Jedi by Knight

Well, I wasn’t going to write a post today, but then this happened at Star Wars Celebration Europe.

In the Star Wars Rebels panel, the Season 3 trailer premiered over the live feed, and it included a very familiar face.

That’s right, we’re getting GRAND ADMIRAL THRAWN.

Thrawn is a Chiss (his “real” name is Mitth’raw’nuruodo) who has managed to rise through the Empire’s ranks, despite its xenophoia, by being extremely competent.  Note the white Grand Admiral’s uniform in the character sketches.  He is an excellent military strategist who studies his opponent’s artwork to better understand them.

Thrawn was originally introduced to the Star Wars EU in the Heir to the Empire series by Timothy Zahn, along with other fan favorites like Pellaeon, Talon Karrde and Mara Jade.  So it was really special that they had a video clip from Zahn himself to introduce the character.  He also revealed he’s writing a new book!

Tim Zahn is one of my two favorite Star Wars authors (the other being Michael Stackpole of the X-wing series), and I could not be more excited about his re-entry into the universe.

I wonder how much of Thrawn’s story will stay the same for the canon version?  Dave Filoni specifically said there would be no ysalamiri in Rebels, which is fine as I think many people feels that Force-negative lizards were the weak part of the Heir to the Empire books.

I hope the book with deal with Thrawn’s rise to power in the Empire, or his time in the Unknown Regions, or something that will fit equally with his old Legends stories as well as whatever role he’s going to be playing in the new canon.