This block of episodes has kicked off another year shift in the timeline. And has a heavy focus on Ghorman, that planet that was all-so important to the Empire because of the materials needed for the Death Star.
Oh. I should say–spoilers.
I was curious just how jarring it would be to transition a year forward in the timeline, and I’m happy to say while I was slightly confused at first, it does sprinkle in context as you go, so you don’t feel too lost.
The biggest pieces of this block of episodes is showing just how traumatized Bix was, both from the attempted rape earlier in the season, and the interrogation she had to endure in season one. Cassian and Bix are now a couple again–I guess it was implied in earlier episodes, but you get to see what a couple, both spies in an active revolution, live like. Turns out it’s a lot of being super bored in a safehouse, and fearing for safety every time you leave. Cassian goes on missions still for Luthen, his latest being investigating a splinter cell of rebels on Ghorman, who are fed up with the Empire.
Cassian doesn’t want to leave Bix–she’s been waking up with nightmares, taking a drug that will make her pass out at night, which she progressively becomes more reliant on as the episodes weave in and out of the different storylines. Luthen convinces him that Ghorman could be worth it–it’s a lot of money, and a lot of smoke for the Rebellion.
Ghorman itself was interesting, both the set design and very French. You get earlier snippets that this is a fashion capital, and it reminds me of those AI-generated videos of Balenciaga, where everything is very posh and fancy. The language that they speak sounds like French at first glance, and has its roots in it, but watching the behind-the-scenes, they cast all French actors, and then made up a language for them all to speak. Dedication.
These are people who have been very insulated to a certain degree when it comes to an open Rebellion. Years earlier, they had been attacked by Grand Moff Tarkin, who landed his ship on top of 500 unarmed Ghormans in a square. Brutal. But they are also very inept when it comes to spycraft. Cassian points this out as much when he first meets his contact and roasts them for being impatient to meet him, and that the person who has been following them is shit.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that later on, when a stray shot kills Cinta, it’s because of just how green these people are. Vel properly dresses the guy who did it down, who is now crying over what happened. I’m not certain that I felt a lot of emotion about Cinta dying–that sounds crass, but it happened so suddenly, and felt kind of random, that I didn’t have much time to register it.
The episodes as a whole had pretty good pacing; I didn’t even really realize I had made it through the second episode until the end credits rolled. Overall, the episodes as a whole continued to be rock solid. For a moment, it looked like our favorite imperial couple had broken up, but apparently, Syril was just being a way in for Dedra and her boss into the rebel group on Ghorman. You can tell they are going to destroy them from the inside out. It’s only a matter of time.
Speaking of which–what a fucking weird relationship Dedra and Syril have. Dude has been gone for a year, and once he finally meets up with Dedra, they only have an hour together. At least she is practical about it. “Turn the lights off.”
There was a random encounter with Senator Organa with Mon Mothma–but not by Jimmy Smits! It was a brief cameo by Benjamin Bratt…which tells me Disney didn’t want to fork over that much money for him. Nothing against Benjamin Bratt–but after hearing Jeremy Renner comment on why there isn’t a Hawkeye Season 2 (I still haven’t seen season one yet…), where Disney wanted to pay the man half of what he made on Season 1 (after his accident, mind you) it kind of stinks a bit of Disney being too cheap to do a proper cameo with Jimmy Smits. I don’t care if it was only 30 seconds. If you’re gonna do a cameo, do it right.
Luthen visiting Bix felt a bit slimy. This man is committed to making sure that things for the Rebellion go well. Ultimately when Cassian says “I’m out” when it comes to Ghorman, he already had a backup plan in place, sending Vel and Cinta to do the job. I think Bix is going to have a similar fate, when Cassian is on a mission, and Luthen won’t even show regret over it. (Keep in mind, I am writing this before the latest block of episodes just dropped this past Tuesday, so maybe this already happened…)
There are two standout scenes/moments in this set of episodes. It was good to see Forest Whitaker back as Saw Gerrera. I’m not super into his character as a whole, but you see just how fucking crazy this guy is. If Luthen is ruthless, this man is plain twisted on his devotion to the cause. It also shows that the really insane people are the ones who are running the revolutions, the ones who are willing to sacrifice everything. There is a really complicated engine that runs on Rhydonium, a super volatile fuel. Of course, Saw uses it to get fucking high–it’s super dangerous to breathe, and he’s making Wilmon take a deep breath. What a speech:
“We’re the rhydo, kid. We’re the fuel. We’re the thing that explodes when there’s too much friction in the air. Let it in, boy! That’s freedom calling! Let it in. Let it run! Let it run wild!“
It also explains why in Rogue One, he has to have a breathing apparatus, because the man had been getting high a bit too much. Insanity.
However, the best scene of the whole episode block was also the last: Bix getting revenge on Dr. Gorst. I’m not sure how she found him but the look on his face, and confusion at seeing her…”How do I know you?” as he got strapped into his chair and realized just what was happening was amazing. Her line repeating back to him from her earlier interrogation..”Don’t worry, it’ll only feel like forever.” was just badass.
Then she just casually walks out as he feels the full weight of all the pain he caused. Her also just shooting the guard, the explosion of the building as she walked away with Cassian–
Badass.
I am really curious to see how the next set of episodes go. The last episode will air by the time I get around to the next article. So no spoiling it for me!
