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?

History doesn't shift all at once. It pivots quietly, on moments so small they might be missed-a word spoken in frustration, a whisper in a hallway, a mission accepted with quiet resolve. "Andor" has always understood that revolutions begin not with grandeur, but with ripples. And in "Messenger," those ripples gather force, signaling a tide that's about to turn. Cassian Andor's journey started with a search for his sister, a longing to reclaim something lost-his home. In time, he found just that, just not in the form of his family-the Rebellion. And this episode may have just proven why this was always his clear direction.

In an episode that serves largely as a setup for what's next, "Messenger" succeeds most in how it balances momentum with introspection. The Rebels have begun to coalesce, now organizing out of the iconic Yavin IV base. It's thrilling to see the earliest formations of what will become the Rebel Alliance, but this episode doesn't shy away from showing how fragile that unity still is. There's fire in their hearts, but they're still learning how to aim it. The storytelling is deliberate. The pacing refuses to rush, and that patience pays off. On Ghorman, tension simmers beneath every scene. We watch the Empire's sanitized lies clash with the growing unrest of the people-Imperial propaganda woven with the fraying hope of a planet on the brink. The careful setup here gives every character's action weight and meaning, ensuring the payoff to come will land with force. One of the most fascinating additions to this episode is the subtle introduction of the Force. It's a bold move in a series that has thrived in the shadows of Jedi mythology, but it works. There's no mysticism for mysticism's sake. Instead, it's filtered through skepticism and grounded realism, aligning perfectly with the tone of "Andor." The Force is not a miracle-it's a question, and that question lingers powerfully in the minds of those who doubt it. It's handled with care, making its inclusion feel earned. All of this in the hands of Janus Metz and Dan Gilroy makes for a tense episode that clearly sets up great things to come.

"Messenger" reminds us why "Andor" remains a masterclass in world-building and character-driven storytelling. It may be a setup episode, but every frame buzzes with the promise of change. The rebellion is stirring, and Cassian's path forward is becoming clear-one small, weighty step at a time.

Janus Metz has taken over directing and he did a great job. This episode flowed much better than the first 6, there may not of been much action but it entertained me. Probably not worth an 8 but I'm feeling generous.

So not much to complain about this time, the highlight for me was the healer scene, no idea what she was going on about but it was good and it made me feel something.

Obviously I'm not happy that they condensed the remaining seasons down to 3 episodes and killed characters off screen but at least we will get an ending and 3 episodes airing a week is appreciated.

Finally I'm actually looking forward to the next installment.........

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.

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.