Speculation: Is Thrawn Still An Imperial?
The last time we saw Grand Admiral Thrawn, he was a member of the Galactic Empire and a loyal servant of Emperor Palpatine. He spent most of his time dealing with the Rebels in the Lothal system, only to then be taken by a bunch of purrgils and sent away out of the known galaxy to who knows where. Now, it seems Thrawn has re-emerged, taking on some new forces under his command. So that begs the question, what has the Grand Admiral been doing since his trip into the unknown, and more importantly is he still with the Galactic Empire?
Well if one were to take all the lore gathered from the last few years of Star Wars, one can perhaps guess what Thrawn’s motivation are, what he may have been doing, and more importantly is he still a loyal member of the Galactic Empire? Perhaps, he is doing something else. Something new. Is his loyalty still with the Empire?
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Empire’s End
In the final part of the Aftermath trilogy, we see the total and complete collapse of the Empire. Imperial forces are so scattered that there is not even a buffer state for the remnants to rally behind. Now, they are just various tiny cells under the command of various individuals. So the question is then how does Thrawn fit in this new dynamic of the Empire?
Well, maybe he doesn’t.
Many of us think that Thrawn will return to the Imperial ranks. However, if we go by what the lore is saying, then there really is not an Empire to return to. It has been completely destroyed and has collapsed. Perhaps, Thrawn has decided that the Empire is no longer the dominant force in the universe, and it would be fruitless to join them. However, knowing Thrawn’s pro-authoritarian views, it seems doubtful that he would join the New Republic at this time as he would perceive them as weak as well.
Which is why, knowing Thrawn, perhaps he has formed his own Empire, one that is under his command and is made up of former Imperial forces with some Chiss as well.
The Hand Of Thrawn
In Legends, Thrawn merely did not serve the Empire but rule over control his own faction of the Imperial remnant instead. The Empire of the Hand was located on the border between the known galaxy and the Unknown Regions, keeping peace over the region in Palpatine’s name.
Could we see a canon version of this be seen in the near future? Perhaps? Thrawn might as well have established his own territory using Chiss and Imperial resources in order to create his own buffer state of stability in a chaotic galaxy. Perhaps when Ashoka goes to look for Thrawn she will stumble across this mini-Empire state of his, and do something to provoke their attacks.
It would be interesting to see Thrawn who is independent from Imperial rule. He is the essentially the Emperor of his own empire, commanding his own forces, and doing his own thing. He is the Grand Admiral of his own faction with his own agenda and even his own forces.
The Future
As the story continues to progress, it will be very interesting to see the geo-political nature of what is going on in the galaxy. It will also be fascinating to see where Thrawn’s loyalties now lie, and to find out what he has been doing for the last few years.
Thrawn is a character with much history and lore to pull from. His character is one that can go in many directions. Perhaps, in a new canon, his allegiances might be a tad different from Legends. However, the essence of his character will forever remain the same.
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