- "I was a good Deputy Inspector! I was very good. I solved a double murder and found the killer in two days. I was overly ambitious, yes, but time was slipping away and the opportunity was real. Service to the Empire, you just said it. Can one ever be too aggressive in preserving order? I didn't deserve what happened."
- ―Syril Karn
Syril Karn was a human male civil servant who was employed by the Imperial Bureau of Standards of the Galactic Empire, and had prior been a senior law enforcement officer for the Preox-Morlana as a Deputy Inspector during the Imperial Era. Due to an incident on Ferrix where he failed to capture a criminal named Cassian Andor, Karn was stripped of his duties and left utterly disgraced by his superiors and returned home to his mother Eedy Karn on Coruscant. As he worked in the Imperial Bureau of Standards, Karn remained determined to find Andor, drawing the attention and ire of Supervisor Dedra Meero of the Imperial Security Bureau. He eventually found himself on Ferrix as a riot broke out, and his rescue of Meero from an angry mob led the two to develop a romantic relationship in the year following.
Around 3 BBY, Meero arranged for Karn to be transferred to the Standards Bureau's branch on the planet Ghorman as part of her assignment to the Ghorman project, and Karn worked to infiltrate the burgeoning Ghorman Front at her request, though he was unaware of the true purpose. Over the next year, Karn grew concerned with increasing Imperial aggression towards the Ghormans, culminating in 2 BBY when he discovered that the Empire intended to strip-mine the planet with no concern for the population—and that Meero was in charge of the ISB effort. Furious and heartbroken, he fled the Imperial office complex into the crowd on Palmo Plaza, where he was caught amidst the Ghorman Massacre that broke out minutes later at Meero's command. A shellshocked Karn was stunned to encounter Andor amidst the chaos, and attacked his enemy in a fistfight that saw Karn nearly kill Andor, only to be killed by Carro Rylanz, the leader of the Ghorman Front whom Karn had infiltrated and betrayed.
Biography[]
Early life[]
- "Shame we couldn't have seen more of each other when you were flourishing. I'd have the memory to sustain me."
- ―Eedy Karn, to Syril Karn
Syril Karn was born on the Core World Coruscant.
Syril Karn was a human male[13] born to a strict mother, Eedy Karn, and a father who left the family after what Eedy would describe as "an expensive delusion."[8] He also had an uncle named Harlo, who possessed a great deal of influence[14] in the politics of[1] the Core Worlds planet[15] Coruscant, where Karn grew up.[1] From 22 BBY to 19 BBY, while Karn was in his late teens and early twenties,[16] the galaxy was faced with the Clone Wars, during which the Galactic Republic fielded an army of clone troopers and was transformed into the Galactic Empire.[17] Karn owned several clone trooper action figures that he left in his childhood bedroom[1] when he left his house to join the Pre-Mor Enforcement, the tactical forces of the corporate conglomerate Preox-Morlana in the Morlani system. After being hired, Karn moved to Morlana One where the Corporate Security Headquarters was located.[4]
He never invited his mother to see him, instead vaguely letting her know that she could visit any time, an open invitation which she considered to be no invitation at all. She never actually visited him and they did not see each other again until[14] 5 BBY.[18] Karn took his duties more seriously than most of his fellow Pre-Mor employees, eventually rising to the rank of Deputy Inspector, at which point he had his uniform tailored to fit tighter and added pockets and piping for a more decorative outfit.[4]
Deputy Inspector duties[]
Murders on Morlana[]
- "This is the murder of two Pre-Mor employees!"
- ―Syril Karn
As Deputy Inspector,[4] the thirty-five year old[6] Karn took charge on a case where two Pre-Mor security officers had been killed outside the Leisure Zone on the planet Morlana One. Karn prepared an extensive report for his immediate superior, including the fact that an employee at the brothel the two officers were last seen alive at had seen a man arguing with them.[4]
Chief Inspector Hyne ordered Deputy Inspector Karn to not investigate the murder of two Pre-Mor officers.
Chief Inspector Hyne, who was about to leave for an Imperial Regional Command security meeting, was dismissive of Karn's eagerness to investigate the case, explaining that one of the deceased was a known troublemaker and both of them were in a restricted area violating multiple Enforcement rules. Instead, he instructed Karn to prepare an accident report stating the officers had died heroically. After Hyne's departure, however, Karn continued to investigate the murders. He first identified a rogue vessel departing Morlana One, ordering the comms officer in charge to filter the entire night in order to find where the vessel traveled to. He also called all witnesses to the incident to report on the Security headquarters, with one of the hostesses indeed coming in and informing him that the man the corpos were arguing with was asking about a woman from Kenari.[4]
After discovering that the suspect's vessel had traveled to Ferrix, Karn had his officers attempt to identify anyone from Kenari on the planet. He was frustrated to learn the last Imperial census was six years prior, and ordered his officers to flood the communications channels to Ferrix with an alert requesting information on a suspect from Kenari. After his officers received a tip from a local named Timm Karlo naming the suspect as Cassian Jeron Andor, Karn's officers were able to find a picture of Andor and identify him in their records. Karn then had the girl at the brothel come in to confirm the man's identity, finally confirming that Andor was indeed most likely the perpetrator of the crime.[19]
Hunt on Ferrix[]
- "There comes a time when the… the risk of doing nothing becomes the greatest risk of all. This is one of those decisive moments, and I can't imagine a team I'd rather share it with than all of you. There's no room for doubt on the path to… success… and, uh, justice."
- ―Syril Karn
A group of armed guards followed Karn to Ferrix to arrest Cassian Andor.
Having identified Andor as his target, Karn summoned Sergeant Linus Mosk who commanded a Pre-Mor security Inspection team. Karn was impressed by Mosk's enthusiasm to capture Andor, finally finding a kindred spirit in someone who took their duties as seriously as he did. Mosk recommended the two of them lead a twelve-man team to capture Andor on Ferrix promptly. Karn agreed and the two later departed on a Preox-Morlana personnel carrier with twelve men to Ferrix to arrest Andor.[19]
During the trip to Ferrix, Mosk briefed his team on the situation, warning that Andor was likely armed and dangerous. He then allowed Karn a moment to speak to the men, with Karn delivering an awkward and uninspired speech to the team. Upon arrival at Ferrix, Mosk and Karn attempted to deliver the arrest warrant to Andor's adoptive mother, Maarva Andor, but upon discovering Andor was not present the Pre-Mor soldiers ransacked Maarva's home in an attempt to coerce her into giving up Andor's location. This, however, upset many locals, some of whom were friends of Maarva and others who were simply upset to see security officers mistreating an old woman. Initially unbothered by the Pre-Mor corpos, the town quickly began to turn on them, sabotaging them by ringing alarms to warn of their location and taking down street signs to prevent the soldiers from knowing where they were.[10]
Karn soon confronted Maarva's droid, B2EMO, and ordered his power supply pulled to force her cooperation, only for Andor to fortuitously call the droid via his comlink, enabling Mosk to trace his location, sending East Team to corner him. However, Andor and his new compatriot Luthen Rael were able to escape as Rael had rigged the warehouse they met in with explosive charges, injuring numerous Pre-Mor soldiers in the process. When Karn and Mosk heard reports that Andor and Rael were headed their way, they and the remaining Pre-Mor security officers attempted to set an ambush for the two, setting up in positions along the street they expected them to come down from.[10]
Karn's attempt to capture Andor resulted in a firefight, in which several members of his team were killed.
As Karn got into position, however, he was instead ambushed and disarmed by Andor and Rael who emerged from a hidden tunnel, and when threatened quickly gave up the number of corpos in the Pre-Mor security team. Despite Rael's urging to kill Karn, Andor instead gagged and hogtied him, taking his weapon and leaving him in a nearby home. Karn was soon discovered by another Pre-Mor security officer and released. As he headed outside, Karn saw a speeder departing and, assuming it was Andor and Rael, called all Pre-Mor soldiers to begin firing on the speeder. After disabling the speeder Karn was shocked to see a second speeder carrying Rael and Andor to safety, while the first speeder, rigged with explosives, detonated, killing and injuring more Pre-Mor security officers. Stunned by the loss of so many men and in shock at the situation, Karn simply stared blankly as Sergeant Mosk attempted to gather his men for evacuation. Mosk urged Karn to evacuate with him and with Karn unresponsive Mosk screamed into his face to wake him up. When even this did not work, Mosk was forced to physically grab Karn and drag him to the evacuation craft.[10]
Fired[]
- "Take solace in this. You will not be replaced. You've rung the final bell on Corporative independence."
- ―Supervisor Blevin, to Syril Karn
Karn's actions caused an Imperial takeover of the Morlani system.
Karn, Mosk, and Hyne were summoned to a meeting with ISB Supervisor Lieutenant Blevin, who was the Imperial Security Bureau officer tasked with overseeing the sector the Morlani system was located in. Blevin heavily berated the three for their incompetence, stating that out of all the disastrous fiascos he'd seen corporate security involved in this incident was by far the worse. He specifically singled out Karn, stating that Karn should at least take comfort in the fact he would not be replaced because all corporate security in the Morlani system was being dissolved and the Empire would now assume direct control over the system. Karn was then fired and returned home to his mother in disgrace. His mother at first slapped him before embracing him crying and inviting him back into her home.[7]
A new beginning on Coruscant[]
New Job[]
- "Do you have even a single prospect before you?"
- ―Eedy Karn, to Syril Karn
After his return to Coruscant, Karn worked in the Fuel Purity sector of the Imperial Bureau of Standards.
Traumatized by the Ferrix disaster, Karn returned to living in his childhood bedroom, with no hope for the future and no desire for a new start. He refused his mother's offers to ask his uncle Harlo for help in finding him a new job, and instead spent his time staring at a hologram of the fugitive Cassian Andor.[14] Despite his reluctance, his mother still spoke to Harlo, who was able to offer Karn a job in the Imperial Bureau of Standards. Three days after returning to Coruscant, Karn visited the bureau and accepted an opening for[11] a mediocre office job[5] in the Fuel Purity department.[11]
Assisting the ISB[]
- "I was a good deputy inspector! I was very good. I solved a double murder and found the killer in two days. I was overly ambitions, yes, but time was slipping away, and the opportunity was real. Service to the Empire, you just said it."
- ―Syril Karn, to Dedra Meero
Karn was interrogated by ISB Supervisor Dedra Meero.
During his first week in the Fuel Purity department, Karn submitted six reports regarding Cassian Andor, naming him as a missing fuel specialist, an unresponsive energy engineer, and a fuel purity field officer suspected of forging Imperial reports. The false reports caught the attention of ISB Supervisor Dedra Meero, who called in Karn for interrogation regarding the reports. As she introduced herself, Karn was surprised to learn that she was running the Morlana sector instead of Blevin. Meero remarked that she was planning to interview him regarding the Ferrix incident but his false reports had forced their meeting prematurely. Karn explained that he was attempting to use his limited power to track down Andor, whom he regarded as a murderer and threat to the Empire, and clear his name, a revelation which led the ISB in also identifying Andor as a member of the heist on Aldhani and an accomplice of the "Axis," a suspected connection to multiple rebel cells across the galaxy. When he informed Meero that he was forced to sign Blevin's after-action report without ever reading it, she ordered he be given the report to submit his corrections.[13]
When Meero returned, Karn found many inconsistencies in the signed Blevin's report that completely excluded the criminal negligence of Inspector Hyne, the total lack of Imperial presence on Ferrix and the fact that Andor was aided by a local cadre of accomplices. Subsequently, Meero asked about the accomplice Andor fled with, but Karn couldn't offer anything helpful in identifying him. Meero then suggested he stop sending false reports about Andor, and, in exchange, she would inform the Bureau of Standards that he was of service to the Empire. As Meero turned to leave, Karn asserted that he was a good deputy inspector and that his diligence allowed him to find a killer in two days. Meero then tried to leave again, but Karn correctly guessed she wanted Andor to find his partner and that her investigation was onto something much bigger than the death of two corporate security guards, and offered his usefulness to the Empire. Instead, he received a firm warning that the next time he raised the ISB's attention, he would be unlikely to have Meero as his interrogator, suggesting that he forget about their meeting.[13]
Promotion and a new meeting with Meero[]
- "I thought I had ruined my life. I thought I was done. After meeting you and discovering you understood how dangerous Cassian Andor was just… Just being in your presence, I… I've realized that life is worth living, I realized that if nothing else, there was justice, and beauty in the galaxy and if I just kept going… Perhaps my deranged belief that there was something better fated for me in the future was a dream worth clinging to."
"I could have you arrested, you are aware of that?" - ―Syril Karn and Dedra Meero
Soon after the interrogation, Karn returned to the Bureau of Standards, where he received a promotion from his boss for "a service rendered to the Empire." During a conversation with his mother, he was outraged that she had secretly began to spy on him, although she was unhappy with such a reproach from Karn, and framed it as him being ungrateful for all she'd done for him. Karn was not deterred in his attraction to Meero, and sometimes he stopped near the ISB Central Office in the hope of seeing her and continuing their conversation.[20]
Karn waited for Meero at the ISB Central Office, leading the ISB Supervisor to wonder if he was stalking her.
Upon finally meeting Meero, he expressed his sincere gratitude, as well as the revival of his dream of the possibility of justice and beauty in the galaxy, inspired by her. Despite the fact that Meero categorically replied to him that she was not responsible for his promotion and indicated only an attempt to clear his name, Karn was filled with her and saw in her a person capable of reviving his life. Meero warned Karn that he was creating problems for himself by meeting with the ISB supervisor, and threatened him with arrest when he tried to continue their conversation and tried to stop her by grabbing her arm. Karn stopped thoughtfully and slightly smiled after Meero left their place of conversation on her way to the ISB meeting.[20]
Return to Ferrix[]
- "Where is Andor?"
"Yes. Yes, that's it. That he might show up at the funeral." - ―Syril Karn and Linus Mosk
Syril Karn's appearance on Ferrix
Karn was awakened one night by a vidcall from Mosk, who had received a lead on Andor from an old friend with solid connections—Andor's mother had passed away from natural causes. Karn and Mosk concluded that Andor was likely to return to Ferrix for the funeral service, and Karn secretly decided to head there in hopes of finally arresting him. Waiting for his mother to leave their apartment, Karn took some credits from his personal strongbox and prepared to leave Coruscant.[21]
After chartering a flight off world, Karn met back with Mosk, and the two headed to Ferrix disguised as salvagers. After taking a shuttle ferry to the hotel, they arrived just in time to witness the funeral procession on Rix Road. Karn recognized Meero who was also present on the planet, as the Empire had set its own trap for Andor. Tensions between the Imperials and the townspeople eventually came to a head, and Karn noticed Wilmon Paak arming a bomb and throwing it towards the Imperials. Before the bomb had even reached its targets, Karn had already rushed past the Imperial checkpoint and towards Meero, hoping to save her from the blast, but instead found himself in the epicenter with N-20 Baradium-core thermal detonators exploding all around him. With all his would-be pursuers fighting to survive in the riot, Andor successfully infiltrated the interior of the Imperial base to rescue Bix Caleen, encountering minimal resistance.[22]
Karn managed to rescue Meero from the crowd by hiding her in an abandoned warehouse
With the escort providing security for Meero killed by Andor during the aforementioned rescue, Meero was nearly overwhelmed by the rioters, dragged to the ground and hit on the head with a brick. Karn immediately sprung into action, grabbing her weapon and posing as a protestor, dragging her to a nearby warehouse, rescuing her. Rattled by the incident, as soon as he closed the door Meero grabbed a tool from a nearby rack and attempted to slit his throat with it, realizing in the last second who he was. Shocked, she asked him where he had come from, with Karn merely saying that he saw her being in trouble. Still shocked, Meero finally thanked him. Karn simply responded there was no need to.[22]
Partners[]
Around a year after the Ferrix Riot,[23] Karn and Meero formed a relationship with each other, living in a shared apartment in Coruscant.[9] One day, Karn's mother visited the apartment to have dinner. She immediately took an interest to Meero; while having dinner, Eedy ended up embarassing her son, who walked away. While lying on his bed, he overheard Meero scolding Eedy.[8]
Stationed at Ghorman[]
The following year, Karn had been stationed in the Ghorman Bureau of Standards field office. During a chat with his mother, who disliked the Ghormans due to being "too uppity," Karn thought they were decent, expressing his concern about the Empire's anti-Ghorman sentiment. When Karn exited work, he was approached by the rebel member Samm, who was working as a vendor, but Karn rebuked him. Samm then revealed his allegiance and gave Karn a spider which contained details of a town hall meeting. After he returned home and read the message, Karn returned to his office building and secretly contacted Meero, and told her the rebellion had made contact. He revealed his knowledge of the listening devices the Ghorman Front had placed in his headquarters and assumed they always had someone follow him. Meero was skeptical and the couple decided to have Karn attend the meeting before reporting the Front's presence.[12]
Karn later spectated the town hall meeting with the Ghorman Front, who expressed their concerns with the Imperial regulatory changes. Samm approached him as the meeting reached a conclusion and asked what he thought, Karn claimed to admire the passion despite being unable to understand most of their language. Samm explained that the woman speaking lost her family in the Tarkin Massacre and what Lezine shouted from the audience. The pair were joined by Enza Rylanz and Dilan, where Samm joked that Karn could be a spy, Karn successfully deceived them into believing he was not. Following the meeting, Enza's father and Ghorman Front leader, Carro Rylanz, was introduced to Karn, and told him he was brave to be present. The Ghorman rebels were concerned about the construction of a new military facility that would tower the Monument to the Fallen; Rylanz extended an offer to work together, which Karn accepted.[12]
Syril Karn in his Ghorman office
The Ghorman Front had tapped communications from the Bureau of Standards field office; as ISB officials arrived to conduct a tech sweep, they told everyone, including Karn, to vacate. Karn was aware that his employee, Leeza, and the rebels had done this, but acted infuriated to keep up the deception. Karn seemingly tried to defy his superiors, but was shut down by the agent Grymish and escorted out of the office. When he returned, a maddened Karn addressed his employees, telling them the ISB had indeed found a listening device, not knowing how long it had been there, and that they would be interview all employees and tighten all security measures. Later that night, Karn continued to act upset about the ISB raid, and encountered Carro and Enza outside his apartment building. The two revealed that they were interested in the true purpose of the Imperial facility, and the contents within the carriers. Karn kept up the ruse of being a rebel sympathizer by agreeing to help them.[24]
Karn traveled to Coruscant to visit his mother and Meero. He first returned home to Meero where she stated they only had an hour together. Karn was frustrated that she had him followed there, but she simply ordered him to turn out the lights. He later visited Eedy, and gave her a Ghorman spider she mockingly nicknamed Syril. Karn then met with Meero and Partagaz, where he briefed them on the rebel members, and described the Front as inexperienced but eager. The trio decided to continue with Meero's plan to bait the Front into doing something drastic, which would justify increasing Imperial presence. Karn is ordered to pass along accurate information on transport schedules so they enact a heist, after Partagaz left, Karn stated it was the best day of his life.[24]
Back on Ghorman, Karn hid on a rooftop and viewed the heist from afar. He directly contacted Meero and Partagaz to update them on the proceedings as they happened. Karn continued to watch this, and reported everything was going to plan when suddenly he heard shots being fired as Cinta Kaz was killed. He reported this to them in a panic, as he witnessed the distressed reactions of the Ghormans, as well as Vel Sartha, however, the plan then continued smoothly.[25]
Ghorman Massacre[]
In 2 BBY, Karn sported a Ghorman trench coat[26] and grew out his hair. He had been discovered to be an Imperial spy by the Ghorman Front, a revelation that seemed to distress Karn due to his close relationship with Carro and Enza Rylanz.[27]
Karn walked to work one morning, and passed the increasing amount of news reporters in Ghorman to report on the increased rebel activity. He headed to Meero's office, but was denied entry and then blocked by Grymish. Meero eventually exited her office, and Karn physically pulled her aside to question her about a fire bombing that happened the previous night. Karn asked about the presence of Kaido, which Meero justified by the supposed revelation of outside agitators. Karn revealed that sources pointed to there being no outside agitators and he was on Ghorman to prevent that from happening. Meero told Karn to pack as they would leave for Coruscant together and be rewarded, Karn again questioned what for, but she kissed him instead of replying and told him to be careful. That night, Karn broke curfew to intercept Enza Rylanz as she walked home from a meeting. Enza was not happy to see Karn, but he insisted there was a way out for them as the Imperials seemed to be convinced there was outside agitators. Enza slapped Karn and walked away.[27]
The next morning, Karn was told to go to the Imperial office complex, and so he did, and joined the increasing crowds of Ghorman protestors in the streets. Carro, who had realized this was an Imperial trap, was attempting to convince the Ghorman people to return home when he saw Karn. Carro became distraught and ran to Karn, grabbing him, but Karn forced him into a doorway. Carro denounced Karn for betraying the rebellion and being an Imperial spy, and Karn attempted to defend himself by stating he was searching for outside agitators. Carro revealed his knowledge on Imperial mining equipment and droids being dropped overnight, which proved the situation was an exploitative trap. Karn dismissed it as a rumor, so Carro told him to open his eyes and asked "what kind of a being are you?"[27]
Karn headed down the stairs in the Palmo Plaza towards Meero's office, and unknowingly passed Cassian Andor in the crowd. Karn jumped over the barricade and convinced the soldiers stationed outside to allow him in by showing his credentials. As Karn waited to be escorted in, he heard a reporter claim that insurgents began a violent protest, which seemed to disturb him. Grymish permitted Karn to wait inside, where Karn nervously watched a group of KX-series security droid as they waited to be deployed. He slipped away and made it to Meero's office, where Grymish attempted to eject him. Meero ordered Grymish to leave so she can Karn could speak privately. Karn confronted Meero about the growing crowds of protestors outside and what the true nature of their presence on Ghorman was. Meero attempted to deflect, but he grabbed her by the collar, which caused her pain, and demanded she told the truth. Karn then asked about the mining equipment Carro had informed him about, but Meero continued to feign ignorance. Karn throttled Meero and threatened to throw her out of the window to her death. She admitted they needed minerals from Ghorman for the Imperial energy project. Meero reminded Karn of his enjoyment in being a spy and the promotions, as well as their desire to return to Coruscant and be together. Karn wished Meero luck before leaving her alone.[28]
Karn met his end during the Ghorman Massacre
Karn navigated his way through the scanners and jumped back over the barrier into the crowd. Karn waded through the crowd and saw Enza, Dilan, and Lezine as they sang 'We Are The Ghor' together. Suddenly, the violence erupted as a death orchestrated by Meero and Kaido caused the Imperials to open fire on the unarmed civilians. The shell-shocked Karn observed the chaos unfolding, wandering aimlessly around the square. Suddenly, he turned and was stunned to see Andor himself standing a few feet away, aiming his blaster at Meero and intending to assassinate her. Finally having found the man that destroyed his life, Karn furiously charged at Andor and tackled him into a cafe, starting a brief, but brutal fistfight between the two. Andor managed to stun him with a flurry of punches, but was forced to duck for cover from a nearby detonator and indiscriminate blaster fire. Karn recovered and took Andor's blaster, cornering him at gunpoint and preparing to kill him, until Andor asked who he was. Karn was struck by the realization that after obsessing over him for years, Andor did not even remember or know him. He hesitated and started to lower the blaster but was suddenly shot in the head and killed by Carro Rylanz.[28]
Legacy[]
After learning about Karn's death, Meero suffered from an intense anxiety attack, deeply saddened by the loss of her lover from a situation that she herself engineered. Karn's mother Eedy also learned of his death while watching a news report on the Massacre, crying while being comforted by two other family members.[28]
Behind the scenes[]
Development[]
- "Yeah, I totally saw [Syril Karn] as methodical and meticulous, and the OCDness was a way to try and structure and control his environment, which felt very out of control. He comes from a difficult background, which we actually get a view into as the series develops. His specificity comes with judgment, but it's out of a fear that things are out of his control. So I do know that detectives with OCD are actually more effective at their job, and so I thought, “Oh, this is a match made in heaven.”"
- ―Kyle Soller
Syril Karn character poster for Andor
Syril Karn is portrayed by Kyle Soller. He first appeared in Star Wars: Andor and was first shown in a LEGO set reveal during Celebration Anaheim.[30] His live-action depiction was first showcased in promotional images released by The Walt Disney Company on Getty Images.[31] In an effort to give the show's heroes and villains real complexities,[32] writer[4] Tony Gilroy purposely made Karn hard not to root for.[32] At the writers' room in November, 2019, Gilroy discussed his detailed and extensive idea of what he wanted to do with Karn. Writer Beau Willimon said Karn was fun to discuss and write about because of Karn's relationship with his mom.[33] Karn's Pre-Mor uniform was meant to hint at his fussy nature and desire for order.[34]
When Soller discussed the role with Gilroy, he wanted to know where Karn ended up because he thought the character was complicated enough to go good or bad. Gilroy said he did not know, but Soller figured that he was trusting him to lead Karn to where he felt going with him. Soller also thought that Gilroy allowed Karn to "breathe within this unknown," and Karn lacked the development or emotional acuity to achieve what he wants.[35] Soller was captivated by the moral ambiguity Gilroy included in the series.[36] He believed that Karn is the hero of his journey because he does what he thinks is the right thing.[32] He liked how Karn was three-dimensional and had a lot of gray area, speculating that the character could stay with the Empire or defect to the rebellion.[37]
Beliefs and background[]
As of the events of episode four "Aldhani," Gilroy, in an interview, pushed back on the idea that Karn was a complete fascist at that time, instead seeing him as a rulebook-focused careerist. At that point, Gilroy said that Karn was not a political person and stated his journey was as interesting as every other plot point, specifically as to whether he would evolve into a full fascistic Imperial.[38] Ultimately, by the time of his demise in Andor season 2, Karn did end up falling into the Empire's fascism, which destroyed him in the end. Gilroy reflected that Karn was "a romantic" character who could have been anything, only for him to fall into and base his life around the Empire and Dedra Meero.[39] Even then, Soller reflected that Karn had not been the "fascist people might've pigeonholed him into," instead reflecting on Karn as a complicated character. Nonetheless, he also described Karn as a "bootlicker" and "yes-man."[40]
Soller saw Karn as methodical and meticulous, and his OCD was used to show that he would try to structure and control his environment. The actor thought that Karn's OCD was a perfect match because detectives with OCD are more effective at their job.[29] Soller always explored that Karn did not know where the lines are, and he had a deep emotional well of anxiety and frustration hiding below his polished exterior. Soller believed Karn did not really take in others' lives or thoughts, only properly doing this when he gave a speech to[35] members of Pre-Mor Enforcement in the episode "Reckoning."[10] Soller and Eedy Karn's actress, Kathryn Hunter, worked on a story explaining Karn's father's absence. Both actors figured that he left early on in a horrible and acrimonious way, which was a launchpad for how Eedy parents Karn. Soller believed that Eedy's anger, grief, disappointment, and frustration with him leaving filtered into Karn.[35] The backstory of Karn's father leaving their family when he was young was later established in season 2,[8] with Soller confirming it was the same backstory he and Hunter had discussed during season 1.[41]
Soller had all of his costumes tailored for him.[29] Scenes on Ferrix were filmed in an intricate set in Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire.[36] According to Tony Gilroy, everything on Ferrix was filmed first.[42] When Soller first met Denise Gough, Dedra Meero's actress, and they filmed their scenes in season 1 together, the actors tried to match each others' level of ambition and intensity. Soller felt that Karn did not feel seen and recognized until he met Meero.[32] After season 2, Gilroy described the meeting between Karn and Meero in the ISB interrogation room in season 1 as a "first date."[43] Director Toby Haynes wanted Karn to be someone the audience could empathize with as he believes the scariest villain is one who thinks they are doing the right thing. He figured that showing that in three dimensions would make the audience think about what it takes to be a good guy.[44]
Season 2 specifics[]
Relationship with Dedra Meero[]
As some fans had theorized, Andor Season 2 saw the characters of Karn and Dedra Meero in a romantic relationship.[45] Both Soller and Gough tried to make Karn and Meero's relationship "as weird as possible," which Soller said was not hard because of how each character was. The two actors were not sure how the two of them lived together, let alone showcased their love, with Soller pondering if "there's just a lot of staring" between them both.[40] Even after, according to Tech Radar, a year had passed since filming, both Gough and Soller told Tech Radar that they were still working to figure out what had been going on between their two characters. Soller was thought it was a "masterstroke" to get into the love lives of both "very strange animals," and Gough was happy to see romance had not changed either character.[45]
According to Gough, their relationship is meant to represent the inverse of the love, community, and loyalty-defined relationship between Cassian Andor and Bix Caleen, as neither Meero nor Karn lived a life defined by those traits. Instead, they were two people without any of those skills trying to make a relationship work. Soller, further, said that their romance demontrasted that the oppression of the Empire managed to seep even into the personal love lives of its citizens, turning love into something it can restrict, manipulate, and restrain. While there was an intensity to their love, Soller believed it was "strangled by the Empire" and both characters' upbringings, creating what he defined to be a tragic power couple.[46]
According to Gough, Karn and Meero were "somehow" able to "fit each other's wound," but their relationship would always be challenged because Meero's "one true love is the Empire," creating a situation where she was unable to stop herself from manipulating Karn.[47] Indeed, while Soller reflected that Karn had loved Meero "in his own particular way," he also concluded Karn valued the Empire above Meero, declaring that the Empire had been Karn's "most dear love."[40] While Gough told Tech Radar she was unsure if Meero really did care about Karn,[45] Gough would go onto say to The Hollywood Reporter that what hurt Meero most during the Ghorman Massacre was losing Karn.[48]
Life on Ghorman[]
Syril Karn's adoption of a Ghorman trench coat and hairstyle signaled a growing disillusionment with the Empire.
Ahead of season 2, Soller promised that Karn saw a great deal of growth in season two in both his personal world as well as in his tailoring.[49] Beyond his relationship with Meero exploring his character, Soller believes that Karn's time on Ghorman changed him, pointing to and praising the show's costume design and how it represented that change; in particular, he praised the costume design work of Mike Wilkinson and hair and makeup work done by Emma Scott. Soller pointed specifically to the longer, more Ghorman-like hair Karn had as of the events of the episode "Messenger." Furthermore, his character had donned Ghorman attire,[40] with Wilkinson saying Karn had gone out of his way to buy it himself. Wilkinson called the clothing piece a trench coat[26] whereas Soller identified it as a jacket. Instead of being tightly fit, Karn allowed that new clothing piece to hang loose. In fact, Soller had an easier time moving within Karn's Ghorman attire than his season 1 costume. To Soller, Karn was starting to let his old self go during his time on Ghorman and become more aware of the world around him, even if his ultimate realization of Imperial "evil" comes too late.[40]
On Ghorman, Soller continued, Karn found himself starting to be comfortable in his own skin after a life of not being able to be comfortable in any relationship. As for his relationship with Meero, she had been telling him supposed information that Karn could see did not match the reality before his eyes. He particularly thought that Karn saw Carro Rylanz as something of a father figure, even if scenes depicting that relationship were not part of the production. Nonetheless, Soller tried to play Karn in that way to bring out the tragedy in Karn's betrayal of and confrontation with Rylanz, as well as for his subsequent confrontation with Meero.[40] Concept art of Karn's Ghorman attire by Wilkinson and concept artist Andrei Riabovitchev was released by StarWars.com, with Wilkinson telling the website that Karn had started to sympathize with the Ghorman people, which, in turn, affected his outfit. In depicting Karn's change into a more open character, Wilkinson compared it to an American citizen visiting Europe for the first time and picking up the rich culture around themself. Karn—in Wilkinson's mind at least—wanted to take on some of the Ghorman flavor around him and had found his people in a way, as Wilkinson pointed out how Ghorman was a culture that would "appreciate the difference between a collar that's one centimeter higher," much as Karn did.[26]
The death of Syril Karn[]
Soller loved the "ignominious end" that Karn met because he believed it fit someone with such "delusions of grandeur" as Karn.[40] According to Soller, Karn is "heartbroken" in his final moments because he has been betrayed by both the Empire and Meero.[50] Karn is faced with "the ultimate betrayal" from both Meero and the Empire itself, thereby leaving his whole life to shatter before him.[40] Upon seeing Andor, whom Soller described as Karn's "voodoo doll" and "one true obsession,"[50] Karn—as Soller sees it—is filled with "primal anger and frustration" and lashes out[40] like a feral animal, with the production specifically wanting Karn's fighting in that moment to invoke a feral cat that an adversary was unable to get off their back.[51] According to Soller, Karn was not even interested in capturing him to restore his place in the Empire, instead he believed Karn was lashing out in rage and simply wanted to hurt both Andor and himself.[40] However, Karn then discovers that Andor did not even remember him, furthering the heartbreak he feels; therefore, Karn, in his final moments, is left without anyone who believed in him, who remembered him, nor whom he could trust, effectively leaving "every single level of his life" to collapse.[50]
Indeed, according to creator Tony Gilroy, "everything" that Karn had "constructed for himself" did not even know he existed, leaving him simply stunned in Gilroy's mind and unable to even breathe. In Gilroy's words, Andor's failure to even remember him was "like the absolute essential summation of poor Syril's life."[52] Before "Who are you?" was decided on, several lines were tried,[53] including a cut where Cassian says, "It's you." In post-production, however, Gilroy insisted that the "Who are you?" line be used instead.[54] Soller admitted that he was sad to say goodbye to Karn, reflecting that he had been a victim of his own Imperial hero worship,[40] much as Gilroy said Karn was destroyed because he based his entire life around the Empire and Meero.[39] Soller believed that Karn had been undergoing a coming-of-age story in Andor and had been misunderstood. Then, just as Karn is realizing the evil of the Empire he had served,[40] he happens to see Andor, whom he lashes out at in what Soller sees as the culmination of Karn's journey.[55]
Just before Karn had a chance for something new, Soller believes, it was taken away. Soller further believed it was more powerful and realistic for Karn to die as a "cog in the wheel" and "casualty of war," rather than him having a redemption arc.[51] While writer Dan Gilroy theorized that Karn would have gone on to join the Rebel Alliance if he had lived,[56] Soller believed that Karn would not have joined any side and instead wandered off to live on his own,[50] possibly finding his way to a mountain in order to "make clothes or something."[52] Even if he had not been shot, Soller believed that Karn had been "annihilated" by the simple fact that Andor had no idea who he was, on top of his experiences on Ghorman.[53] Soller reflected that, at another time, Karn might have been on the side of the Rebellion, but, in the end, he came to represent the banality of evil.[40] Indeed, Diego Luna reflected on Karn as a character who had joined the wrong side of the revolution.[53]
Appearances[]
Star Wars: Andor — "Kassa" (First appearance)- Star Wars: Andor — "That Would Be Me"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Reckoning"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Aldhani"
- Star Wars: Andor — "The Axe Forgets"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Announcement"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Narkina 5"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Nobody's Listening!"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Daughter of Ferrix"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Rix Road"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Sagrona Teema"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Harvest"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Ever Been to Ghorman?"
- Star Wars: Andor — "I Have Friends Everywhere"
- Star Wars: Andor — "What a Festive Evening"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Messenger"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Who Are You?"
- Star Wars: Andor — "Welcome to the Rebellion" (Mentioned only) (Audio description only)
Non-canon appearances[]
Sources[]
Non-canon sources[]
- SWCA 2022: 7 Things We Learned from the Summer of LEGO Star Wars Panel on StarWars.com (backup link)
- LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia Updated Edition
Notes and references[]
External links[]
- PGM-FF-000014 by The Walt Disney Studios on Getty Images (August 8, 2022) (backup link) (First pictured)