‘Andor’ Recap & Review: Ep. 10 “One Way Out” Hits the Point of No Return

Frustration. That’s what we’re all feeling right now with Andor episode 10, titled “No Way Out.“ All of us. The audience that’s been watching faithfully, the audience that’s been watching reluctantly, but most of all, the characters. It moves the plot along to promise an epic penultimate episode.

“One Way Out” leaves our characters in an uncertain state. Decisions have been made that put everyone in the position of no turning back. It’s a frustrating place to be. What do you do when there’s no turning back? You make the only choice. You charge forward. Jump plot holes, and dodge tropes. Whatever the cost, you move into episode 11 with the faith that the cliff you are about to leap from has a net below.

Kino Will Lead an Uprising

We open with a frustrated Kino Loy (Andy Serkis). He will need time to come to terms with what he’s just learned. As a prisoner who’s been a foreman for his block, he was sure he’d serve his time and get back to his family. He now knows when his sentence is up, he’ll just be transferred to another section of the prison on Narkina 5 to continue building parts for the mysterious project the Empire is working on.

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Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) knows there’s little time to convince him. Kino’s voice will be needed to convince the rest of the population that they are dead no matter what they do. “I’d rather die trying to take them down than die giving them what they want,” is Cassian’s line at this point; but Kino will reverberate that sentiment in his rallying speech later. Ulaf didn’t die in vain. His replacement on the floor will be the green light for Cassian’s prison mates to take control and escape Narkina 5.

Spies, Rebellions, and the ISB

Dedra Meero’s (Denise Gough) first win comes from a successful conspiracy to eliminate a rebel pilot without the rest of the galaxy making a martyr of him. Officially, he was killed in a malfunction coming out of hyperspace. Lonni Jung (Robert Emms) suggests having ISB take an interest in the investigation because it’s the “least suspicious” response to an unusual accident like this. It buys him time on Coruscant and shows he has the ISB’s integrity in mind. It’s a reminder for us that Lonni has hidden motives. It frustrates Dedra, but she doesn’t know why.

After a quick scene reminding us that Cinta Kaz (Varada Sethu) and the Empire keep tabs on Cassian’s family and friends on Imperial-occupied Ferrix, we move to Coruscant. Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) is meeting with Davo Sculdun (Richard Dillane) to secure laundered funding for “charity.” Davo is clearly not fooled and uses the opportunity to request they follow Chandrilan tradition in arranging a marriage between their children. Mon stands by her autonomous scruples and refuses his donation, knowing she’s putting herself at risk of being found out by the Empire.

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The exchange is direct but polite, and she is left shaken. Genevieve O’Reilly reads desperation and fear on her face, reminding viewers that she is a master in her art. Richard Dillane plays a genteel jerk so well that we can only hope to see him again. Based on their parting words, he’ll be Mon Mothma’s bane in the next two episodes.

Kleya Marki (Elizabeth Dulau) and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) discuss a communication from their agent embedded in the Imperial Security Bureau. He wants a meeting. Kleya is convinced it’s a trap, but Luthen knows that if their agent turned sides, they’d already be caught. He meets with their spy in a secluded hallway in the bowels of Coruscant’s lower levels. It’s Lonni Jung from the ISB. Luthen coldly congratulates Lonni on the birth of his daughter. It’s a veiled threat and a reminder of who holds the cards. It’s eerily reminiscent of Count Dooku’s reminder from Darth Sidious that his choice is irrevocable.

After Lonni offers some new valuable information, including Dedra Meero’s search for “Axis,” Stellan Skarsgård delivers a monologue that defines his character. Lonni is frustrated and scared about what’s to come. He wants out of their deal, but Luthen states that he’s given up everything for a sunrise he’ll never see. The Rebellion is for Lonni’s daughter. Luthen has nothing to lose, ensuring Lonni will continue to be an asset for the Rebellion.

Andor and Kino’s One Way Out Is Problematic

“Chekhov’s gun” proposes, “If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired.” Andor has been so carefully written that there isn’t a moment of wasted dialogue. There isn’t a touch of wasted scenery. Every minute detail is a plot device. We learned of the water and food system in prison for a reason during episode 8. Water is a theme of freedom here. It plays a part in the prisoners’ escape inside the facility, and it also plays a role in the final getaway. Unfortunately, Kino Loy can’t swim.

Is it a weak trope that brings Kino Loy’s venture for freedom to a screeching halt? But perhaps his dead end is something that will be better explained later. And as far as the rest of the prisoners go, many of which we can presume drowned in their quest for freedom, where does Cassian go? If Narkina 5 is a prison planet, how will he get off the world once he’s reached the shore?

We’ve trusted the writers so far. Tony Gilroy, Beau Willimon, and George Lucas (thank goodness he’s not alone in this writer’s room) have successfully filled the few open holes. They’ve created a mostly trope-free environment that we can count on. The momentum occasionally hits turbulence, but it’s a long journey. Getting Cassian Andor from his island mentality to team Rebellion could never have been a short trip. Concise doesn’t work when a character transitions a la Breaking Bad. We have to believe it.

Cassian Andor, as a person, in his reality, has never been an open book; but as viewers, we are reading his pages. I am convinced he is 100% a rebel at this point. Episode 11 promises a new life for him in more ways than one.