Andor Episode 11 Ending Is Crushing Rogue One Fans Emotionally

Andor continues to be a standout achievement in both Star Wars storytelling and prestige TV, and the ending of Episode 11 was no different. Andor is now coming down to its final two episodes, so the ending of its penultimate episode (no. 11) was indeed a moment that needed to propel Cassian Andor on his ultimate trajectory toward the finale. Not only did we get that, we also got a deeply powerful character moment (and performance from Diego Luna) whose power resonates all the way down to Andor's final moment in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. 

WARNING: Andor Episode 11 SPOILERS FOLLOW! 

At the start of "Daughter of Ferrix", Cassian Andor's mother Maarva (Fiona Shaw) dies – a fact that Cassian himself doesn't learn until the end of the episode. Cassian has successfully escaped the Imperial prison of Narkina 5, and its mysterious slave labor project, and successfully makes his way back to the luxury resort on Niamos to retrieve her money and gear. It's there that Cassian finally phones home to Ferrix and gets the news that Maarva is gone; his reaction spoke volumes – but not as loudly as the visual symbolism that the scene had. 

After hearing about Maarva Cassian joins fellow escaped prisoner Ruescott Melshi on the beach, to watch the sunrise (sunset?) in peace for a moment, before splitting up. Cassian is left staring at the waves, emotionally broken over losing his mother. 

How Andor Episode 11's Ending Is An Emotional Rogue One Callback

The ending of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story sees Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) successfully pull off the Rebel mission to steal the plans for the Empire's new super weapon, The Death Star. However, while plans for the Death Star are successfully transmitted from the planet Scarif, Andor and Erso (both significantly injured) don't make it off-world before Grand Moff Tarkin uses the Death Star's power to annihilate Scarif entirely. Cassian and Jyn limped down to the beach of the tropical world, and watched the sun on the horizon. Andor's final words to Jyn are that her father (Death Star designer Galen Erso) would be proud of her. It was a nice "come together" moment for the pair of Star Wars heroes, who embrace as destruction comes to claim them. 

Andor Episode 11's ending deepens the meaning of Rogue One's ending significantly. We now know that when facing his last moments on the beach of Scarif, Cassian Andor was reminded of the day he found out about his mother dying. His comment to Jyn about her father being proud of her wasn't just Cassian coming around to bond with Jyn: it was projection, as he was thinking about how his mother would be proud of what he did on Scarif. 

The Andor series has made it clear that Cassian had a deep bond with his adoptive parents, who rescued him from his native world just before the Empire's genocidal cleansing. Maarva had a deeply rebellious spirit, and it is only during his final mission in Rogue One that Cassian Andor finally, fully, changes from a selfish loner with a grudge, to a true rebel hero that scarifices himself for a greater good – like Maarva would've wanted. It's kind of a nice comfort to know that facing his death on the beach in Scarif was actually a fulfilling end for Cassian, as that sunset beach death was nowhere near as painful as the day he knew his mother was gone. 

Andor streams new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.