Andy Serkis shares why Kino Loy repeated Cassian Andor’s words during [SPOILER]

Andy Serkis has a theory about why Kino Loy chose the words Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor said to him earlier in his hair-raising call to all inmates on Narkina 5.

Episode 10 of Andor, titled One Way Out, ended with the Imperial prisoners breaking out in a sequence that will be long remembered within the Star Wars fandom. The revolution was led by Andy Serkis’ Kino Loy, the Five-Two-D shift manager at the facility, although seeds of it were planted in his head by Cassian Andor.

Kino’s stubborn resilience to keep his head down and stay “on program” began to crack the moment Ulaf died and he learnt about what happened on Level Two. But what drove it home was Cassian’s words – “I’d rather die trying to take them down than die giving them what they want.”

Cassian plans the breakout, but once they take control of the establishment, he hands the mic to Kino to tell everyone what to do. Kino doesn’t find words for a while, but when he does, he steps up like a true leader.

Watch Kino’s goosebump-inducing speech below:

Towards the end, Kino repeats Cassian’s words ad verbatim, and it’s probably not because his character ran out of words.

Andy Serkis, who returns to the Star Wars franchise with a different character after the sequels, shared his thoughts on the scene with Decider. The actor believes the gesture was a show of gratitude towards Cassian for reigniting the will to fight back in Kino.

"Cassian reignites, I think, a version of himself. It’s like [Kino’s] looking into a mirror, finally. I think actually they’re kind of similar characters in many ways… I think [Kino using Cassian’s words is] almost a thank you [from Kino] or a kind of an acknowledgment to Cassian that [Kino] repeats his words back to him. It’s an offer of, “You see me and I see you and I thank you for reigniting my passion and my ability to be a human being who cares for others, not just himself."

The scene reminded fans of Jyn Erso repeating Cassian’s “Rebellions are built on hope” line in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Kino doesn’t get to reap the benefits of his sacrifices, a sentiment that later reflects in Luthen’s words later on in the episode. When everyone gets to the edge of the prison, it’s miles of water ahead, and unfortunately for Kino, he cannot swim.

Kino accepts his fate and possibly takes comfort in the fact that he played his part in what needed to be done, a pattern that repeats itself in the whole Cassian Andor-Rogue One storyline.

Speaking about his final scene, Serkis said that show creator Tony Gilroy took him through Kino’s entire character arc and he was ready for “the sacrifice” that awaited him at the end of the road.

"Building up to that moment when we shot that, I was carrying that fear and phobia and knowing that there was going to be an edge that he would get to, to the point that he could go no further. That was really thrilling to play into, to build up to."

Andor streams new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.