Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Episode 4 of Andor.Over the course of the Star Wars franchise, we’ve seen how the Galactic Empire rules over the galaxy. It’s not an overnight process; the Galactic Senate slowly morphs into the Imperial Senate, and the clone troopers are cycled out in favor of brainwashed recruits. Andor reveals that within the trade sectors of the galaxy, corporate conglomerates like Preox-Morlana are used to control backwater worlds. Of course, the Empire steps into control of Preox-Morlana's territory after the events on Ferrix.

In the fourth episode, “Aldhani,” Andor finally makes its way to the Imperial capital on Coruscant. The beautiful city of the prequel trilogy has now turned into a dystopian nightmare, and even senators like Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) are fearful of spies. Andor looks at those making decisions for the Empire’s security. The Imperial Security Bureau, overseen by Major Partagaz (Anton Lesser), meets to discuss any signs of suspicion on any of the systems that the Empire controls.

It’s here where we meet one of Andor’s new villains, Imperial security officer Dedra Meero (Denise Gough). Keen to speak her mind and utterly convinced of her cause, Meero makes it clear that her dedication to the Empire is without question. Although we only get a hint of Meero’s fearsome nature in “Aldhani,” it’s safe to say that she will be a thorn in Cassian (Diego Luna) and Luthen Rael’s (Stellan Skarsgard) side in the weeks to come.

RELATED: 'Andor': The Corporate Conglomerate Preox-Morlana Explained

What Is Meero’s Role in 'Andor'?

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Image via Disney+

Meero attends the bureau meeting in Episode 4 and refuses to let the incident on Ferrix go. She insists that her instincts tell her that the Rebels are involved, as the murder of two Preox-Morlana officers is not the type of crime that can go unpunished. She is infuriated about the chaos that has started on Ferrix; if the civilians have any sense of hope, they may believe that they have some power to fight back. She is apprehensive that a Starpath Unit (the one Cassian tries to sell to Luthen in Episode 3) was discovered on a system under her jurisdiction. However, Partagaz decides to assign the lieutenant supervisor Blevin (Ben Bailey Smith) to the mission instead.

It’s later on in the episode that we learn more about Meero’s backstory. During her conversation with Partagaz, her supervisor reveals that Meero was hired because of her experiences working in the Enforcement forces. Meero was presumably a lower-ranked police officer who rose through the ranks through her brutality. She has something to prove, and knows that she only earned her position in the bureau through hard work. She’s not about to let Blevin take care of Cassian when she is more than capable.

Meero Is a Different Type of Star Wars Villain

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Image via Disney+

Andor explores the political infrastructure in a way that we haven’t seen before. Showrunner Tony Gilroy knows his way around political intrigue and has proven with Michael Clayton and The Bourne Legacy that propulsive, entertaining thrillers can be intelligent. Not every agent of the Empire is the same. Syril Karn (Kyle Soller), the Preox-Morlana officer we met last week, essentially goes crying home to his mother in “Aldhani” after he’s admonished for his botched work on Ferrix. His supervisor, Chief Hyne (Rupert Vansittart), is more of a lazy bureaucrat than a remorseless tactician.

With Meero, we’re seeing the type of empowered fascist that eerily mirrors events in today’s news cycle. It’s implied that Meero was once some sort of law officer who made a name for herself, and the only way you can make a name for yourself in the Empire is through violence. Meero is concerned about losing her position, and wants to prove that she is unflinching in her service to Partagaz.

It’s also interesting to note the rivalry that exists between Meero and Blevin. We’ve rarely seen female Imperial officers in the Star Wars films holding positions of power, and it’s implied in the Expanded Universe that sexism plays a role in Imperial politics. Gilroy has certainly fleshed out the political subtext of his Star Wars projects, so it will be interesting to see how the role of women in power is explored in both the Empire and the Rebellion.

Who Is Denise Gough?

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Image via FX Networks

Although Andor has certainly added its share of veteran actors like Stellan Skarsgard, Fiona Shaw, Forest Whitaker, and Anton Lesser, it’s also helping spotlight up-and-coming stars like Denise Gough. Gough may be a relative unknown, but she’s certainly been making a name for herself within the last year. After starring in the AMC+ series Too Close last year, she co-starred alongside Andrew Garfield in Hulu’s critically-acclaimed crime miniseries Under the Banner of Heaven.

Gough is a stage veteran who has won two Laurence Olivier awards for her performances in Duncan Macmillan's People, Places and Things and Tony Kushner’s Angels in America. Although most of her film roles have been in under-the-radar indie features, she’s popped up in Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, the acclaimed romantic comedy Juliet, Naked, and the underrated fantasy adventure The Kid Who Would Be King.