Ahsoka ushered various characters back into the Star Wars universe, specifically familiar faces from the animated series Rebels. While fans were eager to see the likes of Sabine Wren and Ezra Bridger, there was also plenty of excitement over the resurgence of the villainous Thrawn. The Grand Admiral was in stunning form in the series, thanks in great part to the performance of Lars Mikkelsen, who was tapped to reprise his role from the animated show. While it has seemed obvious that viewers might see more of the character moving forward, nothing’s been officially confirmed. Yet it is now sounding like he’ll return and, when he does, one of his key relationships from Rebels could come into play.
The Rosario Dawson-led series, which is now streaming with a Disney+ subscription, concluded with Thrawn’s machinations proving successful. The feared Imperial, his fleet and the Great Mothers managed to escape exile in Peridea and make their way to Dathomir. So the chances of him appearing in upcoming Star Wars movies or TV shows seems strong. Lucasfilm EP and all-around franchise guru Dave Filoni has continued to oversee this slate of live-action shows alongside other collaborators. It should come as no surprise that he has plans for the future, and Thrawn is part of them. When asked about the antagonist's next chapter, Filonia name-dropped a certain character that appeared on The Mandalorian:
We set up Captain Pellaeon in The Mandalorian, and that’s a character that goes with Thrawn, so I’d love to see the two of them together.
Captain Pellaeon, who was also on Rebels, popped up during the third season of Ahsoka’s parent show and was established as a member of the Shadow Council – a group of Imperial loyalists looking to revive the Galactic Empire. During a meeting, Pellaeon contended that the group should remain hidden and only reveal their presence and strength to the New Republic when the time was right. That logic ran counter to Moff Gideon’s and that of some of his colleagues. Those who’ve read classic Star Wars literature likely know that the captain served as Thrawn’s right-hand, so it would make sense that Dave Filoni would want to pair them. This idea also fuels the notion that Filoni’s (technologically advanced) movie will somewhat adapt the Heir to the Empire story.
On the other side of this equation, of course, is how the New Republic at large will react when it knows the maniacal villain has returned to the galaxy. Dave Filoni, while speaking to Empire, didn’t say too much on that front. Though he did admit that there’s one particular character from Star Wars Rebels that he’d be intrigued to see the big bad cross paths with again:
His foil throughout Rebels was Hera. Pitting the two generals against one another is something that I find interesting.
Hera Syndulla was indeed a fierce rival for Thrawn, and the two matched wits on a number of occasions throughout the final two seasons of Rebels. So it would be entertaining to see that dynamic get translated to the live action shows. Both Lars Mikkelsen and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (who plays this iteration of Hera) are talented stars, and I’d like to think they could play off each other well.
There are still plenty of questions when it comes to Thrawn’s path forward and how it impacts the rest of the galaxy. I, for one, am eager to see what Dave Filoni and co. do with the fan-favorite villain and hope he’s able to face off with Hera, Ezra, Sabine and their allies. As of right now, it’s unclear as to when that’ll happen, but you should know that other Star Wars shows are set to premiere as part of the 2024 TV schedule.
