His Chiss name is Mitth’raw’nuruodo but he uses the core name Thrawn, as few humans can pronounce it.
At different times to different people, Thrawn was both hero and villain. He was conqueror and savior.
Grand Admiral Thrawn premiers in ‘Heir to the Empire’ by Timothy Zahn and helped catapult the Star Wars Expanded Universe into high gear.
His species, the Chiss, live in what the Republic and Empire know as the ‘Unknown Regions’. First encountered by representatives of the Republic (including some working for Darth Sidious), he was a Captain of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet. His attitude of planning ahead to deal with threats and willingness to create situations which would allow a preemptive strike to deal with threats is very much in disagreement with his government and culture’s philosophy.
Tactics:
The military tactical genius can often predict his enemies strategies by studying their artwork. He manipulates them through psychological weakness. His first encounters with the Republic included the Trade Federation, a representative of Sidious, and smugglers. The smugglers taught him their language in exchange for learning some of his. Thrawn is an excellent teacher as well as a leader who inspires great loyalty. Thrawn mixes up his tactics in an attempt (usually successful) to confuse his enemies.
Enemies
Thrawn has been known to defend his turf from conquest and slavers. Two of his fiercest opponents were Master C’baoth (Jedi Master) and Nuso Esva (Warlord and Enslaver). He also was fiercely determined to stop the slaver species known as the Vaagari, which traveled as nomads near Chiss space. He’s one of the few Imperial Officers who has defeated the Jedi. Admiral Ackbar is a particular opponent in the New Republic.
History
Outcast from the Chiss Ascendency over disagreements with his leaders, he joins the Empire and becomes one of very few humans to rise the ranks, and the only one to make Grand Admiral.
Thrawn strongly believes one government, one authority, is needed over the masses, due to the threats he’s seen in the unknown regions.
Early in his career he was assigned to the Dark Jedi Jerec’s command. Surviving that, he was assigned to the Unknown Regions for much of his Imperial career in command of a fleet, he returned after the Emperor’s death (Return of the Jedi) to take the reins and restore the glory of the Empire. Thrawn chose the Chimera as his flagship with Pellaeon as it’s Captain.
Thrawn has a unique talent to understand cultures by studying the art and using the cultural weaknesses against them in battle.
Relationships
He had one brother, Mitth’ras’safis, aka Thrass. Mith’raw’nuodo was originally adopted member of a Chiss house.
Thrawn’s next in command is Admiral Pellaeon,, who he is unofficially mentoring in his strategies. His flagship is the Chimera.
Featured In:
- Outbound Flight – by Timothy Zahn (prequel era)
- Mist Encounter by Timothy Zahn (between era)
- Choices of One – by Timothy Zahn (rebellion era)
- Galaxy of Fear 8, The Swarm by John Witman (rebellion era)
- Side Trip 1-4, by Timothy Zahn and Michael Stackpole (rebellion era)
- Crisis of Faith by Timothy Zahn (rebellion era)
Thrawn Trilogy (first appearance)
- Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn (new republic era)
- Dark Force Rising by Timothy Zahn (new republic era)
- The Last Command by Timothy Zahn (new republic era)
- TIE Fighter computer game
- Dark Forces audio dramas
Thrawn was the basis for the entire Chiss species. Timothy Zahn was the primary author of Chiss, there culture and, of course, of the man himself. The Chiss species has been expanded upon in Star Wars the Old Republic, and were a playable species. He is heard in Dark Forces novellas full audio dramas. A Chiss appeared briefly as a bartender in Jedi Outcast.
[su_quote cite=”Timothy Zahn, Star Wars: Heir to the Empire, Bantam”]“Learn about art, Captain,” Thrawn said, his voice almost dreamy. “When you understand a species’ art, you understand that species.” [/su_quote]
[su_spoiler title=”Spoiler”]Thrawn was killed by his Noghri bodyguard, Rukh, during the battle of the Bilbringi shipyards in retribution for the lies the Empire told to keep the Noghri people in debt.[/su_spoiler]
