WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Andor Episode 4.
Four episodes of the newest show in the Star Wars universe, Andor, are now available to view on Disney +. The show focuses on the titular character, Cassian Andor and how he joined the Rebellion during its formative years before his eventual appearance in Rogue One.
The series also reveals more details revealed about the internal workings of the Empire and shows us its biggest weakness’– the need for power. Stemming from the Emperor himself whose aim is to gain complete power in the galaxy, the Empire is filled with power-hungry officers.
We see in the latest episode of Andor how members of the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) fight over the power of jurisdiction in sectors of the galaxy.
Denise Gough’s Supervisor Dedra Meero and Doc Brown’s Lieutenant Blevin argue over who has jurisdiction to investigate Preox-Morlana. The system represents more power for these officers despite Mouro already controlling 3 sectors and Blevin controlling 7.
Meero does have valid concerns that a pattern of smuggling and stealing from the Empire is emerging, which we know to be Andor’s doing. These concerns are ignored though backing up what Cassian’s own sentiments about how easy it is to steal from the Empire.
This is not the first example we have seen of rivalries forming between officers in the Galactic Empire though.
In Rogue One we saw Orson Krennic and Grand Moff Tarkin fighting over control over the Death Star, and in A New Hope we witness the rivalry between Darth Vader and Admiral Motti.
With three clear examples, it is safe to say that Imperial staff were more concerned about their own growing power than the overall needs of the Empire.
This becomes a huge weakness when you compare that to the Rebellion whose members are willing to sacrifice everything to further their cause, as we have recently seen in ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’.
This flaw directly caused the end of the Empire, when the Emperor’s most trusted advisor, Darth Vader, put aside his own quest for power to sacrifice himself and save his son’s life.