Andor has been a trailblazer Star Wars show. It has grounded the franchise and made the stakes feel real and brutal. As such, this one show has elevated the franchise beyond what’s possible. Over the course of 11 episodes we have seen Easter eggs connecting the show to the greater Star Wars universe. But we haven’t yet seen a Jedi. However, if a new theory is to be believed then the show is hiding one in plain sight.

Andor Has A Jedi Operating All This Time

A major theory doing the rounds of the Star Wars fandom is Luthen Rael possibly being a Jedi. Many fans have noted that his retractable cane reminds one of a lightsaber. And he has Kyber Crystals, (one he considers to be of great personal value) which is the one core component of the aforementioned saber.

But it isn’t just his things that have made fans suspicious about his background, it’s also his words. In Episode 10, when he was asked about sacrifice he says:

“Calm. Kindness, kinship. Love. I’ve given up all chance at inner peace, I’ve made my mind a sunless space. I share my dreams with ghosts. I wake up every day to an equation I wrote 15 years ago from which there’s only one conclusion: I’m damned for what I do. My anger, my ego, my unwillingness to yield, my eagerness to fight, they’ve set me on a path from which there is no escape. I yearned to be a savior against injustice without contemplating the cost, and by the time I looked down, there was no longer any ground beneath my feet.”

He begins with peculiarly high-minded and altruistic words instead of immediately reflecting about a normal life and family. So he seeks inwards rather than outwards for this answer. And the first word out of his mouth is ‘Calm’. It’s a unique word that not everyone chooses. Moreover, he refers to the emotion here, detached from any personal relevance. As such, it’s evocative of a Jedi.

Also phrases like, “share my dreams with ghosts” and “damned for what I do” can be subtle references to Force Ghosts and the Jedi Order’s belief to always walk the path of light. But he’s sacrificing his ideals by walking in the enemy’s clothes and using their weapons. And that’s why the cost is so high for him.

Luthen doesn’t come across as the kind of Jedi we generally know– moral, ethical, and holding themselves in high regard. He seems to be more of a fallen Jedi who is doing the dirty work to tear down the Empire. And there’s seldom anything more poetic in the Star Wars universe than a Jedi embracing the darkness to bring down the Empire. It’s the perfect subversion that Andor excels in exploring and it’s also a foil to the path Anakin Skywalker chose.

Some fans have also noted that Kleya seems like a Padawan to Luthen. Maybe a youngling he rescued after Order 66. Their dynamic also makes sense if that’s true. With Kleya being ruthless in bringing down an Empire that left her just a survivor and Luthen, an old Jedi, doing what needs to be done.

Another thing that lends validity to this theory is Luthen’s amazing piloting skills we saw in Episode 11. His idea, planning, and smooth execution of it all, makes one think that maybe he used some Force assistance to get it done.

The Alternate Fan Theories For Luthen Rael

But not all agree with this Jedi theory. Others think that this fight is so personal to him because he perhaps lost a child who was a Jedi. And the Khyber crystals maybe belong to his kid’s lightsaber. Others are of the opinion that he was not a Jedi, but a very high ranking spy for the Republic.

But there’s another theory that also makes sense. That Luthen Rael is in fact an antique dealer who is extremely passionate about the history of the Jedi, the wars fought, the weapons used to fight them, etc. And all this accumulative knowledge gives him the power to be a badass.

This idea would also fit well with what Tony Gilroy, the mind behind the show, is seemingly trying to tell- that ordinary people find out that they can become leaders too when they are crushed under the Empire and forced to push through to find a new version of themselves.

Which theory do you subscribe to? Let us know.