There are big spoilers ahead from the new season of Star Wars Rebels! Don’t say that you weren’t warned!
For the past few months, rumors have swirled that a very familiar face from the Star Wars Expanded Universe was going to make their debut in Star Wars Rebels. When Disney purchased Lucasfilm, the Expanded Universe was rendered non-canonical and redefined as “Legends.” But this is at least one Legend who will live on in the new continuity: Grand Admiral Thrawn!
Via io9, Grand Admiral Thrawn was confirmed to be one of the new adversaries coming in Star Wars Rebels season 3 at Star Wars Celebration Europe. Thrawn was the brilliant military commander who took control of the Imperial remnant in Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Force trilogy of novels. Lars Mikkelsen (the brother of Rogue One star Mads Mikkelsen) will provide Thrawn’s voice on the show, and he can be heard in the trailer as he exudes an intellectual sense of menace while he systematically plans the destruction of our heroes. Zahn recorded a message for fans at Star Wars Celebration Europe endorsing the animated debut of his character. But if you think that Thrawn deserves an even bigger spotlight, Del Rey agrees. Zahn will also be writing a new Star Wars novel called Thrawn!
That announcement was so artfully done. Star Wars #Thrawn by Timothy Zahn coming spring 2017. pic.twitter.com/RPJFQQQrPI
— Star Wars Books (@DelReyStarWars) July 16, 2016
All of this suggests that Grand Admiral Thrawn will have a major impact in the new continuity. Of course, we’re still holding out hope for Talon Karrde and the rest of Zahn’s fan-favorite creations to stage a comeback as well. Perhaps they can also return to continuity now that Thrawn has paved the way. (Alas, Filoni says Mara Jade likely won’t be.)
The new trailer for Star Wars Rebels also teased the introduction of Wedge Antilles as a TIE fighter pilot who defects alongside with a few of his fellow Imperial academy students. While the trailer is surprisingly light on Darth Vader footage, Darth Maul also reappears and we get to see Ezra’s further temptations to the dark side, a new look for Blind Kanan, Mandalorians in service of the Empire, and a giant being who claims to be the middle ground between the light and dark sides of the Force!
Star Wars Rebels season 3 will debut later this year.
Are you excited about the introductions of Thrawn and Wedge in the new season of Star Wars Rebels? Unleash the Force and share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Images: Lucasfilm
