Star Wars Has Turned Grand Admiral Thrawn’s Greatest Strength Into His Weakness (& It’s Genius)

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Ahsoka

One of Grand Admiral Thrawn’s key strengths has just become a brilliant weakness in the aftermath of Ahsoka. Having made his live-action debut in the new Star Wars show, the former Imperial leader has finally returned from his exile on the extragalactic world of Peridea, having missed the entirety of the original trilogy of films and the Empire’s demise. As such, Thrawn’s biggest advantage has temporarily been lost now that he’s back.

As seen in the finale of Ahsoka, Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) successfully returns to the known Star Wars galaxy thanks to his dark alliance with the Nightsisters. With Peridea having been their original homeworld before Dathomir, Thrawn allied himself with the Great Mothers and Morgan Elsbeth, using their dark magicks to orchestrate his way home. Now, Thrawn is seemingly setting up a base of operations on Dathomir. However, it may be some time before Thrawn makes any official moves against the New Republic or claims a position of leadership among the Imperial Remnant. This is likely due to Thrawn’s greatest strength becoming a temporary weakness.

Grand Admiral Thrawn Is A Master Tactician

It’s How He Bested Ahsoka Tano

As seen in Legends materials, books, and most prominently in the animated Star Wars Rebels show where Thrawn made his first appearance in the Disney-approved canon, the Grand Admiral is a master strategist and tactician. As seen with countless rivals unlucky enough to cross Thrawn’s path, each opponent is carefully studied and analyzed to ascertain key weaknesses often overlooked by Thrawn’s peers in the Imperial Navy. This includes their history, culture, and even art.

Thrawn dutifully gathers and examines all the aforementioned data, allowing him to formulate creative and brutally efficient strategies to crush his opponents while giving them very little reaction time as a result. This is why Thrawn requested all the information available on Ahsoka Tano once she arrived to Peridea. Her background and history with the Jedi Order gave him keen insights, such as the knowledge about her master Anakin Skywalker whom Thrawn knew personally.

Thrawn’s Knowledge & Analysis Is Nine Years Out Of Date

His Greatest Weapon Is No Longer Useful

Following his return to the known Star Wars galaxy, it’s more than likely that Thrawn’s knowledge about the current galaxy is severely out of date. After all, the Grand Admiral has been missing for nearly a decade. Additionally, it was revealed in Ahsoka that Thrawn’s main source of communication with the known galaxy was through the Great Mothers who sent visions to Morgan Elsbeth. As such, it’s doubtful that Thrawn had access to any kind of explicit knowledge about the galaxy via this supernatural line of contact.

This means that Thrawn’s greatest tool has become a temporary weakness. Without a fully complete and accurate idea about the current state of the galaxy, it stands to reason that the Grand Admiral won’t be as immediately efficient and dangerous as he once was prior to being exiled. The galaxy has evolved and significantly changed since he’s been gone. Although Thrawn is fully expected to become “Heir to the Empire” with his return, that title seems to be one he won’t be claiming right away.

Thrawn’s New Weakness Explains Why He May Not Be Seen For A While

The Grand Admiral Needs Time To Prepare

Thrawn will likely need time to prepare before he moves against the New Republic. Although he’s still allied with the Nightsisters and their dark magicks, Thrawn’s greatest weapon has always been his mind, brilliantly using his knowledge and critical analysis to decimate his rivals. As such, the need to accrue more data and knowledge in this new era to forge the best strategy possible is a justifiable explanation for when Thrawn will likely be absent from the next few Star Wars projects (despite his return to the known galaxy).

After the events of Ahsoka, Thrawn will likely bide his time on Dathomir, gathering data and determining who the galaxy’s key players and opponents are (including those within the Imperial Remnant who may resist his leadership). Likewise, there are plenty of heroes in the New Republic Era who will likely rise against him beyond Ahsoka and Sabine who are still on Peridea. While he may be at a disadvantage currently, Grand Admiral Thrawn will likely waste no time ensuring that he’s as prepared as usual before beginning any major offensives in Star Wars’ near future.

All episodes of Ahsoka are available to stream on Disney+.