I think Luthens story is one that is going to end in darkness and is destined for it. There's a keen contrast between him and Mothma, someone who sacrifices everything and someone who is not afraid to fight but to do it the right way.
Its a key idea in all of SW, dating back to when Luke refused to fight by the emperor's wishes, instead throwing away his saber and reaching out to his father to help him.
Mothma is that figure of the light that represents the best essence of the rebellion, while Luthen is its darker side.
I obviously hope for good ending for him because I like him as a character, but I'm not expecting one, nor do I think a good ending would be right way to take his narrative.
Luthen never returning back to the light and dying in darkness is going to make Cassian's story all the more powerful, in the end.
The man who brought him in and helped shape him could not overcome that darkness, but Cassian at his end was able to. And he saved millions, billions, trillions! in the proces.
I’m so excited to see where they take Luthen. I love him as a character , but as a human being I find him absolutely terrifying in many ways, including that he’s so human and vulnerable. He looks like a kind of frail, frightened old man at the end of episode. 5… where he’s openly talking about murdering Cassian. What a fascinating mixture he is.
Cassian choosing not to kill Galen is a watershed moment. Part of it is not wanting to put someone he’s growing to care about through the same agony he went through in losing a parent (the series is really emphasising the parallels with Jyn). But I think it’s also got the element of questioning the morality of what it is he does in a way he hasn’t confronted in a long time. Put bluntly, I think whatever happens in episodes one to 9 of S2 will harden Cassian . He might learn the cost of not obeying an order – but also the pain of obeying orders.
I can see one arc for Luthen where he does that personally confronts Cassian And he gets killed for that because Cassian thinks it’s just a step too far. Basically, I agree – I can only really see a dark end for Luthen. But perhaps there’ll be a little glimmer of light.