In Andor’s fourth episode, “Aldhani,” Cassian finds himself on the titular planet after agreeing to join a Rebel cell plotting to steal from the Imperial Security Bureau. And speaking of the ISB, the organization tightens its grip on the Morlana system while Syril is forced to deal with the consequences of his ill-fated siege.
Luthen’s Offer
After their narrow escape from Ferrix, Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) wastes no time getting to the point: Cassian can either lay low and keep running for the rest of his life… or join a high-stakes mission that could land him 200,000 credits—if he survives.
Not exactly a warm welcome into the Rebel Alliance, but Cassian (Diego Luna) isn’t looking for one. He doesn’t believe in the cause. After everything he’s seen, living whatever life you can under the regime feels like a safer choice to him. Luthen’s not having it. “I didn’t come to Ferrix for the box,” he says. “I came for you.”
The mission? Steal the quarterly payroll for an entire Imperial sector. From a heavily guarded garrison. In five days. Easy money, right?
A Rotten System
Over on Coruscant, we’re introduced to the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB). On the surface, it appears to be an intelligence and law enforcement agency. But the ISB’s true purpose is to keep citizens under Emperor Palpatine’s control and eliminate rebel threats.
“Security is an illusion,” says Major Partagaz (Anton Lesser), with all the charm of a man who enjoys being feared. “We are healthcare providers… The longer we wait to identify a disorder, the harder it is to treat the disease.”
Yes, the ISB sounds just like your typical wellness clinic—if your idea of healthcare involves surveillance, manipulation, and torture.
Lieutenant Supervisor Blevin (Ben Bailey Smith) drags Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) over the coals for his disastrous raid on Ferrix. It’s brutal. Syril gets fired, and so does his boss, Chief Hyne—despite not being involved in the siege. Worse, thanks to Syril’s actions, the Morlana system is now under permanent Imperial control, which is exactly what Hyne had tried to avoid.
Having lost everything, Syril slinks back home, where his mother welcomes him with a slap and a hug. In that order.
Meanwhile, the stolen Starpath unit Cassian tried to sell is in the ISB’s hands. It came from Steerguard, which immediately gets Supervisor Dedra Meero’s (Denise Gough) attention. She wants all Ferrix-related reports, convinced there’s a pattern—signs of a growing rebellion. However, Blevin isn’t thrilled about her investigating his sector, which includes Ferrix. The matter is brought before their supervisor, Major Partagaz, who denies Dedra’s request due to insufficient evidence.
Joining the Vel’s Team
Cassian agrees to the mission, though he’s still not sold on Luthen’s rebellion. Luthen drops him off on the lush, green planet Aldhani—but not without a parting gift: a Kuati Signet necklace with a kyber crystal. “Celebrates the uprising against the Rakatan invaders,” Luthen says. It’s not a bribe. It’s more like a down payment.
Cassian adopts the alias “Clem”—a tribute to his adoptive father, who was hanged by the Empire years ago.
The team’s leader, Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay), is less than thrilled to get a new recruit three days before the heist. Luthen doesn’t care. She can take Cassian or cancel the mission. Her call—though it’s really not.
Vel introduces “Clem” to the crew: Karis Nemik (Alex Lawther), Arvel Skeen (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Cinta Kaz (Varada Sethu), plus an Imperial contact: Lieutenant Gorn (Sule Rimi), who’s risking everything to help them.
The plan involves infiltrating the heavily guarded Aldhani garrison, breaking into a vault to seize the payroll, and escaping in a freighter. Cassian starts to doubt the team’s ability to pull off a heist like this—there are only seven members, including himself. However, the rebels are confident, and they’re relying on a celestial event that occurs once every three years to cover their escape. Everything should proceed according to plan… assuming Cassian can catch up in time.
Double Lives
Luthen heads back to Coruscant and dons his mask—a sociable antique dealer catering to the galaxy’s elite. Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) stops by the shop under the pretense of buying a birthday gift for her husband. Luthen doesn’t trust her new driver, so he takes the senator to the back of the store to speak privately.
We learn that Mon has been secretly funneling money into the Rebel Alliance, but the Empire is growing suspicious. New driver, new employees at the bank. With too many spies watching, Mon seeks to bring in help from outside their inner circle. Luthen isn’t thrilled with the idea—it’s too risky. But Mon doesn’t see another way.
“It’s a daring choice,” he says as he slips back into his merchant persona. “But I trust you’ll have the courage to turn back if it should be a bit much.”
You can stream the first season of Andor in its entirety on Disney+. The second season premieres on April 22.
📌 Changelog
- April 14, 2025: Rewrote sections and updated the subheadings to improve flow. Also added links to stream the entire first season on Disney+.
- April 13, 2024: Updated formatting for better clarity, added subheadings, and included a short summary of the article.
- September 29, 2022: Original article published along with a link to stream the episode on Disney+.
