While Darth Vader is the undisputed Star Wars villain on screen to most fans, there’s another villain who is just as mean and maybe more dangerous… Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Trawn was created in 1991 by author Timothy Zahn who wrote what is still arguably the best bit of Star Wars EU material, The Thrawn Trilogy , with the first booth Heir To The Empire.
Thrawn was a genius who studied patterns, strategies and even art work to understand his enemies and break them down until they were in the wide open and totally vulnerable to his attacks.
The character himself has a history in other books, games and comics and sadly it seemed like he was no longer a part of the Star Wars official timeline once Disney took over. At least, that is, until he was announced at Star Wars Celebration Europe (here) as being the big bad in the new season of Rebels.
And, oh what a villain he is…
And now, best of all, Thrawn is back in the hands of the man who created him, author Timothy Zahn for the new novel Thrawn which is out on April 11th.
“Most of the Imperial leaders we see in the movies rule through a combination of fear and manipulation. I wanted to create something different: a commander who could lead through loyalty,” Zahn says.
“The result was Thrawn, a tactical genius whose troops follow him willingly, and who will fight for him whether or not he’s watching over their shoulders.”
Thrawn is one of the few EU characters who have become a major part of the Star Wars story for fan… Mara Jade, Galen Marek, Darth Revan, the Solo kids… and now he’s back and bigger than ever. Leading this season of Rebels, starring in a new novel? What’s next? The big screen? We can hope…
In the meantime, USA Today managed to get an exclusive snippet from the upcoming book which you can read below.
Thrawn is back in a big way guys and that’s just fine with us…
Here’s the snippet:
It was probably only five seconds. But to Eli it felt like a medium-sized eternity. The entire throne room was utterly still, utterly silent. The only sound was the thudding of his pulse in his ears, the only movement the shaking of his arms in his sleeves.
“Captain Parck,” the Emperor said at last, his gravelly voice neutral. “I’m told you bring me a gift.”
Eli winced. A gift? For the Chiss of the stories, that would have been a deadly insult. Thrawn was behind him, and he didn’t dare turn around, but he could imagine the expression on that proud face.
“I do, Your Majesty,” Parck said, bowing low. “A warrior reportedly of a race known as the Chiss.”
“Indeed,” the Emperor said, his voice going even dryer. “And what, pray tell, would you have me do with him?”
“If I may, Your Majesty,” Thrawn spoke up before Parck could answer. “I am not merely a gift. I am also a resource. One you have never seen the like of before, and may never see again. You would do well to utilize me.”
“Would I?” the Emperor said, sounding amused. “Certainly you’re a resource of unlimited confidence. What exactly do you offer, Chiss?”
“As a start, I offer information,” Thrawn said. If he was offended, Eli couldn’t hear it in his voice. “There are threats lurking in the Unknown Regions, threats that will someday find your Empire. I am familiar with many of them.”
“I will learn of them soon enough on my own,” the Emperor countered placidly. “Can you offer anything more?”
“Perhaps you will learn of them in time to defeat them,” Thrawn said. “Perhaps you will not. What more do I offer? I offer my military skill. You could utilize that skill in making plans to seek out and eliminate these dangers.”
“These threats you speak of,” the Emperor said. “I presume they’re not simply threats to my Empire?”
“No, Your Majesty,” Thrawn said. “They are also threats to my people.”
“And you seek to eliminate all such threats to your people?”
Timothy Zahn, author of ‘Star Wars: Thrawn.’ (Photo: Kent Akselsen)
“I do.”
The Emperor’s yellowish eyes seemed to glitter. “And you wish the help of my Empire?”
“Your assistance would be welcome.”
“You wish me to assist people who exiled you?” the Emperor said. “Or was Captain Parck incorrect?”
“He spoke correctly,” Thrawn said. “I was indeed exiled.”
“Yet you still seek to protect them. Why?”
“Because they are my people.”
“And if they withhold their gratitude and refuse to accept you back? What then?”
There was a slight pause, and Eli had the eerie sense that Thrawn was giving the Emperor one of those small smiles he was so good at. “I do not need their permission to protect them, Your Majesty. Nor do I expect their thanks.”
“I’ve seen others with your sense of nobility,” the Emperor said. “Most fell by the wayside when their naïve selflessness collided with the real world.”
“I have faced the real world, as you call it.”
“You have indeed,” the Emperor said. “What exactly do you wish from my Empire?”
“A state of mutual gain,” Thrawn said. “I offer my knowledge and skill to you now in exchange for your consideration to my people in the future.”
“And when that future comes, what if I refuse to grant that consideration?”
“Then I will have gambled and lost,” Thrawn said calmly. “But I have until that time to convince you that my goals and yours do indeed coincide.”
Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) is a Jedi who fought in the Clone Wars and embraces the dark side of the Force in ‘Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith.’ (Photo: Merrick Morton, Lucasfilm)
“Interesting,” the Emperor murmured. “Tell me. If you served the Empire, yet a threat arose against your people, where would your loyalties lie? Which of us would command your allegiance?”
“I see no conflict in the sharing of information.”
“I’m not speaking of information,” the Emperor said. “I’m speaking of service.”
There was a short pause. “If I were to serve the Empire, you would command my allegiance.”
“What guarantee do you offer?”
“My word is my guarantee,” Thrawn said. “Perhaps your servant can speak to the strength of that vow.”
“My servant?” the Emperor asked, his eyes flicking to Parck.
“I do not refer to Captain Parck,” Thrawn said. “I speak of another. Perhaps I assumed incorrectly that he was your servant. Yet, he always spoke highly of Chancellor Palpatine.”
The Emperor leaned forward a little, his yellowish eyes glittering. “And his name?”
“Skywalker,” Thrawn said. “Anakin Skywalker.”
Marc
Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….
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