“The Axe Forgets” is an unexpectedly poignant chapter of Andor, which sees Dan Gilroy’s script exploring the motives of the Aldhani rebels while also shedding a pointed light on the far-flung cast of characters who are also having their motivations and drives prodded at. Susanna White has a keen directorial eye, bringing audiences to the front lines of the Rebellion and focusing on its mundane beginnings.

The episode opens on Syril Karn (Kyle Soller), who returned home to his mother in the previous one, and is continuing to live the millennial nightmare. He had lost his job, been forced to move back home, to endure uncomfortable breakfasts with his mother who is determined to find his purpose when it becomes apparent he has no prospects. Their scenes are intercut throughout the episode, a tense point of subtle conflict that offers a reprieve from the tensions on Aldhani. Karn may have no clear-cut plans now that he has lost his job, but his mother is convinced that his off-screen Uncle Harlo will provide them with the answers she’s looking for.

Karn has been a fascinating character study since day one, but meeting his mother provides a deeper understanding of his psyche. (Ted Lasso definitely had a point about meeting someone’s mother.) Even though “the axe forgets, but the tree remembers” is a sentiment intended to be reserved to explain why the Rebels are fighting back against the Empire, it’s clear that the episode means to use this phrase to pinpoint why all of its characters are motivated towards their personal causes.

Genevieve O'Reilly as Mon Mothma in Andor
Image via Disney+

RELATED: 'Andor': Mon Mothma and the Power of Iron-Willed Women in the 'Star Wars' Universe

Elsewhere, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) is facing her own axe in the form of her husband Perrin (Alastair Mackenzie) who has turned their household into a battlefield by pitting their daughter against Mon. Over breakfast, Mon’s daughter Lieda accuses her of only using her to look good, that her interests in her life are politically motivated, and Perrin sits back smug and pleased to see that his plans are working. Knowing that Mon and Perrin were married off at the age of 16 gives some insight into their dislike for each other—arranged marriages aren’t great—but Andor has only provided a brief glimpse into their life, one that paints Perrin in a terrible light. Hopefully, as this arc of the series draws to a close, we’ll see why Perrin wants to make Mon an enemy in her own household.

Back on Aldhani, Cassian (Diego Luna) and the rest of the rebels prepare for the attack on the nearby garrison, but it readily becomes clear that not everyone is ready to embrace “Clem” as part of their group; in fact, most of them are waiting for him to show himself as a turncoat, sent there to ensure they fail. Even as he proves himself to be a worthy member of their group—pointing out clear flaws in their plans and using his knowledge to further the cause—Skeen (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is convinced that he is there for duplicitous reasons. And he is. As Cassian learns about why each member of the group has been driven to act against the Empire, he is finally pushed to reveal that he isn’t there to get revenge or honor someone’s memory. He’s being paid to assist them. What’s worse, believing that someone might have nefarious plans or discovering that their investment in the cause is for cash and not emotion?

andor-kyle-soller
Image via Disney+

With the rebels on Aldhani, Andor has carefully built a cast of characters that are uniquely their own. Each member fits into the group, while also being an outlier because their motives aren’t always in alignment with each other. Oftentimes, a series will overlook how vital it is to flesh out its minor characters, driven only by the excitement of the next big thing, but this show refuses to do that. Each character that Cassian encounters is three-dimensional, motivated, and named. It helps to strengthen the storytelling and provide a crisp, clear picture of this chapter in the Galaxy’s history.

At the ISB headquarters, Dedra (Denise Gough) and her new lackey are continuing their surreptitious investigation into a series of attacks across the galaxy that are too random to be truly random. Again, Andor makes a point of showcasing what her motivations are when contrasted with Lieutenant Supervisor Blevin (Ben Bailey Smith), who is lording himself around the compound, blessed with upward mobility that Dedra wasn’t offered. It’s interesting to see how human the series has made “the bad guys.” These aren’t Tarkin or Moff Gideons—these are everyday people who have seen a window of opportunity to thrive under the Empire’s rule, and are driven to do their best to prove themselves. Dedra is also popping pills (most likely stims) as she stays up late to continue her investigation, so it will be interesting to see if that comes into play down the line.

While Gilroy made it clear that he wasn’t going to make a big deal about Easter eggs in Andor, which was a nice reprieve from the oft-overdone references in previous shows, "The Axe Forgets" does dole out a handful of interesting allusions and references. In Luthen’s (Stellan Skarsgård) antiquities shop, as he tries to listen in on a comm line, there is a pair of holocrons mounted on the shelf behind him. Additionally, when Skeen shows Cassian his tattoos, it is explained that the one on his forearm represents “By the Hand,” which is a pretty deep-cut reference to the martial confederacy of the Empire of the Hand, which most likely points to Thrawn. These are the best kinds of references—they take nothing away from the story at hand (pun intended) if you’re unaware of the context, and act as a neat little Leo moment for fans that recognize them.

Andor continues to be the best Star Wars series to date and is a strong contender for the best story to come out of the franchise since Rogue One. While lightsabers and Skywalkers are very fun, Andor is a much more lived-in story, one that provides insight into the lives of the people with boots on the ground. The series is rebellion in its purest form: imperfect and highly motivated.

Rating: A

New episodes of Andor premiere weekly every Wednesday on Disney+.