Spoilers for Andor season 1, episode 10, "One Way Out" below!

Andor director, Toby Haynes, revealed that a major George Lucas Easter egg inspired the show's Narkina 5 prison. The latest live-action entry into the Star Wars franchise chronicles Cassian Andor's (Diego Luna) hard fought journey from lone smuggler to the battle-hardened Rebel intelligence captain who led the team to steal the Death Star plans in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. After Cassian assumes a new identity and escapes to a tropical tourist destination on Niamos, he is arrested as a suspected Rebel sympathizer and taken to the labor prison on Narkina 5.

In a recent interview with The Ringer, Haynes reveals that Narkina 5 was inspired by a major George Lucas Easter egg. Prior to creating Star Wars in 1977, Lucas broke into Hollywood with his first theatrical film, THX 1138, a science-fiction film that depicts a dystopian future where citizens are policed by androids and are forced to take drugs that suppress emotions. Although the film received mixed reviews and did not perform well at the box office, it has since developed a cult following. The film sports a unique visual aesthetic with the majority of the cast in white costumes set against a stale background with the android police in dark black uniforms. Haynes and Andor's crew took inspiration from THX 1138 when designing the prison on Narkina 5. Read what Haynes said below:

We were all big fans of 1970s cinema and 1970s sci-fi and fantasy. We never wanted to wear our Easter eggs on our sleeve. We wanted to be more subtle about what we were doing, calling back. One of our touchstone images was from THX 1138, and we wanted to evoke that antiseptic, claustrophobic atmosphere. That’s exactly where the white starkness of the prison comes out, with the black uniforms of the Empire really striking out, like shadows cutting into the scenery.

Related: What Are They Building In The Prison In Andor?

Why Narkina 5 Is Important for Cassian's Rebel Journey

THX 1138 Duvall Android Police

As soon as Cassian arrived at the prison with a sentence set for six years, he began to look for a way out. Episode 9 saw that the future Rebel leader had already conjured an escape plan with a few other inmates already included. However, he realized that he needed help from his day shift floor manager, the charismatic Kino Loy (Andy Serkis), to break free. After all of level 2 was killed following a major personnel issue, revealing that no prisoner will ever attain their freedom, Cassian took his chance and broke through to Kino, inspiring him to lead a revolution against their captors.

The dire situation at the Narkina 5 prison tested Cassian in ways that he hadn't been tested before. He proved that not only is he a capable soldier, coming up with a plan to escape what seemed to be an impenetrable fortress, but also as an inspirational leader, motivating Kino, a man who held so strongly to his beliefs that he would be set free if only he followed the Empire's rules. Through the successful escape and uprising, Cassian demonstrated his worth to the budding Rebellion.

Andor episode 10, "One Way Out" ended with both Cassian and future Rebel soldier, Ruescott Melshi (Duncan Pow), reaching shore and running to their freedom. The news of their prison break will likely hit the HoloNet and quickly spread to all corners of the galaxy, reaching both Imperial Security Bureau supervisor Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) and Rebel leader Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård). With the two opposing intelligence agents searching for him, and Rebel soldier Cinta Kaz (Varada Sethu) waiting for his return on Ferrix, Cassian will be faced with a choice that will decide the future of the Rebellion when Andor season 1 continues.

Next: Andor's Production & Costume Designers Share Star Wars Secrets

Source: The Ringer