Season 2, Episode 8, titled Who Are You?, directed by Janus Metz and written by Dan Gilroy, delivers a harrowing account of The Ghorman Massacre, exposing the brutality and cruelty of the Galactic Empire. Under the guise of restoring order, the Empire vilifies the Ghorman people to justify a full-scale occupation, planetary genocide, and ecological destruction—motivated by the need to mine kalkite to power not one, but two Death Stars. Both superweapons will ultimately be destroyed, rendering their existence futile, save for inflating Emperor Palpatine’s ego and perpetuating his reign of terror. This episode lays bare the irredeemable evil of the Sith and the Empire they built: a regime that thrives on oppression, lies, and bloodshed.
The central theme of this episode is deception. Deception is the very essence of the Sith and the dark culture they’ve built—one that ultimately laid the foundation for the Galactic Empire and its oppressive system of governance. The Empire masks its true nature by claiming to be a necessary military force tasked with maintaining peace and order across the Galaxy. But beneath that facade lies a brutal regime of enforcers—monsters and thugs who commit atrocities on behalf of the powerful elite, including corrupt officials, greedy profiteers, and sycophants who serve the Sith without question. There is nothing noble or redeemable about the Empire. It lures those who once sought justice and tempts them into embracing evil until they become hollow reflections of their former selves. The Empire spreads corruption, shatters lives, and enslaves the innocent in pursuit of absolute control. It is not a stabilizing force, but a parasitic plague that thrives in darkness and must be completely eradicated.
The Ghorman Protest
On Ghorman, the Empire opens Palmo Plaza to lure the Ghorman Front into assembling protestors—a trap designed for massacre. Carro Rylanz (Richard Sammel) senses the deception and pleads with the people to turn back, but they ignore his warnings and march toward their doom. As Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) makes his way to the Bureau of Standards—where Imperial employees have been ordered to take shelter—he crosses paths with Carro. Enraged, Carro lashes out, condemning Syril as a traitor complicit in the atrocities unfolding around them. He demands answers about the massive Imperial mining effort overtaking the planet, but Syril, unaware of the full scope, offers none. The chaos and tension unravel Syril’s beliefs, as the truth of the Empire’s cruelty becomes impossible to ignore.
Inside the Bureau, Syril finds stormtroopers and KX Security Droids stationed in full force. Sensing something is deeply wrong, he confronts Dedra (Denise Gough) in private. She reluctantly tells him the truth: the Empire is strip-mining kalkite, a mineral vital to the Death Star’s energy system, and plans to extract it until the planet is destroyed. Horrified and disillusioned, Syril flees—his conscience broken—and attempts to warn the Ghorman Front. But it’s too late. His past betrayal ensures no one will listen.
The Ghorman Massacre
Major Partagaz (Anton Lesser) serves as an intermediary between the Emperor, Director Krennic, and Dedra Meero as the Empire executes its final plan in Ghorman. The plan begins with Imperial snipers shooting down Imperial riot troopers among the crowd while disguised as Ghorman insurgents—staging an attack designed to incite panic. This calculated deception frightens the Imperial soldiers, which leads to a shootout between the Imperial Army and the Ghorman Front. Innocent Ghorman protestors are caught in the crossfire, which results in hundreds, if not thousands, of Ghormans being shot dead. The situation escalates further as the Imperial Army begins massacring the population outside Palmo Plaza and across the city.
Cassian (Diego Luna) realizes his mission to assassinate Dedra Meero has failed, so he tries to escape until he is ambushed by Syril, who wants revenge against Andor. However, Syril decides to spare Cassian at the last minute after realizing how far he has fallen—but that act of mercy doesn’t save his life, as Carro Rylanz shoots Karn in the head for his treachery. Syril dies knowing he is nothing more than a pawn who helped the Empire commit an atrocity.
Cassian and Wilmon (Muhannad Bhaier) try to help the Ghorman Front and the Ghorman civilians find sanctuary before they are all killed. They realize they need to let the Galaxy know what is really happening, and that the Imperial propaganda being broadcast across the news is entirely false. Wilmon chooses to stay behind on Ghorman to aid in the evacuation, while Cassian escapes the world and returns to Yavin Four to report on the situation. During his escape, he takes a damaged KX Security Droid with him after realizing it might be useful in the future.
The Massacre Escalates
In the aftermath, thousands of Ghormans lie dead across the city—a city-wide massacre and genocide. The Ghorman Massacre, coupled with the death of Syril, causes Dedra Meero to break down in tears. Not only was she directly involved in the slaughter of countless innocents, but she also bore responsibility for the death of someone who truly loved her. News of the massacre spreads across the Galaxy, accompanied by a wave of Imperial propaganda falsely claiming that the violent Ghormans ruthlessly attacked innocent Imperial soldiers. This is a lie. In truth, the Empire were the villains, and the Ghormans were the victims of an orchestrated atrocity.
Eedy Karn (Kathryn Hunter) tearfully watches the news alongside her friends after learning of Syril’s death. She has lost her son—but remains unaware that it was the Empire itself that took him from her. This entire episode serves as a brutal reminder of just how vile Emperor Palpatine truly is, as he bears ultimate responsibility for the deaths of trillions during both the Clone Wars and the reign of the Galactic Empire.
Rating: 10/10