Star Wars has gradually hinted at the return of Grand iral Thrawn, setting him up as the franchise's next big villain in eight ways. Ever since his first appearance in Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire, Thrawn has become one of the most popular Star Wars characters to originate outside the films. Thrawn made a big impression through his military cunning, employing brilliant battle tactics and even outsmarting opponents by studying art. Although Thrawn's original stories were rendered non-canon after Lucasfim was acquired by Disney in 2012, he was restored in the Disney era as the main villain of Star Wars Rebels season 3.
Thrawn's backstory has continued to be explored in a series of novels by Zahn, but his fate after Star Wars Rebels - in which he was launched into the depths of the Unknown Regions when his ship was captured by hyperspace-traveling space whales - remains unnown. However, it seems that Star Wars is getting ready to change that, with The Mandalorian and other TV shows on Disney+. Examining Thrawn's stories from the old EU also provides evidence, recontextualizing certain events in canon to foreshadow the Grand iral's return. Here are all eight ways that Thrawn has been set up as Star Wars' next big villain, when he may appear next, and what his return will really mean for the franchise.
8 A Resurgent Empire Plotting To Overthrow The New Republic
The first clue that hinted at Thrawn's return was the Imperial Remnant itself, which has been hunting Din Djarin and plotting against the New Republic since The Mandalorian season 1. Thrawn led the Imperial Remnant against the New Republic in Star Wars Legends, challenging Luke, Han, and Leia as few others had since the end of the Galactic Civil War. Therefore, the Imperial Remnant could've been foreshadowing Thrawn's return all along, and if his return is anything like in Legends, it could lead to a full-scale war with the New Republic. This would be the perfect way to set up a crossover between all live-action Star Wars TV shows.
7 Secret Imperial Cloning Projects
Both The Mandalorian and Star Wars: The Bad Batch have focused significantly on Imperial cloning, which also bears a resemblance to the plot of the Heir to the Empire trilogy. In Legends, Thrawn repurposed Palpatine's old cloning army to create an army of clone soldiers who almost overwhelmed the New Republlic. The focus on Imperial cloning after Return of the Jedi could be Thrawn's attempt to create a powerful army in canon, which is why the Empire needs Grogu. Thrawn also worked with a Jedi clone named Joruus C'baoth in Legends, promising to give him Han and Leia's children, Thrawn may want Grogu for something similar.
6 Mount Tantiss
In addition to Imperial cloning, The Bad Batch also set up Thrawn by including Mount Tantiss, an incredibly important part of his plan in Legends. This is where Thrawn found Palpatine's cloning technology and the twisted, cloned Jedi Master Joruus C'baoth; and with the experiments happening in The Bad Batch, there's no telling what Thrawn may have found in canon. Perhaps this is where Thrawn is currently based, or it's the real center of whatever cloning project that the Empire needed Grogu's blood for. Either way, there's a strong possibility Mount Tantiss will finally appear in live-action when Thrawn makes his own debut.
5 Ahsoka's Mission To Find Thrawn
Rosario Dawson appeared as the live-action Ahsoka Tano in The Mandalorian season 2, and a line of dialogue revealed Ahsoka is hunting for Thrawn. This makes sense, given Thrawn was lost along with her friend Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger. She clearly believed Thrawn was in command of the Imperial Remnant. This was the most direct confirmation of Thrawn returning to Star Wars, and the amount of evidence setting him as the next big villain has only grown since then. The team behind The Mandalorian and its spinoff have confirmed plans for a crossover, so with the Mandalorians fighting the Empire and Ahsoka looking for Thrawn, having him as the main villain seems like the best way to bring every show together. It would also build off the end of Star Wars Rebels.
4 The Purrgil Appearing In Hyperspace
Thrawn last appears in the Star Wars Rebels series finale when he and Ezra Bridger were taken by the purrgil into hyperspace. The Mandalorian season 3 teased Thrawn's return when Grogu saw the purrgil traveling through lightspeed in episode 1 "The Apostate." This could very well be setting up the purrgils' return as well, and since Thrawn was last seen with the mysterious space whales, he probably won't be far behind.
3 The Battle Tactics Used By TIE Interceptors
The Mandalorian season 3's TIE Interceptors are a Thrawn clue, given the tactics they used in episode 3 were very familiar; Thrawn used a small number of ships to draw Bo-Katan Kryze into a trap, the exact same strategy he deployed at one point in Star Wars Rebels. Even more concerning, Bo-Katan noted there were far too many ships for an Imperial warlord - hinting at some grand coordinator. Thrawn would fit the bill perfectly.
2 Thrawn's Connection To Palpatine
Of course, Thrawn wasn't the only Imperial to return in Star Wars Legends, as a resurrected Palpatine waged war on the New Republic a year after Thrawn was defeated. Star Wars' focus on Imperial cloning hints at Palpatine's return as well; rather than working separately (as in Legends), they may be cooperating. Thrawn was the only alien Palpatine trusted during the reign of the Empire, and having the Grand iral strike at the galaxy first would be similar to Palpatine using Snoke in the sequel trilogy. Palpatine could also be secretly manipulating him, though this doesn't seem as likely for someone like Thrawn.
1 The Return Of Other Characters From Star Wars Rebels
Thrawn was the main villain for the second half of Star Wars Rebels, so simply featuring more characters suggests that Thrawn will return. Zeb Orrelios has already returned in The Mandalorian, with Natasha Liu Bordizzo confirmed to be playing Sabine Wren in the Ahsoka series. Sabine and Ahsoka set off to find Ezra at the end of Star Wars Rebels, meaning that finding Thrawn is the key, and after his role in that show, he'd make a perfect main villain. The Star Wars TV shows are more than likely setting Thrawn up as the franchise's next big villain, and there's no telling what the Grand iral has in store.
