Ahsoka star Lars Mikkelsen detailed what makes Grand Admiral Thrawn such a force to be reckoned with.
Thrawn goes back quite a long way in the Star Wars franchise. The Chiss Imperial officer was first introduced in the non-canon novel Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn and was integrated into Disney and Lucasfilm’s newer continuity during Star Wars Rebels’ run.
Thrawn was last seen in-canon being taken into hyperspace by a group of purgil along with his star destroyer and Ezra Bridger. He will, however, be back in Ahsoka on Disney+ where he will be portrayed by Lars Mikkelsen who initially voiced the character in Rebels.
Mikkelsen Discusses Grand Admiral Thrawn’s Intelligence
Speaking to Comicbook.com, Thrawn actor Lars Mikkelsen broke down what makes his character a much-worthy adversary:
“That bloke, he doesn’t have the force. He’s not a Jedi, he’s not a superhero of any kind, but he has the brain. He has all of that in that regard,”
This certainly lines up with his portrayal in Rebels. In that series, Thrawn was laser-focused on finding and defeating Phoenix Squadron along with Hera Syndulla and the rest of the Ghost Crew. Displaying a vast intellect and a large degree of patience, the Grand Admiral was able to eventually locate the rebel cell’s base on Atollon.
Mikkelsen expanded on his remarks about Thrawn’s brainpower:
“How does he stack up against characters like Ahsoka, Sabine, and all these other people we’re going to see and possibly antagonize in the live-action series? I think, I mean, what I mean, his superpower is his mind, which is really and always like seven paces ahead of everybody. And I’m in that sense also ahead of you as an audience, I think. So that’s what you expect.”
Thrawn’s Role in Dave Filoni’s MandoVerse
It’s very recently been revealed that franchise veteran Dave Filoni is directing a crossover film based around his and Jon Favreau’s “MandoVerse” slate of Star Wars shows.
Now given the trajectory that the series leading up to said movie are currently on, it seems possible that the big bad of this saga could very possibly be Thrawn alongside the Imperial Remnant. In essence, he might be the MandoVerse’s Thanos.
If this is truly the case, factoring in Thrawn’s intelligence and drive, the heroes of the New Republic era are going to have their work cut out for them in defeating this nefarious force.
What’s remarkable about Thrawn is his ability to maintain his calm in the heat of battle. It’s often eerie to see the level of composure he possesses in carrying out his attacks on the Rebels throughout his animated appearances.
Thrawn will, of course, serve as an antagonist in Ahsoka which premieres on Disney+ in August.
