Unveiling the Epic Journey: Grand Admiral Thrawn & Sabine Wren's Riveting History in the Star Wars Universe

This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 6.

Summary

Grand Admiral Thrawn, the primary antagonist in the upcoming film, takes on a significantly elevated role in the Star Wars timeline.

Thrawn and Sabine Wren share a backstory in Star Wars Rebels, where Thrawn analyzes and manipulates Sabine's artwork as a means to challenge her and hinder the actions of the Spectres.

Thrawn acknowledges Sabine's unwavering commitment to locating Ezra Bridger, yet he lacks the ability to understand and connect with others on an emotional level, approaching them solely from an intellectual perspective. Despite his talent for manipulating the bonds of friendship, Thrawn himself is incapable of truly experiencing them.

In Ahsoka episode 6, Grand Admiral Thrawn and Sabine Wren finally confront each other, building upon their previous encounters in Star Wars Rebels. Originally introduced in the Star Wars Legends continuity, Thrawn made the transition into canon in Star Wars Rebels. Now, Thrawn has gained even greater significance, as Ahsoka positions him as the primary antagonist in an upcoming film set within this particular era of the Star Wars timeline.

Morgan Elsbeth successfully achieves her goal of locating Thrawn in Ahsoka episode 6. She accomplishes this by successfully navigating the pathway to Peridea. Morgan's ability to find Thrawn is attributed to her ancestral connection with the Nightsisters, who hail from Peridea. Furthermore, Morgan has been receiving visions from surviving Nightsisters residing in Peridea. However, Morgan is not alone in her mission. Thrawn is familiar with the name Baylan Skoll, despite never having met him. Initially, Thrawn is displeased when he discovers that Baylan has brought along a captive - Sabine Wren. Viewers should be aware of the history between Thrawn, Baylan, and Sabine.

Grand Admiral Thrawn Was Assigned To Destroy Lothal's Rebels

Why Thrawn Focused On Sabine Wren

After the presumed death of Ahsoka Tano on Malachor, the responsibilities of tracking down the Spectres, a Rebel cell led by Hera Syndulla that played a crucial role in the emerging Rebel Alliance, fell upon Grand Admiral Thrawn. While Hera and her fellow rebels consistently emerged victorious over various Imperial forces, including Inquisitors, Darth Maul, and even Darth Vader, Thrawn proved to be their greatest adversary throughout the series. Despite almost obliterating the Spectres on Atollon and Lothal, it was ultimately Ezra Bridger who secured victory over the Grand Admiral by initiating a hyperspace jump, leading to their confinement on Peridea.

Grand Admiral Thrawn, created by esteemed author Timothy Zahn, possesses unparalleled intellect, often likened to the legendary Sherlock Holmes. His renowned expertise lies in meticulously analyzing the artwork and culture of his adversaries, delving into their species and histories, ultimately allowing him to predict their strategies and exploit their vulnerabilities. Both in canon and Legends, Thrawn's extraordinary techniques have yielded immense success, earning him the illustrious title of one of the galaxy's most brilliant military prodigies. The Spectres, in particular, found themselves gravely imperiled by Thrawn's trademark maneuver.

Sabine Wren, a Mandalorian warrior and artist, inherited her artistic talent and love for art from her father, Alrich. Sabine's artistic abilities have played a significant role in her characterization since her debut in Rebels. She demonstrated her artistic skills by creatively painting a confiscated TIE Fighter and leaving behind graffiti while attacking Imperial installations. However, this proved to be a disadvantage for Sabine when Thrawn, the Grand Admiral, carefully studied the artwork she had left behind. In Rebels seasons 3 and 4, Thrawn took advantage of this knowledge and orchestrated Imperial attacks on the Mandalorians. To devastating effect, he had Tiber Saxon utilize an ingenious beskar-targeting weapon named The Duchess, which ironically had been designed by none other than Sabine herself.

How Well Does Thrawn Understand Sabine?

Interestingly, despite Thrawn's knowledge of Sabine, her artistic talent, and her strategic abilities, there were no direct clashes between them in Rebels. Instead, Thrawn cleverly employed her artwork as a weapon, targeting not only Sabine but also the entire Spectres group. Nevertheless, their encounter in Ahsoka brought their animosity to a much more personal level.

During the meeting between Thrawn and Sabine, the Grand Admiral immediately recognizes Sabine's unwavering commitment to finding Ezra Bridger. This dedication is clearly depicted by the purrgil design on her armor, which pays tribute to Ezra. However, it is important to note that Thrawn's understanding of Sabine is solely intellectual. His lack of emotional intelligence is a significant weakness, as he remains emotionally detached from others and views them purely from an academic standpoint. While Thrawn may possess the ability to analyze and predict Sabine's actions to some extent, true empathy eludes him. He comprehends the concept of friendship bonds as something to exploit but is incapable of experiencing it himself. This is a crucial truth that his allies should bear in mind, as Thrawn will not hesitate to abandon them if necessary, as evidenced by his actions in Peridea.

New episodes of Ahsoka are released on Disney+ every Tuesday at 6pm PT / 9pm ET.