity shines through.

The scene where the Ghorman senator comes to Mon Mothma carries significant weight, and we feel her complex emotions-fear, pity, and anxiety-powerfully conveyed.

We also see Wilmon evolve into a character more committed to the rebel cause and Luthen's vision than Cassian, as evidenced by his mission to bring Cassian back.

The entire cast delivers fantastic performances, and the sheer number of talented actors contributes to the episode's impressive scale and quality.

Well, I did not expect another time jump again, but I guess this is the formula. But I'm not sure if I like this format as much as I did the first season, where every 3-episode arc was roughly close to one another in timeline.

But, once again, this episode serves as a setup episode for the new story arc and does a good job, and is engaging as ever, but not a lot happens as expected.

They do a good job of showing us where each character is, shedding some clarity on how much knowledge of what's happening some characters have, and introducing new plotlines and setting up for the next two episodes.

Overall, I think the episode is pretty decent, but probably the weakest so far in the season, let alone the whole show, but that doesn't mean it's bad.

But so far, I feel like this season as a whole hasn't felt like it's on par with the previous season, which became legendary by the halfway point. One reason, in my opinion, is that the first season had a gradual increase in tension and plot moving forward every episode, leading to a crescendo. But in this season, every 3 episodes, the storylines reset and the tension comes to a halt, and they have to build it back up again.

If the events of each arc were closer chronologically and a direct continuation of each other, maybe this season wouldn't feel so different. But considering everyone who saw the season fully said this is the best season ever, I'm sure it's gonna get better, and I can't wait to see what Gilroy has cooked for us.