Throughout the Star Wars series, there have been a handful of villains who have inspired fear with nothing but their names. Emperor Palpatine was one of those rare figures, but one alien managed to be just as impactful without ever utilizing Sith powers. Some may wonder how that’s possible, but that’s just the kind of impact that Thrawn has had across the galaxy.
While he does go by other names, it is the name Thrawn that inspires fear across the galaxy of Star Wars. He was a key figure in the Empire, and one of the more memorable in terms of design thanks to his deep blue skin and burning red eyes. Even before someone suffered his wrath, they were already sure to be put on edge by a single look from the brilliant officer.
Who Is Grand Admiral Thrawn?
Though he is most commonly known as Grand Admiral Thrawn, the cunning admiral of the seventh fleet has gone by many names including Kivu'raw'nuru, Mitth'raw'nuruodo, and Vurawn. While he wasn’t Force-sensitive as many prominent characters in Star Wars are, Thrawn is still one of the most dangerous forces to ever roam the galaxy. Rising through the ranks of the Empire with ease, Thrawn demonstrated patience, skill, and dominance in just about every task he undertook.
As one of the greatest military tacticians in the history of the Empire, Thrawn was a key figure in the success of countless operations. Many fans of the series may think that, being member of the Empire, Thrawn would be willing to throw away innocent life as often as possible. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Thrawn absolutely could make some dirty moves on the battlefield if it meant ultimate success, but the Chiss genius was able to secure victory after victory while engaging in warfare in relatively ordinary ways.
As one of the more complex and interesting characters in the Star Wars canon, Thrawn is far from the typical maniacal villain. Instead, he often shows respect and even kindness toward his enemies at various points. It’s these unique ways that Thrawn interacts with people that have people begging to see more of him. For many, it’s far more interesting to experience and be in awe of a character because of how competent they are, than to get more of the same old blinding power and dumb luck.
All of that isn’t to say that someone as skilled as Thrawn didn’t have his own pitfalls. Some of his biggest issues are how he seems to turn war into a game, relishing in the experience. This could result in drawn-out situations which would lead to losses. Additionally, Thrawn was brilliant, but he was never great at understanding the politics of a given situation, which could leave him lacking power in certain situations. The other issue Thrawn faced was that many within the Empire simply weren’t all that brilliant, at least compared to him, which would also lead to military losses.
What Makes Grand Admiral Thrawn So Scary?
The thing that makes Grand Admiral Thrawn a foe as feared as Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine is his brain. He didn’t need to wield a lightsaber, attack people with lightning, or disarm people with fear. He simply made the best decisions he possibly could. Unlike many other characters, Thrawn went out of his way to learn about various alien species in order to better understand the potential movements and psychology of the people he’d be battling. When it came time to wage war, Thrawn had a solid grasp of the tactics his opponents would implement, and would have contingency plans to deal with surprises.
Some may scoff at the idea of someone capable of wielding military might being frightening and powerful, but that may change upon learning that Palpatine viewed Thrawn as important of a tool as Darth Vader. Without Thrawn, the Galactic Empire may not have been able to flex as much control over the galaxy, their enemies, and in turn, the Rebel Alliance. Everything that Thrawn accomplished during his time with the Empire only served to further aid its existence even after it had been crushed. This means that the First Order may not have come into being if not for Thrawn’s contributions.
What Did Grand Admiral Thrawn Accomplish?
Speaking of Thrawn’s incredible contributions, there is a striking list of high-profile accomplishments he’s garnered over the years. Though he’s mostly been seen on screen in the television series Star Wars: Rebels, he has been around since the early 90s, meaning he’s had quite a fleshed-out background over the years. As one might expect, most of his biggest accomplishments were major military victories. In addition, his work to aid the Empire in its return as the First Order should be seen as an incredible accomplishment even if he wasn’t around to see it.
Thrawn is arguably more impressive in Legends canon, but even without that added boost, he’s still quite accomplished. He was given the rank of Grand Admiral in the Galactic Empire, one of the highest honors anyone could hold. Unsurprisingly for the Empire but surprising for Thrawn, he was granted the rank after a major military victory against the rebels, though this was one occasion where he was cruel enough to show no worry for innocent life. It was his guidance that kept the Rebel Alliance on the back foot, and it could even be said that the Empire only fell due to the loss of someone as important as Thrawn.
During his time with the Chiss Ascendancy, Thrawn was originally tasked with thwarting piracy in the galaxy. He defeated the warmonger Yiv and his fleet, and even more impressive, defeated the alien Jixtus in the midst of the Chiss Ascendancy civil war. These victories may not sound like much to the uninitiated, but it was these two events that set the stage for Thrawn’s rise to power. Shortly after, he would join the Galactic Empire to become the most feared military commander in the galaxy. He crushed any and all foes before him, only faltering to some of the most popular new characters in the Star Wars canon.
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