'Andor' Season 2's First Big Tragedy Is a Reminder That No One Is Safe -

Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for Andor Season 2 Episodes 1-3.

The Star Wars franchise has expanded considerably in recent years, especially when it comes to live-action series, but Andor offers a rare view of the galaxy. With the series set while the Rebel Alliance is still starting out, it features a bleak story where the Empire maintains full authority. Since the titular character, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), was introduced in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, viewers already know how his story will end, yet that doesn’t mean other characters are out of danger. Andor has never hesitated to depict some of the Empire’s more horrific actions, and, as a result, Cassian and his friends suffer countless injustices and losses throughout the story.

Despite the chaos on Ferrix in Season 1‘s finale, Cassian, Bix (Adria Arjona), B-2EMO (Dave Chapman), Brasso (Joplin Sibtain), and Wilmon (Muhannad Bhaier) narrowly escape the Imperial troops, and Season 2 shows that they made it to relative safety, yet it doesn’t last. While Cassian seems to have taken a more active role in the Rebellion, his friends have settled on the remote world of Mina-Rau, where they work as mechanics. However, the Empire is not far away, and at the beginning of Season 2, Imperial troops are checking the documentation of Mina-Rau’s inhabitants. Having fled Ferrix, Cassian’s friends are not on Mina-Rau legally, which puts them in a dangerous position. And, in Season 2, Episode 3, “Harvest,” a tragedy befalls the group that proves no one in Andor is safe.

‘Andor’ Season 2’s First Death Is a Shock

Brasso (Joplin Sibtain) surrounded by Imperials in Andor Season 2 — Image via Disney+

While Andor has a high body count, Season 2 Episode 3’s death is a surprise, with each of Cassian’s friends facing. a different threat. While Bee is separated from the others for his safety, the others encounter Imperials head-on. In one of the darkest moments Star Wars has ever depicted onscreen, one superior officer tries to rape Bix. Meanwhile, Wilmon is in the wrong place when they show up, having to hide as he makes his way to safety on foot, and Brasso ventures toward the enemy head-on to track the younger man down. Once discovered, Brasso is surrounded by Imperial stormtroopers and has given up when Cassian arrives in a last-minute rescue attempt. He takes out the soldiers, providing a glimpse of hope as Brasso tries to flee.

At first, it seems to be the kind of risky escape that Star Wars is built on, and the initial hope is that all of our heroes will survive. Bix kills her attacker, while Wilmon successfully escapes, and Brasso makes it to a speeder while Cassian provides cover from above. But things take a turn near the end of the confrontation when Brasso is killed, defying the conventional expectation that their daring escape plan will succeed. It’s a surprising twist, as many expected this group to be safe — and Brasso, in particular, didn’t seem like the most likely possibility to die. He’s not even the least recognizable member of the group, as Wilmon’s Season 1 role was much smaller than Brasso’s. Additionally, Bix had the most tense storyline in the episode. Because it is so unexpected, Brasso’s death delivers a major blow to both the audience and the characters.

Diego Luna as Cassian Andor, piloting an imperial ship while undercover, in 'Andor' season 2.

‘Andor’ Season 2 Is the Highest-Rated Star Wars Project Ever

Season 2 finally debuts on Disney+ tonight.

Brasso Didn’t Deserve To Die on ‘Andor’

Brasso’s death in Andor Season 2 hits especially hard because of the character’s loyalty and courage. Though Brasso was never a lead, he played a vital role in helping many of the characters, going all the way back to the show’s first episode, when he provided Cassian with an alibi. Throughout Season 1, Brasso further demonstrates his loyalty and kindness as he steps in to care for Maarva (Fiona Shaw) while Cassian is gone, even being the one to carry her brick during her funeral procession. But perhaps the greatest proof of Brasso’s goodness is how he treated Bee. The nervous droid needed someone after Maarva’s death, and Brasso was there for him, gently supporting him however he could.

Kind though he might be, Brasso never avoided a fight, at least not when it came to the Empire. He is one of the first to fight back on Rix Road when Maarva’s funeral turns into a riot. In a move that would make Maarva proud, he uses her brick as a weapon against the soldiers and encourages others to join him. Brasso also shows courage in the moments before his death, heading towards the Imperial troopers in order to find Wilmon at risk to himself. Brasso proves to be exactly the kind of person the galaxy needs, so it’s only natural that the Empire would target him.

Brasso’s Death Raises the Stakes in ‘Andor’ Season 2

Cassian (Diego Luna) holding Brasso's (Joplin Sibtain) dead body in Andor Season 2 — Image via Disney+

As the first major loss of Season 2, Brasso’s death is significant. Taking place at the end of the three-episode premiere, this tragedy sets the tone for the final season. This event reminds the returning audience that Andor is not a place where the heroes always win, and Brasso’s death adds a hard dose of reality to the episodes that will follow. It is a dangerous time for the galaxy, with the Empire having total control, and this major loss in the early part of the season is proof of that.

Brasso’s death is also a tough pill to swallow because it comes on the heels of so much injustice for the survivors of Ferrix. In Season 1, they lost Maarva and Wilmon’s father, and Bix was forced to endure Imperial torture. Now, losing Brasso is just one more trauma to add to the list. As the Rebellion grows, the losses will be heavy, and Andor is not afraid to show that. This loss is sure to have a profound impact on Cassian, who is gradually losing everyone he cares about to this galactic threat. Of all people, Brasso deserved to make it through, and that is why, in a galaxy led by the Empire, he couldn’t last.

Andor Season 2 is streaming on Disney+, with new episodes premiering on Tuesdays in the U.S.