How Marvel's Thrawn Comics Set Up Star Wars Rebels' Big Finale

SPOILER WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: Thrawn #6, by Jody Houser, Luke Ross, Nolan Woodward, Clayton Cowles and Travis Lanham, on sale now.

Marvel's Thrawn comics have given fans deep insight into the character's backstory, highlighting he really isn't the villain we all thought he was. Sure, he's aligned with the Empire, but after being promoted to Grand Admiral, we learn he has much more noble intentions than first assumed.

In Issue #6, the end of the miniseries, it's revealed why he plotted all along to become Emperor Palpatine's lackey, and what his true purpose is by serving these oppressors of the galaxy. With all these revelations coming to light, Jody Houser smartly sets the stage for the character to be tied into his most mainstream appearance to date.

In short, the comic's finale illustrates exactly how Thrawn is thrust into Star Wars Rebels, a role which will eventually culminate in the highly-charged Battle of Lothal.

The issue revolves around Thrawn meeting the galactic smuggler known as Nightswan, an enemy of the Empire. They discuss semantics and why Thrawn wants to work for Palpatine, something he believes (or hopes) will bring order to all planets.

However, Thrawn isn't there to apprehend a disagreeing Nightswan, but to hire him for his Chiss people, as he divulges that he had faked his exile in the first place so Palpatine would take him in. It turns out Thrawn wanted to slyly win the Empire's trust because he was infiltrating its ranks to monitor and ensure they'd never attack his people.

Nightswan doesn't believe he will succeed from within the belly of the beast though, and while both want a safer galaxy, it's clear they have two different philosophies on getting things done. Thus, both go their separate ways. Sadly, this showdown would lead to a space battle and a slaughter of Nightswan's cargo ships. The chief smuggler dies in the process, leaving Thrawn angry as he had promised his rival safe passage.

When Thrawn confronts Arihnda Pryce, the sinister Governor of Lothal, for botching this Nightswan mission, she makes it clear she isn't interested in excuses, just power-plays. And so, she makes Thrawn an offer he can't refuse: quell the insurgency on Lothal like he did the Nightswan one here on Batonn.

If he does, she'll help him as a political ally in the Empire, endorsing his promotion and making sure he ascends the corporate ladder even more. Thrawn is now left pensive, as he has to confront Palpatine and Vader on what he's found out: They're building a Death Star, which he worries could someday be used on the Chiss, ergo his worst fears would come true. Luckily, Palpatine assures him this won't happen, keeping him satisfied for now.

As we do know, Thrawn would end up taking up Arihnda's offer, working with Grand Moff Tarkin to quell the resistance. Houser's clearly putting him on a collision course with Rebels' Phoenix Squadron -- Ezra Bridger, Kanan Jarrus, Garazeb Orrelios, Hera Syndulla and Sabine Wren -- as she believes he's the brilliant tactician she needs to regain control over the star system once more.

We saw how this led to a thrilling series finale from producer Dave Filoni and Co. which ended with Thrawn and Ezra aboard the 'villain's' Chimaera cruiser, fighting on deck as the ship got lost in hyperspace (forever, it seems). By teasing all this and shaping why Thrawn came after Ezra's people, Houser properly informs the cartoon and in so doing, adds more depth to Thrawn's arrival on the Lothal scene in Season 3.

He clearly opted to go as a man on a mission, not just to win Arihnda's favor, but to see how he could further impress the Emperor and Vader; all so he could keep taking care of his people from inside the Empire's cruel machine.

CBR

Marvel's Thrawn Comics Have Set The Stage For Star Wars Rebels' Big Finale