Andor: Why Luthen Rael doesn’t take credit for the Aldhani heist

Warning: This article contains spoilers from episodes 1-10 of Andor. 

Despite being the mastermind behind the heist on Aldhani, Luthen Rael does not take credit for it, even while talking with fellow rebels. When Lonni Jung (the ISB supervisor who is a rebel double agent) asks Luthen about any connection he has to Aldhani in episode 10, Luthen asserts that “We were invited, but declined. They got lucky. We don’t build on luck.”

When Luthen meets with Saw Gerrera in episode 8, Luthen even asks Saw Gerrera if he was behind Aldhani before Saw has a chance to ask him, and despite Saw’s suspicions, Luthen outright denies any involvement.

The closest Luthen gets to taking credit for the Aldhani heist is when Mon Mothma comes to his antiquities shop in episode 7. When she questions if it was Luthen, he never outright confirms it, but he might as well have with all his talk of how expensive revolutions are, the need to force the Empire’s hand, and how there will be no rules moving forward.

Given how important and game-changing of a victory the Aldhani heist is, why doesn’t Luthen take credit for it when communicating with his allies?

It mostly comes down to a lack of trust and that the information only makes it more difficult to manipulate and convince other rebels to do as he wants. As the Batman of Star Wars, Luthen plays his cards close to the chest and rarely shares his secrets with others.

As evidenced by his riveting monologue in episode 10, he largely views himself as alone and separate in his fight against the Empire, making sacrifices and difficult decisions that no else can to take down the Empire at any cost.

He’s not going to trust Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera, Lonni Jung, or any other rebel with the knowledge that he is now in possession of 80 million credits from the heist. Luthen only sees how the information can be used against him instead of seeing how he can use the credits to work with and strengthen his relationships with them.

From his perspective, there is little to be gained and more to be lost if other rebels know that he is now in possession of 80 million credits. Convincing Saw to meet with Anto Kreegyr or convincing Lonni he has no choice but to remain as a double agent in the ISB is easier when they still see Luthen as a rebel working carefully and safely behind the scenes. They see him as someone who needs their help and is still biding his time instead of someone who is flush with credits and pulled off the most openly rebellious attack against the Empire at this point in the timeline.

Luthen’s secrecy is understandable to a certain extent, but it also foreshadows while he will be ultimately unable to unite the various rebel cells. His lack of trust and his penchant for manipulation makes others more wary or reluctant to follow him.

Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera, and Lonni don’t work and communicate with Luthen because he inspires them and because they want to, but because they have limited choice in allies at this point, or in Lonni’s case, because they are left with no choice at all. Luthen can’t even get Saw to meet with one other rebel leader (Anto Kreegyr), let alone unit the different cells.

Mon Mothma will be the one to unite the rebel cells because she can inspire others and makes people genuinely want to work with and follow her. She keeps her cards close to the chest, but unlike Luthen, she is open with and offers trust to those she sees as true allies, such as Tay Kolma. Allies are more likely to offer that trust in return when it is shown to them.

That being said, while Luthen’s lie may expose some of his faults as a leader, it also proves his willingness to put the rebellion ahead of of everything, including his own ego. As he says in his episode 10 monologue, “I burn my life for a sunrise I’ll never see. And the ego that started this fight will never have a mirror or an audience or the light of gratitude.”

Luthen may be manipulative and ruthless, but he does not care about personal glory or recognition. He only cares about taking down the Empire, even though he knows he will not live to see the fruits of his labors, and in his mind, that makes all the lies and manipulations worth it.