This was a relatively quiet episode about living with trauma, intrigue and politics and the use of misinformation. Remember once upon a time when people were upset that Star Wars was suddenly about politics? Well, I think it was always about politics. We’re finally just getting to why that can be good storytelling.
Of course I’m talking about the prequels. While they have their fans and have improved with age, oddly enough, they didn’t capture the compelling intrigue and clever gameplay that is usually an essential part of a political thriller. Here, the set up is all about gathering information, dissembling motives and then distorting that information. Sounds kinda boring on paper, but it works because of the give and take and play and counterplay. I like that no one has the full picture and the story builds on what was already established in the first trilogy of episodes.
Starting with the action on Ghorman which was almost all Syril, and he did a fabulous job practically carrying the episode. At first it looked like he was sent into exile on a commerce planet, a promotion that was more of a punishment. He is now in charge of the branch office of the Bureau of Standards and is clearly doing a good job, despite not connecting to a single person as a friend.
The fact he is on Ghorman sent up alarm bells for me because this is Dedra’s new project. But a year can be a long time, and after Eedy’s call, I wasn’t sure anymore. Yet somehow Eedy is being used as a positive tool for undercover work. I love that one of the people monitoring Syril remarked on how awful she was to him. This cover was kept intact throughout the episode until the Ghorman Front finally contacted him, and then pretense dropped when he called Dedra.
Of course Dedra is behind Syril’s actions, as part of her own plans to subvert Ghorman and use their rebel cell as fodder in the Empire’s plot to take over Ghorman without appearing like they are taking over Ghorman. It calls into question whether any of this will actually affect Syril. Does he have a soul? Is he even touched by the tale of Grand Moff Tarkin killing 500 unarmed civilians? I honestly don’t know, and I have to give a lot of credit to Kyle Soller, whose performance has always been internal and compelling.
The context of all the secrets and meetings and the public face of the Ghorman Front is all about Imperial overreach, namely a new building which is displacing a cultural site that they fear contains an arsenal or something worse. They ask Syril for advice to make their appeals more effective, but all they have are rumors. I’m personally worried given what we know of Krennic’s plans that the building is actually an entrance to the mine where they have already started to gouge mine the planet for the Kalkite.
Ghorman is an interesting place, with a bit of a pre-war Austrian vibe, like a waltz featured in The Sound of Music. That feeling was likely influenced by the newsreel from episode two, but it felt like at any point the characters would break into a version of "Edelweiss." While clearly Star Wars in design, the city feels real, with pigeons and a very old world European vibe. This show does a great job with world design, with Ferrix, Narkina 5, Coruscant, Mina-Rau, Aldhani, and now Ghorman all feeling distinct and real.
Even Mon Mothma is involved with what is happening on Ghorman, but in a different way. Her primary struggle is with repealing the PORD, which is the Imperial order that allowed for the endless sentences on Narkina 5. Except even her allies are voting against her, fearing retribution from the Emperor. You can see the frustration on her face. While being diplomatic and arguing her points, she knows the fight within the system is failing.
Speaking of fighting, let's move on to Cassian and Bix who spent the entire hour as basically a married couple living in witness protection. She still has PTSD from being tortured, she’s sleepwalking and picking fights. But Cassian tries his best to support her, even when his own actions are ethically and morally questionable. Apparently he killed a young imperial soldier during their last mission, only because he had seen Bix’s face.
It makes sense from a spy point of view, but Bix is clearly troubled by it, compounded by the fact that Cassian is still trying to protect her when she has chosen to put her life in danger for the Rebellion. What is really fascinating is the sheer mundanity of all their scenes. We see them having a couples fight, making dinner, and going shopping. If this were the first time meeting them, we would wonder why they were important. Well, if we didn’t listen to them talking, at least.
But for me, at least they are together, and that feels good. Possibly they are doomed, because she doesn’t appear in Rogue One and he doesn’t talk about her. Of course she could have been back on Yavin with two kids and retired from service, while he continued on as a Rebel spy. Possibly they separated and weren’t talking to one another by the time Rogue One starts. There are a dozen possible answers to the looming question, but of course I’m afraid of the one that ends with her death.
Meanwhile, Luthen is still behind the scenes moving parts. Lonni finally makes contact after three months and lets Luthen know that Dedra is somehow involved with Ghorman. This was after Lonni advocated for his fellow ISB officers who were all drowning in incarceration paperwork with the excessive amounts of arrests lately. I can only imagine how badly overpopulated the prisons are getting on planets like Narkina 5 and Belsavis. Of course Luthen then turns around and sends Cassian to Ghorman. Please let him come across Syril. It would be delightful to have them have an actual scene together. Unfortunately, Bix is not going with them, and Cassian nearly said no because of that condition.
Luthen has also sent Wilmon out to D’Qar to provide a fuel refiner and lessons on how to use it safely. Saw of course is about as welcoming as you can imagine given how paranoid he tends to be and how badly he plays with others. He was absolutely chilling as he spoke to Wilmon about the fuel burning him from within if ingested and without if he got any on his skin. Of course the implication being he would force one of those two options if Wilmon ended being a traitor, which is just bleh. Poor Wilmon is now Saw’s captive. Let's hope Wilmon makes it off that planet alive.
Bits:
The opening music was actually labeled “intriguing music.” It did have a detective theme. The episode featured a lot of intrigue and set up so the music made sense thematically.
Starting arc two, the action begins One Year Later in BBY3.
I think Luthen should have been nicer to Lonni. I hope it doesn’t drive Lonni to betray him.
The fuel that Saw was talking about, Rhydonium, we last encountered in the The Mandalorian episode The Believer. It is extremely volatile and explodes if you look at it wrong.
It was neat to see the outside of the Senate building on Coruscant again, I believe the last time we saw the exterior was in Episode III.
Considering Tarkin blew up Alderaan on a whim, I’m not surprised to hear he was involved in a massacre. I wonder if Dedra would condone that kind of horrific act, or would be willing to do it herself.
Quotes:
Carro Rylanz: “Sixteen years ago, Grand Moff Tarkin killed 500 peaceful, unarmed Ghormans in the middle of that plaza. You can imagine how upset we would be to find out there’s an imperial military facility rising over the Monument to the Fallen.”
Cassian: “You and I are here now because he’s dead. It had to be done.”
Mon: “If we do not stand together, we will be crushed.”
Dr. Gorst: “Everyone has their own Rebellion. Right?”
While another solid episode with some really interesting set up, I wasn’t sure it was quite as strong as the premiere. Still that is a nitpick and I’m really curious where this arc will end up.
3 out of 4 Secrets and Lies
Samantha M. Quinn spends most of her time in front of a computer typing away at one thing or another; when she has free time, she enjoys pretty much anything science fiction or fantasy-related.
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