Andor: Serkis Teases Major Shift in His Character in Episode 10

Andor episode 10 will feature a major shift in the development of Kino Loy, played by Andy Serkis.

Serkis is known for playing Supreme Leader Snoke in the sequel trilogy. He made an unexpected comeback to the Star Wars franchise as another character in Andor episode 8. The latest Star Wars series, Andor stars Diego Luna as the titular protagonist, who reprises his role as the Rebel Alliance operative, Cassian Andor.

The last two episodes of Andor saw Cassian trapped within the Narkina 5 Imperial Prison Complex. He is assigned to table 5 in Unit 5-2-D, which leads him to fall under the supervision of Kino Loy (Andy Serkis). Loy is an inmate who manages the floor and is responsible for maintaining productivity.

Though he is a prisoner himself, Kino willingly enforces the prison rules and urges his inmates to follow them. But the death of several prisoners, particularly an elderly inmate named Ulaf, breaks Loy’s faith in the system.

He opens up to Andor about the prison’s protocols. Andor episode 9 saw Kino’s worldview shattered beyond repair. However, actor Andy Serkis has teased that how his character will respond in the upcoming episodes.

In an exclusive interview with Screenrant, Serkis explains why Kino behaved the way he did throughout his sentence. He also speaks about how Ulaf’s death opened his eyes to the unfair nature of the Empire’s system.

The actor also briefly teases that the events of episode 9 will urge his character to break free from the Empire’s imprisonment. Read his entire statement below-

He has a family outside, he’s been working towards his release, and now this is the moment that turns him—compounded with the death of one of the inmates who was one of the longest serving on his floor, and who he begins to care for. When he’s euthanized at the end, he realizes that they’ve got to do something about it. That’s the beginning of a transformation in his character.

The turning point at the end of episode 9 is so crushing for him. He begins to realize that he has been deluding himself—and not only deluding himself but actually being untruthful to himself. He’s lost his inner core. And I think we see him beginning to question the possibility, “What if there is a way of getting by and getting out and releasing all of the prisoners?” We start to see, throughout the course of episode 10, him buying into that and enabling that to happen.

We know that Cassian will certainly escape from Narkina 5, all thanks to his role in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. However, the fate of his inmates remains uncertain on the show. Although, some hints make us think otherwise.

Andor episode 8 features the reintroduction of Ruescott Melshi as an inmate. Melshi will become a fellow Rebel Alliance operative in Rogue One, serving alongside Cassian in the battle of Scarif.

Thus, Cassian and Melshi’s survival in the upcoming prison break is confirmed. From what the clips and teasers show, it is clear that Cassian and Kino will be successful in inspiring a majority, if not all inmates of Unit 5-2-D. So, there’s a chance of some of the inmates making it out alive.

However, Andor has previously killed off characters the audience had become attached to during the Aldhani Heist. Series creator Tony Gilroy even warned fans to not get attached to any Andor characters. Thus, it could also be possible that Cassian and Melshi end up being the sole survivors of the heist.

Serkis’ return to the Star Wars franchise is a breath of fresh air for fans. Kino’s character allowed fans to see Serkis in a completely new avatar, far different from his performance as Snoke in the sequel trilogy. The prison manager might end up becoming a big thing in the upcoming episode 10 of Andor.

About Andor

Andor is an American television series created by Tony Gilroy for the streaming service Disney+. It is a prequel to the Star Wars film Rogue One (2016), following the character Cassian Andor five years before the events of the film.

Set five years before Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Andor will see Cassian in his formative years as he becomes the charismatic Rebel and espionage master.

Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Stellan Skarsgaard, Adria Arjona, Fiona Shaw, and others star in the show. The series premiered on Disney+ on September 21, 2022, with the first three episodes.