Even in the established Star Wars canon, one can argue that there are two different versions of Grand Admiral Thrawn in the Star Wars galaxy. Created by author Timothy Zahn, Thrawn was a major villain in the wake of Return of the Jedi, as seen in books that are now considered to be non-canon Legends. However, Thrawn has since been brought to the official canon thanks to Dave Filoni’s animated series Star Wars Rebels, a live-action debut in Ahsoka, as well as new canon books from Zahn. However, there are still some discrepancies between Filoni and Zahn’s versions of Thrawn.
At present, Grand Admiral Thrawn is positioned to become a major threat during the New Republic Era, just like his Legends counterpart. Having returned to the known Star Wars galaxy after years in exile, many expect Thrawn to be the main villain in Filoni’s upcoming movie that will reportedly bring all of Lucasfilm’s New Republic stories together. However, it’s still unknown what kind of Thrawn we’ll be getting now that he’s returned.
Dave Filoni’s Star Wars Treats Thrawn As A Die-Hard Imperial
A Loyalist Heralding An Imperial Resurgence
As seen in Dave Filoni’s Star Wars Rebels, Thrawn certainly appears like a genuine Imperial loyalist. He was dedicated to serving the Empire and its interests, had the Emperor’s favor, and was given command of the Seventh Fleet to track down the growing Rebel cells such as The Spectres and Phoenix Squadron. The Grand Admiral was a dutiful servant and brilliant tactician, up until Thrawn’s exile alongside Ezra Bridger at the end of the Battle of Lothal (Rebels’ series finale).
As seen in The Mandalorian season 3 and in Ahsoka, Dave Filoni has clearly positioned the Grand Admiral as someone who can bring about an Imperial resurgence during the New Republic Era. Imperial Remnant leaders certainly seem to think he’ll bolster their military might with his return. Likewise, Thrawn himself implies his motivations are also aligned in Ahsoka’s finale: “Long Live The Empire”.
Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Sees The Empire As The Means To A Noble End
He Still Holds Loyalty To His Own People
That being said, it’s been established in the canon with new books written by Zahn that the Grand Admiral saw his service to the Empire as a means to a greater and more noble end. As an alien whose species hails from the Unknown Regions, the entire reason for Thrawn’s swearing of fealty and service to Palpatine to begin with was to broker an alliance with his own people, The Chiss Ascendancy. Engaged in their own war with the Unknown Regions’ Grysk Hegemony, the Chiss Ascendancy also feared a growing danger in the Unknown Regions, something Thrawn mentioned to Palpatine during their first meeting while petitioning said alliance.
Offering his service as a show of good faith and to continue building trust between his people and Palpatine’s Empire, there were still moments where Thrawn’s loyalty to his people took precedence, such as when a force of Grysks was discovered in the known galaxy and was revealed to be a significant danger to his people. Having used Imperial resources to defeat them, Thrawn was meant to discuss where his loyalties truly lay with the Emperor. However, the conversation never occurred thanks to the Grand Admiral’s exile. Regardless, Zahn’s canonical Thrawn novels do show a side of the Grand Admiral that isn’t so fully aligned with the Empire.
Will The Real Grand Admiral Please Stand Up?
What’s Thrawn’s True Motive During The New Republic?
Following his live-action debut in Ahsoka and return to the known Star Wars galaxy, it certainly seems like the time has come to clearly define which kind of Thrawn audiences will be getting throughout the rest of the New Republic timeline. He could be a dedicated Imperial loyalist determined to restore the Empire’s glory. However, one would hope that there would be some sort of explanation as to why.
On the other hand, perhaps Thrawn is continuing to use the Empire as a means to an end, wanting to eventually support the Chiss who likely still need his help. He could end up duping the entire Imperial Remnant Shadow Council, hence his continued alliance with the Nightsisters now that he’s returned. Either way, it’s going to be very exciting to see what the Grand Admiral does next in future Star Wars projects.
Grand Admiral Thrawn
The only alien to ever ascend to the rank of Grand Admiral, Thrawn is a strategic genius who hails from an isolationist race known as the Chiss. Thrawn’s motives are enigmatic, but his tactical brilliance made him a vital asset for the Empire. Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger successfully defeated Thrawn during the Battle of Lothal, resulting in Thrawn’s exile to the distant planet Peridea in another galaxy, but the Grand Admiral has now returned.
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Upcoming Star Wars Movies |
Release Date |
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The Mandalorian & Grogu |
May 22, 2026 |