*Lol! Reassuring his staff that he doesn't want to report back to Palpatine with negative results.* 😂

@@starwarsunlimiteduniverse true!

Question is: was force choking/lightning involved?

@@sjh3217 It wouldn't be needed.

Or maybe he lied and he was waiting for the perfect moment to push the PORD to further his own personal agenda? The emperor probably doesn't care about a little heist or some money. He is doing Dark side stuff. I think Yularen lied.

*We should've got "Narrator Yularen" in episode 7 talking to the ISB.* 😏

It makes sense though. Being the head of the Empire's KGB/Gestapo is bound to make you colder and tougher.

@@ronin3381 I imagine after that talk with the emperor he really felt no choice but to be cold.

He was also in Rebels and the first Thrawn book

The real question is: Was Yularen swayed by the lies about the Jedi Rebellion, or was he part of Palpatine's Cabal from the Clone Wars onward?

It's like a very verbose way to say "make a move and you're screwed"

A lawful neutral character

@@ouninja25 this. Andor does a good job of presenting imperials as humans working a government job and increasingly having to take more extreme measures, rather than sadistic incompetent buffoons like every other piece of SW media has

Since the ISB is based on the Gestapo, do you think Partagaz is the closest person to representing Heinrich Himmler, or do you think someone else is based on Himmler? Also, doesn't Partagaz sound Portuguese?

​​@@alextucker5819Well the original commenter wouldn't have talked about him as being a nice guy to work under if he was a guy like Heinrich Himmler

@@SherlockHolmesb-kp4ru Perhaps, but he was still a "villain". I take your point though.

Have you seen Rebels, Clone Wars and Mandalorian?

@@Engille967 Yes, they are pretty terrible in most of those shows. The only semi competent one in Rebels was Thrawn.

@@RE4PER in the clone wars some of the separatists are actually good, and some of the republicans actually evil. In Rebels, not all of the bad guys are just evil figures. Maul only wanted revenge on an old enemy, Thrawn wanted to settle piece in the galaxy and Kallus even joined the rebellion in the end. Thrawn is highly intelligent and outsmarted everyone else in season 3 with his tactics. He is extremely competent. He even got to kill an ancient force being. Kallus was really good at hiding his true identity from the empire, especially in episode 17. In the Mandalorian, Greef Karga was a bad guy at first, but then he changed.

@@Engille967 In Clone Wars the Empire was merely such in name only. In all reality none of season 07 featured it as we reference it today. It was clones doing clone shit under a different name. In Rebels the only loyalist imperial remotely competent was thrawn. Everyone else switched sides shortly after introductions. The Mandalorian had no antagonist. Not a single individual among the imperial ranks was anywhere near the realm of competence. It is universally agreed upon in the Star Wars community that The Mandalorian turned the empire into a worthless laughing stock not fit being called an antagonist.

That's the thing. These mid level ISB imps come across so much more imposing and frightening in this show than Thrawn does in Filoni's content. Because the writing actually lulls you into thinking that they could win.

It was a perfect catalyst he needed to further cement his power culminating w/ the Death Star to permanently transform the galaxy into a tyrannical order.

True, but he was also sowing the seeds for his ultimate downfall. All leaders inevitably forget the lesson that all leaders should always remember: at the end of the day, a leader's power is ultimately subject to the consent of the governed. By creating an ever more tyrannical system, it's true that Palpatine can maintain control more easily, but it also means that more and more people will recognize that fact and seek to destroy the system to regain their freedom. The Empire clamping down at the slightest infraction makes them look strong, but it actually advertises their weakness in that they can't wield power like a scalpel, but instead use it like a hammer... and the Rebels couldn't ask for a better recruitment tool. To tie it into contemporary events and date this comment, you have only to look at a figure like Osama bin Laden; perhaps the most well known terrorist in history, but the overblown response that the US and its allies had to that attack, curtailing liberties, creating a police state that persists to this day, and enacting the so-called "War on Terror", instead of just sending a couple platoons into Pakistan weeks into the Afghanistan war when it was clear he'd fled, created enough domestic discontent, hatred of authority, and mistrust of what's true and what's not that now 20+ years later, you have young adults who weren't even alive when the attack happened trying to turn bin Laden into the next Che Guevarra, and the only reason they might not is because the Tech Giants who run the social media that most people convey ideas on will exert their imperial hand over what people are allowed to share for ideas. The more you clamp down in the name of control, the greater the attempt to break that control. If only a Sith could understand the necessity of a light touch.

​​@@LabTech41Sure, but this is a very, very overly rose-tinted and optimistic way to see the world. Which isn't really your fault, to be fair. This sort of viewpoint is omnipresent in not just the SW fanbase, but throughout most of the entire Western world. Of course people like you think this way; you live in a, relative to 99% of every person to ever live, utopia. The simple fact of the matter is that, by and large, these sorts of tactics work, and they work because of the human conditions inherent frailties and weaknesses. And all that aside, the show itself even shows and mentions this; the risk of the Empire being too powerful if given even a scant few more years or decades is terrifying to contemplate, in universe or out, and it's very, very fortunate for everybody in the galaxy that the Death Star(s) were destroyed before they could leave the cradle, because they represented everything Luthen and others feared might happen; the final victory of the Empire.

@@papapalps2415 I never said they didn't work, I said that they only work for a time... and that they end up creating their antithesis which inevitably destroys them. You can see it even now, with the US power structure trying ever more tyrannical and desperate measures to keep any reformist from gaining power and as they strip more and more rights away and commit ever more clearly illegal actions in the name of authoritarianism, the average citizen is waking up to that fact, and they're not going to support it.

Interestingly enough, aggravating Palpatine was precisely what Luthen was shooting for himself. He wanted the Empire to unleash its full fury so that the common folk of the galaxy would see its true colors, and therefore be provoked to the point where they would take a stand against Imperial rule.

*Exactly!!!! And hopefully more of it to come over the next 5 episodes of this first season.*

Yessss!

Malcolm Sinclair. He's a trained stage actor and they're usually a step above your average Hollywood actor.

*Indeed. Hopefully we'll see that during this first season.*

@@starwarsunlimiteduniverse It happened off-screen unfortunately.

If they don't show it, it will be crap.

@@NangDoofer it hasn’t happened yet. That’s why it’s not talked about having happened. But two people mention it’s going to. It will likely be next episode

@@jacob7818 It has, Dedra explains that the new powers gave her the ability to access whatever she wanted.

Can you IMAGINE if these people had written the sequels??? Gods, what a loss…. 🤦🏾‍♂️

Imo writing like this is much better in the form of a show.

@@GrimloxzYou mean the prequels

​@@MichaelM28all three trilogies

*YES!!!! He's a quadruple-crown star wars character now.* 😬

Now we just need to see him in Bad Batch

Kenobi?

@@danielanderson6933 I mean, maybe he was in disguise? 😁

I mean your missing bad batch and kenobi. But ok

*SAAAMMMEEE!!!! I truly hope that they give us a separate ISB series. That would be great with these types of scenes.*

Watching them run around the galaxy being all dictatorial…. Little too close to home.

the ISB listens to you all day

@@MemoirsofaBasketcase Where you from ?

Well, that exact sentence is THE joke of this scene.

@@Zippoca Srry can you elabotate lol

@@westwardstar1686 I can, but I don't want to spoil anything.

@@Zippoca spoil what lol

0:45 is a rebel mole

*Indeed, it truly is.*

If you were as old as me, then you would ... say exactly the same thing. This is just amazing.

dune is coming

@@Liaison_Verequiem Andor is way better tbh

@@Lou1Ka1Si1 yes but its a bit unfair when the other is just getting started. Also films and tv shows work differently.

*Lol! I wouldn't mind seeing that scene transpire.* 😂

I doubt that would happen but I can see Vader not wanting to kill him

they do have a lot of history, though i doubt yularen knows.

@@ZOMBIETH44 Being an intelligence officer, he probably knows.

They know eachother fully, the fact that Yularen speaks with the Emperor says much of his involvement within the cogs of the machine So yeah and him Vader probably have a deep respect of eachother. I'd like to see the two share a brief scene, just because so much shared history, I'd be fascinated to see the relationship as much of Vaders past with Yularen comes from his time as Anakin. Anytime that Anakin and Vader collapse on something it's of an automatic interest to many fans.

*This is true. Many of us were hoping for "Narrator Yularen" to speak. But, that's not the case with "this" version of Yularen. And might as well be the head of the ISB. I'll gladly take him running the show.*

He isn't. Novel Tarkin actually names his superior deputy director Harus Ison, who in turn answers to an unnamed ISB director.

@@THE_GUY_ONE he was likely in COMPNOR, not ISB itself as ISB didn’t have any director ranks but COMPNOR did

The rank of General Inspector leads the ISB. He was a mere Senior Colonel.

@@justsomemandalorian7331 if we’re going by the book sources then that means yularen held the rank of deputy director of ISB along with the rank of colonel. It states that the general inspector by the time of scarrif was bozeden jeems and he wished to become deputy director; a higher rank than general inspector.

He's just doing his job

*MY HEART WOULD'VE BEEN FULL!!!! I would've definitely been super excited if Thrawn was giving this speech.*

I think Thrawn was still rising through the ranks of the Empire at this point.

We hopefully will see him in the Ashoka series as she is still looking for Ezra

I think after this, we could see Meero, fall, but be taken in by Thrawn after Partagaz recommends her similar to what happen to Syril. You can tell Partagaz likes her, but wants the most out of her. He sees the damage that happened on Ferrix and realizes she’s too valuable to lose, and sends her to Thrawn.

​@@andrewxu3602Thrawn was given the rank of Grand Admiral after the battle of Batton hich took place between 2 and 5 years BBY, Andor takes place 5 years BBY so Thrawn is either Admiral or Grand Admiral at this point

They sound nothing alike

@@Damienp3902 obviously a different actor on a soundstage is going to sound different from the original who recorded their lines in a booth, but you can tell based on the cadence and accent applied

@@Damienp3902CW Yularen was voiced as a cartoon character. Live action Yularen is presented as a real character, and his voice represents that. They still speak in the exact same way. The voice is just more realistic.

I love it so much. The empire isn't stupid and recognizes this is part of a larger rebel scheme but are blind to the fact their response has already been predicted and anticipated by the actual rebels so the brunt of the boot coming down will be on Innocents instead to drive up rebel recruitment.

*Got to love those ISB meetings.*

No they would all look like the col saunders beard and all.

Not the same actor.

​@@lucasschultzsame character though

*Same here. As soon as they showed his face, I instantly got excited. I'm so glad that they brought Yularen on the show. Maybe we'll see a young Agent Kallus & MAYBE a small mention of Grand Admiral Thrawn. I'm hopeful for both of those.*

There aren’t cameos, his appearance is part of the story and makes sense

ESB still made them intimidating. ROTJ is where it started to get goofy.

@@re1010 Vader showed us directly how pathetic most officers were, meanwhile they talked back to him in ANH.

@@user-fu7zf4ck9z they were only terrified because failure equaled death for their superior, regardless of how much fault they had. But when they dealt with the protagonists, they were relentless. And Vader still made a point to cause fear among subordinates or cocky Imperials, such as when he tried to force choke Motti. The only reason he stopped is because Tarkin was his superior and ordered him too.

*We deserve Yularen's Narrator voice in live-action.*

*No doubt. The LEGEND himself!!!!*

*Nothing. Nothing can go wrong over the next decade.* 😏😏😏

The tribute tax is likely only the surface of it. It’d make sense that authority to commit all kinds of horrific reprisals is actually buried in the small print so that nobody notices. The empire isn’t just based on wartime Germany but a wide range of authoritarian stuff from the 30s/40s to the Cold War to Today and the way it’s depicted in Andor it still has to _pretend_ it acknowledges public opinion and the senate. A real world example would be a bill that passes in the US that has a small addendum that violates free speech protections but still goes ahead because it doesn’t _directly_ contradict it with a name like “The Anti-Freedom Law”. The P.O.R.D. In Andor is likely the same where despite being an obvious power grab, it goes through the proper channels like a republic era law to gaslight people into thinking the empire wouldn’t just raze entire planets on a whim.

It's likely meant to be impossible to pay or designed to trigger a refusal to pay it, which in either event could lead to the Empire having an excuse to crack down harder.

He never was a “nice guy”, he just worked with Anakin. He worked for the republic’s intelligence service before, and it’s not like the republic is known for being ethical or fair.

No he doesn't. Yularen was always like this. He just couldn't get away with it under Republic law and kept his mouth shut to avoid causing internal conflict. It's especially noticeable when interacting with Jedi. He shows contempt of them, with the only one gaining his respect being Anakin.

Also, Palps doesn't control anyone with the force. Most of the higher ups were actually loyal to Empire. Best case is some were manipulated, but not controlled.

@@bobbirdsong6825 Yes but I'm referring to his demeanor. He was always just professional and cold, not angry.

@@re1010 Yes, they were loyal, but Palpatine's influence made it a master-slave relationship. There's a reason you can hear Mas Amedda say "yes master" in Revenge of the Sith, and in the opera scene when he commands "leave us" to the other people in his box, they all immediately get up in unison in that creepy way. I thought everyone knew that...

Whelp…

You mean all those competent Stormtroopers from... ... ... - checks the original trilogy - ... no... - checks Rogue One - ... ... no... ... ... huh... yeah, I don't think that's EVER been a thing :P they're LITERALLY trained as chaff, they've ALWAYS been trained as chaff Duh :P

The difference is that Palpatine holds supreme power, won that supreme power by popular vote, and inspires absolute fear and loyalty. The military is not acting against their own, there is a serious institution of racism and superiority complexes purposefully bred into them. As far as they're concerned, all of the worlds they're going to be slapping with these penalties and restrictions are primitive, second class peoples and societies. The Imperial Navy is going to be all too happy to answer to the ISB if it means wiping the rebellion off the face of a few planets. You're comparing American institutions when this would be far more like asking if the SS or the KGB would dare turn against the will of Hitler or Stalin in their heyday, after the political equivalent of Pearl Harbor just went off on their turf.

This is what happened after Operation Cinder.

I think it resembles the British Empire or a form of the American Republic.

@@JNB0723 No, the Empire is LITERALLY based on the Nazis. Like, George Lucas used the Nazis as direct inspiration for the creation of the Empire, and Palpatine's rise to power closely mirrors his real life counterpart's rise to power.

@@anakinlowground5515 I'm pretty sure Lucas also said that he based the third movie on the vietnam, and the Americans were the empire.

@@JNB0723slightly but the bulk of the empires inspiration was from the nazis

@@Isaacisaperson4677 no, it quite literally was not. George Lucas in the interview literally said that the empire was a representation of America and the rebellion was the representation of the Viet Cong

*I believe many of us do for sure.*

*That would be great! Maybe we will one day.*

It’s funny you say that because almost all of the Imperial Officers are British

I didn’t notice that much, I was pretty impressed by how similar they got this dude to the original actor.

I guess now I could see him like a NKVD/KGB officer from the Caucasus, like Gevork Vartanian, Lavrentiy Beria, or Heydar Aliyev. Or even just a Russian, like Ivan Alexandrovich Serov.

*I feel like they do it more so to give Palpatine more of a focus as the Emperor himself because he has a name. He's not just called "The Emperor." This is especially done in these past what 2 or 3 weeks by saying his name Palpatine versus just the Emperor because everyone knows who he is. He was a mystery for many fans during the original trilogy. But the prequels & even here on Andor, gives the audience a viewpoint of, "The main cast who play these key political roles & other key characters, know his name. Not just his title."*

​@@starwarsunlimiteduniverse So the show is set in 5 BBY, yeah? Which means Palpatine has been Emperor for 14 years at this point. And yeah - it's not like they have a tradition of a galaxy-wide nobility with centuries of pomp and ritual... but monarchies tend to accumulate all that crap around themselves really quickly. Since we're talking "first Emperor after the fall of a Republic" I thought maybe the writers should just say screw it and copy Imperial Rome and to some extent Palpatine is like Augustus, in that he manipulated himself into absolute power while pretending to be defending the Republic. And Augustus mostly gets referred to as "Augustus" or "the Augustus" because he was unique, there was no need to call him "Emperor Augustus" because the only person who was emperor was Augustus. Of course, George Lucas couldn't be assed researching anything about emperors and how empires form, so he just made "Palpatine" the dude's last name without thinking about the way that all monarchs, everywhere, use their first names, or choose an entirely new name. The fact that "Palpatine" doesn't mean anything and is just the guy's name is what makes it so hard for the writers today. Hell, Augustus himself took years working on his name - for the explicit propaganda reason of not giving anyone ammunition to say he was just another Julius Caesar... even though he was Caesar's (politically-legally) adoptive son. That Palpatine would just say "right, order 66, I'm Emperor now, y'all love it" is... well I get the film has been going 2 hours by that point so... okay. All of which makes me realise ROTJ had it right, and had it clean, by only referring to him as "the Emperor"... unless you are Darth Vader in which case you call him "my Master"...

Puppet senate (controlled democracy)? Check ISB = FSB? Check Insane surveillance? Check Harsh crackdown on any sorts of activity that is deemed rebellious? Check

@@mingQWERTY Yep. This 🙌🏻 Good point. I've noticed those similiraties too. I live in Finland that's next to Russia. It feels like as if Deathstar was close to us and could do anything to our country in any second. They're already spied our nuclear power plants and hydroelectric power plants with drones. My whole family compares Palpatine to Putin.

*Most definitely.*

No. He is a rebel spy

"You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.".....

Bcs he had a stroke or something like thst and he retired from voice scting.

Probably a blow-up reference to Cinta having killed all the hostages.

@@kirkdarling4120 Except she didn't.

​@@kirkdarling4120she didn't kill any of the hostages

*I want to believe that is because Palpatine hasn't fully established his reign & how he wants the galaxy to view him since he's super early in power. At least, that's how I see it. Until he does that, many are still used to simply calling him just Palpatine & not "The Emperor."*

This was before they dissolved the Senate and pretended Palpatine was still the same Chancellor he was before, just with a different title.