The final three episodes of Andor have arrived on Disney+, and we've reached "BBY 1. That means the series has entered the final months of Cassian's life before he meets Jyn Erso and helps to steal the Death Star plans.
The series has introduced many characters who weren't featured in previous Star Wars projects, meaning their stories also conclude here, and in ways we definitely wouldn't have predicted in advance (particularly Luthen Rael and Dedra Meero).
While Cassian's role in the final three instalments is about setting up Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, there's a final twist that's both heartbreaking and a possible hint that the "Andor" story is far from over.
You can read our full recaps of the final three episodes of Andor season 2 below.
Episode 10
It's "BBY 1," and Luthen Rael meets with a frantic Lonni Jung. The ISB supervisor tells him that Dedra Meero is close to discovering who he is and reveals that Director Orson Krennic is building a secret weapon (Galen Erso also receives a mention). While Luthen vows to help Lonnie and his family escape in exchange for the intel, he kills him instead.
Later, Dedra arrives at Luthen's antiques dealership and, after bringing out the Imperial N-S9 Starpath Unit from season 1, it's revealed that she's finally deduced his identity as "Axis." Luthen takes great delight in talking about how the Rebellion has spread, and attempts to kill himself with a blade. However, the Imperials keep him alive as Kleya Marki watches from afar.
Flashbacks reveal that a young Luthen was a reluctant soldier who rescued Kleya as a girl and started selling stolen antiques to get by. Eventually, she expressed a desire to fight the Empire, so he gives her a trigger and the opportunity to blow up a bridge full of Imperials on Naboo. He stops her at the last minute and does it himself, but their Rebellion has begun.
In the present, Kleya infiltrates the hospital where Luthen is being kept and, after killing several Stormtroopers and creating an explosive distraction, she unhooks Luthen's life support, kisses his forehead and tearfully leaves as he dies. Dedra, meanwhile, is arrested by the ISB for interfering in the "Axis" operation.
Episode 11
A furious Krennic visits Dedra (who has been detained by the ISB) and talks about the Death Star. It turns out she's been sent Imperial files she shouldn't have (call it a clerical error), and decided to keep notes on them without telling her superiors. It's those that Lonni saw, meaning Dedra is the reason Luthen and the Rebellion learn of the weapon's existence. All of this came as a result of her searching for Axis.
Krennic argues with Partagaz before he returns to Scarif, and it seems the ISB Major is also going to be blamed for Dedra's missteps.
The ISB is hunting Kleya, but she transmits a message to Wilmon Paak. He lets Cassian and K-2SO know, and they set off for Coruscant alongside Ruescott Melshi. Kleya tells them about the Death Star and is reluctant to go to Yavin, given that the Rebel Alliance members ostracised Luthen. Without him, there would be no Rebellion, but his methods no longer suit them, it seems.
However, Imperials are closing in—K-2SO lays waste to some of them—and the episode ends with the remainder zeroing in on the safe house.
Episode 12
There's a stand-off between our heroes and the ISB, but K-2SO arrives to save the day, and they escape. Meanwhile, the leaders of the Rebel Alliance bicker among themselves, with Mon Mothma and Saw Gerrera arguing about his decision to take refuge on Jeddah. Bale Organa is also there, as is Admiral Ackbar.
We discover that the "energy project" that the Empire got the Senate to fund was secretly for the Death Star, but when Cassian tells them what Luthen learned, they all seem reluctant to act. He points out that, despite his methods, Luthen gave far more to the Rebellion, but is confined to his quarters by a sceptical Bale.
Partagaz listens to Karis Nemik's manifesto and kills himself rather than face prison.
Ultimately, the Rebel leaders reconsider things and task Cassian with meeting Tivick on Khafree (which was the hero's first scene in Rogue One). Bale realises he was wrong and tells Cassian he wants to go down swinging, adding, "May the Force be With You."
As the episode ends, we watch Cassian head for his ship. We see Wilmon with his girl, Mon and her sister eating among the people on Yavin, Mon's ex-husband, miserable with another woman, Kleya finding new purpose within the Rebellion, Dedra in a white and orange prison uniform, locked in the same facility where Cassian was once held, Saw on Jeddah, and Krennic watching the final touches being put to the Death Star.
Cassian locks eyes with that Force healer as he sets off alongside K-2SO. Elsewhere, we see a happy B2EMO and Bix, who is carrying Cassian's child, a baby he'll never get to meet given that his story ends on Scarif after helping to save the Galaxy...
Andor season 2 is now streaming on Disney+.