Andor's Kyle Soller Explains That Awkward Confrontation Between Syril and Dedra

By Jamie Jirak

Disney+'s new Star Wars series, Andor, is nine episodes deep and has followed some familiar faces as well as new ones. One of the show's villains is Syril Karn (Kyle Soller), the former Deputy Inspector for the Preox-Morlana. Things haven't been going well for little Syril ever since he went against orders in the show's third episode and caused a lot of trouble for his unit. He lost his job and was forced to go back home to his mommy, Eedy (Kathryn Hunter). Syril has become obsessed with finding Cassian, and his searches caught the attention of Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), a lieutenant and supervisor in the Imperial Security Bureau. In the latest episode, Syril basically stalks Dedra by waiting outside the ISB building, and they have an extremely intense and awkward interaction that has fans wondering if something romantic could be brewing, and if so, it's definitely not healthy. He tells her she has inspired him and given him a new reason to live, and it's hard to tell if she's really agitated and creeped out by the behavior or if she's actually into it. Soller recently had a chat with /Film about the show and while he didn't spill any details on a potential romance, he did provide further insight into the memorably icky scene. 

"I always explored within Syril that he doesn't really know where the lines are and he has a deep emotional well and level of frustration and anxiety that sits below the surface of this polished and tailored exterior. But it's almost like he's trying to wrestle his inner life to within the constrictions of that suit and that hair, if you know what I mean?" Soller explained. "As a result, that internal battle that is going on within him, it actually doesn't allow enough capacity to recognize, 'Oh, I've overstepped a mark here.' It's like he's so wrapped up within this internal battle that he doesn't see beyond his own hand, in a way, I think. He can be really emotionally led at times and can be really cerebrally led at times, but he's not really taking in other people's lives or thoughts – I think the only time he really properly does that is in Episode 3 when he has to give that speech to these mercenaries, effectively, onboard the ship before they land at Ferrix and the penny drops like, 'Oh wait. Oh, these people kill people and this could go really wrong, maybe.' He's completely out of his depth. Then when everything does go wrong, his inner sight is kind of woken up."

Stoller added, "Where he ends up, I guess by [episode] eight or nine, where he is stalking Dedra, I mean, I didn't anticipate that at all. But what was wonderful is that he has a real incredible trajectory. Within the first three episodes, he has a massive high and a massive fall, and then has to build himself up by going back to live with his mother and then being given a handout job in a no-name, horrible working environment where anonymity is the kind of name in the game. So his crawling back from this complete depression – I never expected two character arcs, I guess is what I'm trying to say. It feels like he's got two arcs within 12 episodes."

"And then still exists within this, 'Am I being my authentic self?' I think seeing and meeting Dedra feels like, 'Oh my God, a fire has been rekindled within me, because I see myself in her. I see all of my ideals within her and what she represents and her instincts about Cassian and this burgeoning rebellion are the same as mine.' And feeling seen and acknowledged literally within the heart of the Empire at the ISB, which is exactly where Syril wants to be. He was operating out on the further reaches in Morlana One, which is kind of an anomalous planet. The veil is kind of lifted again and his kind of like Jing is activated and he's like, 'Oh my gosh, okay.' He goes about it the wrong way, of course, by stalking somebody." He added with a laugh, "I would never condone that. But Syril's emotional acuity, his social acuity, and his developmental acuity are really not, I guess what you would call 'fully developed.'"

Was Andor Renewed for a Second Season?

Andor has already been confirmed to have two seasons with the second season expected to go into production soon. Gilroy, who also co-wrote Rogue One, doesn't have plans to direct any episodes. Benjamin Caron, Toby Haynes, and Susanna White are all credited for helming episodes in the first season, and it looks like a Yellowjackets alum, Ariel Kleiman, will be tackling some of the second seasons.

Andor is now streaming exclusively on Disney+. 

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