This Is How Narkina 5 Represents The Bureaucratic Hellscape Of Imperial Rule
Image Source: Culture Slate
Cassian Andor is in deep trouble, literally and figuratively. In the latest Andor episode, our beloved protagonist was sent to Narkina 5, a small moon when in comparison to the enormous planet that it orbits around. There, an imperial prison facility is located. But this is no ordinary prison; it is essentially a forced labor camp, where the inmates will work 12 hours a shift, probably for decades. Quite a situation our boy got into, right? But wait—it gets worse.
Right from the get-go, the show explains how the prison works. It is a completely indoor facility under the surface of the seas that cover the moon. One man who was sent to the facility with Cassian even says: “Breathe deep brother. This may be the last fresh air we ever taste.” The inmates don’t wear shoes, but the guards do. Why? The floor is made of a material called tunqstoid steel, which conducts high amounts of energy with a press of a button. Since the guards are always wearing special boots designed to isolate them from this energy, they don’t (usually) don’t have to carry weapons to intimidate the prisoners. Actually, the guards are only seen when admitting prisoners. After that, the floor takes care of business.
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Image Source: Disney+
Cassian is sent to Unit 5-2-D. It stands for Level 5, room 2, and D is for the day shift (though this makes absolutely no difference to the prisoners, because there are no windows to the outside). There are seven levels in the factory, and each has seven rooms. In those rooms, there are seven tables with seven men per table. The factory works somewhat like a 19th-century English textile manufacturer, but with an evil twist: you work until you are extremely tired, but tables and rooms have to “play” against each other for the ultimate prize: taste in their food. The manager, a human male called Kino Loy (Andy Serkis), controls the productivity for Cassian’s room. He’s the one that will rough the workers up if something is wrong. The show, though, doesn’t explain exactly what they are producing; it is just repetitive, intensive, and compulsory work.
Andor is sent to table 5, which, during the episode, was last in the competition because they were a man short. He was the replacement for someone who died recently. You are probably wondering what happens to the loser—they get “fried.” This factory is the perfect hellhole for imperial prisoners deemed labor-worthy. The Empire does not care about mental health, by the way; once the prisoner gets used to the intense routine, they are part of a dystopian, sci-fi version of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times. Wash, rinse, repeat. There aren’t many options—it’s this, or dying. Like Kino Loy said, “losing hope or your mind, keep it to yourself.”
Image Source: Disney+
There is also an area where they have sleeping pods. It is essentially a perfectly cleaned and white jail cell. It has a toilet, tubes for water and food (no limit on both), and most importantly, a horrible bed because they don’t care about your comfort. The prison relies heavily on the floor to take care of the prisoners. During the night the floor lights go red, which means you better not walk during your sleep.
Since Cassian is a smart man, he will probably figure out a way to escape. The special boots that the guards wear will likely be the key to his jailbreak. Meanwhile, he is going to have to play “the floor is lava” for a while if he wants to go beyond his routine. Since entering the facility, he seems to have been plotting something; his escape is likely to include Melshi, who was seen in Rogue One as part of his squad. The next episode will likely expand more on the prison/factory and a possible escape plan.
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Source: Disney+
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