Who Is Luthen Rael | Star Wars Theory

[@ninamironovitsch]

A beautiful theory, but somehow diminishes Luthen's abilities and achievements. One of the most fascinating traits of Andor is its focus on the ordinary people. And for all my deep love for the lightsaber duels, I enjoyed their absence in the first season of Andor. After all, what Luthen does, is certainly striking, but not impossible also for a non-force user. Andor himself does quite astounding things in the series, and even outsmarts Luthen at one point.

[@KznnyL]

He fulfills Luthens belief in him. Luthen always knew he would be great, which he fulfills in Rogue One. Even Hondo is able to capture Dooku.

[@poopie-boorger]

I agree. Imho Luthen Rael is better as a nameless hero. Someone who acts not because he has a sense of duty to Jedi/Sith, but because he genuinely feels that things needs to change. It's much more badass, heroic, and grounded.

[@jcarry5214]

I, too, shat a tiny bit when the infinite empire came up. "absolutely no reason to think the force would allow her to do such things." That hurts, two to the chest and one to the head man. Also, why isn't this channel bopping? You do a really good job man.

[@TheeGreyGalaxies]

it's still new, only two videos and youtube is usually pretty loath to recommend channels with 1 so it really just started getting views 3 days ago, I'm actually pretty astounded at how well it's doing.

[@jcarry5214]

@@TheeGreyGalaxies Oh funny, well I got recommended both on the same scroll today, so that's good. just watched them both, hope it keeps up.

[@kellysmith1144]

First, this is very well done. I've come here after watching your second video and I'm impressed. Now, when Luthen is talking about being a coward, his next line states what he's scared of. He's afraid of how powerful the Empire will become if nothing is done. The use of the word "coward" here is very selective, very specific. Saws reaction is one of muted shock, it's not what he had been expecting. I don't believe a coward would do what Luthen actually does. The breakdown of his monologue is very insightful. He does reference Light-side traits that he sacrifices and Dark-side traits that he uses to achieve what he needs to do. I wonder if that makes him a balance. I don't think he can be Dark side because he recognizes the sacrifices. The Dark side, or more Sith, would those those in contempt.

[@jeffreycarman2185]

10:11 let’s not forget that (in legends at least) it was said that the Dark Side cave on Dagoba was a shield of sorts for Yoda to maintain his own connection with The Force, without alerting the searching Dark Side users.

[@tchaikovskytm2716]

Really awesome video. Great attention to detail, points are articulated well, and the flow keeps me engaged. Keep them coming :D

[@wither5673]

i second this.

[@jacobrispoli4351]

I third this

[@bluerexstudios3412]

The laser on luthans ship is a mining laser like the ones on bracca in jedi fallen order

[@jonathangodin4775]

Does no one remember those AA lazers in attack of the clones that brought down the core ship! They’re clearly not “lightsaber” beams and I don’t know why everyone thinks they are

[@jcarry5214]

An anti-imperial anti-Sith dark side user would be sublime. Or just a mean gray jedi. The John Dutton of Jedi if you will.

[@keeganrasmussen977]

An antihero?

[@KnivesLegato]

He's likely Dooku's apprentice Rael Averross.

[@laszlolovass3052]

Some of his gestures suggest that he might be a relative of Palpatine, who has a deep family conflict with the ways of Palpy.

[@shawkorror]

He's a normal man, who gave up everything for others. Don't diminish a hero with silly theories.

[@Mildcat743]

Since the timeline puts his equation comment during the war, I wonder if he was MIA and assumed dead. It would fuel his dissolution with the Order since in his eyes they abandoned him. Showing up dead on the Order's rolls in the Temple would keep him safe from Order 66, and allow him to have a relatively prominent storefront patronized by high society on Coruscant without being outed as a Jedi, since the Empire thinks he died in the war.

[@richardsmith988]

The longer hilt on his cane, the temple guard helmet, the larger than normal Kyber crystal potentially used in a double bladed lightsaber, the two holocrons (if they are real), the cloak he tends to wear, point to a hidden Jedi Temple guard. What did he go through to end up where is? It would be an interesting story in itself. So yea, he has the persona of a Jedi Temple Guard that has survived in hiding and trying to stay alive in a very hostile environment, and it burns in him the injustice and his inability to act as he would if the field was more even. The holocrons are knowledge but how corrupted has he become from the sith holocron? Collecting them is a feat in itself. Was he a jedi temple guardian on Coruscant and saved what he could and why? Notice that he is a faceless value that moves easily through issues that would stop other individuals, just as a faceless Jedi would as a temple guardian. At this point I would not be surprised if he hauled out a yellow or purple bladed lightsaber in the next installment.

[@tompearce5418]

On the other hand the simple act of reading a holocron would alert the Sith to his presence on Coruscant.

[@wither5673]

i was SHOOK when the guy mentioned the infinite empire lol.

[@whyitmatterstome]

If Luthen is a Jedi (and there is so much evidence that this is, in fact, the case), then the only way to avoid detection from Sith or other force users is to disconnect himself from the force entirely. This means he is a badass without using the force. Quote, "My anger, my ego, my unwillingness to yield, my eagerness to fight. It's set me on a path for which there's no escape" - from the dark side. This suggest he may not want to access the force until he absolutely needs to as it will fully consume him.

[@fernandocisneors175]

This was my favorite of all the spinoffs and many of the main movies.

[@KanuckStreams]

Sweet DAMN, the degree of detail that Metanerds Lore went into to rebuild an entire LIST of planets from a collection of dots on a tiny-ass map blows my mind.

[@tompearce5418]

Not to mention the attention to detail that would have gone into creating the map in the first place.

[@juggernautgrant]

I would love to see Luthen have his own series! I believe seeing how he began and evolved into what we know of him could be epic!

[@capitalh1895]

Sure, I could argue that Luthen was a Jedi, and has become a darksider, but only in method, not goals. I could rationalize the line "...i use the tools of my enemy..." as him saying hes using the darkside to fight the darkside. He wouldnt truly BE darksider as he recognizes that hes "dammed for what I do" because he acts like it in spite of hating this corner hes boxed himself into. It would be mental gymnastics, (which usually fails in force wielders) but he could see it as his only move... and if not now itll be too late!).

[@jedikatalina]

I'm happy to see that I'm not the only person who firmly believes that Luthen is (well, was) a Jedi) Thank you))

[@jeffreycarman2185]

I am so excited to see what’s next for Andor and Luthen.

[@Vaille32]

Go watch the last scene of the season finale. Luthen is on his ship. What happens? Pay close attention to the moment before Andor reveals himself. If Luthen is a former Jedi, perhaps he’s not as cut off from the Force as some suggest. I could be reading into it, but this is the only instance of Force use he appears to exhibit in the show to this point. That said, Luthen is not only my favorite character of modern Star Wars (and that’s saying a lot considering how dismal it is in general), but in all of Star Wars. The character is exquisitely written, extremely layered, nuanced and complex. Skarsgård plays him superbly, giving us an extremely ambiguous character that we want to see more of.

[@hughseagraves7036]

One thing I like about Mon Mothma's relationship with Luthen is that she might be wondering if his end goal is to overthrow the empire to become emperor himself.

[@PsychedelicDude]

Luthen is the Palpatine of the Rebellion. Even bears a similar appearance to ol' Palps. Maybe he is related? Or just a casting coincidence.

[@unifiedatom]

I thought u had more content Sadly u don’t rn but I’ll be back hopefully u make more amazing content first time I have ever turned on notifications for KZbin

[@Sam-jx8tv]

I think Luthen had a lover who was a Jedi and that she was killed in Order 66.

[@fgdj2000]

I never thought of a "theory". I think he is just a regular person, maybe a former politician, who got fed up with the Clone War and the Empire and just wants to see them go. He has been doing this since probably about shortly after Episode III. He has some mad piloting skills and also seems to know a deal or two about encryption. But honestly, do we need to know his origins? What's more important than where he came from is what he does. 😊

[@noheroespublishing1907]

Luthen's Monologue is essentially a summary of "The Revolutionary Catechism" by Sergei Nechayev.

[@martincamacho2444]

I don’t know if he’s a Jedi or even a force user but I think he probably knew the Jedi‘s ideology. Maybe they knew them some of them personally. That’s why he decided to go with a rebellion from the start because his emperor first act was to kill all the Jedi.

[@GrayNeko]

Luthen Rael strikes me very much as a man who found himself in an impossible situation, I hope none of us ever have to face; either surrender to tyranny, and I mean really /surrender/, or try to fight back. Knowing that fighting back is going to mean you will have to do things you'll be hated for, and worse, you'll hate yourself for. Stellan Skarsgaard deserved an Emmy for this speech alone! As for his origins, I don't think they're that important. Maybe he was a Jedi, maybe he wasn't, doesn't matter. What matters now is that he's organizing a rebellion against an evil that will burn the galaxy to ashes if they're not stopped. And paying the price.

[@ViewTube_Emperor_of_Mankind]

15 years from the official timeline it is before Episode 3.. whatever he refers to happened in the middle of the clone wars.. He might be solo going Count Dooku..

[@kellysmith1144]

He can't be, the Empire wasn't the Empire until after Order 66 which was at the end of TCW.

[@tompearce5418]

Or he could be one of the Lost Twenty who'd departed the Order before the Clone Wars and therefore had time to create a false identity during the Purge.

[@DarthTecolote]

Great video. I missed this one. Very compelling that he might be an adherent to the dark side. His gallery is rich in Force related artifacts, besides the Jedi and Sith pieces, there’s a Dathomirian double headed rancor serpent relic based on an Aztec artifact. Also the three stone tablets, two have iconography of the Mortis gods and the third one is a around tablet, which was based on the Aztec sun calendar, depicts a Zeffonian in the center. The Zeffos were also dark side users. So yeah I tend to agree with your theory that he could have a connection to the dark side. He said it himself, ‘ I'm condemned to use the tools of my enemy to defeat them.’ It’s certainly possible that he’s come across a lot of Force cults artifacts could have led Luthan to dark side. I mean it’s already in canon sort of with Dr. Aphra getting possessed by the Spark Eternal, demonic AI bent on destroying the Sith. I know I’m stretching 😂. Love Dr. Aphra and her shenanigans creating chaos across the galaxy. Anyway, great video. May you bend the Force to your will. 🙂

[@PaulHFleming]

Andor is possible the best thing Happen in Star Wars Universe. It not about superficial battles or actions packed light saber duels. But, about the people, those inside Imperial government/military and outside. Whether Social Elite or average citizens we get see their motivations.

[@JakeAikens]

The best part is the stormtrooper that Rey mind tricks is James Bond. Yes, that’s Daniel Craig.

[@t.robertjohnson7274]

Great breakdown man! Loved this.

[@TheMichaellathrop]

An inquisitors kyber crystal would have been too small for a ship to ship weapon, if you think back to the Kyber heist in Rebels you will recall that the Deathstar was using multiple 6-8 foot long crystals so one would presume that this weapon would need something a lot bigger than what is in the inquisitor sabers.

[@tompearce5418]

The holocrons in his shop would also be targets for the Imperial authorities, which were busily destroying all teaching materials and artefacts linked to the Jedi Order to prevent it rising again. For this reason I think they're just replicas.

[@sunshinegang]

Is Luthan actually Dookus secret apprentice

[@Henners1991]

Like Rich Evans said - if he's a Jedi, it ruins the character.

[@Pub2k4]

I don’t think he’s a Jedi. The Jedi aren’t assassins, but Luthen clearly is. As far as his Kyber crystal goes, I think the Kyber crystal was important to him because it belonged to a family member that he lost in Order 66.

[@hellreaper0136]

Keep making the great content

[@JDPwatching]

Great video! Very well done, my friend. Personally, I think that Luthen's a former Jedi, perhaps a former temple guard, who is now using the dark side to hide himself from Palpatine the way that Palpatine used the dark side to hide himself from the Jedi. I think his urgency is due in no small part to his need to get his goals accomplished before he goes too far down the dark path to ever turn back. and furthermore, I think he knows that with each passing day his chances of turning back, or even WANTING to turn back, get slimmer and slimmer to the point of eventually disappearing altogether. And as for WHO he really is, it's possible that he could be another Palpatine relative, maybe even a bastard brother that Sheev is completely unaware of. And I also thought of this possibility; that he's a semi-successful attempt at a force-sensitive clone of Sheev that was made by Plagueis before Palpatine murdered him. A sort of "revenge insurance policy" that Plagueis put in place after foreseeing how Palpatine would go about betraying and murdering him, as all Sith apprentices inevitably do. The Sith holocron hidden in plain sight in Luthen's shop could be Plagueis' parting instructions and training for the "revenge clone" now operating right under Palpatine's much distracted nose in the upper-class circles of Coruscant society and politics. By burying as much knowledge about the Jedi and Sith as he possibly could, Palpatine unwittingly made it possible for Luthen to operate his shop, openly displaying what would otherwise be priceless, much sought after objects of both the dark side and light side of Force-related lore to a public that's utterly clueless as to their true meaning, worth, and potential. When I first saw the first 4 or 5 episodes I toyed with the idea that he actually WAS Palpatine in disguise, fomenting a rebellion that would give him a decent public excuse to crack down on everything and everybody for the sake of order and security, but that idea seemed less and less attractive as the final episodes went by. In any case, I can't wait for the reveal that Gilroy surely has planned for us. He's brilliant, and he, Filoni, and Favreau are the best things to happen to Star Wars since Alan Ladd Jr. Keep up the good work! 🙂👍❤️

[@starvingpeoplecantcomplain]

I think/hope he‘s a Sith from a rival line or a second apprentice of Darth Plagueis. Sith always internally Gucci modify their Ships and leave the exterior unassuming. Also Plagueis and other Sith love to hide Sith symbolisms and Sith artifacts in plane sight, hide behind jobs that give them reasons/opportunities to acquire such artifacts and not draw to much attention to themselves

[@01talima]

when i saw the red light sabres on his ship i was likely damn hats a bit on the nose guys but it was his monologue "sacrifice" which basically just screams i am a sith , i think he always was .. here is a wild thought, he could be the apprentice Palpatine discarded to take Vader

[@jonathangodin4775]

If they end up making him a Jedi I’m gonna be pissed! Not everyone needs to have a secret identify (and this guy already has 2)

[@NolanMarsh-q5t]

"An I equation I wrote 15 years ago of which there is...doomed to use the tools of my enemies." Andor takes place 14 almost 15 years after order 66. Just saying.

[@JohnCollins]

More like Karla from Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.... Andor was written partly by the man who wrote The Americans. Andor is TRADECRAFT versus The SIth.

[@JohnCollins]

Moscow Rules...

[@ViewTube_Emperor_of_Mankind]

Andor delivered 3 great Speeches. Luther, Kino, Maarva and although Stellan was stellar Maarva (Fiona Shaw) was just better.

[@TheeGreyGalaxies]

I also liked Kino and Maarva's speech, but I sort of wonder how much of what made her speech so great was the music in the background... then again maybe most of Luthen's speech is the ominous sound in the background... point taken.

[@0predaking0]

I believe him to be a Secret Apprentice to Lord Darth Plagueis. After all Plagueis master was an engineer of Starships

[@marcusanton95]

There was an order of Jedi very few knew about, possibly not even Yoda knew about. Except for a few from this order they never came to any Jedi Temple much less the core worlds. They used the darkside of the force as well as the light, assassins, terrorist tactics and the like. Luthren may have been one of them. Since none of them would have had time to return before Obi Wan altered the signal to return. So they would have excaped the initial order 66, Palpatine may not have known anymore than the Jedi Counsel so no one would be looking for them. Maybe Grey Jedi, I don't recall but they are Cannon.

[@loyalty.is.its.own.reward]

Screw all the jedi sith force user crap. He should be just a man who believed in his nation,his Republic, and its values. A man who, as he said himself, burns his decency for a sunrise he will never see. It would be the perfect counter to palpatine thinking he has a right to rule because of his powers. His empire falls because of a simple man saying, "I will not comply"

[@poil8351]

i wonder if he is an alien from a different universe, who is stuck in the star wars universe and is busy trying ti destroy the empire so he can get some technology to get back to his home universe.

[@1138shirerat]

Anyone else think Luthen is a former Imperial/Republic officer who committed genocide under Imperial orders? Can’t help but wonder if guilt is his primary driving motivation.

[@NicolasLopez-fz3yh]

Hmm maybe he was a cis/ republic officer and he has something to do with that gas from the ship from Cassian’s childhood? That could explain his feeling of guilt.

[@uroborous01]

this video only serves to tell me that i really actually do indeed need to watch andor and also the animated star wars shows. because i've been sitting on doing that for a long while, simply out of spite for last jedi and the one they labeled as episode 9.

[@TheeGreyGalaxies]

I still can't bring myself to watch episodes 8 or 9... but in my personal, semi-professional opinion, Andor is well and truly worth it. the animated series are difficult to watch as an adult... the plot armor is very strong in those since, yeah they're made for kids.

[@Kurotaisa]

New Channel who dis

[@dustinburkhart8526]

Cool video 😎

[@papaprometheus]

It would be cool if he is actually Rahm Kota

[@philbone4803]

The emperor's brother..

[@Hazel.thecat]

Or… he could just be a very cunning ordinary person instead of a space wizard.

[@kennethcampbell7263]

Would be better without automatic Closed captioning

[@NotMyGumDropButtons.444]

13:49 JEDI

[@NewSquallor]

I like the content but I need more. Chop chop.

[@TheeGreyGalaxies]

already on it.

[@NewSquallor]

@@TheeGreyGalaxies very well, subbed! Good soldiers follow orders.

[@LynnJynh9315]

If true, it ruins the entire series. This isn't the tale of space wizards, but ordinary people. Making Luthen a Jedi would be a slap in the face.

[@VHBEngines]

Holy fuck, skarsgard is great here 🫨

[@alexshtyn6336]

Jedi are meticulously hunted and have a price on their head not great for a spy master.

[@JothDasim]

Try a jedi sentinel .

[@WhyDaRumGone]

A beautiful theory, but diminishes the story for me if he was a Jedi

[@mpalfadel2008]

Seems kinda sloppy writing to allow the Empire to have someone dealing in illegal Jedi Holocrons in the same planet as the Imperial Palace

[@Bmpaul02]

Not really, Andor says it ‘they are so fat and satisfied that they couldn’t even imagine someone operating under their noses’

[@mpalfadel2008]

@ I remember the quote, tho I cannot remember what compelled me to post the comment… Andor season 2 is awaited eagerly in my opinion What’s your take on Luthen n the crystal he gave Cassian? Do you think there’s a Jedi/dark Jedi/sith origin somewhere in his background? Perhaps he’s just a former spy from the republic days….

[@AncientRylanor69]

😎😎😎😎

[@charleshastings9452]

Lol he didnt understand the whole point of this show

[@MAINFRAMELaboratories]

Andor is a story about regular people. Be a shame if they ruined it like this.

[@egliptor]

Why do Star wars fans try to majority push the same repetitive narrative of sith jedi and glow sticks dark or light side tropes. Especially when the show does not go up the trooes path. Star wars has become so far up it's own ass only about star wars tropes. Andor presents compelling story writing reflecting historical fascist regimes, Franco, Mussolini that display competent individuals working together gonup against the pressures of an empire without jedi sith repetition like every star wars product. The constant tropes and explaining away havs likely diluted erroded away what made star wars interesteing and unique product

[@TheeGreyGalaxies]

why would someone watch a video about Star Wars and post angry comments when the video discusses a central theme of the entire star wars universe? It's a fan theory and an opinion piece, dude, lighten up.

[@egliptor]

​​@@TheeGreyGalaxiesto watch a video to hear if it has different opinions that is maybe interesting and not always what others keep repeating. The opinions are mainly the same like it's called sith and jedi wars when a show is specifically trying to present away from the same repetitive tropes / themes. Was Star wars really about the sith and jedi as the main theme? Not sure about that. That became the focus as it sold product / toys and it only became the focus from return of the Jedi onwards, the jedi stuff was always a background ingredient not the focus. The focus was an empire stamping on it's citizens and becoming the negative imposing force and family, bonds with others plus friendships created Understandable some people want jump around punch punch and glow sticks again and again across the board. More power to those people. It seems expecting different is being heavy, fair enough. No wonder the star wars IP is struggling