TVLine’s Performer of the Week: Elizabeth Dulau

Kleya said not much more than that in the Star Wars series’ antepenultimate episode, as she repeated back to Luthen what he’d just learned from (ill-fated) Lonni in the cold open. And while it was tempting to instead honor Elizabeth Dulau for Episode 11 (in which Kleya implores Cassian to make Luthen’s sacrifice mean something)…. No, it really was Episode 10 in which the actress moved us most.

Yes, there was the aforementioned exchange with Luthen, soon after he’d gotten wind of the “super weapon” Krennic has been building for a decade. Kleya assumed she herself would take care of destroying their comm station at the gallery, but Luthen insisted on doing the deed — to Kleya’s dismay.

That “burn” would be interrupted by one Dedra Meero, leading to Luthen’s attempted, secret-keeping suicide. As Kleya from a distance watched his body taken away by a med team, Dulau’s acting journey began — accentuated by flashbacks to how a Sergeant Lear, 17 years prior, came to be her guardian and mentor.

Every time the camera caught Dulau’s face, you saw the conflict. As a pragmatic spy, she knew what needed to be done. That she had to finish what Luthen began with that ancient blade. But man, Dulau also made clear the silent anguish Kleya was feeling, about ending her father figure’s life.

There’s also much to be said for how Dulau sold us on Kleya’s impressive skillset, of which we’d only had glimpses. She thought fast on her feet, seizing opportunities to infiltrate and navigate the hospital halls. She was handy and stealthy with a small blaster. And when she triggered the explosives to distract the troopers guarding Luthen’s room, you could feel her recalling a similar button press from her past.

In the end, Kleya overcame all obstacles and made her way to Luthen’s ICU room. Without hesitation, she coldly detached the life support mechanism that was barely keeping him alive. Then… then she looked at him, as he exhaled a final breath. Dulau’s brow knitted, a tear rolled down a cheek. Kleya knew an unexpected chapter of her life was ending. And an unpredictable one was about to begin.