Andor review: “The Axe Forgets” is a slow, paranoid bridge episode

Though many may have expected Andor‘s fifth episode to be an action-packed 40 minutes of ragtag rebels attacking an Imperial garrison, what we got instead was a poignant and uneasy exploration of individual characters’ motivations.

Episode 5, “The Axe Forgets” continues the series’ slow-burn theme as it spends most of its time bouncing between groups of characters talking. The title refers to the phrase, “the axe forgets, but the tree remembers,” which is a metaphor for why the rebels are fighting the Empire. But as we get more glimpses of Syril Karn’s (Kyler Soller) new lot in life, Mon Mothma’s (Genevieve O’Reilly) toxic household, and Dedra’s (Denise Gough) obsessive investigation, it’s clear the motto pertains to all characters in Andor, Imperial and rebel both.

Most of the episode is spent with Cassian (Diego Luna) and the small, mismatched group of Aldhani rebels. There’s a particular focus on Skeen (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who clearly distrusts Cassian (now going by the name Clem), poking at him until he breaks and reveals he’s being paid to be there.

Cassian has to walk a fine line here, giving away just enough information about himself and his skills to prove himself useful without “blowing his cover.” Unlike the other rebels, he’s not there to seek revenge or justice for a lost loved one, nor is he there to make friends. He’s there for personal gain, showing us that he’s still very much on the journey to becoming the give-it-all-for-the-cause hero of the Rebellion.

Star Wars: Andor humanizes the cogs in the machinery of the Empire

Elsewhere, we see short scenes of Syril living the adult nightmare of having to move back home with his mother after losing his job and all prospects for a successful future. And his mother doesn’t let him forget his failures, pestering him at the breakfast table as he plays with a sad bowl of the Star Wars version of Cocoa Puffs cereal.

Syril’s mother believes that his Uncle Harlo can help him get back on his feet. I’m very interested to see who this man turns out to be. In the meantime, Syril clearly blames his downfall on Cassian.

Also on Coruscant is Mon Mothma, who can’t seem to escape the political battlefield even in her own home. Brief exchanges between her and her husband Perrin (Alastair Mackenzie) paint their marriage as one with no love lost. In one scene, Perrin sits smugly at the table as he watches his plans to turn their daughter against Mon bear fruit.

Lastly, we check in with Dedra at ISB headquarters, and see more attempts to make the humanize the villains of the galaxy. Andor shines a light not on the “big baddies” like the Emperor, Darth Vader, and Grand Moff Tarkin, but on the everyday cogs in the Imperial machine. It’s no secret that the Empire is run by self-serving, power-hungry people. Dedra is one such person, even if her exact goals aren’t quite clear yet. We see her doubling down on her investigation into supposedly random attacks on Imperial bases across the galaxy. She’s staying up late, clocking unpaid overtime, and taking pills (probably stims) to keep going.

Verdict

“The Axe Forgets” puts the action on the back burner in favor of character-building. The episode feels like a tense bridge between the sizzling three-episode opener and climactic action yet to come.

Nearly halfway through the first season, Andor continues to showcase the lived-in worlds and daily lives of the “boots on the ground” people in the galaxy. The episode and series overall may not be chock full of Easter eggs and shocking cameos, but little by little it’s making the people and places beyond the Jedi and Skywalkers much more interesting.

Star Wars: Andor episodes 1-5 are streaming now on Disney+.

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