While the rise of the Rebellion will undoubtedly be the story of Andor season 2, two stars are excited about the romantic direction that the Empire is taking in the show’s final season. In the first season, Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) was introduced as a Deputy Inspector who later found a chance to grow within the Empire. His potential love interest, Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), debuted as a seemingly cold-hearted Imperial officer who did attempt to support Syril, despite his flaws. Their relationship earned critical screentime, and the Andor characters are both poised to reappear in season 2.

At Star Wars Celebration, ScreenRant‘s Ash Crossan spoke with Soller and Gough about their characters’ roles in the upcoming episodes. They compared Syril and Dedra’s relationship to the comparatively warm Bix and Cᴀssian, while also explaining the cause of those differences. Because the Empire failed to allow positive examples of “love, community, loyalty,” or any other positive attributes, the two characters are incapable of properly expressing their love. Check out their quotes below:

Gough: But there’s two relationships, isn’t there, in the show. And so there’s Syril and Dedra and there’s Bix and Cᴀssian, and Bix and Cᴀssian have had in their lives examples of love, community, loyalty, all of that stuff. And neither of these people come from that. So there’s something really interesting about playing, like, what happens when two people who have no skills at any of that stuff? What happens when they’re in a room together or in a relationship together?

Soller: It shows what the oppressive regime of the empire does to love, which is to restrict it and restrain it and manipulate it. And Syril and Dedra’s love is actually, it’s quite intense, but it’s strangled by the empire and how they were brought up and the world that they live in. It’s really tragic actually at the end of the day. And so in terms of power couple ranking, they’re at the top.

What The Empire’s Stunted Relationship Means For Andor

Even The Empire’s Servants Struggle In Its Rule

As a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the purpose of Andor has always been to establish the true horror of the Empire. While the Original Trilogy showcased the wider impact of Imperial rule, this show focuses on the way that the Empire has impacted the lives of ordinary people, which also includes its own officers. Just as Finn was forced to serve the First Order and restricted from knowing anything else, these officers were raised in the oppressive reach of an unloving dictator and a cruel society.

These characters cannot even trust their family members, as Syril’s own mother was reporting on his actions. Every moment of their lives is carefully cataloged and ordered, making it difficult for them to ever express their love constructively or genuinely. Both have proven that they are more interested in personal profit and advancement than they are in romance, and that will undoubtedly play a role in Andor season 2. One could very well betray the other, as the Empire has taught them nothing but conflict.

Our Take On Dedra & Syril’s Relationship

It Spreads The Perfect Message

Dedra and Syril’s complicated relationship serves as a key thematic element for the show. It proves exactly why the Empire is so dangerous, and why the protagonists are in the perfect position to fight it. Star Wars has always been about the conflict between hate, love, and ambivalence, and the two characters prove exactly what hateful dogma causes ordinary people to face. They could have enjoyed a healthy relationship, but their need for vengeance and ambition under the Emperor has corrupted them. This season will prove whether they can escape its corrosive touch, or if their relationship will crumble early.

Andor season 2 premieres on Disney+ with three episodes on April 22, which will be followed by three-episode drops on Tuesdays through May 13.