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If I were forced to pick only one single piece of entertainment I could see in 2025, "Andor" S2 was and still is the first choice.

Having said that, the first 6 episodes were somewhat disappointing and lacklustre. Mostly due to the directing; partly due to the writing, cinematography, and editing; and partly due to not enough touching moments by Nicholas Britell's score.

All of this is back in a big way! This episode was a breath of much-needed tense air and lush sets, a convincing bridge between Gilroy to Lucas. It is the first time in S2 that everything felt in its rightful place.

Most of all the touching score, which I sorely missed. I truly believe that music is a major, understsated reason why the first 6 episodes of S2 just felt flatter and didn't make as much of an impact as I'd have hoped for.

With a new director at the helm, things are definitely looking up.

An excellent episode as usual, Endor's level does not drop and it is amazing to me how much it feels like Tony Gilroy planned everything down to the last detail so that the series would correspond with Rogue One, but also stand on its own. The scene where Bix and Endor meet the Force-sensitive cook is no less than brilliant, and emphasizes this idea exactly - standing on its own, but doing a great service to Rogue One.

Cassian Endor was a relatively flat and less significant character in Rogue One, but the series does him a great service and continues to deepen him from moment to moment. Bix continues to be my favorite character from the series. The dynamic between Cyril and Daedra, who continues to be built as a villain on my monster, works phenomenally as usual.

I have no idea what to expect in the next two episodes, but I saw that they were great, and I immediately wanted to watch them.

One of the best series I have seen.

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?

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.

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.