After debuting in live-action Star Wars canon through Ahsoka, Grand Admiral Thrawn still needs one weapon from Legends to solidify himself as a truly potent threat to the galaxy and its protectors. As of Ahsoka‘s finale and ending, Grand Admiral Thrawn is now back in the Star Wars cosmos after being stranded for over a decade in a neighboring galaxy on the planet of Peridea. Not only does this enforce Thrawn’s set-up as the New Republic’s main villain of Dave Filoni’s upcoming Star Wars movie, but it also foreshadows the events of The Mandalorian season 4 and Ahsoka season 2 as well.
While Ahsoka adequately answered the question of who Grand Admiral Thrawn is for those unfamiliar with his canon or Legends debuts, the show still left plenty of mystery regarding the character. From what his plan is with the secret cargo he escorted off Peridea to how he intends to dominate the galaxy through the Empire’s resurgence and why he wishes for this, there is still a wealth of story left to mine regarding Thrawn. Another element that is still left unexplored is how the Grand Admiral expects to combat the Jedi of Star Wars that will undoubtedly oppose him, something that one Legends weapon could have a hand in explaining.
Thrawn Needs The Ysalamiri In Canon
The “weapon” in question is the Ysalamiri, a race of creatures from Star Wars Legends. The Ysalamiri first appeared in Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire, the original book that introduced Thrawn’s attack on the New Republic that was deemed non-canon after Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm. Since then, elements of the book have been enveloped back into canon through Thrawn’s resurgence, though it is clear Star Wars‘ canon story will be different in many ways from the original tale. That said, the Ysalamiri are one aspect of Thrawn’s Legends story that should be brought back into canon.
What made the Ysalamiri so special in Legends was their ability to repel the Force. The creatures were small, lizard-like tree-dwellers who could project bubbles of varying sizes around their own body. Anyone within the proximity of these bubbles lost all control over the Force meaning Thrawn used them as a form of defense against the mystical powers of the Jedi in Legends. In bringing the Ysalamiri into canon, Thrawn would become nigh on unstoppable for the Force users of the galaxy, and it would fit his tactical mastermind-like personality to introduce these creatures as a means of defeating the Jedi rather than attempting to oppose them through brute force.
Star Wars Has Already Set Up The Ysalamiri In Canon
While Force-repellent lizards may seem like somewhat of a stretch to introduce into Star Wars canon, the Ysalamiri already have some semblance of foreshadowing. Undoubtedly the most obvious came in Star Wars Rebels, Thrawn’s introduction to Star Wars canon. In Star Wars Rebels season 3, Thrawn was introduced as the core antagonist of the titular Ghost Crew. Aboard Thrawn’s Star Destroyer, he was shown to have his own collection of art, sculptures, and various other artistic objects from various cultures of the Star Wars galaxy.
One of these sculptures actually came in the form of the Ysalamiri. Thrawn was shown to have two sculptures of the lizards which, while likely meant as nothing more than an Easter egg to Thrawn’s Legends stories, set the precedent for the creatures to be included in canon going forward. Similarly, the High Republic novels have introduced creatures that have interesting relationships to the Force. One of these is the Leveler, a creature that consumes the Force and is a potent threat to the Jedi as a result, meaning it stands to reason creatures exist within Star Wars that can repel the mystical energy field as well as consume it.
How Would The Heroes Defeat Thrawn This Time?
If Thrawn were to use the Ysalamiri in Star Wars canon, the question would be raised of how he could possibly be defeated. In Legends, Thrawn’s downfall came after Leia Organa convinced the Nohgri, a race in Star Wars from which Thrawn’s bodyguard Rukh hailed, that the Empire was using them. Out of rage, Rukh killed his master and the downfall of the Empire’s resurgence began. However, it seems almost impossible for Thrawn’s story to end this way in Star Wars canon due to the different set-up of his story and the drastically altered state of the galaxy between canon and Legends during the New Republic era of the timeline.
The setup of Thrawn’s canon arsenal makes it seem incredibly difficult for him to be defeated, especially if the Ysalamiri are involved. From the potentiality of the Force-repellent creatures to the aid of the Great Mothers of the Nightsisters, the backing of Imperial remnants in the galaxy, and Thrawn’s own tactical brilliance, his threat has been well-established. As such, it is hard to foresee how Thrawn could be defeated by the heroes of the Star Wars galaxy this time, though that is sure to happen in Ahsoka season 2, The Mandalorian season 4, and Dave Filoni’s climactic New Republic Star Wars film.
