Highlights
- A beloved villain, Grand Admiral Thrawn, may clash with rebel general Hera Syndulla in the upcoming Ahsoka series, as teased by Dave Filoni.
- The live-action reuniting of Thrawn and Captain Pellaeon seems inevitable, as they were both set up in The Mandalorian and Filoni expresses his desire to see them together.
- Thrawn actor Lars Mikkelsen hints at a potential power play within the Empire, suggesting conflict and intrigue in the character's story going forward.
Ahsoka creator and Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni has been slowly building things up in the Star Wars universe since his days working on The Clone Wars. Now, it looks like a pair of beloved characters may be about to clash once again.
Star Wars has maintained its hold on fans with new characters and stories. When Disney bought the franchise and reset its official canon, many were concerned that the new offerings wouldn't live up to what they'd grown to love about the eminent sci-fi/fantasy series. But as evidenced by fans immediately latching onto shipping characters from Ahsoka, it's clear that the love is still there. Interestingly enough, there is now one meaningful conflict between a relatively new character and one from some classic stories, and it looks like they're gearing up for another showdown.
Speaking recently with Empire, Filoni offered a few teases of what's in store for Grand Admiral Thrawn, the beloved villain first introduced in Timothy Zahn's now non-canon Heir to the Empire book trilogy before returning to the official fold in recent years. Thrawn appeared in the live-action Ahsoka series after debuting in the new canon in the animated series Star Wars Rebels. But he was also joined by another Rebels character in Twi'lek ace pilot and rebel general Hera Syndulla, who became one of Thrawn's most adept adversaries along with her crew. AfterAhsoka season 1, fans may be wondering where things go from here. Luckily, Filoni seems eager to explore that.
"His foil throughout Rebels was Hera. Pitting the two generals against one another is something that I find interesting."
Thrawn and Hera aren't the only ones who may get extended screen time. The Mandalorian season 3 saw the obscure Star Wars character of Captain Pellaeon show up as part of a shadow council looking to aid in Thrawn's return. Pellaeon originally appeared as Thrawn's trusted ally in the Heir to the Empire books, eventually returning to canon himself alongside the Grand Admiral in Rebels. Now, their live-action reuniting feels almost inevitable. At least, it will be if Filoni has his way.
"We set up Captain Pellaeon in The Mandalorian , and that's a character that goes with Thrawn, so I'd love to see the two of them together."
Meanwhile, the actor behind Thrawn also seems into the character's story. Thrawn actor Lars Mikkelsen also spoke with Empire about the villain's motivations. While Thrawn was on the self-serving side in his original book appearances, it seems as though his loyalty to the Empire's goal is a bit more steadfast this time around. However, he may still be at odds with them based on his philosophy.
"Straighten out all the others and tidy up the shop. I could imagine something in terms of a power play within the Empire."
There's a lot to look forward to in the franchise. There are several upcoming Star Wars shows, which are not limited to those that explore the battles between Thrawn and Hera. Again, that love is still there from the fans. So, hopefully, the stories themselves keep rewarding that love with engaging character stories that keep them coming back.
The Star Wars saga is available on Disney Plus.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other mediums like comics, video games, TV shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.
Source: Empire
