“Bit of Freak in Each Other”: Andor Star on Season 2’s Strange Star Wars Romance

Andor star Denise Gough sheds light on the romantic relationship emerging between her character, Dedra Meero, and Kyle Soller’s Syril Karn. Speaking with Deadline while attending a red carpet event promoting Andor Season 2’s premiere, Gough opened up about what’s shaping up to be an unusual dynamic for the two Imperials. The actress shared that Dedra and Syril are actually a good fit for each other, but the former’s staunch dedication to the Empire and enforcing order prevents her from becoming too close to Syril. Without getting into too much detail, Gaugh noted that some of Dedra’s actions in Season 2 means a “healthy normal relationship” isn’t possible for her.

“There’s a bit of freak in each other. There’s someone for everyone, right?” Gough said. “They fit each other’s wound somehow. Unfortunately, Dedra, is really not capable. She can’t help but manipulate because her one true love is the Empire! She kind of denies herself trying to get to a point where she could be really intimate with somebody because her boyfriend is the Empire! It’s not really him that brings out the worst in her — it’s the Empire! You have to watch to see what she gets involved in. But there are things that she has to do this season for the Empire that means she has to sacrifice any possibility that she can have a healthy normal relationship.”

In Andor Season 1, Syril and Dedra first cross paths after Syril files false reports in an attempt to track down Cassian Andor and is questioned by the ISB. He becomes infatuated with Dedra upon seeing how committed she is to bringing the rebels to justice. While they have a somewhat contentious relationship in Season 1 (Dedra didn’t take kindly to Syril staking out her place of work), Syril’s feelings for Dedra never wavered, and he saves her life during the chaos on Ferrix in the finale.

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Syril and Dedra haven’t been featured too heavily in Andor Season 2 marketing materials; throughout the promotional campaign, the emphasis has been more on underscoring the threat of the Empire as a whole rather than singling out individual villains. The latest trailer spotlighted the return of Director Orson Krennic and the Death Star’s presence in the story.

Star Wars is no stranger to romantic subplots (Han and Leia; Anakin and Padmé), but this would be a fresh direction for the franchise in this regard due to the focus on the Empire. One of the benefits of a show like Andor is it presents the creatives with an opportunity to flesh out the Imperials in ways that weren’t possible in the films. The original Star Wars trilogy closely followed the Rebel Alliance heroes, and Darth Vader was the most notable antagonist. The Imperial officers in the movies were largely background characters who didn’t play a massive role in the narrative (with some exceptions). Andor leans into its long-form storytelling by showing not just the moral ambiguity of the burgeoning Rebellion, but also the inner workings of the Empire, adding an intriguing layer to the franchise. Syril and Dedra have emerged as standout characters thanks to Andor‘s strong writing and deep exploration of the Empire.

Their brief interactions in Season 1 were tantalizing, so it will be fascinating to see how Syril and Dedra’s relationship evolves in Season 2. Based on Gough’s comments, it sounds like it isn’t destined to end well, with her job proving to be a hurdle too great to clear. Andor is renowned for its nuance in character building, so if this is deftly handled, it could become one of the more compelling arcs of Season 2. Perhaps Dedra will find herself conflicted, wanting to experience the happiness of a normal relationship but knowing in her head that’s just a fantasy. Neither Syril nor Dedra are mentioned in Rogue One, raising questions about what ultimately becomes of them.