Andor 1×10 Review: “One Way Out”

Cassian inspires a massive prison break out of Narkina 5, as the costs of being part of the Rebellion become apparent in “One Way Out.” (Andor Season 1 Episode 10)

Ulaf’s unfortunate death on the prison production line in “Nobody’s Listening!” helps prove Cassian’s (Diego Luna) declaration that nobody is getting out of Narkina 5 without escaping and that they must act quickly. In the appropriately titled, “One Way Out,” Cassian inspires the other prisoners to work together to escape the Imperial prison.

Cassian is not alone in his efforts, as his plan hinges on the leadership of prisoner and production line supervisor Kino (Andy Serkis). Despite learning that prisoners are given new sentences at the end of their sentences and transferred into a different prison, Kino is still hesitant to help Cassian. Cassian manages to convince him with a persuasive speech that continues to showcase how suited he is to his eventual role in the Rebellion. Cassian tells the rest of the prisoners what they learned, and everyone else is quickly on board.

The plan involves overwhelming the Imperial guards once a new prisoner is brought to their production line. Cassian uses a prisoner-created distraction to sneak off and disable the floors. Once the new prisoner is brought in, he and the prisoners make their move. The entire sequence is thrilling and proves that the series can execute action sequences just as well as quieter character moments.

As Cassian and Kino breach the prison’s main control center, Cassian has Kino address the prisoners on other floors to tell them the plan. Kino’s monologue starts by quoting what Cassian said to him at the beginning of the episode, but Kino quickly makes it his own and inspires everyone else to take control. Serkis does a fantastic job with the monologue, and it’s easy to see how his words and delivery inspire others.

Unfortunately, the escape’s end with everyone jumping out of the prison into the water is bittersweet. Kino admits to Cassian that he cannot swim, but Cassian is pushed into the water by the crowd before he can do anything about it. It’s a sad moment but shows how selfless Kino’s actions were despite knowing that he would never get out of the prison alive.

While the prison break was the main highlight of the episode, there were other moments that highlighted the true cost of being a part of the forming Rebellion. Mon (Genevieve O’Reilly) attempts to negotiate a way to discreetly invest some of her family wealth in the Rebellion. Davo (Richard Dillane) will only do it on the condition that she be open to an arranged marriage between his son and Mon’s daughter. Mon immediately refuses the offer, but there, unfortunately, may not be an alternative option.

Upon learning that Dedra (Denise Gough) is attempting to use a captured Rebellion fighter to stage a trap, undercover spy Lonni (Robert Emms) reports the news to Luthen (Stellan Skarsgard). Luthen refuses to act on the tip to avoid exposing a leak in the Empire, and Lonni wants to get out of spying to be with his family. This leads to Luthen giving a moving monologue about all that he’s sacrificed for the Rebellion, and Skarsgard, like Serkis, does an amazing job making the already powerful words even more effective.

Much about Luthen is still mysterious, but the ending scene of “One Way Out” helps to uncover some of the mystery. Even more intriguing is what is in store for the newly escaped Cassian in the season’s final two episodes.

Author: Jessica Wolff

Jessica Wolff is a graduate of Drexel University with a BS in Film/Video. She has a passion for entertainment and representation in entertainment. She currently resides outside of Washington, DC.

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