- "Why are you doing this?"
"Because today, it's real." - ―Kleya Marki and Luthen Rael, on Rael suggesting Marki trigger the explosion
Between 18 BBY and 15 BBY, during the Imperial Era, Galactic Empire defector Luthen Rael and his companion Kleya Marki bombed Imperial forces occupying a bridge on the planet Naboo as their first act of terrorism against the Empire. The two watched the bridge from afar once they planted the explosives, with Rael imparting the significance of the act they were about to commit to Marki. After Marki proved she was making the choice to be his accomplice for herself by displaying willingness to personally set off the explosives, Rael initiated the detonation, with the two watching the fiery explosion as it engulfed Imperial Army troops and two troop transports. The pair then fled the scene and avoided being caught.
Prelude
- "Life shows us what we stand to lose. Most people look away. We can't be like that."
- ―Luthen Rael, to Kleya Marki
Around 18 BBY,[4] during the Imperial Era, Sergeant Lear of the Imperial Army defected from the Galactic Empire and took a[1] girl[5] who had been orphaned by a massacre he had participated in as his companion. After Lear adopted the name Luthen Rael and the girl took the name[1] Kleya Marki,[6] the two began to plan revenge against the Empire, hoping to take it down.[1] Sometime between 18 BBY and 15 BBY,[4] Rael chose[2] the Mid Rim planet[3] Naboo for the location of their first act of terrorism against the Empire because it was the homeworld of Emperor[2] Palpatine[3] and would hopefully act as a hostile statement toward[2] him.[3] In preparation, the pair planted explosives linked to a detonator on a Naboo bridge that Imperial Army troopers, stormtroopers, troop transports, and an IBT-2921 were occupying.[1]
Luthen Rael (center) places the detonator in front of Kleya Marki (left) in anticipation of the bombing.
Disguised amongst civilians, Rael and Marki sat at a table on[1] a cafe terrace[5] within view of the bridge where their explosives were planted. After Rael confirmed for Marki that there were fifty or more Imperial troops on the bridge, Rael tried to help the young girl understand what she would leave behind as a consequence if she chose a life spent opposing the Empire. Marki accused Rael of being unnecessarily depressing and using her as an excuse to potentially back out, but Rael was only worried about how his choices were affecting her and attempting to confirm she was choosing to engage of her own volition.[1]
As Marki was adamant in her desire to fight the Empire, Rael placed the detonator on the table in front of her and told her to detonate the explosives planted on the bridge, but also gave her the option to back out. Taking Rael's words into account, Marki noticed[1] a family of three at an adjacent table, happily enjoying tea.[5] Marki was frustrated by Rael requiring her to press the button, but Rael explained that he was doing it because once they performed their attack, their fight against the Empire would be real. When the girl finally reached for the detonator, Rael stopped her from pressing the button at the last second.[1]
The bombing
- "I need to know you're making a choice. I lived most of my life…without ever realizing that that was a possibility."
"You're afraid."
"I'm only afraid of what I'm doing to you." - ―Luthen Rael and Kleya Marki, as they prepare for the bombing
Marki watches the exploding bridge as Rael leads her away.
Having confirmed Marki was making the choice to participate for herself, Rael pressed the button to set off the explosives. Rael only allowed her to look at the bridge after two troop transports had exploded, with the deadly blast and its fiery aftermath engulfing many troopers within and around the transports.[1] Marki was left shellshocked by the event[5] and could not pull her eyes away from the bridge, but Rael declared that they had made their choice and started leading her away as subsequent explosions sounded.[1]
Aftermath
- "We'll be leaving now. We made our choice."
- ―Luthen Rael, to Kleya Marki after the explosion
Marki and Rael slipped out of the terrace amidst the panic and confusion created by horrified fleeing civilians[5] and avoided being caught for their actions.[6] After the attack,[1] Rael and Marki continued opposing the Empire, eventually forming an anti-Imperial network[3] in 15 BBY.[4]
Behind the scenes
- "We knew we were going to show them have their first act of terrorism, Kleya and Luthen together, and I argued it should be on Naboo, because that's the Emperor's home planet. And if Luthen is going to make his first public statement I think he's going to stick his thumb into the eye of the guy he hates more than anyone."
- ―Tom Bisell in an interview, on developing the scene featuring the bombing
The bombing appeared in flashbacks in "Make It Stop," the tenth episode of the second season of the live-action television series Andor,[1] which premiered on May 13, 2025.[7] "Make It Stop" writer[1] Tom Bissell revealed in an interview that because Naboo was Emperor Palpatine's homeworld, he had argued for the bombing to be set on Naboo to[2] series creator[7] Tony Gilroy, who liked the idea and approved it. Bissell also stated that he deliberately wrote a scene later in the episode,[2] in which Marki bombs[1] Lina Soh Hospital[8] during her infiltration of it,[1] to parallel the bombing on Naboo.[2] The scene including the bombing was shot at Hever Castle in Kent, England, which was previously used as a filming location for[8] the 1999[9] film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace for an ultimately deleted scene set on Naboo.[8]
Appearances
Star Wars: Andor — "Make It Stop" (First appearance) (In flashback(s))
Sources
- Andor Declassified: Farewell on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com) (Video clip only)
- Andor Explained: Episodes 10-12 - "Make It Stop", "Who Else Knows?", and "Jedha, Kyber, Erso" on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Secrets from the Set of Andor Season 2: Week 4 Trivia on StarWars.com (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
- Making a Revolutionary: Inside Andor Season 2 with Tony Gilroy on StarWars.com (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: Galactic Atlas: Updated Edition
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32
Star Wars: Andor — "Make It Stop"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8
Andor S2 Q&A - Tom Bissell - Episodes 10-12 on the Backstory Magazine YouTube channel (backup link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3
Andor's Stellan Skarsgård and Elizabeth Dulau Break Down Luthen and Kleya on StarWars.com (backup link) states that Kleya Marki and Luthen Rael had known each other for 17 years by the events of "Who Else Knows?" The episode occurs directly after "Make It Stop," which dates itself to 1 BBY. Therefore, Marki and Rael's first meeting and Rael's subsequent defection occurred around the year 18 BBY. "Make It Stop" establishes that the bombing on Naboo takes place before the creation of the Axis network, which "Coruscant: Whispers of Rebellion" states was founded a decade before the events of Andor Season 1, which takes place in 5 BBY per the reasoning here. Therefore, the bombing must have occurred between 18 BBY and 15 BBY.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Star Wars: Andor — "Make It Stop" (Audio description from Disney+)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Andor Explained: Episodes 10-12 - "Make It Stop", "Who Else Knows?", and "Jedha, Kyber, Erso" on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 First Andor A Star Wars Story Teaser Trailer and Poster Revealed on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Secrets from the Set of Andor Season 2: Week 4 Trivia on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars Year By Year: A Visual History, Updated and Expanded Edition