Narkina 5

Did You Know?

• The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports a 94% approval rating for the episode, based on 18 reviews.
• The site's critical consensus reads: "'Narkina 5' repeats some of the same beats as previous installments, but its harrowing depiction of Cassian Andor's imprisonment makes it a dramatically sturdy chapter."

Plot

Syril Karn, stuck in a dull job monitoring computer screens, gets yanked out of it by Dedra Meero. She wants to know what he saw with Cassian Andor on Ferrix. After reading Blevin's report, Karn points out what it leaves out. He begs for his old job back, but Meero tells him to drop it and move on. Senator Mon Mothma has a tense visit from Tay Kolma while her husband Perrin Fertha drifts away. Kolma warns her that the Empire's crackdown is making it tough to access funds. Mon's daughter Leida interrupts, asking why Kolma is always hanging around. Later, at a banquet, Mon learns Kolma had to leave and feels uneasy, mentioning she and Fertha were married as teenagers. On Ferrix, Bix Caleen and Brasso look after Maarva Andor, who got hurt trying to open a hidden tunnel into the new Imperial base. Vel Sartha watches them from a distance and meets up with her girlfriend Cinta Kaz. Bix tries a radio transmitter but gets no reply. On Coruscant, Kleya Marki hears from Bix about Maarva's injury and tells Luthen Rael. Rael flies to Segra Milo to meet Saw Gerrera, asking him to hear out Anto Kreegyr's plan, but Gerrera says no. Meanwhile, Cassian Andor, using the name Keef Girgo, gets sent to the prison on the water moon Narkina 5. There, the floors are electrified, and prisoners compete in groups to avoid nightly torture and earn better-tasting food. He meets the floor boss Kino Loy and makes a friend in Ruescott Melshi. About a month in, a prisoner kills himself by stepping on the electrified floor, but Kino Loy shows no sympathy and orders everyone to bed. Back on Ferrix, Bix sees a crowd gather and watches her friend Paak get hauled off by Imperials, terrifying his son Wilmon. She tries to run but is caught and arrested. She then sees Paak being tortured before Meero shows up to question her.

Production

In February 2018, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed multiple Star Wars series were in the works. That November, one was unveiled as a prequel to the 2016 film Rogue One, described as a spy thriller centered on Cassian Andor, with Diego Luna returning to the role. Jared Bush initially developed the project, crafting a pilot script and series bible. By late November, Stephen Schiff had taken over as showrunner and executive producer. Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote Rogue One and led its extensive reshoots, joined the series in early 2019 after discussing early story ideas with Luna. His involvement became public that October, with plans for him to write the first episode, direct multiple episodes, and work alongside Schiff; by April 2020, Gilroy had officially replaced Schiff as showrunner. At that point, six weeks of pre-production in the United Kingdom had occurred, but it was halted and the series delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-production resumed in September, aiming for a filming start the following month. Gilroy, based in New York, chose not to travel to the UK because of the pandemic, so he could not direct the first episode. Instead, Toby Haynes, already high on the list of potential directors, was hired to direct the first three episodes. Gilroy remained executive producer and showrunner. In December 2020, Luna was revealed as an executive producer on the series. The eighth episode, titled "Narkina 5," was written by Beau Willimon.