Page 56 - Star Wars Insider #182

THRAWN: A VILLAIN’S PURPOSE

publishing to reinvigorate the franchise in 1991, 01
and hired author Timothy Zahn to write a series
of novels in which he would introduce a new
kind of villain to the Star Wars pantheon of evil.
In an interview with the Chicago Tribune in
2017, Zahn broke down the impetus for his bad
guy, explaining that: “I wanted to make another
kind of villain. If Vader controlled by fear, what
about a villain who leads through loyalty? And
who respects opponents?”
Fans hungry for new Star Wars adventures
after the end of the original trilogy sent Zahn’s

first Thrawn book, Star Wars: Heir to the Empire,
to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. The
book’s success helped promote other endeavors
including role-playing games, comics, new toy
lines, and other merchandise.
Almost 30 years after Heir to the Empire’s
release, it continues to be revered, along with the
sequels that followed: Dark Force Rising (1992),
and The Last Command (1993). The books not
only kept mythic heroes Luke Skywalker, Leia
Organa, and Han Solo (collectively known as
the Big Three) in the public consciousness,
but also created new fan favorites Mara Jade,
Talon Karrde, Grand Admiral Thrawn, and Zahn’s trilogy and Star Wars Rebels. Even in 03

Imperial Captain Gilad Pellaeon (who received Rebels’ final confrontation between Ezra and
a namedrop in the series fi nale of Star Wars Thrawn, the young Jedi struggles to understand
Rebels, making him another old character to why Thrawn does the things he does.
be introduced to new fans). Though the books
primarily tell the ongoing adventures of the Big Different Perspectives
Three, they are often referred to as the Thrawn In science-fiction and fantasy, aliens often serve

Trilogy, such was the impact of their main as a lens for reflecting differences in human
antagonist. Considering the impact of Darth cultures. The Bendu in Star Wars Rebels is a
Vader in mythic storytelling, the Sith Lord massive ancient Force-sensitive creature living
himself might offer the compliment: “Impressive. on the remote planet Atollon. Between Bendu
Most impressive.” and Thrawn, two powerful characters with
As well as envisioning Thrawn, Zahn also unique perspectives help challenge the show’s
imagined a force similar to the First Order in heroes. Much of the Bendu’s arc involves the
the new films. Prior to 2015, the Battle of Endor ancient entity crossing paths with struggling Jedi

didn’t mark the complete defeat of the Empire, Kanan Jarrus and Ezra, his apprentice, in order to
and some of its commanders retreated when the confront their perspectives on the Force. At the
second Death Star was destroyed, regrouping same time, Thrawn puts pressure on the rebel 04
and rearming before striking back. While this heroes through his relentless pursuit of Phoenix
resurgent military is integral to Thrawn’s Imperial Squadron, forcing them to reassess their priorities
ambitions, his reasons for wanting to unify the and question their various approaches. In effect,
galaxy under the might of the Empire are very both act as catalysts in the heroic journeys of the
different from those of the series’ main protagonists.
Emperor, who is driven by his Thrawn is introduced in
dark side impulses. Where the In some ways, Rebels as part of a command-
original trilogy is very much Thrawn’s “long level conversation that
a fable about humanity, its includes Grand Moff Tarkin,

villains reflecting the darker game” approach Governor Pryce, Admiral
desires of the human psyche, Konstantine, and Agent
Thrawn’s motivations are is similar to Kallus. Their united focus is
rooted in his otherness. As an the potential danger of the

alien (specifically, a Chiss), Palpatine’s in the rebel band, but only Thrawn
his aspirations and ideology is able to deduce that the
remain mysterious throughout prequel trilogy. rescue of Hondo Ohnaka was

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