Star Wars rumors: Grand Admiral Thrawn may return in Star Wars: Episode IX?

The legendary Grand Admiral Thrawn may return to the Star Wars story, but in a time era, you may not expect, possibly during Star Wars: Episode IX.

During what I call the “dark times” of the Star Wars era, Grand Admiral Thrawn is what kept many hearts beating for Star Wars, even without any known plans for more films. The brilliant author Timothy Zahn created a character that resounded deeply within the fanbase of a galaxy far, far away.

But, when George Lucas sold his beloved Star Wars franchise (and Lucasfilm) to Disney, and with it, many beloved tales were put into the Legends vault, never to be heard from again. Or, so we thought.

Thanks to Dave Filoni and the Lucasfilm story group, Grand Admiral Thrawn made his triumphant return and Star Wars canon debut in the animated series Star Wars Rebels. I remember watching the live-stream of Star Wars Celebration 2016 on my computer at work (shhh, don’t tell anyone) when the Grand Admiral Thrawn bombshell dropped.

I can’t recall precisely what happened, but I believe I dropped my Darth Vader mug full of coffee on my computer and blacked out — the details are a bit fuzzy. Seeing the beloved Chiss Grand Admiral in the flesh is a gift that I can never repay Filoni and his team of writers for fully.

With Thrawn’s reemergence came another Timothy Zahn Thrawn novel, a sequel on deck featuring Darth Vader, and maybe something even more significant than those nifty gifties.

At a recent panel at Comic-Con Revolution, Timothy Zahn dropped a subtly of the Force, one that may have connections to Star Wars: Episode IX. 

I am reading between the lines here, but that sounds like Star Wars: Episode IX and Thrawn may have a conflict, but a positive one for Star Wars fans. I believe Zahn is hinting that Thrawn may be a significant player in the next saga film.

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Last time we saw the Grand Admiral, he was a bit tied up thanks the Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger, who used the Force and help from some “friends” in taking Thrawn into the unknown, where both have yet to be seen since — except as missing persons on blue milk cartons.

If Lucasfilm were to pull the trigger implementing Thrawn into Star Wars: Episode IX, that would shift the tide for all Star Wars movies moving forward — in a significant way.

Finally, the Star Wars franchise would be taking a step into a larger world, as Marvel already has done with their film franchise.

The interconnectivity of Marvel is something that Lucasfilm should do with Star Wars, and honestly, they could beat Marvel at their own game.

Next: Episode IX Rey, Kylo Ren rumors debunked and explored

How they could do so is putting Grand Admiral Thrawn into Star Wars: Episode IX and never look back. For now, these are only rumors, but hopefully, they come to fruition and we see Thrawn on the big screen, where he belongs!