Kassa (episode)

Cassian Andor's relentless pursuit of answers concerning his history transforms him into a hunted individual.

Well before his pivotal role in securing the Death Star schematics cemented his status as a Rebellion hero, Cassian Andor embarks on a reckless quest for details about his origins. This deep-seated desire leads him into the shadowy underbelly of a planet, where an altercation with authorities results in Cassian being labeled as a wanted criminal. Seeking refuge on Ferrix only serves to bring his troubles closer to home.

Cassian Jeron Andor ambles down a somber walkway. Upon entering the Leisure Zone situated on Morlana One, he steps into a brothel and requests a drink at the bar. A humanoid female hostess with an afro hairstyle serves Andor. Two Pre-Mor Security Inspection team sentry guards, Verlo Skiff and Kravas Drezzer, take offense at Andor receiving service before them, despite their longer wait. The hostess attempts to calm the situation, but Drezzer, the elder of the two, seeks to provoke a confrontation with Andor.

Andor inquires about a woman originating from Kenari in the Mid Rim, only to be informed that the woman fitting that description departed "several months prior." When Andor continues his questioning, the hostess probes about his connection to the woman. Andor reveals that he is searching for his sister. The hostess responds that she vanished and advises Andor to leave. Upon Andor asking for his sister's name, the hostess replies that nobody discloses their true identity.

Andor exits the brothel and proceeds down the street. The two guards from the brothel tail him, demanding that he present identification. When Andor remains silent, Drezzer brandishes a blaster. Andor raises his hands as the guards make remarks about abusing their authority. Andor submits to a search before retaliating. During the ensuing scuffle, he shoots one of the guards with a blaster and incapacitates the other. He compels the second guard to attend to his comrade Verlo Skiff at gunpoint. They soon realize that Skiff has succumbed to his injuries. Drezzer begs for leniency, offering to conceal Andor's involvement in Skiff's demise. Andor remains resolute and shoots Drezzer, subsequently fleeing off-world aboard a starship.

Sometime later on the planet Ferrix, a crimson B2 groundmech salvage assist unit known as B2EMO traverses a town's dusty streets. The droid encounters a group of Corellian hounds. One of the creatures urinates on the droid, but it repels the hound with its electro-shock prod. The groundmech returns to Andor's transport and informs Andor that it has retrieved the item he requested.

Andor experiences a flashback involving his sister Kerri and fellow Alpha children observing a starship crashing into the mountains. Back in the present, B2EMO inquires about Andor's whereabouts, but Andor declines to share the information. B2EMO informs his master that Jezzi and Femmi delivered supper and Maarva's medication. B2EMO also mentions that his friend Brasso was searching for him and that Maarva is worried that Andor is associating with undesirable individuals and attracting trouble. Andor instructs the droid to conceal his location before repairing one of the droid's wires.

Andor later ventures into town and encounters Brasso outside his workplace. He requests Brasso to fabricate a story about meeting Andor for drinks the previous night. Brasso complies, but embellishes the narrative with an account of Andor becoming intoxicated and injuring himself, to explain the scrape on his forehead.

At the Corporate Security Headquarters situated on Morlana One, Pre-Mor Deputy Inspector Syril Karn informs his supervisor Chief Inspector Hyne about the deaths of two of his colleagues the night before. Hyne casually comments on the security officer's altered uniform before mentioning that one of the deceased guards was named Kravas Drezzer, a former commander who had been demoted to the rank of corporal. Hyne expresses his disdain for Drezzer before shifting his attention to the suspect, described as a human with dark features inquiring about a Kenari girl. After discovering that the guards were not robbed, Hyne suggests that the case will be challenging to resolve.

After deactivating the recording system, Hyne informs Karn that the case exhibits the characteristics of a "regrettable misadventure." He instructs Karn to conceal the deaths of the Pre-Mor security guards and to manipulate crucial details, including relocating the incident outside the Leisure Zone. Karn points out that they were murdered, but Hyne instructs him to report that the men perished in a brothel brawl after consuming Revnog, an illegal beverage. Hyne directs him to write that the security guards died in the line of duty.

Hyne desires to conceal the deaths as he is en route to an Imperial Regional Command review and aims to present a favorable report regarding criminal activity within Preox-Morlana territory to prevent Imperial intervention. Hyne's words unsettle the deputy inspector.

In the meantime, Andor pays a visit to the mechanic Bix Caleen at her garage. Caleen notices Andor's injury, but he is evasive when questioned about it. Andor expresses his desire to sell an item immediately, but the mechanic explains that she does not deal in single items, preferring to sell bundles. She informs Andor that a Tac Corvette will be arriving this week in search of scrap. Caleen suggests scavenging some Imperial technology, but Andor is impatient. He reveals that he has acquired an untraceable Imperial N-S9 Starpath Unit and will be meeting with a contact. Caleen is hesitant to become involved, but Andor is determined to proceed with his plan.

Timm Karlo enters the garage with news regarding an upcoming Wobani run and inquires if Caleen is interested. Caleen says she will be in touch. Sensing that Caleen harbors feelings for Karlo, Andor asks if Karlo is aware of his clandestine activities. Caleen assures him that Karlo is oblivious. Later, Andor converses with Karlo about finding a life partner. In a flashback sequence, Andor and his tribe participate in an initiation ritual involving painting black stripes on their faces.

Elsewhere, Syril tasks a signals officer with tracking Andor's starship, which landed on Morlana One illegally. Subsequently, Andor is confronted by Nurchi, who demands that Andor repay his deposit. Andor says he is unable to at the present time. Andor is also cornered by Vetch, who is acting as Nurchi's "muscle." Andor accuses Vetch of betraying him to Nurchi. Andor promises to repay his deposit before departing.

Caleen informs Karlo that she is leaving the garage to run errands. Karlo follows her through the streets, bumping into a mechanic along the way. Caleen visits a dealer, stating that she is looking for a Bendine Mesh-Tech filter. He directs her to the yellow racks at the back. Caleen enters the garage and ascends a ladder, where she connects to a circuit box.

In another flashback, the group of children prepares to investigate the crashed ship, applying black smudges to their faces and preparing dart weapons. Kassa is initially excluded, but a girl, the eldest of the group and the leader, allows him to don his disguise, as well.

Karn asks his team of analysts if they have discovered any leads on Kenari males on Ferrix. The analysts possess limited information about the planet Kenari, with the most recent census dating back six years. Karn is determined to pursue the murder investigation and issues an order for Kenari human men on Ferrix to be questioned.

Back on Ferrix, a bearded man named Pegla meets with Andor aboard his transport. Pegla asks Andor what he is doing and tells him that he is in the office. Andor tells him that he has refueled the ship. Pegla notices that Andor has swapped the ship's chip logs. The boss, Zorby, speaks over the overhead projectors and asks Pegla to explain what is going on. Pegla claims that yard rats are back. Zorby tells him to deal with a customer and to set the hounds on the rats. Andor asks if he could borrow his ship but Pegla is unwilling to get involved in Andor's activities. He tells Andor to finish his work and not to return.

In a flashback scene, a young Kassa and his tribe gather to retrieve supplies from the fallen ship. Kassa's sister Kerri wants to follow but is too young. Kassa promises to return.

For a brief period following the release of "Kassa," Disney+ simply referred to it as "Episode 1."