"Reckoning" is the third episode of the American streaming television series Andor, based on Star Wars created by George Lucas. It was written by Tony Gilroy and directed by Toby Haynes.

"Reckoning"
Andor episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 3
Directed byToby Haynes
Written byTony Gilroy
Featured musicNicholas Britell
Cinematography byAdriano Goldman
Editing by
Original release dateSeptember 21, 2022 (2022-09-21)
Running time38 minutes
Cast
Episode chronology
← Previous
"That Would Be Me"
Next →
"Aldhani"

The episode stars Diego Luna as Cassian Andor, who reprises his role from the Star Wars spinoff film, Rogue One (2016). Haynes was hired in September 2020 after a production delay due the COVID-19 pandemic, and Gilroy joined the series as showrunner in early 2019, replacing Stephen Schiff. Both executive produce alongside Luna and Kathleen Kennedy.

"Reckoning" was released on Disney+ on September 21, 2022, along with "Kassa" and "That Would Be Me", as a three-part series premiere.

Plot

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In a series of flashbacks, young Kassa climbs into the wrecked mining ship and explores its technology. Maarva and her husband Clem arrive to salvage the ship for parts, and encounter Kassa, who is destroying equipment inside the ship in anger. Maarva decides to knock him unconscious and take him with them to save him from incoming Republic ships.

In 5 BBY, Luthen Rael meets with Bix on Ferrix and discusses Andor. Rael leaves to meet with Andor. Meanwhile, Pre-Mor officers Karn and Mosk arrive on Ferrix and restrain Maarva. They discover Andor's location through B2EM0 and prepare to surround the warehouse. Rael and Andor bargain for Andor's Starpath unit, but Rael is more interested in Andor's skill as a spy and successful infiltrations of Empire bases.

Brasso and other Ferrix residents attempt to intimidate the Pre-Mor officers by banging on metal objects. However, the officers manage to apprehend Bix, killing Timm when he attempts to approach her. Rael convinces Andor to leave with him, and they eventually manage to escape on a speeder. While Kassa meets his adoptive parents in the cockpit in the past, Andor leaves with Rael on his starship in the present.

Production

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Development

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Disney CEO Bob Iger announced in February 2018 that there were several Star Wars series in development,[1] and that November one was revealed as a prequel to the film Rogue One (2016). The series was described as a spy thriller show focused on the character Cassian Andor, with Diego Luna reprising his role from the film.[2] Jared Bush originally developed the series, writing a pilot script and series bible for the project.[3] By the end of November, Stephen Schiff was serving as showrunner and executive producer of the series.[3] Tony Gilroy, who was credited as a co-writer on Rogue One and oversaw extensive reshoots for the film,[4] joined the series by early 2019 when he discussed the first story details with Luna.[5] Gilroy's involvement was revealed that October, when he was set to write the first episode, direct multiple episodes, and work alongside Schiff;[4] Gilroy had officially replaced Schiff as showrunner by April 2020.[6] Six weeks of pre-production for the series had taken place in the United Kingdom by then, but this was halted and production on the series delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7][8] Pre-production had begun again by September ahead of a planned filming start the next month. At that time, Gilroy, who is based in New York, chose not to travel to the UK for production on the series due to the pandemic, and was therefore unable to direct the series' first episode. Instead, the UK-based Toby Haynes, who was already "high on the list" of potential directors for the series, was hired to direct the first three episodes. Gilroy would remain executive producer and showrunner.[9] In December 2020, Luna was revealed to be executive producing the series.[10]

The third episode, titled "Reckoning", was written by Tony Gilroy.[11]

Writing

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The writing was structured so that a story arc is contained in every three episodes.[12] For the first three episodes, Gilroy had wanted to address Andor's accent while also exploring his backstory further. He had originally created Andor's origin story while writing the series, and opted to include it earlier in the series to avoid having to "carry it through the whole show". Further describing it as a "contained piece", he had also commented "at some point, I [Gilroy] must have come up with the cutting pattern, and then the interesting thing became how to really tell the young Cassian story, how to stretch that out, and how to get the most out of it".[13][14][15] The episode depicts Maarva and her husband, Clem, scavenging for parts of a crashed spaceship on Kenari, and later finding and subsequently adopting Andor. Actress Fiona Shaw had felt Maarva's situation was similar to Detroit in the 1970s, where "people were recycling bits of cars".[16] Shaw felt that her adoption of Andor had "saved her", as it has given her somebody to love.[17] When Maarva says "That's what a reckoning sounds like" in response to Imperial officials raiding her home to search for Andor, Shaw opined that Maarva had previously experienced oppression under the Empire's regime, saying "I enjoyed that because what was also written in it is this feeling that Maarva has been in these moments before, the same way somebody might remember the 1960s and when the revolution died".[18]

Casting

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The episode stars Diego Luna as Cassian Andor,[2][19] Kyle Soller as Syril Karn, Adria Arjona as Bix Caleen, Joplin Sibtain as Brasso, James McArdle as Timm Karlo, and Rupert Vansittart as Chief Hyne.[19]

Filming

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Filming began in London, England, at the end of November 2020,[20][21] with the production based at Pinewood Studios.[22][23] The series was filmed under the working title Pilgrim,[22] and was the first live-action Star Wars series to not make use of the StageCraft digital background technology.[24] Filming locations included Black Park in Buckinghamshire, England for the flashback scenes, as well as at Middle Peak Quarry in Derbyshire, England.[25]

Music

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Nicholas Britell composed the musical score for the episode.[26][27] The episode's soundtrack was released in October 2022 as part of the first volume for the series. The volume also consisted of the soundtrack for episode 4.[28]

Andor: Episode 3 (Original Soundtrack)
No.TitleLength
1."Andor (Main Title Theme) – Episode 3"0:40
2."Mirror"2:08
3."Corpos"1:41
4."In Their House/Who Are You?"2:07
5."The Reckoning"0:56
6."Past/Present Suite"3:44
Total length:11:26

Release

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"Reckoning" was released on Disney+ on September 21, 2022.[29]

Reception

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Audience viewership

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The first three episodes released at the same time and according to Nielsen Media Research who measure the number of minutes watched by United States audiences on television sets, Andor was the sixth-most watched original series across streaming services for the week of September 19–25, 2022, with 624 million minutes watched.[30]

Critical response

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The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports a 93% approval rating with an average rating of 7.70/10, based on 108 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "Bringing its inciting arc to a satisfying close, Andor starts taking shape as Diego Luna's rebel without a cause discovers a grander purpose."[31]

Accolades

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At the Golden Reel Awards 2022, the episode was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Broadcast Long Form Effects and Foley.[32][33] At the 21st Visual Effects Society Awards, the episode was nominated for Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project.[34]

References

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  1. ^ Goldberg, Lesley; Couch, Aaron (February 6, 2018). "'Star Wars' TV Series: Disney Developing "a Few" for Its Streaming Service". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 11, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Lang, Brent (November 8, 2018). "'Star Wars': Diego Luna to Lead Spinoff Series". Variety. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (November 30, 2018). "Disney+ 'Star Wars' Series Starring Diego Luna Taps Stephen Schiff As Showrunner". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 9, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Otterson, Joe (October 15, 2019). "'Rogue One' Writer Tony Gilroy Joins Cassian Andor 'Star Wars' Series at Disney Plus (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on April 3, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  5. ^ Breznican, Anthony (May 17, 2022). "Star Wars: The Rebellion Will Be Televised". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on May 17, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  6. ^ Kit, Boris (April 24, 2020). "'Star Wars': Cassian Andor Disney+ Series Adds Two Actors (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  7. ^ KingPatel (April 10, 2020). "Exclusive: Cassian Andor Disney+ Series Had Completed About Six Weeks Of Pre-Production Prior To Shut Down". Comic Book Movie. Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  8. ^ Otterson, Joe (April 24, 2020). "Cassian Andor Disney Plus Series Adds Genevieve O'Reilly, Denise Gough". Variety. Archived from the original on April 24, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  9. ^ Kroll, Justin (September 22, 2020). "'Black Mirror's Toby Haynes To Direct 'Rogue One' Spin-Off Series At Disney+ As Tony Gilroy Steps Aside As Director". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  10. ^ Star Wars (December 10, 2020). Sizzle Reel | Andor | Disney+. YouTube.
  11. ^ "Andor (2021–2022)". Writers Guild of America West. Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  12. ^ Vary, Adam B. (August 24, 2022). "How 'Andor' Became the First 'Star Wars' TV Series for Grown-Ups: 'I Wanted to Do It About Real People'". Variety. Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  13. ^ Young, Bryan (September 21, 2022). "Tony Gilroy on the Screenwriting of 'Andor'". Script Magazine. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  14. ^ Taing, Tyler Llewyn (April 7, 2023). "Andor Creator Tony Gilroy Knew Cassian's Backstory Needed To Explain His Accent". /Film. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  15. ^ Mysogland, Gregory (September 25, 2022). "Who Is Kassa on 'Andor'?". Collider. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  16. ^ Edwards, Molly (September 21, 2022). "Fiona Shaw breaks down her Andor character: "It's a very grand gauntlet to have to pick up"". Total Film. GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  17. ^ Baver, Kristin (October 27, 2022). "Daughter of Ferrix: Andor's Fiona Shaw on the Role of Cassian's Mother, Maarva". StarWars.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  18. ^ Davids, Brian (September 21, 2022). "'Andor' Star Fiona Shaw Enjoys Her "Reckoning" Line, Too". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  19. ^ a b Gilroy, Tony (September 21, 2022). "Reckoning". Andor. Season 1. Episode 3. Disney+. End credits begin at 33:06.
  20. ^ Paz, Maggie Dela (December 4, 2020). "Cassian Andor: Diego Luna Confirms Disney+ Series Has Begun Filming". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  21. ^ Peters, Jay (December 10, 2020). "Star Wars: Andor starring Rogue One's Diego Luna is coming to Disney Plus in 2022". The Verge. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  22. ^ a b "Last Traces of Star Wars Filming in Cleveleys". Visit Cleveleys. May 11, 2021. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  23. ^ "Star Wars: Andor filming at Pinewood Studios until summer 2021". KFTV. December 8, 2020. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  24. ^ Kim, Matt (May 27, 2022). "Andor Is the First Star Wars Show for Disney That 'Doesn't Lean' on StageCraft". IGN. Archived from the original on May 27, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  25. ^ Guimarães, Elisa (December 3, 2022). "'Andor' Filming Locations: Where Was the 'Star Wars' Show Shot?". Collider. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  26. ^ "Nicholas Britell to Score Disney+'s 'Rogue One' Prequel Series 'Andor'". Film Music Reporter. February 16, 2022. Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  27. ^ Burlingame, Jon (May 27, 2022). "'Succession' Composer Nicholas Britell Enters the 'Star Wars' Universe With Music for 'Andor' (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  28. ^ Leishman, Rachel (October 21, 2022). "'Andor' Soundtrack for First Four Episodes Released". Collider. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  29. ^ "New Andor Trailer Goes Big On Rebel Action, And Updated Premiere Details Revealed". StarWars.com. August 1, 2022. Archived from the original on August 1, 2022. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  30. ^ Porter, Rick (October 20, 2022). "Dahmer Earns Big Debut in U.S. Streaming Rankings". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  31. ^ "Reckoning". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  32. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (January 9, 2023). "Everything Everywhere All at Once Leads Sound Editors' Golden Reel Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  33. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (February 26, 2023). "Top Gun: Maverick, Elvis, All Quiet on the Western Front Make Noise at Sound Editors' Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  34. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (February 15, 2023). "'Avatar 2' Sweeps Visual Effects Society Awards Feature Competition". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
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