Episode 10 of Season 2 of "Andor" kicks off with a leap forward of a year, setting the stage for the events leading up to "Rogue One." Lonnie Jung remains Luthen's most invaluable spy, continuing to supply him and Kleya with crucial information. The latest tidbit is particularly significant, prompting Jung to sound the alarms and personally request Luthen's presence.
Jung verifies that Dedra has reached out to a contact in Tactical, assembling a team with the intent of striking Coruscant. He speculates that this operation targets Luthen... but Jung's days as an informant are numbered. Knowing that his cover could be blown and his life jeopardized at any moment, and with a wife and child to protect, Jung demands assurances in return for his continued cooperation.
In exchange for his safety, and implicitly, immunity from his past imperial crimes, Jung pledges to unveil stunning revelations about the Empire's true machinations. Luthen agrees, upon which Jung confides that the Empire's energy program is a sham, and their true quest is kyber crystals. Mining operations on Ghorman and numerous other locations across the galaxy all feed into the Empire's master weapon, with Engineer Galen Erson—played by Mads Mikkelsen in "Rogue One"—playing a pivotal role.
However, Jung misjudges his leverage, leading Luthen to make the fateful decision to eliminate him. After dismantling Jung's radio equipment and sabotaging any potential leads back to the rebels, Luthen is confronted by Dedra. They engage in a dance around the truth until Dedra reveals her hand, acknowledging Luthen's involvement with the Rebellion.
Confident that Luthen will surrender peacefully, given the building's encirclement and his impending arrest, Dedra's certainty wanes when she catches a whiff of smoke emanating from the rear. Realizing that Luthen had anticipated her arrival, Luthen plunges a blade into his own gut, determined to prevent Dedra from extracting any information through torture.
In a rush, Dedra swiftly marshals the troops and whisks Luthen away to seek urgent medical care. At the hospital, Dedra's determination to extract information from Luthen is relentless, compelling the hospital staff to go above and beyond for her and placing Luthen's recovery at the forefront. Meanwhile, Partagaz updates the team on Dedra's failed raid, but to compound the chaos, he also learns about Jung's involvement.
Left alone, Kleya, with no one else to rely on, ventures to the deserted apartment and retrieves a bag concealed behind the roof panels. Flashbacks throughout the episode deepen the connection between Luthen and Kleya, revealing how Luthen once shielded her during his military days. Disillusioned by the life he led, he refused to fight and stalled for time aboard the ship.
Over time, a tight bond, akin to a father-daughter duo "when it suits them," forms between Kleya and Luthen. However, Kleya also bears witness to the Empire's atrocities, as they line up slaves and execute them in the town square they occupy. While Kleya yearns to retaliate, Luthen cautions her to act wisely.
These ties of loyalty between the pair are crucial, as Kleya owes Luthen a debt she intends to repay. She sneaks into the hospital, navigating the floors disguised as a nurse, but the 19th floor, where Luthen is being held, is heavily guarded. Ultimately, Kleya resorts to a more direct approach, arming herself with a gun. She guns down the guards and reaches Luthen's room. She switches off the machine, understanding that their rebellion cannot afford the risk of Luthen talking. After planting a kiss on his forehead, she slips away just as soldiers arrive.
