He gave one of the most memorable Star Wars speeches, in a time of great struggle as the galaxy girds its loins for the coming conflict, and Variety have recognised that incredible performance by Stellan Skarsgård and placed it at number 85 in the greatest TV performances of the 21st Century. Check out the list, there are other Star Wars actors on it but no other Star Wars performances (bafflingly no Fiona Shaw as Maarva Andor, who’s posthumous holographic speech on Rix Road comfortably matches Luthens impassioned speech) – maybe that will change once season two arrives in April.
On this exhilaratingly intelligent — and eerily well-timed — “Star Wars” series about building a revolution against fascism, Skarsgård plays a man fueled by his rage against the Galactic Empire who cannot ever let himself fully express it. Instead, Skarsgård betrays Luthen’s feelings in finely calibrated micro-expressions, as he manages the fragile factions of the nascent rebellion and recruits disillusioned thief Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) to join it. It’s only when one of Luthen’s moles in the Empire demands to know what he has possibly sacrificed that Skarsgård finally takes the lid off. “I’m condemned to use the tools of my enemy to defeat them,” he says, his eyes burning with pain and regret and anger. “I burn my decency for someone else’s future. I burn my life to make a sunrise that I know I’ll never see!” It’s a monologue for the ages, proving that the Force is clearly with Skarsgård.