The third episode of the first season of the television show Andor, titled "Reckoning", was helmed by Toby Haynes as director, and Tony Gilroy as writer. It was broadcast on September 21, 2022, simultaneously with the initial and subsequent episodes of the first season.
The net closes around Cassian Andor as tactical troopers get closer to capturing him. In his desperation to avoid capture, Cassian reaches out to a shadowy figure with influential contacts. This individual might offer him money, a way to leave the planet, and perhaps a completely new direction in his life.
In a flashback, a youthful Kassa ascends into the docking apparatus of the ruined starship located on his jungle planet, Kenari. He discovers the deceased bodies of humanoids clad in Separatist attire. The young Andor makes his way into the vessel's engine room, curiously interacting with the controls. Andor perceives his own reflection in one of the panels.
In the present timeline, Andor observes salvage personnel and a shuttle taking apart a capital ship within a salvage facility. One of the workers approaches Andor. Andor informs the worker that he anticipates receiving funds today, however, the worker doubts Andor's ability to pay. Andor declines to reveal his destination to the worker, but assures them that he will return.
Concurrently, Luthen Rael's shuttle touches down at the urban center on Ferrix. The male passenger offers a hotel recommendation and cautions Rael about potential pickpockets. Rael is greeted by Bix Caleen, who informs him that their scheme has been complicated by Preox-Morlana, which has issued a bulletin for an individual matching Andor's description. Rael acknowledges the bulletin and notes that they did not specify Andor's name, but are searching for someone from Kenari. Rael states that Andor's prison record indicates he is from Fest, which Caleen confirms.
When Rael inquires whether Andor has been identified, Caleen responds that few individuals possess that knowledge. After Caleen verifies that Andor killed the two security officers on Morlana One, Rael asserts that they must act swiftly. The two proceed to East lot, Building Nine, where Andor is believed to be hiding. Upon Rael's inquiry about her trust in Andor, Caleen affirms that he will be present.
In space, the Preox-Morlana Corporate Tactical Forces' starship emerges from hyperspace and deploys three Mobile Tac-Pods carrying law enforcement personnel under the command of Deputy Inspector Syril Karn and Sergeant Linus Mosk. B2EMO hurries through the streets of Ferrix.
In the past, Maarva Andor, along with her husband Clem Andor and B2EMO, embark on a mission to recover equipment and technology from the wrecked Separatist starship on Kenari. They have a twenty-minute window due to the radioactive conditions. Maarva believes that there are six brand new fuel nodules within the ship. Clem suggests they leave, but Maarva wants to investigate a banging sound.
Maarva and Clem soon discover the young Kenari boy destroying equipment and screens in the engine room. Clem comments on the boy's spirit but warns that he might not want to be there when they come to clean up. Not understanding the strangers' language, Cassian brandishes his staff at them. B2EMO warns that a Republic frigate is approaching.
Maarva attempts to communicate with the frightened Cassian while Clem warns that they have nine minutes before the Republic starship arrives. To protect the boy from danger, Maarva instructs B2EMO to retrieve a drowser. While Clem points out that the boy's people are on the planet, Maarva counters that his tribe have already killed a Republic officer and that the Republic would retaliate when the frigate lands. Maarva stuns Cassian with her drowser.
Returning to the present, Karn and Mosk's Tac-Pods approach the Ferrix settlement and land outside the scrap yard. West Team joins North Team. The workers believe the corporate soldiers are hunting for someone. Karn and his Corporate Tactical Forces enter the streets of Ferrix from different sides. A team enters Maarva's home and informs the elderly woman that they possess a warrant for Cassian Andor. After restraining her, they search the house. Elsewhere, Caleen returns to Timm Karlo's office and asks why the stuff is piled up in the alley. Karlo says he forgot and gets to work.
Meanwhile, Maarva scolds Karn as his troops search her home. Karn replies that she can stop the search by helping them find Andor. Sergeant Mosk arrives with B2EMO. Karn orders his troops to pull the droid's power supply in an attempt to force the droid's cooperation. Maarva protests but Karn orders one of his soldiers to silence her. Andor contacts B2EMO by comlink. Sensing something is amiss, Andor cryptically tells B2EMO and Maarva that he is sorry and "to make sure that she keeps the heat on." While a soldier attempts to track Cassian's signal, Karn and his troops notice a crowd gathering outside Maarva's home. Karn calls East Team for reinforcements and assigns some of his men with guarding Maarva and B2EMO.
Elsewhere, Rael locates Andor in a derelict warehouse. As Karn and his troops exit Maarva's home, they are confronted by angry residents including Wilmon Paak, whom Karn tries to calm by explaining that they are executing a search warrant. Andor informs Rael that he intends to sell an intact Starpath unit for 40,000 credits, asserting that it can track Imperial coordinates for nine parsecs. When Andor demands payment, Rael insists on trying it before asking Andor if he plans to stick around.
Meanwhile, Caleen receives news from Salman Paak that several "Corpos" raided Maarva's home. Paak also tells him about the bulletin for Andor. Caleen realizes that someone has betrayed Andor and says she needs to find him. Karlo tries to stop Caleen from leaving, claiming that Andor can take care of himself. Caleen quickly realizes that Karlo betrayed Andor since he is one of the few people to know that he is from Kenari. Paak asks Karlo what he has done.
Andor presents the Starpath unit to Rael. Rael asks Andor how he obtained the unit and ponders with three possibilities. The first possibility is that Andor is an Imperial spy, the second is that he is fronting for the true seller, and the third is that Andor is being genuine. Andor reiterates his demand for payment, prompting Rael to reiterate his question. Rael is aware of Andor bribing quartermasters before they scrap. However, the Starpath unit is far too valuable for that.
Rael asks Andor how he obtained the Starpath unit. Andor claims that he stole the Starpath unit himself but Rael does not believe him due to the tight security at the Imperial Naval Base in Steergard. Andor is evasive but Rael offers to give him another thousand credits if he tells him how he got the box. Andor claims that all it takes to steal from the Empire is getting a uniform and impersonating Imperial personnel. He mocks the complacency and arrogance of the Empire. Rael agrees, saying that the Empire doesn't think about them.
Andor wants to count the money but Rael talks about the costs of resisting the Empire. Rael then mentions that he is aware that Andor's adoptive father Clem was hanged by the Empire. Rael invites Andor to join him, prompting Andor to ask at gunpoint how he knows so much about him. Rael wants to talk with Andor but warns that the Corporate Tactical Forces are on their way to arrest him for murdering the two security officers. Rael tells Andor he sees potential in him. Andor demands to know who he is, prompting Rael to point out that they do not have a lot of time to escape. Andor asks why he would choose to go with Rael. Rael responds by presenting Andor with the opportunity of fighting back.
Back on the streets, several residents including Paak, Wilmon, and Brasso begin banging objects in order to intimidate the Corpos. Several businesses close down their rollers. Andor demands to know who Rael is and asks whether he is an Imperial spy. Rael explains that special people are hard to find and that he came to save him from the pyre. Rael asks Andor to trust him and crushes Andor's comlink, warning him never to carry anything he cannot control. The two sense movement around the warehouse and realize that they are surrounded.
Meanwhile, corporate troopers from North Team apprehend Caleen in the streets of Ferrix. East Team sets up a perimeter around the warehouse on Rix Road where Andor and Rael are. Their leader contacts Karn, who orders them not to engage until he has arrived. Since Rael's ship is 40 klicks away, he and Andor decide to escape on a speeder bike. Rael has also planted snap charges on the door as a preemptive escape measure. The charges succeed in taking out some of the corporate soldiers but others charge in. A gun battle ensues and the two men are also forced to dodge falling objects. Several of the corporate soldiers are wounded by falling chains and objects.
Despite Rael's objections, Andor attempts to retrieve the Starpath box, dodging debris and enemy fire. Rael shoots a corporate soldier attempting to gun down Andor. The two men escape several falling chains and objects. Andor is upset about failing to retrieve the box but Rael thinks that escaping is more important. While Karn contacts North Team for help, Caleen attempts to escape but is restrained by an officer. Karlo confronts the North Team soldiers and attempts to aid Caleen but is shot dead by a trigger happy trooper. The team leader orders the soldier who shot Karlo to return to the pod and summon air support. Caleen weeps for her dead boyfriend.
Karn and Mosk learn from the surviving member of East Team that Andor and Rael are approaching their direction. Karn enters a shop, prompting three aliens to flee. Meanwhile, Maarva notices that the two corporate troopers guarding her are unnerved by the clanging sounds and hints of a coming reckoning. One of the soldier tells her to shut up. Maarva says that when it stops, they will want to fret. One of the soldiers asks what will happen. Andor and Rael encounter the fleeing aliens.
While Corporate Tactical Forces converge around the town center, Andor ambushes Karn and forces him to surrender his comlink, which he destroys. Andor demands to know how many troops there are while Rael urges him to kill the man. The trooper reports there are twelve men and two officers. Elsewhere, the Corporate soldier who shot Karlo returns to his Mobile Tac-Pod and attempts to fly the ship away. However, the ship has been tied to a large piece of wreckage, which causes the ship to lose control and crash into the wreckage.
While Andor and Rael search for charges, a Corporate trooper finds Karn, whom Andor has gagged and bound. They appear to escape in a blue landspeeder. Corporate soldiers shoot the stolen speeder, causing it to crash. However, they quickly discover it was a decoy with Andor and Rael escaping on a speeder bike. Rael sets the wrecked speeder to explode. Mosk attempt to contact their comrades in North Team while Karn attends to the wounded and dead comrades.
As Andor flees with Rael on a speeder bike, a tearful Maarva experiences a flashback of her and Clem carrying their adoptive son Cassian from the wrecked Separatist starship on Kenari. B2EMO looks up to her with his sensors flashing sadly. Paak and Wilmon free a grieving Caleen while Brasso drinks sadly. As Andor and Rael fly over fields, a shell-shocked Karn is roused by Sergeant Mosk who tells him they need to leave. While the young Cassian meets his adoptive parents in the cockpit in the past, Andor leaves with Rael on his starship.
For a brief period following the release of "Reckoning," Disney+ simply referred to it as "Episode 3".