Warning: Spoilers for Andor episode 5
Disney+’s Andor show is delivering a heist story that beats what The Mandalorian did in season 1. In The Mandalorian’s sixth episode, Mando joined a small group of criminals in a mission to break into a prison and rescue an inmate. The episode stood out as Star Wars’ very own heist story.
As exciting as The Mandalorian’s “The Prisoner” was, Star Wars has topped it with Andor. Since Andor episode 4, the series has been setting up a high-stakes mission where Cassian’s new group will try to sabotage an Imperial operation on Aldhani. With episode 4 focusing on Cassian meeting the people involved, it was expected that the following chapter would be about the heist itself. Instead, Andor episode 5 was essential a “calm before the storm” story in which Cassian continued to get to know his allies while also making preparations for the mission. The Mandalorian, on the other hand, had no time for that sort of buildup. It had to introduce the characters, the heist, and wrap it all up within the span of a single episode.
Why Andor’s Heist Story Is So Different
While The Mandalorian season 1’s heist story was largely regarded as a fun, mostly standalone adventure for the series, Andor’s storytelling has made it possible for the new Star Wars spinoff to go above and beyond that. Instead of being forced to begin and finish its heist in one installment, Andor season 1 has been able to stretch it out to a much longer arc since it has the benefit of being a 12-episode story. With two episodes of setup, Andor succeeded in building tension, stakes, and providing significant character development for key players in the heist like Cinta, Lieutenant Gorn, and Skeen. Not only has this approach worked wonders for Andor, but it’s exactly what the Star Wars franchise has been lacking.
Andor's Storytelling Is Exactly What Star Wars Has Needed
The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi all had to tell their stories within seasons that were eight episodes long or less. Because of that limit, none could go as deep as what Star Wars is doing with Andor. So far, the decision to give the show longer seasons has paid off in a satisfying way.
It’s refreshing that there’s finally a live-action show in the Star Wars universe where the story has room to breathe and unfold at its own pace. With two 12-episode seasons, Andor should have sufficient time to really dive into Cassian Andor's adventures, each of the twists and turns along the way, and how they impact the various character involved. Thanks to this format, Andor is one Star Wars show that can reach the finish line without there being a feeling that there’s so much left to cram into the ending.
Andor releases new episodes on Wednesdays on Disney+.