This article discusses sexual assault and attempted rape. Reader discretion is advised.
Andor episode 6, "What a Festive Evening," ended positively for Bix Caleen when she finally avenged Dr. Gorst, a man who tortured her in nightmares and reality.
I noticed Bix's subtle smile while walking away after completing her mission, but I'm unsure whether this will be enough to save her. I'm afraid Bix has already picked her poison, and Tony Gilroy has hinted at her eventual fate via a series of scenes that show her addiction to "droppers." Bix has a drug addiction, and Luthen's warning painted a bleak picture of her eventual fate.
Bix uses droppers to help her sleep, as she's been plagued by nightmares due to everything she's gone through. From torture on Ferrix to the attempted rape this season, Bix might be the show's most tortured and tormented character. She desperately wants to be useful to the Rebellion and prove her worth. In the process of trying to prove to Luthen that she's a valuable asset, Bix might risk everything.
I'm not worried about whether or not she'll prove useful to the Rebellion. I'm sure she'll make her mark somehow, but at what cost? Killing Dr. Gorst may not be enough to treat the nightmares and end the years of mental anguish she's endured. What happens if the nightmares return? What happens if she still can't sleep, while Cassian gets more involved in the Rebellion, and their separations become longer? Will she be able to cope without droppers, or will her dependency on them grow to the point that it begins to threaten her safety?
The show hasn't made it clear if Cassian knows about Bix's addiction, but it appears he doesn't. This is what worries me the most, as Bix can overdose and put her life in danger without Cassian's knowledge and in his absence. I hope the show proves me wrong and it turns out that Bix manages to overcome all her demons, becomes a valuable asset to the Rebel Alliance, and lives to see the Empire's destruction.
Unfortunately, Tony Gilroy has written Cassian's arc in a way that necessitates that he suffer a huge blow before committing himself completely to the Rebellion. This isn't something I like, especially because he seems so different from the person he is in Rogue One, and there are only 2 years left in the show's timeline before the movie. I'm not sure if 2 years are enough for him to become a shrewd, serious, and invaluable asset to the Rebellion.
Right now, he doesn't seem serious, and it won't sit right with me if losing Bix is the only reason he becomes the leader he is in Rogue One. Cassian has already lost enough people, and in Rogue One, he acts like a guy who has put years into the Rebellion, instead of someone who needs to be reminded of what's at stake.
For now, it doesn't seem like Cassian will get to where he needs to be without a tragic end to Bix's life. I'm just afraid it will come because of her addiction.
Andor Season 2 is streaming on Disney+.
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