‘Andor’ Episode 6 Ending, Explained: Does the Team Manage to Steal the Payroll?
Welcome to the Ending Explained for Episode 6 of Andor the latest Star Wars TV series on Disney Plus. Episode 6 finally brings a conclusion to the arc that has been in development for the past three episodes. The heist is ready to be executed, and the environmental phenomenon known as The Eye is ready to give them cover. Now, the team only needs to push forward, trust in their plan, and be ready to sacrifice everything for the cause. Of course, it is easier said than done.
The episode manages to pull off some of the most beautiful visuals in any Star Wars show to date, and the money spent on sets and visual effects are really put to good use on the screen. We are able to see the greatest fallen star show ever and also get some pretty nice spaceship flying. Who doesn’t love that? The story also manages to move forward and sets up developments that will be important in the creation of the Rebellion as we know it. However, Cassian continues to be the least interesting thing about the show, which is a shame.
The following paragraphs contain spoilers for Episode 6 of Andor. Read at your own risk.
Does The Team Manage To Steal The Payroll?
The episode begins with Cassian and Nemik having an important conversation for the overall arc of the show. In the previous episode, it was revealed that Cassian is just a mercenary and that he is being paid to be there and help them on the mission. Cassian has no personal stake in the matter. So, Nemik, always the philosopher, has been developing his manifesto to include people like Cassian in it. He says that mercenaries are tools, and just like the Empire, they should use every tool at their disposition to get an advantage.
That conversation doesn’t end well, as Cassian warns Nemik to be careful about what he is wishing for. Unlike Nemik, Cassian knows the stake of being in an actual war, of being in battle, for Nemik is all theory so far. Cassian warns him that the cost of Freedom might be too high. Nemik asks if they should just be content and submit. Cassian asks if he looks content enough. Of course, he doesn’t, so Nemik drops the issue, but it will come back later in the episode.
Cassian, Nemik, Skeen, and Taramyn are all moving toward their objectives, while Vel and Cinta move toward theirs. It is here that Skeen reveals to Cassian that Taramyn was a Stormtrooper once and that it was a problem when Cinta found out, as her entire family was killed by Stormtroopers. This shows Cassian that they are really all there for something. Everybody has fought and is fighting their own battles. Meanwhile, at the base, LT. Gorn is preparing for the arrival of the locals to watch The Eye, a huge fallen star event.
Gorn prepares the soldiers and opens the way for Cassian and the rest of the team to do their thing. He guides them inside the base while they are using uniforms to pass as undercover. Vel and Cinta disable the communications, and it is a go. The plan is rolling, even if they are a bit behind schedule. After the ceremony with the locals, the team seizes the commander of the base and his family. The commander lies about being able to open the door, but Vel is very clear, if he doesn’t help them, then he and his family will die.
Who Dies During The Aldhani Heist?
The heist is moving along nicely. The team has the commander of the base in their power, the communications have been disabled, and Cinta has the commander’s family in her custody. The rest of the team moves toward the vault, and there they seize a squad of unarmed soldiers. They make them help them by moving the payroll into the freighter that they will use to escape. The commander keeps taunting them about how they won’t be able to escape.
The communications officer has been trying to fix the communications for a while, and he manages to let a signal pass through, indicating that something is happening on the base. He gathers a couple of guards, and they make their way toward the vault. There, Gorn has revealed himself as a traitor in front of the commander, who cannot believe it. The communications officer arrives, and the entire cover blows up, which results in a shooting between the team and the imperial guards.
The commander suffers from a heart attack and drops dead, while Gorn gets shot and Taramyn as well. Vel, Cassian, Nemik, and Skeen get into the ship and manage to escape. Outside, the falling stars of The Eye event are falling in spectacular fashion, and Cassian is able to go into hyperspeed after missing the TIE fighters’ pursuit thanks to the falling star rain. However, during the escape, Nemik gets crushed by the payroll boxes, and he enters in shock. Vel doesn’t know if they should take him to a Doctor and compromise the mission, but Cassian decides to do it anyway.
They take Nemik to the doctor. Outside, waiting, Skeen reveals his true plan. He wants to take half the payroll for himself and the other half for Cassian. That would be 40 million credits for each. He also reveals that he is more interested in money than in building a rebellion and that he never had a dead brother in the first place. Skeen says that Cassian will take the deal because they are the same, they are survivors. Cassian takes this badly and shoots Skeen dead without much remorse.
Nemik dies in the operation, and Cassian says goodbye to Vel. Before going, Vel gives Nemik’s manifest to Cassian because it is what Nemik wanted. Cassian takes it and gives the Kyber Crystal back to Vel, so she can give it back to Luthen. Luthen himself is later seen laughing out loud in the back of his store as he realizes that the plan was a success.
