Andor may be a prequel to a prequel, but it depicted some action-packed moments from an era before the Rebellion even started. Because of that, much of the drama is kept in the shadows, like Mon Mothma’s quiet pulling of strings while still in the Galactic Senate, or the guerrilla warfare on the planet Aldhani. But just because the Rebellion came from humble beginnings, it doesn’t mean that the Empire was unaware. Dedra Meero and the Imperial Security Bureau are investigating this new movement throughout its rule.
However, a new Star Wars book suggests the ISB may have been onto the Rebellion before Luthen and Andor even met — suggesting we may learn more about the ISB’s true knowledge in the upcoming Andor Season 2.
Twitter user @WaltEpithet noticed an interesting use of images in the recently released Star Wars book The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire by Chris Kempshall. The book retells the story of the Star Wars novels as if it were a history textbook, and its accompanied by stills from Star Wars movies and series, usually explained away as archival imagery taken from nearby cameras.
However, one image’s caption is especially interesting. A still from Andor Episode 3 showing Luthen from behind is given the caption “ISB Surveillance image of an individual tentatively identified as ‘Axis.’” While that explains the existence of the photo, it asks an even bigger question: who took the surveillance photo?
The obvious choice is hiding in plain sight — Willi, the overly friendly stranger Luthen meets on the shuttle to Ferrix. He’s inconspicuous, approachable, and bundled up so he could easily wear a wire. He even seems to hint that something is fishy when he asks Luthen what line of work he’s in and says, “No need to explain. Who knows who you're talking to these days.” Could he actually be an ISB spy sent to tail him?
It’s likely, but the theory offers an alternative, slightly more goofy option — in the shot immediately after the one in the book, we see the area where a camera would need to be positioned. Instead of a spy or a security camera, the only thing that’s there is a staircase droid. Could a droid’s programming have been altered to provide intel, therefore avoiding the need to get human spies involved?
Either way, this book proves that the ISB knew about Luthen far longer than we realized — and it could play into Andor Season 2. If the ISB is hiding things from even their internal meetings, there could be an even deeper level to their investigation into the movement that would eventually be their downfall.
