The newest live-action threat to the galaxy far, far away has been revealed in Disney Plus’ latest Star Wars series Ahsoka. Thrawn has been a threat in comics, books, and the animated series Star WarsRebels, but it seems that he is about to join the ranks of the best live-action Star Wars villains thanks to his upcoming role in Ahsoka.
Thrawn isn’t just a man with striking blue skin and ominous red eyes. He is a character with a deep history and mind that will be brought to life through the talent of Lars Mikkelsen, who played Thrawn in Star WarsRebels and returns for the blue-paint treatment in the live-action Ahsoka series.
9 Chiss Species
Thrawn is certainly one of the more distinct humanoid species that audiences have seen in Star Wars. Many might wonder where Thrawn comes from, and the answer to that is a planet in the Unknown Regions called Csilla. This planet harbors the advanced species of Chiss, and it’s an ice-locked planet unknown to the largeness of the galaxy.
The fact that Csilla is an unknown planet makes Thrawn’s appearance all the more shocking to the galaxy. Thrawn is a Chiss male, and the Chiss kept to their planet in the galaxy, more concerned with the politeness and structure of their politics and families.
8 One Must Know Their Enemy
Thrawn has a deep-rotted philosophy when it comes to his enemies. He desires to know everything about them and their culture. This allows Thrawn to garner an understanding of his enemy, and to set a trap for those that wish to trap him. Thrawn greatly studies the culture of his enemies, whether that is through philosophy or art.
Examples of Thrawn’s study of his enemies are seen through Hera, as he studied the Twi’leks of Ryloth and the warrior factions of Mandalore. This philosophy helps Thrawn to win his battles with ease.
7 Views Of Morality
To understand Thrawn, one needs to know his character. Thrawn believes in a necessary evil, he’s a character that sees the Empire as corrupt and tyrannical, but he also sees the advantage of it. He sees the Empire’s ways as ruthless, and in that ruthlessness is the absolute necessity for peace after the initial chaos.
Thrawn believes that a strong and ruthless government of oppression is the only way to bring peace to the galaxy, and it seems that with his return into live-action, this time away to reflect may have heightened his ideals for a Galactic Empire, and what is needed to maintain his version of peace.
6 Grand Admiral Of The Galactic Empire
Thrawn’s role in the Galactic Empire was not just as an Imperial Officer, but it was as a Grand Admiral, a rare rank within the Empire that was given to Thrawn by none other than Emperor Palpatine himself. The distinct outfit of a white uniform with gold shoulder bars is what makes Thrawn truly shine.
Like others, to get to this position, Thrawn had to rise through the ranks of the Imperial Navy. Thrawn did well and truly stood out from the others, which is exactly why he was able to rise through the ranks from a cadet at the Royal Imperial Academy, all the way to a Grand Admiral.
5 Fought Alongside Anakin Skywalker
Thrawn was active in Star Wars canon during the time of the Clone Wars and even had an encounter with the famed Jedi Anakin Skywalker. Although Thrawn did not know who Anakin was, he was quick to understand his new ally.
Thrawn and Anakin worked together in the Outer Rim when Anakin needed help in finding his kidnapped wife Padmé Amidala, and in exchange, Thrawn needed information on the Clone Wars. This was seen in the canon book Thrawn: Alliances by Thrawn creator Timothy Zahn.
4 Tactical Genius
The galaxy far, far away is in for the newest threat from the remnants of the Empire with Thrawn. There’s a reason that Ezra Bridger tried to get Thrawn as far away as possible from the galaxy, and it all comes down to his ruthless and genius tactics of war, better than any droid.
Thrawn is an unforgiving strategist, and his tactics within warfare have given him the respect of the Empire’s highest ranks. He is amongst the most feared members of the Empire by the rebellion and any that oppose to his teachings of tyranny. There is no master tactician and loyal Grand Admiral like Thrawn.
3 Knows Darth Vader’s Identity
As such a high-ranking official within the Empire, it’s no surprise that Thrawn would have met and worked with Darth Vader personally. The apprentice of the Sith Lord Emperor Palpatine would do the bidding of his master and work closely with Thrawn on more than one occasion.
As scary and intimidating as Darth Vader is, to Thrawn, he is no more than as useful as a servant to the Emperor than he is. Thrawn would taunt Vader that he knew his identity as Anakin Skywalker, a fact that had seen lesser men killed. However, Vader would state that Skywalker is dead, something that Thrawn would agree to upon the belief that Vader and Skywalker were two mentally separate people. However, discovering his identity just further shows the genius of Thrawn.
2 Thrawn’s Disappearance
The question on everyone’s mind is where is Thrawn? Grand Admiral Thrawn has been missing before the events of A New Hope. During the final siege of Lothal, Thrawn’s vessel the Chimaera was attacked by the purrgil, a species that can traverse through hyperspace.
Thrawn is helpless as he is held in place by Ezra Bridger using the Force, and both Ezra and Thrawn are pulled into hyperspace within the Chimaera by the purrgil. Ever since then, Thrawn has been missing, pulled deep across the galaxy. Thrawn’s location is unknown, but all will be revealed with the Ahsoka series on Disney Plus.
1 Heir To The Empire
In the “Legends Canon” of Star Wars, Thrawn was a threat after the fall of the Emperor and the Empire. Thrawn battled with the New Republic, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa-Solo across the “Thrawn Trilogy” written by Timothy Zahn. However, these books were not used in the new Star Wars canon, but it seems that parts of them will be adapted for the Ahsoka series, and what is to come.
Thrawn returns to Ahsoka as the Heir to the Empire, bringing forth a new age for the Empire under a new command. The galaxy far, far away is in for total war before the events of The Force Awakens, and perhaps this new version of the Heir to the Empire will usher in characters of old and similar story threads, almost like a “sequel trilogy before the sequel trilogy”.
Ahsoka will premier on Disney+ August 2023.