In what might top as the best Star Wars comeback since Darth Maul didn't end up chopped liver after all, the icy-blue, red-eyed Imperial supreme, the one, the only, Grand Admiral Thrawn has made his grand return. For those who missed the action, Thrawn decided to party-crash the live-action scene, shimmying his way into episode 6 of Ahsoka. Now, you might be scratching your head in a droid-like confusion asking, "Who is this blue-tinted Darth Vader wannabe?" especially if Animation is not your starship of choice.
Well, fret not, fellow galaxies traveler, we're signing you up for a crash hyperspace course in all things Thrawn, the Slytherin of the Galactic Empire. This is your one-way ticket to decipher the regal red eyes and bridge the gap between your Rebels and Ahsoka knowledge. Word of warning to the wise — spoilers ahead, tread carefully.
Once upon a space-time, in a Legends continuity far, far away, we were first introduced to this blue-hued general. Still, Disney went full Emperor mode and erased it when they swooped on Lucasfilm. But you can’t keep a good villain down as Thrawn made a triumphant return thanks to his creator, Timothy Zahn in his novels. Born Mitth'raw'nuruodo, but later opting for a name easier to pronounce in any galaxy, Thrawn carved out his reputation as a formidable villain using his strategic brilliance and perplexingly calm demeanor, leaving us shivering in our space boots.
Thrawn's live-action avatar, Lars Mikkelsen, is just as chilling, delivering icy-yet-searing performance that resonates our screens. Thrawn has had a busy history seating in the villain’s throne, from stirring up storm in Zahn's trilogy, fighting the Jedi in training Ezra Bridger, to being a Kylo Ren for the Imperial art circles with his weird fancy for Sabine Wren’s artwork.
On top of his prominent role in the Legends now deemed a Star Wars fairytale, Mr. Blue Blood was also the talk of the galaxy on The Mandalorian, hinting at a foreboding return. And just to throw in a sprinkle of déjà vu, in legend, Thrawn had a Palpatine move in his back pocket, planning a comeback through a clone– though his clone got knocked out before it could say, “I’m back”.
In the Star Wars Rebels, Ezra managed to pull the brakes on Thrawn’s plans by sending them both, via trippy hyperspace whales (also known as purrgils, for the sticklers for details out there), to a location that had even the Jedi Maps saying "location not found". They remained MIA till Thrawn dazzled again in Ahsoka episode 6.
And our favorite blue-bad boy didn’t give fans a chance to catch their breath. From making his mammoth return to strategizing an escape from a planet he's been marooned on, perhaps after taking some tips from Cast Away, to having an army of Dark Troopers,rarely have we experienced a character return but fire from the galaxy's edge.
And with that, rebels, strap in your seats because it's quite likely Mr. Blue-skin is here to stay, either in Ahsoka season 2 or the forthcoming Dave Filoni's Star Wars movie. Meanwhile, join Ahsoka's journey, now streaming hot and heavy on Disney Plus, and don't forget to check out the upcoming Star Wars movies and Disney Plus TV shows for more cosmic fun. Traverse through Anakin and Ahsoka's history, unravel the mysteries of the World Between Worlds, and stay tuned for all things Star Wars!
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