Andor – Jedha Kyber Erso review S2 E12
Jedha Kyber Erso should come with the warning that this episode will immediately make you want to put on Rogue One. The first season of Andor had short build ups with explosive bursts throughout. For the second and final season, it was more a slow burn until a megaton series of explosions culminating in this fantastic finale.
So much of Andor has been celebrating the uncelebrated heroes who operated behind the scenes of the Rebellion. Those who laid the kindling and toiled for years hoping to ignite a spark that ultimately results in a game-changing status quo shift with the victory at Yavin. Jedha Kyber Erso marks the culmination of all those efforts in an episode that would have felt incredibly bittersweet until that full ignition of hope in the final scene.
Last episode, the ISB was closing in on Cassian, Kleya and Melshi, but the calvary was on the way in the form of K2-S0. While the tactical squad was bearing down on Cassian and crew’s position, K2 was taking out ISB communication channels en route to aid his buddy. We get a classic blaster stand-off between Cassian and Melshi and the ISB…right up until K2 enters the fray.
K2 annihilates the ISN tactical unit in the most overwhelming manner possible. To the tune of carrying Supervisor Heert’s limb body and using it as a shield. In his usual ironic tone, K2 announces “Cassian I’ve cleared a path for you.”
Jedha Kyber Erso shows exactly why K2-S0 couldn’t be a featured player throughout the series. He tilted the scales dramatically in Cassian’s favor and would have been intensely challenging in terms of creating scenarios that wouldn’t just make Cassian sweat but also that K2 couldn’t immediately overcome.
In the fray, Kleya got knocked out, but she’s fine. It did kinda feel like after she gave Cassian the intel on Jedha Kyber Erso that she’d outlived her usefulness, but that wasn’t the case thankfully. It’s just as well that she was knocked out as she couldn’t argue with Cassian bringing her to Yavin.
On Yavin, another Rebellion persona non grata, Saw Gerrera, is arguing with the High Council of Bail Organa, Mon Mothma and Gen. Draven. Saw’s paranoia has reached its peak now and he was distrustful and suspicious of even those who although somewhat reluctantly consider him an ally.
They don’t have time to consider Saw’s actions as Cassian is coming in hot with his ship. General Raddish says Draven is lucky that Anton Merrick isn’t here or he would have shot down Cassian as soon as he arrived. Draven escorts Cassian to the High Council to convey the threat of the Death Star. He doesn’t know the specifics but knows the importance of Jedha Kyber Erso.
Before he can offer anything else, Cassian finds himself forced to defend Luthen’s name — for the sake of argument let’s just avoid saying Luthen’s “good” name. Most of the High Council scoffs at the idea of trusting anything Luthen discussed prompting Cassian to explain that if it wasn’t for Luthen’s actions they wouldn’t even be here. That’s definitely the case for Mon. The others have no idea what Luthen sacrificed to get this rebellion ball rolling.
The council barely has a clue what Cassian has had to do as Bail forbids him from flying his ship and confines him to his quarters. Mon at least grants him permission to check in on Kleya. Mon also updates Vel and mentions Cassian is grounded. “He should stop saving people.” Seriously. Where’s the gratitude for one of your greatest heroes Rebellion?
As requested, Vel chats up Cassian to make sure Luthen’s story is real. Vel likely didn’t doubt it, but Cassian easily convinces her. Vel suggests Cassian contact Bix. While he doesn’t think she’d be safe with him, Vel encourages him to do it soon. After losing Cinta in the manner she did, Vel knows of what she speaks. Cassian should have listened to her.
Back on Coruscant, Major Partagaz hears a recording of Nemik’s manifesto against the Empire. It’s not an awesome look. Partagaz’s chambers, which was once bustling with so many ISB officers, now sits empty until Lagret comes by. They’re waiting on him. If the mysterious “they” are Darth Vader and The Emperor, Partagaz probably did the smart thing and killing himself.
Vel sees Kleya in the rainy forest wandering aimlessly. Without her mission in the carefully arranged system she and Luthen established, she was understandably concerned about her role in the Rebellion. Vel tells her the message that prompts Kleya to get that she is indeed safe — “I have friends everywhere.”
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Draven has heard far too much chatter and news about those very three specific names — Jedha Kyber Erso. If it was an Imperial trap they put too much work in it. Mon and Draven talk to Bail to stress the importance of Cassian being back in action.
Cassian gets a not-so refreshing wake-up from K2, who states “Waking up humans is always confusing. The man you do not like is here.”
Bail gives Cassian the go-ahead to investigate this intel. What changed his mind? “If I die fighting the empire I want go down swinging.” Ominous words. Benjamin Bratt has again been excellent in Andor, but these key pivotal moments would have been so much more impactful said by Jimmy Smits solely for the on-screen continuity.
The final few moments of Jedha Kyber Erso are intense as we get a glimpse of all the surviving characters as Cassian heads to his ship. Melshi is leading his squad through drills; Wilmon is with Dreena in Yavin; Kleya watches the Rebels moving about and seems to consider Vel’s words — she does have friends everywhere now. Friends who believe in the same Rebellion she fought for in the shadows for so long with Luthen.
Perrin is running around with Davos Sculdun’s (ex?) wife Runai in Coruscant and Dedra is stuck in an Imperial prison very similar to the one Cassian was in last season.
Cassian nods at the Force healer who seems to know his fate while Saw looks out of his observatory, a scene mirrored as Krennic looks at the Death Star that would ironically mark Saw’s end while Cassian and K2 fly off from Yavin preparing for their final journey together.
That would have been a great ending and fitting for the tone heading into Rogue One. But Jedha Kyber Erso has one more scene that packs so much emotion in it. Back on Mina-Rau, B2EMO runs around while Bix is walking along on the fields. She’s not alone as she carries a baby — Cassian’s son. Bix smiles as she looks to the sky and softly says “It’s ok.”
This was a truly beautiful moment. The whole deal with Andor was the sense it couldn’t have a happy ending. We knew Cassian’s fate long before the series Andor began. Knowing what he sacrificed and lost, it’s nice to know that the same hope Cassian gave Princess Leia with the Death Star plans he’d also unknowingly providing to his wife and son.
Jedha Kyber Erso was a masterful conclusion to a tremendous final season of Andor. It ends as an indelible part of the Star Wars legacy that shouldn’t be skipped as it’s too vital to the overall story.
Rating: 10 out of 10
Photo Credit: Disney
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