Star Wars Rebels: 9 Reasons You Need To Be Watching

One of the biggest surprises at Star Wars Celebration London was the reveal that fan-favourite Grand Admiral Thrawn would be making an appearance in Rebels. Renowned for being one of the essential characters that helped revitalise the franchise in the early nineties Timothy Zahn novels, the inclusion of Thrawn might be the best thing ever to happen to the show.

A male Chiss with light blue skin and red glowing eyes, the pragmatic Thrawn managed to climb his way up the ranks despite the Empire’s anti-alien stance. Proven his worth to the Emperor, Thrawn has been assigned to tackle the rebels in season 3.

Instead of relying on the Force or brutality, Thrawn employs several different tactics based on his research of art and history, which will later come into play during the show. He’s essentially an evil Sherlock Holmes and unlike anything the rebels have ever encountered yet.

Thrawn is arguably one of the best characters from the Extended Universe and it appears that the show has already managed to perfectly capture his personality and demeanour. His inclusion into Rebels provides a different dimension for viewers, who may prefer watching an excellent strategist instead of yet another lightsaber duel.

Unfortunately, Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy isn't considered canon but worry not as Dave Filoni also announced that the original writer is currently penning a new novel which will fit into the Star Wars universe. Either way, they’re totally worth reading.