Cassian’s fear of goodbyes - an emotional defence mechanism 
It’s an interesting aspect of his character and I think it relates once again to that key trait of being a man who has a “fear of being someone who leaves people behind’ (Tony Gilroy). Cassian’s most common way of parting with people in the Andor series is to say “I’m coming back” or some variation on that. He says it to Brasso in episode 1, adding that he is intending to ‘lie low somewhere until things cool off’… he isn’t even considering that he will never return to Ferrix. Of course he does come back, after Aldhani, despite this being practically a bad idea. After the ‘That’s just love’ scene with Maarva he says “I’m coming back” as he exits (never to see her again) and Maarva seems to be calling out this habit with her reply “Of course you are,” which can certainly be taken sardonically.
Interestingly, one time he avoids saying he is coming back is to to Bix, also in Ep 7, after she tells him via some very pointed subtext that she doesn’t want to see him again anytime soon. It’s equally interesting that when he mentioned going to see Bix to Maarva in the earlier scene he said “I’m going to check up on Bix” - rather than explicitly say goodbye to her. (Unless he’s labouring under the delusion that she’s going to offer to drop everything and come with them). It seems that in Cassian’s mind any departure from Ferrix and his established relationships there is always a short-term thing. He just won’t countenance the idea that leaving might spell the end of his life there. It’s also behind his general complacency when it comes to Bix: she’s clearly not healthily over him even now but his own bruised feelings translate to some pretty shitty behaviour: badly timed flirting, insensitivity re Timm’s death and an apparent refusal to accept responsibility for everything going to shit for Ferrix and for her. It’s why he’s so hurt and unpleasant back when she finally effectively tells him to fuck right off. Up till then, he’d probably been deluding himself that he could have her back at any time if he really put his mind to it, as she’s taken him back in the past.
Cont…
^^Kassa’s last sight of his sister Kerri. In the scene before, Pegla told the adult Cassian “Clear out - don’t come back!” The words seem to prompt this final part of the episode one flashback. When he told his little sister “ I’m coming back!” - and never did.
In short, Cassian has real trouble with goodbyes, and of course it all goes back to the pain of those times when he lost someone.… His sister, to whom he undoubtedly said “I’m coming back” in the Kenari language before running off and never seeing her again. Clem, arrested and executed. His parents, presumably, back on Kenari. And it gives extra poignancy to the end of Episode 11 when Cassian hasn’t even consciously countenanced the idea that Maarva might have died and is therefore hit so hard with the full cold shock of the news. Before the hug with Brasso he beats himself up with ‘I told her I was coming back… I never should have left that morning’.
^^ trying to convince himself he’s having a great time, but Cassian is left empty… bruised by the memory of two very disappointing non-goodbyes back on Ferrix. The shock of losing Maarva will eventually be counterbalanced by his resolution not to abandon Bix.
His childhood trauma means the habit of avoiding saying goodbye is a kind of emotional defence mechanism, as is so much of his early character. Deep down is the fear of losing people and ironically this often translates on the surface level to an apparent complacency, a taking them for granted. Believing that he will always be able to come back, to Ferrix or to a relationship, ties in with his often pretty shitty attitude towards his friends and loved ones in the early episodes. He always seems to expect favours to be granted and forgiveness to be offered. It’s not remotely healthy, of course, which might be one of the reasons he is straining patience and is such a mess as a result.
^^A bleak parting from Melshi when Cassian is reeling from the news that his botched goodbye with Maarva was the last one. He doesn’t know if he’s going to see Bix and the others ever again, but he makes his usual promise nonetheless.
The goodbyes to Melshi in Ep11 and the Ferrix crew in Ep 12 are made a bit easier for us as we know there’s a season 2 but of course in universe Cassian has no idea if or when he will ever see them again. But he is learning that you can’t let that stop you in life from doing what needs to be done ( in this case, offering his life to the cause). For Cassian, avoiding saying goodbye was a way of trying to keep goodbyes at bay. In turn, it was an aspect of his general lack of commitment to anything. But goodbyes are inevitable and learning to accept that is going to be crucial in the fight. I think it’s going to be very tough, though, for a character with this ‘fear of being someone who leaves people behind’. He may well go on blaming himself for goodbyes that were not his fault, as is his tendency. I also think this is the real relevance of the Season 1 arc regarding looking for his sister. It’s much more about Cassian himself than about her. Just before Cassian says “I’m coming back” Maarva urges him to “Stop searching for your sister… let it go.” On Cassian’s face as he walks out you can see a kind of fear. He gets this look when a truth about a ‘goodbye’ is made very clear to him.
^ saying “I’m coming back” to Maarva and “I’ll find you” to the Ferrix refugees. You can see the same fear and doubt on Cassian’s face. He is clearly remembering those times that turned out to be a last (non) goodbye.
In contrast, at the end of his life, he gets one of the best goodbyes in any film. But again, he doesn’t say it. Yet in giving Cassian this particular kind of death, where you can literally see it coming and know there is no “I’m coming back” this time, it’s not only ironic - it’s also very moving. Jyn looks at him as if daring him to say something inappropriate as they watch inevitable death approaching. His final words are the selfless reassurance - “Your father would have been proud of you” and the goodbye then becomes the famously beautiful hug. Words are unnecessary. Through this platonic embrace they can effectively say goodbye to everyone they have ever known and loved - and also to each other. This is all they have but also all they need at the very end.
A heartbreaking but perfect farewell for this most fascinating and human of popular-culture heroes.
^^ “Who knows which one becomes the last goodbye?” (Peter Hammill, ‘Too Many of my Yesterdays’). Cassian and Jyn knew here, but it’s a good general lesson for us … try not to botch a goodbye because for most of us, we really don’t know which one will become the last.
Just realised I’ve never put out a post for my favourite of my Cassian x Bix fics (which I’ve just been reworking ). Definitely a rare-ship, but I hope to find a few more genuine fans of these compellingly messy ‘friends to lovers to exes to friends…’ etc etc as we get nearer Andor season 2.
"I ran into a wall, like I do."
The Andor Episode 7 scene between Bix and Cassian, as seen from her perspective. Basically a fictionalised analysis. Cassian is preparing to flee from Ferrix and Bix is still trying to recover, physically and emotionally, from the catastrophic events of episode 3.
There's a lot of history, a lot of hurt and a lot of looking for someone to blame. And several very hard walls, in every sense. All in all, it's a really terrible way to say goodbye.
"She can remember clearly the one and only time she had deliberately physically hurt Cassian. Their second break-up. While he was lying to her face, she had slapped his. Hard enough to sting her hand.
It had stung him too. As he recovered, gingerly fingering the reddening mark on his cheek, he had stared at her with open shock and incredulity. His big sad eyes had widened and glistened and of course at that she felt sorry and was stupid enough to say that she was sorry too.
Once again, he had ended up getting what he wanted from her.
And for all the long-term good her violence against him had done, she might as well have slapped a wall. It had ended up hurting her far more than it had hurt him.
Or so she had concluded. "
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Andor - the last lines of dialogue in the last two scenes of episode 1. Another masterclass in using irony.
Pegla has had enough of Cassian’s lies - he’s now caught him covering his tracks by tampering with the ship he borrowed but pretending that he’s doing Pegla a favour. “No more deals. Clear out. Don’t come back.” And with that, Pegla walks away, leaving Cassian looking deflated.
The Kenari language is not translated – but future scenes show that Cassian’s favoured way of saying goodbye is “I’m coming back.” It’s pretty much a certainty that these are his last words to his little sister Kerri.
The episode then ends with the heartbreaking final shot of Kerri, faithfully standing there waiting for him.
Meanwhile, over the two scenes plays Nicholas Britell’s The Cassian Way, its title taken from Pegla’s sneering observation that “leaving things better than you found them” is all about Cassian’s deceptions. Deceptions that are – we find out – pretty much universally linked to his guilt and trauma, and which include self-deceptions.
This show links past and present with skilful, beautiful, painful irony. The juxtaposition of the scenes even suggests that Pegla’s words trigger the flashback.
Constantly saying “ I’m coming back” is like trying to deny the pain of the knowledge that in reality – you didn’t. That you might not this time either.
