Unveiling the Enigmatic Grand Admiral Thrawn: 5 Surprising Twists in Star Wars Canon
Discover the intriguing transformations of Grand Admiral Thrawn in the Star Wars canon! Explore 5 significant changes to his appearance, return, allies, absence, and motives
This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 6.
Summary
In the live-action Ahsoka episode 6, Grand Admiral Thrawn's appearance has undergone noticeable changes compared to his portrayal in Legends. His eyes now have glowing red pupils instead of being completely red, and his outfit has a slightly modified design with flat, golden epaulets.
The method of Thrawn's return in canon differs from that in Legends. In canon, he was banished to a distant galaxy by Ezra Bridger and is now making a comeback with the assistance of Morgan Elsbeth. In contrast, in Legends, Thrawn returned after being sent to the Unknown Regions by Palpatine during the Galactic Civil War.
Thrawn's choice of allies from the dark side also differs between canon and Legends. In the Ahsoka series, he teams up with the Nightsisters of Peridea, who possess dark side magic. However, in Legends, he forms an alliance with Joruus C'baoth, a clone of a Jedi Master from the Republic Era.
Grand Admiral Thrawn, portrayed by Lars Mikkelsen, has finally made his live-action debut in Episode 6 of Ahsoka. However, the canon version of this iconic Star Wars Legends character has undergone significant changes. Thrawn, initially introduced in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel Heir to the Empire, is a renowned strategist from the Chiss Empire and a formidable adversary for the newly formed and growing New Republic. Ahsoka finally brings this character to life after years of anticipation, but there are notable differences compared to his previous portrayals in the "Legends" universe that many fans are accustomed to.
Grand Admiral Thrawn made his debut in the Star Wars canon by targeting the protagonists of Star Wars Rebels in an animated adaptation. Mikkelsen provided the voice for this Chiss Imperial leader, capturing the character's careful approach and artistic essence. In the upcoming Ahsoka series, Mikkelsen once again portrays Thrawn, adding a commanding yet contemplative physicality to his performance. Thrawn holds significant prominence within the old Star Wars Legends, and his arrival in live-action form is a pivotal moment for fans of the franchise. As we eagerly anticipate his triumphant return and first appearance in live-action, let's explore the five major changes made to Thrawn from the Star Wars Legends.
5 Thrawn's Appearance And Outfit
Grand Admiral Thrawn's appearance in canon differs subtly from his portrayal in Legends. In the Legends version, Thrawn was depicted as a blue-skinned man with red eyes that did not have visible pupils, which added to his intimidating presence and non-human appearance. This aligned with his background as an exiled Chiss from the Unknown Regions. The canon version of Thrawn maintains a similar appearance, but with a notable difference - his live-action depiction includes glowing red pupils, which slightly reduces his alien-like appearance.
To accommodate this change, Star Wars Rebels introduced distinct lobes on Thrawn's forehead, suggesting a different facial biology compared to humans. Although less emphasized in animation, Ahsoka's Thrawn retains these lobes. Additionally, there is a slight alteration to the character's outfit in the new canon, specifically the flat, golden epaulets that are now present on Thrawn's shoulders. In the Legends version, Thrawn was shown either without any shoulder pieces or with full, tasseled epaulets.
4 Thrawn's Method Of Return
In both the canon and Legends versions, Thrawn ventures into an unexplored region. In Legends, Thrawn is sent by Palpatine to the Unknown Regions during the Galactic Civil War. Several years after the Empire's downfall, he reemerged and made his way back to the galaxy on a shuttle. There, he met with Captain Pellaeon, the leader of the Imperial Remnant, and took control of the Star Destroyer known as the Chimaera. Pellaeon became his trusted second-in-command.
As for the canon version, the Chimaera served as Thrawn's flagship prior to the events of the original Star Wars trilogy. However, both Thrawn and the Chimaera were banished to a distant galaxy by Ezra Bridger. In the Ahsoka series, Thrawn seeks assistance from Morgan Elsbeth in order to return home with the support he needs.
3 Thrawn's Dark Side Allies
Both canon and Legends have depicted Palpatine's recognition of the need for Force-sensitive allies. In Ahsoka, Thrawn associates himself with the Nightsisters of Peridea, practitioners of dark side magic who claim their ancestral home to be an extragalactic planet. Thrawn's troops, known as the Night Troopers, appear to draw influence from Nightsister magic, as indicated by their name and appearance. However, in Legends, Thrawn forms an alliance with a clone of a Republic-Era Jedi Master named Joruus C'baoth. Like the Nightsisters, C'baoth is a formidable Force-sensitive ally, but the distinctions lie in their motivations and how Thrawn encounters them. In Legends, Thrawn's encounter with C'baoth happens by chance, and he is only able to persuade him to join the cause by promising to capture Luke Skywalker. Notably, in Ahsoka, Luke Skywalker is absent.
2 Thrawn's Reason For Being Gone
Thrawn's absence during the Galactic Civil War diverges significantly in canon and Legends. In canon, Thrawn faced defeat in the final moments of Star Wars Rebels when Jedi padawan Ezra Bridger utilized the Force to summon purrgil, space-dwelling whales, at the climax of the Battle of Lothal. These purrgil apprehended Thrawn's flagship, transporting him to a distant galaxy. Interestingly, even Palpatine expressed a desire for Thrawn's presence to aid the Empire during the Galactic Civil War.
In contrast, in Legends,
1 Thrawn's Reason For Returning
undertook a semi-punitive mission assigned by Palpatine, wherein he charted the Unknown Regions and covertly established his own Chiss empire, known as the Empire of the Hand. For the subsequent five years after the Emperor's demise in Return of the Jedi, Thrawn resided in this region until he made the decision to return and reunite the remaining Imperial forces. In Legends, Thrawn's objective was to dismantle the New Republic as he believed that the galaxy should be prepared militarily for an imminent extragalactic invasion. Ahsoka has yet to unveil Thrawn's underlying motivations.
Grand Admiral Thrawn's return seems to have undergone a significant change in motivation. In both continuities, Thrawn's strategic brilliance has proven invaluable to the Empire, yet his loyalty to the Empire has always remained somewhat questionable. In the Legends version, Thrawn viewed the Empire as a mere tool, utilizing it to safeguard the galaxy from an anticipated future threat, while also striving to reunite the Empire for this noble cause. Conversely, in the canon version, Thrawn exhibits a much deeper personal commitment to the Imperial philosophy, although he does not hesitate to encourage his stormtroopers to chant his own name.
Thrawn's future return to the galaxy is impending, although it appears that his motivation for doing so is unrelated to any extragalactic danger present in the canon. Instead, Thrawn's imminent campaign in Ahsoka appears to be driven by his desire to conquer the New Republic and engage with the Nightsisters, rather than safeguarding the galaxy. However, the true nature of his intentions will only be revealed in the upcoming final episodes of Ahsoka. Catch the new episodes of Ahsoka every Tuesday at 6 pm PT / 9 pm ET on Disney+.
