![‘Andor’ Radicalization Takes Hold, Andy Serkis Appears & So Do Two Surprise ‘Rogue One’ Characters [Episode 8 Recap]](https://cdn.theplaylist.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/26153643/andor-narkina-5-epiode-eight.jpg "‘Andor’ Radicalization Takes Hold, Andy Serkis Appears & So Do Two Surprise ‘Rogue One’ Characters [Episode 8 Recap]")
Spoilers: please learn this piece solely after you’ve seen “Narkina 5,” the eighth episode of the “Star Wars” restricted sequence “Andor,” on Disney+. You’ll discover we’ve been doing weekly podcasts, ‘The Rogue Ones,’ as an alternative of weekly recaps, however for episode eight, we couldn’t resist.
By now, you’ve hopefully seen “Narkina 5,” the eighth episode of the “Star Wars” restricted sequence “Andor,” centering on the Rebel spy and Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). A prequel to “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” set 5 years prior, “Andor” begins with the title character far, removed from the heroic spy we see in ‘Rogue One’ (learn our assessment right here). In truth, he’s the polar reverse— a struggling grifter, scared, egocentric, emotionally broken, and principally having f*cked over everybody he is aware of, both emotionally or financially. “How does that shitbag become a leader? That’s the premise of our show,” creator/showrunner/author Tony Gilroy (“Michael Clayton” the screenwriter of ‘Rogue One’) lately mentioned candidly on an episode of The Q&A podcast (that’s a great interview, you need to take heed to all of it).
The query that Gilroy poses appears actually be coalescing by this episode named after the Imperial jail planet that Cassian Andor finds himself condemned to. Under hostile, inhuman, brutally fascistic situations, coupled with every thing that Andor has skilled thus far, together with the dangerous suicide mission they barely survived on the planet Aldhani, with loads of casualties alongside the best way, “Andor” is revealing itself to be a sequence about how its title character and plenty of supporting characters round him grew to become radicalized.
In episode eight—following a ridiculous six-year sentence for what ought to have been a misdemeanor, underscoring the severity of the Empire—enduring extreme hardship and witnessing such cruelty, we primarily see Andor within the means of changing into radicalized by being exploited as slave-like wage labor for the Empire. He’s not fairly there, however by the point “Andor” season one is finished, you may wager the psychological needle has been moved. Eventually, as reluctant as he’s been, Andor will formally be a part of Luthen’s insurgent cell, which is a part of the nascent beginnings of what ultimately will turn into the Rebel Alliance. Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) shall be there too, quickly realizing she has no selection however to hitch the combat as effectively, being radicalized in her personal means all through.
Three “guest stars” seem on this crucial episode, although one is likely to be simply thought of a cameo. The first is Andy Serkis, and no, he’s not showing because the embryonic model of Snoke or something that has to do with “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” Playing a human character removed from the Sith clone of the later ‘Star Wars’ trilogy (Serkis voiced Snoke), he performs Kino Loy, primarily a senior jail foreman on the jail planet of Narkina 5.
He is aware of the drill, he’s scared, and he’s tough. Still, he is aware of what to do to make sure his unit survives, provided that the Empire incentivizes these jail workforce divisions by terrifying them with the specter of failure, worry at all times being a software of the Imperial warfare machine. Their successes are collective, however their failures and the tough punitive measures that observe are additionally collective. So Kino Loy is adamant about operating a tip-top operation so his unit isn’t severely punished for falling into final place on the jail labor line they’re doomed to. It’s tough, dehumanizing stuff, however once more, it emphasizes the Empire’s “the cruelty is the point” modus operandis and the way by which Andor will ultimately turn into radicalized.
There’s additionally a fan-favorite character returning in Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker), the unconventional terrorist insurgent seen in ‘Rogue One,’ briefly crossing paths with Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones). We’ve confirmed that Gerrera solely seems on this one episode in season one (although who is aware of about season two). In some ways, his look is probably simply meant to elucidate his absence all through the remainder of the sequence (and possibly season two, too?). Rebel dissident Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), the person with the grasp plan, is attempting to get separatist cells and partisan insurgent factions to hitch collectively and kind what is going to ultimately be the Rebel Alliance. But Rael’s temporary scene with Gerrera illustrates that the fundamentalist insurgent doesn’t play effectively with others, has deep contempt for most of the different combating factions, and doesn’t wish to play ball, even when provided cash, arms, and different temptations. It’s actually attainable we’ll see Gerrera, however maybe like his appearances on “Star Wars Rebels,” they’re temporary and primarily to spotlight the truth that Gerrera isn’t invited into “the big tent” of the riot as Gilroy put it in my interview with the creator in late August.
There’s yet one more main cameo from ‘Rogue One’ on this episode, but it surely’s one that almost all have seemingly missed.
You clearly noticed Serkis; he’s exhausting to overlook. But look nearer, and also you’ll see a supporting character from “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” In these punishing jail situations, in Serkis’ jail division is Ruescott Melshi (Duncan Pow), later often called Sergeant Melshi. He’s a Rebel Alliance commander and one which led Bravo Team to rescue Jyn Erso from the labor camp on the planet Wobani in the beginning of ‘Rogue One’ (see under). He later joined the Rogue One group, led the command group, and was killed throughout the Battle of Scarif. Melshi isn’t a significant character in ‘Rogue One’ per se, however he’s clearly on the fringes of all of the motion involving all the main characters, and he’s an important a part of the Rebel Alliance material.
So sure, Gilroy is world-building and connecting his dots. Sure, there’s a really distinct risk we’ll see ‘Star Wars’ characters like Senator Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits), Admiral Raddus, General Dodonna, and possibly even Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) or Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) —they’re in spite of everything a part of the material of the ‘Rogue One’ story that connects to “Andor.” But with the looks of Melshi, an clearly vital character who by no means actually had the room to get his due within the film, maybe we’ll see extra deep-cut ‘Rogue One’ characters in season two, folks like General Davits Draven, General Antoc Merrick, and related commanders in management positions, or foot troopers and spies like Jav Mefran, Lieutenant Sefia, and Tivik.
If you need an ideal breakdown of supporting foot troopers that would pop up, I counsel you take a look at this informative YouTube video under, which additionally goes into deeper particulars about Melshi and a few of the lieutenants round him.