1x10 One Way Out

[8.0/10] The prison break is an outstanding set piece. Once again, the time spent on setup in Andor is well worth it, because the payoffs are so good. By the time the prison break actually happens, we have a good enough sense of the prison, and the prisoners, to where their fate matters to us, and the means make sense.

I already talked about Kino’s arc in my write-up of the last episode, but it bears repeating. His realization that he’s been working toward something that would never be given to him, and watching how he becomes an agent of the master’s whims to someone who turns the master’s tools against him, is superb. The prime moment is his speech to the fellow prisoners. He starts off with bare facts, and Cassian spurs him, cajoles him, motivates him to speak with the same fire he once used to speak for them.

And so he lays bare the lies of this place, gives his fellow prisoners the consciousness that the methods used to keep them in line have been shut down, and that with their strength in numbers, the abilities and work ethic they show in their work, they have everything they need to take over this place and escape. It’s low key inspiring, especially when paired with images of these slaves, impressed into service on flimsy charges and given overblown sentence, rising up and showing what they can do when they work together and people in the right places take the right chances.

“One Way Out” becomes the rallying cry, rather than a death sentence. There’s poetic irony to the fact that Kino can’t join them in the escape, because he doesn’t know how to swim. It’s a very “Moses can lead his people to the promised land but not enter” ending to this particular character and this particular arc, but one that resonates with its themes and imagery.

Granted, I’m a little fuzzy on the details. You get the gist of it, but it’s not clear what the plan was once they made it out of their unit, or how diving off the platform into the water below was going to allow them to fully escape. You’d think that holding onto the facility once they took it over, trying to use emergency transports out or something, would have made more sense. And it’s a little odd that no lockdown procedures were implemented, but I guess the “short circuit the floor with water” plan, and the ability to get to the control room quickly helps the logistics make weight. It requires a bit of willing suspension of disbelief, I’m willing to play along given how rousing and character-focused their triumph ultimately is.

I enjoyed the other two big character moments we got in this one as well. Mon Mothma is stooping to consorting with a gangster from her home planet in order to mask her use of family funds to support the Rebellion in the wash of big time bankroll. She’s already uncomfortable with it, and doesn’t like having to consort with a member of the mob like a fellow civilized gent. What I appreciate most is that it would come with a tremendous cost -- her daughter. The gangster’s price is that his son and Mothma’s daughter be introduced, and that is a bridge too far. But it throws a conflict and inner turmoil into the mix, as Mon Mothma’s desire to protect her daughter from the Empire and help create a better world for her is weighed against being forced to forge a familial connection to someone Mon despises and potentially subject her to some of “the old way” like betrothals at young ages which mon herself abhors. The tug of war between the personal and the practical here makes for strong material, and Geneive O’Reilly is great in the scene.

I’m also a big fan of the scene with Luthen. In pragmatic terms, it creates another moral dilemma. What should he do with the knowledge that the ISB knows about the plans of one of the Rebel leaders? Should he prompt his ISB insider to stay in the role despite feeling overwhelmed because the work is too important? There’s a lot to grapple with there in terms of plot.

But at the same time, these scenes serve to answer a bigger question. Why haven't we heard of Luthen until now? I like the answer we get. He is sort of doomed to be anonymous, to work behind the scenes, to be a subtle puppetmaster, because he’s doing the dirty work of the Rebellion. He’s sold his soul in the name of the greater good, watching a small idea grow and bloom underneath him, but in a way that costs him moral compromises and sacrifices of his ability to sleep peacefully at night.

It’s a hell of a speech from Luthen that lays out his basic ethos. I take this moral depravity on so others don’t have to. I live anonymously so others are protected in public. I do the work you never see, so you can enjoy the stirring but simpler story of a farm boy who saves the galaxy. It’s retconning, to be sure, but it’s done well, rooted in theme and character and adding complexity, both moral and narrative, to the story of the Rebellion.

Overall, another strong outing from the show, with some great character moments for Mon Mothma and Luthen, as well as a hell of a set piece with the prison escape.

This show is taking Star Wars more and more away from the fairy tale and to places that are uncomfortable. And I love it !

I was suspecting their is a mole inside the ISB but I did not see that angle. Luthen is willing to send fifty people to their death to let the ISB think they are still ahead. That's what Rebellion really means. Sacrifice. Everyone has to sacrifice for something they might never see. That's what fighting means. Awesome scene that also drops a rather interesting piece of information. Luthen said HE started this fifteen years ago. That would take it to about Episode III or just before. So, who is he ?! What's his connection ? Is there more to it or is it just useless dialogue ?

The prison escape was great, too. Not over the top and well filmed. I hope this wasn't the last we've seen of Kino as he really grew on me the last couple of episodes. I wonder how they will escape from the planet, thought.

The Mon Motha part seems kind of filler. I suspect she'll be forced to turn back to Davo for moving money. Even if she didn't like his terms. Which is why right now the scene feels like a dropped in deleted scene.

But hey, I'm always cursing when the credits roll in because I want to know how it's going to continue. And that's a good thing, right ?

8.5/10 - Yeah, that prison break was absolutely epic! :) It's not over yet though.... :o I hope most of them will make it off the planet alive. Could be extremely difficult though - especially if the Empire sends reinforcements and if there is little to no population on that planet.

It's a good thing that the Imperials still don't get their stuff pentested (to save costs?). That access hatch should've been better secured, the electric floors should be on separate circuits (plus that concept probably doesn't really work - especially if you're standing on one foot), they lack proper security doors / access controls (especially on the case of the control room - you should only be able to open those doors from the inside!), and it looks like they have much more weapons around that required and those weapon arsenals are unprotected! Together with the lack of guards, monitoring/surveillance, etc. a pentest would've probably resulted in a F- security rating xD

But I'm glad that they made all of these mistakes and that the prisoners could escape the prison (and hopefully soon from the planet as well)! :)

"Too late."
"You shouldn't be here."
"I'll turn it off."

I'm just irritated that they left those two guards in the control room (at least briefly unsupervised!). The next guys likely shot them but they should've knocked them out just in case they could cause trouble with their system access (even on backup power - this probably means that they cannot turn on the floors but there are still doors, etc.).

It sucks that that guy can't swim. I really hope he'll make it out with some help or another way!

Despite everything I said about the previous episodes this was close to a perfect experience. Finally the payoff for all that was built up. And what a good one! So so intense. They even finally gave me some aliens on the gritty (visually stunning) floors of Coruscant. (Which doesnt make up for all the missing ones prior to this but made the episode all the better nonetheless)
The entire prison break sequence had my heart racing and the chanting was so captivating I actually got goosebumps.
It was a bit unbelievable though that the guards would take so long to electrify the floor. What's the whole point of it if you won't combine it with shooting rioters? It was also somewhat stupid that the breakout was not planned further than to the hangars and really convenient writing that the fact all prisons were in the middle of the ocean just didn't matter at all. But, as I said, "close to perfect".
Mon Mothma being confronted with a drastic decision that has her weigh something so personal and close to her to the efforts of the rebellion had so much weight as well. Not only is that a great and suspenseful idea in terms of writing, they topped it off by giving her a true character moment when she strongly refuses (for now).
As if that wasn't already enough for a really good episode they went ahead and painted an even clearer portrait of Luthen who shows how unscrupulous he needed to become in order to fight for his cause allthewhile being completely aware of it. All this inside one of the most unexpected twists so far - namely a double agent that has been planted inside the ISB. To go even further this isn't simply a helpful plot device but we are confronted with heavy morality because the agent has real and relatable stakes riding on him staying hidden.

Despite everything I said about the previous episodes this was close to a perfect experience. Finally the payoff for all that was built up. And what a good one! So so intense. They even finally gave me some aliens on the gritty (visually stunning) floors of Coruscant. (Which doesnt make up for all the missing ones prior to this but made the episode all the better nonetheless)
The entire prison break sequence had my heart racing and the chanting was so captivating I actually got goosebumps.
It was a bit unbelievable though that the guards would take so long to electrify the floor. What's the whole point of it if you won't combine it with shooting rioters? It was also somewhat stupid that the breakout was not planned further than to the hangars and really convenient writing that the fact all prisons were in the middle of the ocean just didn't matter at all. But, as I said, "close to perfect".
Mon Mothma being confronted with a drastic decision that has her weigh something so personal and close to her to the efforts of the rebellion had so much weight as well. Not only is that a great and suspenseful idea in terms of writing, they topped it off by giving her a true character moment when she strongly refuses (for now).
As if that wasn't already enough for a really good episode they went ahead and painted an even clearer portrait of Luthen who shows how unscrupulous he needed to become in order to fight for his cause allthewhile being completely aware of it. All this inside one of the most unexpected twists so far - namely a double agent that has been planted inside the ISB. To go even further this isn't simply a helpful plot device but we are confronted with heavy morality because the agent has real and relatable stakes riding on him staying hidden.