Grand Admiral Thrawn’s Origin Sets Up The Star Wars Galaxy’s Next Villains

Grand Admiral Thrawn has returned to the known Star Wars galaxy following the events of Ahsoka, and his orgins may help set up the franchise’s next big villains. Long before he joined the Empire and became a Grand Admiral, Thrawn was an officer in the military belonging to his own people. To that end, it’s certainly possible that the Thrawn could reconnect with his roots in Star Wars’ future, providing the galaxy’s next major threat it likely wouldn’t be prepared for.

As seen in Ahsoka, Grand Admiral Thrawn finally found a means of escaping his exile on the extragalactic world of Peridea, having been absent from the known galaxy for nearly a decade. As such, Thrawn missed the entirety of the Galactic Civil War and the Empire’s demise. Although there’s still the Imperial Remnant and the expectation that Thrawn will take command as “Heir to the Empire”, it’s important to consider his original motivations behind joining the Empire in the first place. As such, the door is certainly open for Thrawn’s reunion with the Chiss Ascendancy.

Grand Admiral Thrawn’s Origin Lies In The Unknown Regions

Before He Joined The Empire…

Known as the Chiss, Thrawn’s people reside in the part of the Star Wars galaxy known as the Unknown Regions, a segment of space that’s notoriously difficult to traverse due to a collection of various anomalies (as seen during Kylo Ren and Rey’s travels to the world of Exegol in Rise of the Skywalker). Likewise, the Chiss Ascendancy is largely believed to be a myth and legend due to their strict isolationist policies of non-intervention. Despite seeing themselves as the superior species in the galaxy, the Chiss never attack unless they’ve been attacked first or if there’s sufficient evidence that their enemies intend to move against them.

Once a gifted officer of the Ascendancy’s Expansionary Defense Fleet, Thrawn was sent to the better-known part of the galaxy the Chiss refer to as “Lesser Space”. Sent into fake exile, Thrawn was tasked with determining if the Republic-turned-Empire would make for a suitable ally against the Ascendancy’s war with the Grysk Hegemony. Gaining the Emperor’s favor with his knowledge of the Unknown Regions and Thrawn’s prior history with Anakin Skywalker when he first visited during the Clone Wars, Thrawn was admitted as an officer within the Imperial Navy where he quickly rose through the ranks as a Grand Admiral.

While Palpatine had Thrawn’s loyalty as one of his best military leaders during the Dark Times, it was ultimately in service to the Chiss Ascendancy whom Thrawn one day hoped to support with the might of the Empire. However, this was all before his unexpected exile beyond the known galaxy thanks to Jedi Ezra Bridger. Now that Thrawn has returned, one has to wonder about the status of the Ascendancy and what Thrawn will do going forward regarding his people.

There’s No Way Star Wars Will Be Able To Resist The Chiss

Thrawn’s People Are Far Too Important

It’s rather significant that Thrawn is in such a position of power now that he’s returned to the known galaxy. With the Empire shattered along with the demise of both Palpatine and Vader, it’s widely believed that Thrawn is the “Heir to the Empire” who will soon take command of what remains in a bid to restore the Empire to its former glory. He’s also in league with the Nightsisters known as the Great Mothers, granting him access to their dark magicks sourced in the Force itself.

No longer having to answer to the Emperor who just before Thrawn’s exile had been questioning his Grand Admiral’s loyalties, Thrawn could rally the might of the Empire in a bid to finally help his people. However, the status of the Ascendancy itself is currently in question. Before Thrawn left, the Chiss government known as the Artistocra was in a period of conflict and upheaval. Likewise, a brief reunion with his friend and ally Admiral Ar’alani of the Expansionary Defense Fleet came with dire warnings of the Ascendancy falling into chaos due to the ongoing conflict with the Grysks and other dark threats in the Unknown Regions.

However, these warnings from Ar’alani came nearly a full decade before the end of Thrawn’s exile on Peridea as seen in Ahsoka. All things considered, the Ascendancy and its fate will have to be addressed by the Star Wars franchise soon now that Thrawn is back with this new status quo. It’s far too important to Thrawn’s origins and motivations as a character to be ignored going forward.

Will The Chiss Be Star Wars’ Next Villains?

The Ascendancy Could Become A Major Threat

It would certainly make sense for Thrawn to finally try and support his people in this new Star Wars era. Likewise, the Ascendancy would certainly be a major threat if Thrawn can convince them that the New Republic should be eradicated in favor of the Empire (which could prove challenging considering the Ascendancy’s non-intervention policies). However, perhaps Thrawn will first seek to build the Empire back to its former military might before helping the Ascendancy, but ultimately fails prior to the events of the sequel trilogy. This would provide an explanation for the Ascendancy’s absence and a lack of reunion for Thrawn if Lucasfilm doesn’t want to go down this narrative route.

Furthermore, this is all assuming the Ascendacy is still intact following the growing threats and political upheaval it was facing years before Thrawn’s return to the known galaxy. Perhaps it was destroyed during his exile, further pushing Thrawn into a darker characterization seemingly favored by Lucafilm’s Dave Filoni as opposed to author Timothy Zahn (Thrawn’s creator). At any rate, the Chiss Ascendancy and its fate should at least be referenced by the Star Wars franchise and its upcoming projects. Now that Grand Admiral Thrawn has become such a prominent villain thanks to Ahsoka, his origins and people will need to be involved in some shape or form.