Moving on with Andor Season 2 episodes 7 through 9, man I gotta say it's kinda a mixed bag and honestly left me feeling pretty let down compared to what we got in Season 1 but as I have mention on the past days, this Season 2 has its own moments its just that its not a solid, you really need to put the work to figure out things and have them make sense, specially with Gormn rebels. Like we all knew what was gonna happen from the jump, no real surprises there and it kinda drags on way too long before it finaly gets to the point we're all waiting for. The whole Gorman resistance thing it's as French as it gets, seriously just call the city Paris already, I mean name me one protagonist you actually give a damn about but in contrast this season make me care more about the bad guys than Cassian and Bix, couldn't find one to root for on their side. The whole resistance vibe felt forced and kinda ridiculous, like they were trying way too hard to make it dramatic but ended up just being a bit of a joke considering the entire Plaza scream what was going to happen, AGAIN!!! I mean the hole massive killing. Then there's this whole setup with the Empire wanting to mine calcite for the Death Star, which we already know about so there's zero suspense in watching it all unfold. The pacing feels off too, like they're stretching out scenes that should be tighter, making everything feel bloated when it should be lean and mean, its like they told you the ending but then they move into the details, like the rebel missions. Season one had this incredible tension where every scene mattered but here it feels like they're just filling time until they get to the inevitable massacre we all saw coming.
- IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9253284/
- Platform: Disney+
[Source](https://screenrant.com)
Then there's the showdown between Cassian and Syril which was supposed to be this big moment but ended up feeling super underwhelming, all that buildup all that tension and for what? A fight that didn't really pack a punch emotionally or physically, I really though Syril would have a chance this time against Cassian, see again rooting for the bad guys, probably I'm just a Sith under the covers. Bix and her trauma was exhausting, what the hell happened to her character development, she's basically stuck playing housewife which is a huge step down from what we saw before. Plus the whole mystery about how the rebel base on Yavin got built poof gone just like that, it is there with no explanation no buildup nothing. All that secrecy and plotting around rebellion funding in season one and now it's just like "surprise there is a base" out of thin air. The way they handle Mon Mothma speech to the Senate feels rushed too, I know it was her last resource after all the doors she knock to get support but its like they are checking boxes instead of letting the political drama breathe naturally. Dedra's breakdown after the massacre should have been this powerful moment but it feels unearned cause we haven't spent enough time with her internal struggle, probably she was the only blindfolded that Syril would like the outcome of all this but it was more about the process, he feels used by her and understood she did all this because of ther goals and selfishness and not for the benefit of both and probably only him understood she was also been used and fool. The whole ISB surveillance on Mon Mothma subplot with her driver being a spy gets resolved so quickly that it falls flat, same goes with other scenes that could have more meaning like the force healing scene with Cassian feels too short, like they remembered they needed to include some mystical elements but didn't know how to weave it into the story organically, this goes back to my first post where I mention everything feels too human and the intergalactic aspect is not there, not even the space traveling.
But hey it's not all bad and probably I'm just hammering down on the obvious things, the show still nails SOME of that gritty Star Wars atmosphere and the way it ties into the bigger universe is kinda cool if you're a hardcore fan. The Gorman massacre scenes hit hard visually even if the story around it felt a bit off, you can see the budget on screen with those practical effects and crowd scenes. The political stuff with Mon Mothma stepping up and calling out Emperor Palpatine directly that's classic Star Wars and it's done pretty well here. The tension in the Senate, the propaganda machine, the betrayal elements, it all adds some weight to the story even if it doesn't quite land with the impact it should. And the little details like the reprogramming of that security droid into K2SO, that's a nice touch that connects with Star Wars battles where men connects with tech and other Alien living things. The way they show the Empire's false flag operation on Gorman is actually pretty clever, using their own troops as casualties to justify the crackdown. Syril's character storyline from true believer to disillusioned victim has some good moments, especially when he realizes Dedra has been lying to him the whole time, they somehow did manage to make the empire story side way more interesting. But still it feels like the show is trying to do too much at once and ends up spreading itself thin across multiple storylines that don't quite connect.
What really bugs me is how the characters don't get the development they deserve, Syril for example starts off interesting but then just falls face first when he was confuse and had no idea what was going on, his relationship with Dedra turn very interesting at first specially when they had this fight ish with Syril's mother when she went visiting, I even felt a bit for her because latter on she also understood Dedra was no good for her son. The obvious remain as Syril obsession with Cassian should have been more emphasize as this driving force but when they finally meet it's just stumble by accident in a cafe that ends with him getting shot by someone else entirely, classic OF FUCK NOT YOU!!! Not Now!!! and then someone else saves Cassian. Dedra's psychological breakdown after orchestrating the massacre is there but feels rushed but I still love it because it does gives you that feeling like "Finally she is getting what she deserve". When it comes to Cassian, he is supposed to be the heart of the rebellion but this season makes him seem more like a reluctant participant who is just going through the motions, mostly a rebel who eventually wants out of it and have gotten lost, it happens many times in war that those fighting after so long can't even remember how everything started and why they still fighting, so for me it's like they're just ticking off plot points instead of letting the story breathe and grow naturally. Bix leaving Cassian at the end should be this heartbreaking moment but it feels more like a plot convenience to get her out of the way for Rogue One, as a fan who doesnt know much about lore and how this connects to other series, Bix leaving honestly made me think there was going to be a third season but its ok, also I fell Diego Luna did a fantastic job on this scene showing how devastated he is but at the same time like "I understand why you did it" its like she leaving refuel him and gave him motive to keep in the rebellion, at least thats how I see it.
So yeah overall I'm in the middle with season two, not fully disappointed but its like season one set the bar so damn high and this batch of episodes just doesn't live up to that standard. I'm not trying to say they ran out of imagination because it still feels like Star Wars but most things were very predictable and there is also a lot of character development wasted and untouch, same goes for location development like Yavin. The pacing is off, the characters feel flat and the big moments don't hit like they should when you're watching. Still if you are a casual Star Wars fan there's enough here to keep you interested, the universe building is solid and there are some cool callbacks to season one. The way they handle the transition from scattered resistance to organized rebellion has its moments even if it's not as smooth as it could be. Mon Mothma's transformation from cautious politician to rebel leader is probably the strongest character development in these episodes. The production value with the customs, locations, secret meetings and even during the massacre sequence where you really feel the chaos and brutality of the Empire's response. But honestly it feels like they are more concerned with setting up Rogue One than telling a compelling story in its own right, like they stumble with this awesome season one that was gold and now they have to tell everyone "we have to shut it down" because this other might give us more rating. I'd give these episodes a solid 7 out of 10, yes the series picks up by A LOT!! compared to the first episodes so I hope the last three are good enough for closing, sad it wont have any more seasons.
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