Three Things to Know About Thrawn Before Ahsoka
So many articles, videos, and recommendations have surfaced in the past months before the premiere of Ahsoka and the first look at the Chiss Grand Admiral Thrawn. But we will not know how helpful those details are until we watch the series. And even then, Thrawn will likely continue to be a looming threat in Dave Filoni’s future film. So should one be hurrying to read the Thrawn trilogy from canon or even the Heir to the Empire Legends trilogy?
Nope. Covering character motivations and story points through the T hrawn trilogy ( Thrawn, Thrawn: Alliances, and Thrawn: Treason), I have three things that are good to note before enjoying Ahsoka and the first live-action iteration of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
**Spoilers for Thrawn, Thrawn: Alliance, Thrawn: Treason, and Star Wars Rebels**
1. Many Imperial Officers Were Loyal to Him, but Many More Distrusted Him
“Thank you, Admiral,” Faro managed. “It-sir, it’s been the greatest privilege of my life to serve under you. I can only hope my officers will feel even a tenth of that pride and satisfaction under my command.”
Zahn, Timothy. Thrawn: Treason(Star Wars). Random House Worlds.
During the Galactic Civil War, Thrawn is the highest-ranking non-human officer in the Imperial Starfleet but the ONLY non-human officer (the Inquisitors are a separate faction of the Imperial army). The reason for this prejudice being that most of the Separatists nations that the Republic (now the Empire) fought against during The Clone Wars were alien nations. And that prejudice against aliens surrounds Thrawn’s time in the Empire (first through fellow cadets at the Imperial academy, then among the higher ranks of power).
Thrawn maneuvers this with solid reasoning of the greater good for the Empire and a willingness to take full responsibility for failure. When a group of assailants, including Cadet Gimm, attacks Thrawn, the Chiss advocates to their commanding officer that they should be transferred to the Skystrike academy instead because he shows specific skills favorable to excel as a TIE pilot. Gimm went on to do quite well there, rising through the ranks to be lieutenant but never knowing he had Thrawn to thank. But Thrawn continues to be a target for Imperial Officers that outrank him, but his military genius and subsequent successes often prevail. And when he assumes command of the Seventh Fleet, he mentors his subordinates, which instills fierce loyalty in Thrawn from pupils like Commodore Karyn Faro.
Although Thrawn is a military genius, he is not politically minded, which is one of the reasons he aligns himself with Arihnda Pryce, who maneuvers her way into the Governorship of Lothal. And Pryce brings in Thrawn to help try and eliminate the Ghost Crew and the Spectres cell prevalent in Star Wars Rebels.
Captain Pellaeon is the most recognizable ally from Legends brought into canon and has already appeared in Thrawn, Rebels, and live-action with The Mandalorian. Pellaeon commanded a Star Destroyer in Grand Admiral Balanhai Savit’s Third Fleet. After Thrawn exposed Savit for treason, the captain was sent to assist Thrawn on Lothal against the Spectres cell. He also witnesses the Grand Admiral’s disappearance into the unknown when the purrgils pull the Chimaera into hyperspace. Since an actor has been cast and appeared in The Mandalorian, I am sure Pellaeon will exemplify loyalty within the Imperial ranks in Ahsoka and beyond.
Grand Moff Tarkin could also be considered an ally, although more from a distance and as a tool against Director Krennic, who is competing with Thrawn for Imperial resources. But even when Thrawn reaches the highest rank, he still has to deal with distrust from other Imperial factions. Krennic sends his Assistant Director, Colonel Brierly Ronan, to observe Thrawn when the Grand Admiral agrees to help Krennic solve a gralloc problem to keep his resources for the TIE Defender Program.
Now, during the Ahsoka timeline, many of Thrawn’s detractors are dead (it is unclear where Grand Admiral Rae Sloane is during this time or how she felt about the Chiss), so Thrawn can guide the Imperial remnants to another conflict with the New Republic. Still, the series will likely reveal a few more Thrawn secrets.
2. Thrawn Has A History With Darth Vader AND Anakin Skywalker
“Vader stared into those glowing red eyes. No- it was impossible. The relationship between him and The Jedi was one of the darkest and most impenetrable secrets in the galaxy. It was unthinkable that the Chiss could have found his way through the barriers.”
Zahn, Timothy. Thrawn: Alliances. Random House Worlds.
One of the things that intrigues the Emperor about Thrawn, who recognizes it as a card to play, is the name Anakin Skywalker. Thrawn mentions that he worked with Skywalker briefly during The Clone Wars but Palpatine tells Thrawn that Anakin is dead. At the end of Thrawn, Vader and the Chiss Admiral meet and it is noted that Thrawn cannot read Vader’s emotions like he can others.
Emperor Palpatine senses a disturbance in the Force near the edge of the Unknown Regions on Batuu and sends Thrawn and Vader to investigate. During the journey, the current tension surrounding Vader and Thrawn contrasts another mission on Batuu during The Clone Wars, where the two first met when Vader was Anakin Skywalker. Senator Padme Amidala goes to Batuu to find her missing handmaiden, Duja. When there is no word from Padme, Anakin sends himself and runs into Thrawn, who has his own mission from the Chiss.
Although very few people know that Darth Vader was Anakin Skywalker at this time, Thrawn frequently references their previous mission on Batuu to Vader, angering the Sith Lord. Thrawn also tells Vader that Anakin trusted him when Thrawn helped the young Jedi and his wife. No one else would survive this prodding of Vader; however, Thrawn’s standing with the Emperor offers him some protection. Vader also realizes that Thrawn is not a real threat to Vader’s relationship with the Emperor because his loyalties will always be split between the Empire and the Chiss. And, with that, Thrawn is worth more to Vader alive than dead. Thrawn does let Vader know that he has figured out a few ways to kill him (just in case).
Hayden Christiansen will return for Ahsoka; many assume it will be for flashbacks with Ahsoka Tano during The Clone Wars. But what if it is also with Thrawn (as Anakin or Vader)?
Padme even mentions Ahsoka as Anakin’s former Padawan to Thrawn so the Chiss Admiral knows of her. Having flashbacks from Ahsoka and Thrawn’s perspectives would be a perfect way to connect the two and give a backstory without them sharing a scene.
3. But His Loyalty Remains With The Chiss Ascendency
“My mission comes first,” Thrawn said. “My people come first.”
Thrawn is steadfast that his loyalty to the Empire and the Chiss are not in conflict with each other, to an unconvinced Palpatine and Vader. In the Epilogue of Thrawn: Treason, while Thrawn is on his way back to Lothal to try and eliminate the Ghost Crew and capture Ezra Bridger, the Emperor tells him, once he completes that mission, to return to Coruscant so they can have a “long, long talk.”
Of course, that never materializes as Ezra Bridger sends them both into the unknowns of space, but Palpatine’s talk was to assess whether Thrawn could be manipulated into loyalty to the Empire. Palpatine sees Thrawn as a worthy “servant” on the level of Vader but does not want him as an enemy either.
Unbeknown to Palpatine, Thrawn was a Chiss spy planted to asses whether the Empire could be an ally for the Chiss Ascendancy against more significant threats. Mainly if Palpatine could be an ally as the Emperor; however, if not, Thrawn could rise high enough to influence the next leader of the Empire. Now, he is in the position to BE that leader. During the Galactic Civil War, Palpatine and Vader were both aware of these threats (though not of Thrawn’s true mission within the Empire).
It is also unclear whether Thrawn knows about the First Order and if that faction will factor into Ahsoka or other shows. Domhall Gleeson’s brother, Brian, was cast for the role of Brendol Hux in The Mandalorian, so it makes sense that he would return. Imperial infighting is nothing new and was hinted at in The Mandalorian episode, “The Spies,” where Brendol made his live-action debut. But if Thrawn is going to be the main antagonist of Filoni’s film/micro-universe, then he would be most threatening with a united Imperial remnant.
Ultimately, if Thrawn’s loyalty to the Empire goes only as far as the benefit to the Chiss Ascendency, then his motivations and decisions might not be what most viewers expect. And Ahsoka may or may not dive more into the Chiss Ascendency. Still, an appearance by his former Lieutenant Commander, Eli Vanto, or a flashback could provide sufficient background until Lucasfilm and Filoni iron out how deep into canon they want to go with the Chiss.
“It was a pity Thrawn’s style of leadership hadn’t spread through the rest of the navy. Still, he was certainly having an influence on the younger officers. If he lasted long enough, maybe those lessons would someday become the military standard. If that happened, he suspected, the Empire would stand forever.”
Zahn, Timothy. Thrawn: Alliances (Star Wars). Random House Worlds.
We will never know what would have happened if Thrawn had not been removed from the Galactic Civil War board before the events of The Original Trilogy (like most of the Jedi alive during this time, there had to be a good reason why Thrawn was not around). But now Lucasfilm will bring a version of Heir to the Empire to life with a Thrawn that is similar to Legends in some ways, different in others. And however old and new fans choose to engage with this character in the future, Lucasfilm has all the tools to make a compelling case for why you should care.
Originally published at http://creditsandcanon.com on August 7, 2023.
