Warning! This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episodes 1 and 2.
Summary
- Thrawn’s fate is revealed in Ahsoka – he is believed to be exiled in another galaxy, far from the Star Wars primary galaxy.
- Moff Gideon hinted at Thrawn’s secrecy in The Mandalorian – he claimed to have no knowledge of Thrawn’s whereabouts despite being part of the Imperial Shadow Council.
- Captain Pellaeon is playing for time while Morgan Elsbeth searches for Thrawn – he is loyal to Thrawn and trying to convince other Imperial leaders of his importance in restoring the Empire’s power.
One of Ahsoka’s biggest twists concerns the fate of Grand Admiral Thrawn – but as it turns out, this was previously teased in The Mandalorian season 3. Grand Admiral Thrawn disappeared at the end of Star Wars Rebels after the young Jedi Ezra Bridger essentially kidnapped the Imperial Admiral with the help of hyperspace-traversing creatures known as the purrgil. At first, it was believed that Ezra and Thrawn were simply lost in the galaxy, beyond the Outer Rim in the Unknown Regions. As Ahsoka has now revealed, however, Thrawn (and presumably, Ezra) are much, much further away.
Instead of simply being lost in Star Wars’ primary galaxy, Thrawn is currently believed to be exiled in another galaxy entirely. Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth, another Imperial warlord who is hoping to find Thrawn, is in possession of a star map that demonstrates the “pathway to Peridea.” While Baylan Skoll, an ex-Jedi and now mercenary, believes Peridea to be the stuff of fairytales, Morgan is convinced of its existence. It’s even possible the Dathomirian Nightsisters are descended from its people. Extragalactic lore is a massive shake-up for the Star Wars universe, which has always been focused on one single galaxy. Few could have seen it coming – except The Mandalorian‘s Moff Gideon.
Moff Gideon Claimed His Agents Across The Entire Galaxy Had No News Of Thrawn
Though it’s unlikely Gideon was fully aware of Thrawn’s whereabouts, he did hint that Thrawn might not be so easy to find. In The Mandalorian season 3’s penultimate episode, Gideon joins an Imperial Shadow Council meeting, discussing the way forward with leaders of other Imperial Remnants scattered across the galaxy. During this discussion, in which Thrawn is named as the Empire’s only hope, Gideon is skeptical. Captain Pellaeon, a loyal follower of Thrawn’s in both canon and the Star Wars Legends continuity, claims that the secrecy of Thrawn’s return is vital to the Empire’s survival. Gideon, on the other hand, says: “Captain, secrets are my stock-in-trade. I hear whispers from one end of the galaxy to another and never a word of Thrawn.”
And how could Gideon ever hear any whisper of Thrawn’s presence if the Grand Admiral isn’t even in Star Wars’ primary galaxy? It’s doubtful that this line was a coincidence, given creator Dave Filoni’s involvement with both The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. It also proves that even within the Shadow Council, secrets are being kept by every Imperial leader still standing. As Gideon has proven time and again, most of them are simply hoping to gain power for themselves. In fact, the Shadow Council scene implies that the only one who may know the truth of Thrawn’s disappearance from the council is Captain Pellaeon.
Pellaeon Is Playing For Time While Lady Morgan Finds Thrawn
Now that Ahsoka has provided additional context around Thrawn’s disappearance, the Shadow Council scene from The Mandalorian can be looked at in a new light. It would seem that Pellaeon is trying to hold the line while Morgan Elsbeth works to find a way to get to Thrawn. Pellaeon is loyal to Thrawn, but he’s also very much trying to convince the other members of the Shadow Council that the Grand Admiral is their only hope of restoring the Empire to its full might. He’s playing for time, hoping to pacify his fellow Imperial leaders enough until they, too, can see why Thrawn is such an essential player. Ahsoka will shed more light on how Thrawn fits into the Empire’s plans as the show moves forward.
Ahsoka releases new episodes Tuesdays at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Disney+.