In season 2, episode 6 of Andor, appropriately titled What a Festive Evening, Bix Caleen finally confronts the cruel interrogator Dr. Gorst.
Thanks to intel from undercover agent Lonni Jung, Bix is sent on a mission to kill Gorst after the Emperor expanded Gorst’s torture methods into a full-scale program. She ambushes him in his office and straps him into the chair. Then she places the same audio torture device that was used on her on Gorst’s head. Once Bix turns on the device, she leaves the facility with Cassian, who destroys the building with a hidden explosive.
Bix’s Trauma
After being forced to listen to the dying screams of the Dizonites back in season 1, the experience left Bix severely traumatized. For two years, the memory of Gorst would haunt Bix. She would regularly have nightmares that involved Gorst in some way: in one dream he would stalk Bix, while another dream had Gorst torturing an Imperial soldier Cassian killed to protect Bix’s identity.
The weight of her trauma eventually results in Bix becoming addicted to the illicit substance Death Stick to help her sleep. Cassian’s concern for Bix leads him to be overly protective of her, which frustrates Luthen. He feels Bix is a liability and makes it clear he wants her to be “healthy” for the rebellion.
More Than Revenge
Torturing Gorst marks a pivotal turning point for Bix. According to Bix’s actress Adria Arjona, this mission is about reclaiming one’s agency and taking an active part in the recovery process:
“That big moment [in episode six] allows her to redeem herself and, as you’ll see very soon, she re-finds herself throughout the rest of the season. She has come back into her own and you finally see the sparkle in her eye, which she had in season one, again. It’s like ‘you’ve gone through so much, but now you’re back to who you were.’”
Through the first half of season 2, Bix is a shell of her old self. She wants to help with the rebellion and to be taken seriously, but she struggles to get into the right place mentally and physically.
Taking Gorst down isn’t just about getting revenge; it’s taking that pain and turning it into something meaningful. Bix isn’t magically healed from her trauma, but she is taking back control of her life—all while fighting to make sure no one else across the galaxy has to suffer a similar fate.
