Warning! This article contains spoilers for Andor season 2, episodes 10-12.

Andor season 2, episode 9's ending closing out a perfect chapter for the show.

Naturally, I was not expecting it to be able to eclipse this perfection in its final episodes, and I'll it I was correct in checking my expectations. best Star Wars TV show ever made.

Andor Season 2's Final Arc Is Smaller Scale & Works Well Because Of It

The Final Three Episodes Are An Intermission Of Sorts (But A Great One)

While I was not expecting the same scale of galaxy-altering events from last week, there's still some action in episodes 10, 11, or 12, and they work more as a conclusion to the story and characters than as a big action blowout. I liken these three episodes to the season finales of Game of Thrones, which often served as wrap-up and set-up after the usually massive installments of penultimate episodes.

In this sense, Andor season 2's final act functions the same. The focus on a few smaller infiltration and extraction missions brings Mon's escape to mind, but the big speeches, wartime scenarios, riots, and massacres are mostly absent. Instead, the season 2 finale addresses the final hanging threads before the known story of Rogue One, almost as an intermission between last week's climactic events and the 2016 film's bombastic storyline. Regardless of the more withdrawn story matter, Andor season 2's final three episodes work.

Andor Season 2, Episodes 10-12 Flow Seamlessly Into Rogue One

Rogue One Is Andor Season 3

The final episodes are content to wrap up what is needed before Rogue One. After Bix's departure last week, the only loose threads now (or characters we knew were not in Rogue One) included the ing cast of Andor season 2. The focus here is primarily placed on Luthen and Kleya, with a few excellent, morally gray flashbacks showing how the two met. These flashbacks are intercut with Kleya's mission to get to Luthen, who is placed in an ISB hospital after being confronted by Dedra Meero and trying to die by suicide to keep the Rebellion's secrets.

Luthen's injury comes after he finds out about the Death Star's construction from his , Lonnie Jung.

Kleya's mission is suitably tense and addresses why Luthen is not in Rogue One after the former tearfully makes certain that the latter cannot divulge any secrets to the ISB. The mission then switches to Cassian, K-2SO, and Ruescott Melshi heading to Coruscant to extract Kleya. Here is where most of the action is found, with Cassian finding out about the Death Star and rushing to get Kleya safely back to Yavin IV to tell the leaders of Star Wars' Rebel Alliance.

This entire story works perfectly to explain Rogue One's story, down to Cassian's final scene involving him flying to the Ring of Kafrene, the seedy location where he makes his debut in the movie. The final two episodes of Andor season 2 also include cameos from iral Raddus and Director Krennic, both teasing the conflict to come. When adding in K-2's involvement, the episodes work as a prelude to Rogue One, solidifying the arc's status as somewhat of a bridge between two major Star Wars events.

Andor Season 2's Best Aspects Continue To Work

Cast, Writing & Morally Gray Politics

It seems almost redundant to continue gushing about Andor season 2's performances, writing, and political exploration after my previous three reviews of the show, but episodes 10-12 continue all three. Regarding the performances, Elizabeth Dilau is the standout here as Kleya. Kleya has always been a great character, but the insight into her background, her relationship with Luthen, the focus on her mission, and her sheer intensity in relaying information to the Rebellion marks these three episodes as the best she has ever been, with Dilau handling this all expertly.

Stellen Skarsgård matches her as Luthen and, while the material he is given does not quite reach the heights of season 1's monologue-heavy writing, the character gets a fitting send-off. Alan Tudyk also returns as the voice of K-2SO and imbues the episodes with a heap of humor that he showcased in Rogue One. Finally, I would be remiss not to mention Diego Luna as Cassian. The final scenes with him arguing against Rebel command are excellent and solidify him as one of the Disney era's best Star Wars characters.

The writing matches all of these performances, mostly, as does the exploration of Star Wars politics. Seeing how characters like Dedra Meero, Luthen, Partagaz, Krennic, and others end up — or fail to end up — where they are in Rogue One is perfect, blending the mature exploration that is so different from regular Star Wars with a fittingly, well, Star Wars story. The final scene is also a tear-jerker, ending Andor in the perfect way and solidifying the show as the bar future franchise properties should try — yet likely fail — to eclipse.