Luthen Rael may be the man in the know about the Rebellion in Andor, but he’s quite the mystery to the audience. He’s the go-between for Andor, Vel, and Mon Mothma, and an antique dealer to the unsuspecting people of Coruscant, but we don’t know much else about him.
It’s clear he’s got secrets — his speech in Episode 10 about what led him to the Rebellion confirmed that — but with one episode left in the season, will we learn more about him? A new toy leak reveals a key element of his character, but disproves an exciting fan theory.
In the latest collection of Black Series figures for Andor, Luthen Rael appears with a knife in hand. But this isn’t just any knife — it’s a hidden part of that tube-like weapon he was carrying in Episode 11, which was highlighted when Saw Guerrera’s security frisked him.
If we see the knife in this toy, it’s all but guaranteed we’ll see it in the Season 1 finale. This means we’ll see Luthen fight hand-to-hand (or perhaps become an assassin), which is quite the departure from the puppetmaster figure we’ve seen over the course of the season.
While it’s exciting to see Luthen getting his hands dirty, it also sinks a popular Andor fan theory. Since Episode 1, there’s been talk that the spymaster is secretly a Jedi. The idea started as wishful thinking, but the last three episodes offered more tangible evidence to believers.
First, there was the speech he gave where he alluded to a life-changing event 15 years ago, which would line up with Order 66 and the Great Jedi Purge. Then, his innocent-looking hauler shot ship-sized lightsabers out of its wings to carve up TIE Fighters as he escaped an Imperial investigation. Finally, there was that mysterious tube-like weapon. Could it be a lightsaber?
Well, now we know the answer is a resounding “no.” What could have been the perfect hiding place for a Jedi trademark is just a dagger.
While this may disappoint some fans, it’s actually to Andor’s benefit. The entire series is about the everyday people who make the Rebellion possible: Civilians, politicians, political prisoners, guerrilla fighters. Luthen secretly having superpowers would render this theme moot. If he wants to affect change he’s going to have to get his hands dirty, not just wave them around while magic shoots out.
The moral of Andor is that anyone can change the universe. Sometimes, all you need are your wits and a concealed dagger.
Andor is now streaming on Disney+.
