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Credit: LucasfilmIn the space of just six episodes, Ahsoka (2023) has made some pretty bold changes to the Star Wars franchise. It has brought galaxy-crossing space whales and mystical dimensions into the mix, and has introduced a second faraway galaxy.
And now, it has even replaced Darth Vader.
Warning — there are major spoilers ahead for the sixth episode of Ahsoka.
Most fans would argue that Darth Vader is the most terrifying Star Wars villain. Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid) may have been the “big bad” in the Original Trilogy, but in more recent years, we’ve seen a much “darker side” to the former Jedi.
Vader’s “rebirth” started in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), as the scene in which he slices his way through Resistance troopers with his blood-red lightsaber in a deadly game of pass-the-parcel often leaves fans in a cold sweat.
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Video games such as Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019) continued to portray Darth Vader (Scott Lawrence) in the same light. The cutscene where he appears through a veil of smoke and kills Second Sister Trilla Suduri (Elizabeth Grullon) is anxiety-inducing, to say the least.
Last year, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) returned in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022). When he tried to Force-choke (Reva) Moses Ingram, many of us jumped out of our seats so high we were convinced we had Force-sensitive abilities.
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And just last week, Vader reappeared twice in Ahsoka, once as a silhouette set against the fires of the Clone Wars, and the other as a terrifying apparition in the World Between Worlds. Is there any other Star Wars villain besides Palpatine who’s as terrifying as Vader?
Fans have long waited to be reunited with a certain Star Wars villain like no other. For five years, we’ve waited to see him return, and since Ahsoka was announced three years ago, we’ve waited to see him reborn in live action.
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Now, the latest episode of Ahsoka, “Part Six: Far, Far Away”, has finally brought that villain to life in the flesh. Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) is the “Heir to the Empire”, and though we only saw a glimpse of him in the trailers, we are now finally reacquainted.
After landing on a desolate planet in the “second galaxy” known as Peridea, Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson), Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno), and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) watch as a mysterious Star Destroyer sets down around them.
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Ominous orchestral music fills the vast chamber of the ship like organs in a cathedral. Before Elsbeth and the others are hundreds of “night troopers” standing uniformly as they chant “Thrawn”, who soon appears among them, as if out of thin air.
Set against Thrawn’s deep-blue skin are eyes so red you’d think he was a Sith Lord. But Thrawn is no Force user — he’s an Imperial military leader and a tactical genius whose predator-like patience and overall demeanor makes him deeply unsettling to observe.
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Having voiced the character in the animated series Star Wars: Rebels (2014 — 2018), Mikkelsen effortlessly carries over Thrawn’s essence. At first glance, he may not look as imposing as his animated counterpart, but once he speaks, you realize Mikkelsen is Thrawn.
Despite not being widely known within the Star Wars community, Thrawn still has a large following, thanks to both Rebels and the Thrawn novels. Now, he’s set to replace Darth Vader as the new face of the Empire.
In the wake of the premiere of “Far, Far Away”, Star Wars fans have taken to X/Twitter to celebrate the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
One user, @DeadMansRequiem, believes Thrawn is more terrifying than Darth Vader:
I think Thrawn has a case for genuinely being more terrifying than vader
I think Thrawn has a case for genuinely being more terrifying than vader https://t.co/07WEbyauST
— Deus ♱ (@DeadMansRequiem) September 20, 2023
Who’s more powerful Thrawn or Darth Vader
Who’s more powerful
Thrawn or Darth Vader#Thrawn #StarWars #DarthVader #Ahsoka pic.twitter.com/6kSNWski19
— Miguel O'Hara (@MiguelSpider616) September 11, 2023
Episode 6 of #Ahsoka made it abundantly clear that Moff Gideon is a punk a** b*tch compared to Thrawn. These 2 characters aren’t even in the same league.
Thrawn was the only villain on the same level as Vader or Palatine. Gideon is amateur hour by comparison.
— Tom Hyde (@tomh1138) September 20, 2023
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It might sound far-fetched to think any other Star Wars villain can become as iconic as Vader, but when you consider how relatively unknown Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) was this time last year, it’s now plain to see that she’s slowly becoming the new Luke Skywalker.
Of course Thrawn won’t have the same cultural impact as Darth Vader, but this time next year, you might be surprised by how popular he’ll be.
As per Disney and Lucasfilm, here’s the official trailer for Ahsoka:
Ahsoka stars Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka Tano), Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Sabine Wren), Eman Esfandi (Ezra Bridger), Lars Mikkelsen (Grand Admiral Thrawn), Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Hera Syndulla), Genevieve O’Reilly (Mon Mothma), Ivanna Sakhno (Shin Hati), Diana Lee Inosanto (Morgan Elsbeth), and the late Ray Stevenson (Baylan Skoll).
Ahsoka is now streaming on Disney+. New episodes will be available to stream every Tuesday, with the eighth and final episode airing on October 3.
Who do you find the most unsettling — Darth Vader or Grand Admiral Thrawn? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!