Lit Would Thrawn Approve of the First Order?

Yeah, Thrawn (an Chiss society in general) values security & order above all else. Personal free, plurality, civil liberties, and democracy aren't ideals I see Thrawn supporting at all.

--Adm. Nick

 

Well I wouldn't call it him supporting those values, just accepting that he has to co-exist with a New Republic. If Thrawn were in charge, I'd imagine it wouldn't necessarily be a peace deal though, more than likely it'd be a really long ceasefire until Thrawn's confident he could take down the New Republic.

 

Having just finished the latest issue of Poe Damoren, I do think there's an interesting contrast between the First Order and the Imperial members of the organization.

Terex is a snooty, corrupt, criminally-inclined ex-Stormtrooper who is openly supportive of slavery and considers the First Order a bunch of children who playing at Imperials. He's pretty much the stereotype of the Imperial Governors we've come to meet over the years despite being an intelligence officer. The fact he's grossly incompetant and self-entitled doesn't in any way shape or form make him think of himself. As far as he's concerned, HE is the New Order and it's the First Order that falls behind.

However, the reaction of the First Order to TEREX is barely concealed contempt and loathing because of all the qualities that he's got on display. Captain Phasma talks about how the First Order is not the Empire and has emerged stronger for its crucible. She looks aghast (as much as a helmet can) at his slaves--as much for the presence of aliens as disgust at the institution--and considers his finery disgusting. The fact he's also a former criminal/is a current one makes her think he's a disgrace to the uniform.
It makes a nice comparison that I'd like to see used for future First Order/Empire discussions.

 

In Legends, Thrawn seemed openly disdainful at how the Empire fell Endor at the Battle of Endor after the Death of the Emperor (“Yes,” Thrawn said, his voice quiet and contemptuous. “You fought on. Like cadets.”) now going with the assumption that Legends Thrawn and Canon Thrawn have the same mindset (pretty much, yes), I don't think he'd be enamored of the First Order zealotry around their Supreme Leader Snoke. Too much centralized power that can be neutralized. Also the First Order, if you take Hux's speech as prevailing ideology, seems a bit too shouty and emotional for Thrawn and not as much coldly logical as he likes to make his moves. He'd probably find them useful in a canon fodder sort of way but would want to strip all the angry Snoke worship and make them more efficient. They may think they're the distilled essence of the Empire but Thrawn would want them to be smarter about it.

 

The FO seems to be more centered around the mystic/occult elements of the Empire rather than the technocratic/militaristic parts that Thrawn prefers. Seeing as how he was extremely disdainful of and unimpressed by the Bendu, he wouldn't like the heavy religious overtones of the FO and either join them reluctantly and try to mold them into reflecting his ideals or strike out on his own altogether.

 

I don't think we've seen any mystic/occult elements in the First Order yet?

Yes, Snoke knows the dark side, but he's as removed from the FO as Palpatine was from the Empire.

Yes, Kylo Ren is around, but like Vader he is only one.

The rest of the First Order seems much more technocratic and militaristic than the Empire was.

 

As far-fetched as

Spoiler

Rae Sloane being the mother of the First Order?

 

Sloane is Snoke

 

Thrawn might even turn out to be the creator of the First Order.

 

If they introduce the Noghri into Rebels, I wouldn't be surprised if we had a direct translation of Leia's visit to Honghor, only with the Rebels instead.

Thrawn getting stabbed by Rukh before Endor.

 

Still think if that happens before Endor then his canon role is far less impressive than is Legends role. But will reserve judgement until that happens...

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Probably, albeit we have Rae Sloane and Rax filling in much of the Post-Endor Legends role.

I will say Thrawn gets props for being the man who discovered the Rebellion existed, though.

 

My point is I don't want character XYZ to fill in that role. That is not the same and why can't there be several people in these roles anyway? Ah, the joys of being emotionally attached...

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Eh, I wouldn't mind Thrawn building the First Order up. I just think it'd be a shame to just repeat old stories.

 

With this I totally agree. We have Legends already. Plus, it would make it all very predictable.

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I think he'd support it, albeit reluctantly for the same reason he supported the Empire. Simply because there's no viable alternative. If you remember, the new republic was a total mess in Episode 7 as well.

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I wouldn't mind if Thrawn bit the dust in Rebels. His character served a great purpose for the time period--emasculating the newly formed Rebel Alliance into wusses who are too afraid to fight the Empire even up to A New Hope. He decimated their fleet and showed the Galaxy what would happen if they joined the Rebellion.

Admittedly I am not a huge Thrawn fan. I enjoyed his original appearance, but I think the retcons killed him for me.

Sent from Hell--depending on whether or not it exists.

 

I think if Thrawn was still around by the time of the ST he'd be well and truly fed up with all these dark side freaks popping up and taking command of every damn authoritarian organisation that shows up in the Galaxy, probably call it a day and retire as an art critic.

 

Now, that I would love to see! :-D

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I feel like Thrawn would probably have agreed with the general idea of order, and stability, and tearing down "corrupt" democratic regimes.

However, I don't know that he'd agree with some of the specific methods that the FO uses. The FO seems to be fanatical almost to the point of being cult-like, and I don't know that Thrawn would approve of that. I could see him listening to Hux's big speech and feeling that that kind of emotionally fanaticism would be counterproductive in the long run. And he probably would see Kylo Ren as being more of a liability than anything else, given his "personal issues." And TBF, in TFA, Kylo DID undermine the FO's plans due to his need to satisfy said personal issues.

Also he might not be too fond of SKB. He might tolerate it, but he wouldn't think too highly of it either.

 

Thrawn would adore the FO. It's an autocratic military state -- what he liked about the Empire in the first place!

 

Except that it's not the same thing if you look past the surface level.

 

The First Order is more akin to Thrawn's tastes, though, because it's an organization which actually does believe in law and order at the expense of the person.

It's just horrifyingly working versus being the pet project of a Dark Side God.

Morgoth, for example, wanted to destroy all of Middle Earth and ruin Eru's plan.

Sauron just wanted to bring order to it.