Andor 1×11 “Daughter of Ferrix” isn’t actually about any of the daughters of Ferrix, as much as it is about the idea of them, and about saying goodbye to Maarva Andor. Grief, which has been present in this show’s storytelling from the beginning, takes actual physical form in an episode that examines not the actual last moments, but the ones after that — and how hard they can be.
With only one episode — and an entire 12-episode second season — to go, Andor seems to be following a clear linear path to the Cassian Andor we met in Rogue One. But that doesn’t mean the step from A to B is easy, or that there are no challenges or lessons to be learned along the way. In fact, Andor seems to delight in proving that nothing is as simple as it seems, not in life and certainly not in storytelling.
But the balance between subtlety and certainty is one Andor masterfully achieves. Star Wars, in general, can often fall into the trap of being a morality tale in ways that deprive it of the nuance these kinds of stories sometimes need to resonate. Not in Andor. This show both knows what it’s trying to say, and how to say it in a way that might actually make a difference.
I don’t want to be alone
Grief isn’t a new subject for entertainment, and it isn’t even a subject new to the galaxy far, far away, but the way the show mixes in the entirety of Ferrix mourning Maarva, with B2EMO and Cassian coming to terms with her absence is both heartfelt and real. There aren’t always answers to be found in grief, much less inspiration. More often than not, the only thing you can feel in the immediate aftermath is just …pain. Loss has no real cure, and no there is no roadmap for what comes after.
And yes, B2EMO can indeed feel that, in his own way, just like R2-D2, BB-8 and K2-SO did before him. Perhaps it’s not the same kind of grief, but loss is loss, and Star Wars has always been clear about the fact that droids, like people, can feel that. Not just that, as we look forward to the season finale, it’s important to remember what loss brings, and the ways it can make us react.
For the greater good
A lot of hard choices are being made in Andor 1×11 “Daughter of Ferrix,” an episode that truly examines what it means to believe in something and what you are willing to give up for that lofty ideal of the greater good. For Saw, even though it takes him a while to get there, and for Luthen too, the calculation is pretty simple. The Rebellion comes first. For Mon Mothma, however, it’s all much more complicated, because it involves her family.
Of course, the irony in all of that is that her family is probably better off doing the things she doesn’t want and distancing themselves from her desires as much as possible. If Mon Mothma were to go down, the best thing for everyone involved would be to be able to claim ignorance. Now, that doesn’t seem to be the reason for her issues with her husband, but there might be something there with her daughter. Why even try when Lieda stands to lose so much more if they actually get close? Keeping her at arm’s length might be the right decision — for the greater good.
Doesn’t the greater good just suck sometimes?
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Andor 1×11 “Daughter of Ferrix”? Share with us in the comments below!
The first eleven episodes of Andor are now available to stream on Disney+.
