[Maritime Q-Scout]

I totally think the statue is actually Veidt.

As for the trial being a year, I think it serves several purposes: (1) keeps up the time frame that for Veidt every episode is a year; (2) establishes that travel to Europa to save him isn't instantanious, ala Game if Thrones teleportation.

I don't know if the timeline lines up for Veidt's disappearance and return though. Was it 7 years since he was declared dead? As in he disappeared in 2012 and declared dead in 2019?

Ep1 = 1 year, I'm going to write a play
Ep2 = 2 years, performs the play
Ep3 = 3 years, tests space suit confirms Veidt
Ep4 = 4 years, the Clone Wars without JarJar Binks
Ep5 = 5 years, sends message
Ep6 = not present
Ep7 = 6 years, trial

Yeah I'm not sure that the timeline works. But it might?