The Mandalorian Ahsoka Grand Admiral Thrawn

I love RDJ, but I definitely don't see him as Thrawn. Michael Fassbender is the actor that fits him the best, or obviously Lars Mikkelsen.

 

This would be sick.

Highly highly doubt Favreau deduces Thrawn’s motivations to simply trying to bring back a dead guy. It would ultimately fall flat because Thrawn has a lot going on upstairs and to just simply write him to find Exogul or whatever for the sake of connectivity would be extremely disappointing. But I don’t think that’s even in the cards in my opinion. I don’t think Favreau wants the onus of the show to be the fill in the blank fodder of the ST. This show will stand on its own two feet.

 

I think Favreau would fill in some blanks for the ST. and in a way he may have already started with the first 2 series. but i also think there is room for self-contained stories too

 

Eh, he’s more miss than hit with rumours. He’s had maybe, one or two Marvel things pan out but nothing by way of SW, or DC.

 

My biggest worry of getting Robert Downey Jr is he'd outshine the role. One thing I like and many others like about Star Wars and why George Lucas tended to recruit lesser known actors was that he doesn't want you recognizing the actors, but suspending your disbelief this character is a real person, that the universe they inhabit is real. It's not impossible for a famous actor to still accomplish this. Samuel Jackson managed to do this with Mace Windu. A big part of it being he played Mace Windu unlike most of his of his usual roles. Is it possible for RDJ to play a convincing Thrawn. Certainly if he plays it like non of his other roles. The blue paint and red eyes will help. It is just a bigger challenge with him. I'd pick someone more B level and from television over RDJ, or an actor better known as a character actor.

I think Mark Strong would be my top choice for Thrawn at the moment. He often plays villains and is a character actor. He does not have the super star status of RDJ that makes him instantly recognize able either. I think most important he has the looks for Thrawn. He has a strong face with sharp angular features that fit the character.



The artist made this last piece with Mark Strong in mind.

 

I like RDJ, but I can't really see him as Thrawn.

But to have him appear as cameo in one of the upcoming shows playing some new character, why not.

 

God, must we have Thrawn?

 

Well he's already been name dropped in the Mandalorian so it's kind of inevitable. Also he's arguably the most famous character and most popular villain from the EU. So he makes a lot of sense to bring into the Star Wars TV-verse especially the post RotJ era.

 

You know who Thrawn reminds me of? Wentworth Miller/Michael Scofield from Prison Break. He may not have the voice per say (I haven't really compared), but he certainly does have the mind and the wit!

 

What was this in? I've read Thrawn, Alliances and Treason - unless I'm forgetting something dramatically I don't think it's in any of those books?

Closest I can think you're potentially referring to is the Battle of Atollon stuff? But that wouldn't be my read on the situation personally.

 

Or...the accomplished actor who already plays Thrawn, Lars Mikkelsen.

 

I'm enjoying the lol of people taking the RDJ rumour seriously.

 

I just don't think he has the right look for live action Thrawn.



For those curious I think that is Jason Isaacs on the left.

 

Lol. I don’t think they should choose the actor based on his resemblance to bad cover art on a book. Plus, Lars looks close enough to his Rebels version (the one that’s canon) to work for me. He’s a great actor, he already plays Thrawn, he’s got a vaguely alien vibe, and he should get the role unless he’s not available to do it.

 

You mean to say that the mural at Star Wars celebration WASN'T confirmation that Pierce Brosnan is playing Thrawn?! - I'm shocked.



Jokes aside, Mickleson for me too - a dude I talk to online about these kinds of things is very keen on Fassbender, personally I'd like to avoid big names wherever possible. unless they're no brainer choices such as Dawson for Ahsoka.

 

Yup. It’s a Sackoff situation. Go with the great actor already playing him.

 

I can't see Thrawn wanting to resurrect Palpatine. I imagine he'd want to be the new Emperor.

 

Someone inform me who Thrawn is pls? What does he do I didn’t go to the extended universe but what makes you think he’ll show up in the show?

 

EDIT: Isn't the video attached I thought it was, although it does go into who he is somewhat - if you scroll down it'll give you some background on him.
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mitth'raw'nuruodo?jwsource=cl

Essentially, he is a former imperial - an incredibly cunning and intelligent man from a species called "Chiss" that occupy the unknown regions.
The Chiss themselves are an interesting spieces and well worth reading about if you're interested in wider connotations/context of Thrawn's history pre-Empire.

Palpatine took an interest in Thrawn and his development, considered him highly promising and rewarded him with a degree of nepotism that enabled him to fly through the Academy in a situation where the vast majority of cadets were human.
Palpatine was wise enough to ask questions of Thrawn's loyalty upon his signing for the Empire - Thrawn offered reassurances, however as it stands people question where Thrawn's true loyalties lay.

Thrawn is a sophisticated, intellectual and calculated man and takes a huge interest in different cultures, their art and their myths and legends - he believes to defeat your enemy you must know them. Thrawn has a large collection of artifacts, trinkets and tales from species all across the galaxy. However, he appears to have somewhat of a blind spot/weakness for the force and the associated unpredictability and mystery surrounding it.

(I'm working from memory now, so if I'm wrong, someone correct me) Thrawn's pet project was a new model of tie fighter, however it was directly competing against project Stardust and as such was never afforded the resources required.
Thrawn has always suffered a degree of xenophobia from his colleagues in the Empire - Thrawn has always been implicitly aware of this and on occasions Thrawn has turned this to his advantage.
Thrawn has an aide (Eli Vanto) who initially acted as Thrawn's interpreter when he joined the Empire - Thrawn has kind of recruited Vanto as a double agent for both the Chiss and the Empire stationing him currently with the Chiss people out in the unknown regions.

Thrawn is a known problem solver for the Empire and was called in to deal with a Rebel cell on Lothal that the local authorities were struggling with - in trying to rid the planet of the Rebels Thrawn was caught in a maneuver that he could not have predicted/considered/defend against and was catapulted into (we believe?) the unknown regions alongside a young Jedi padawan called Ezra Bridger, who orchestrated the sabotage in an almost sacrificial act to rid his homeworld of the Empire.

...this was the last we saw or heard of Thrawn before Ahsoka Tano mentioned him by name in the Mandalorian to Morgan Elsbeth.

Hope that helps - @ladygrey45

 

The simpler answer being: Because Ahsoka explicitly said she was looking for him in the Mandalorian.

 

Ha! - well, yes! I just thought some greater context might be appreciated ^_^

 

I prefer Lars Mikkelsen but Jason Isaacs would be a great fit too.

 

Not really though. But then again everyone in Rebels is elongated in the Y direction, including Ahsoka.


I had forgotten about Fassbender. Yeah, that would actually be perfect and he is an amazing actor. I am rooting for him now.

Also book cover art is fantastic across the EU. Not everything of course, but Thrawn was really great in drawings throughout the years.

 

There isn't a person discussed on this thread I wouldn't give the chance to show me what they could do with the role. I'm definitely in camp Mikkelson for fave, but I think any of these actors could pull it off. RDJ is my least favorite, but I also think he's a great actor, so, I'd wait to see.

It wasn't too long ago discussing this I mentioned his original book art looking like Segall, which is true. He'd be the only actor discussed I'd be against. Back when Heir to the Empire was a new book, I always imagined Michael Douglass in the role. Glad the lot of actors these days is much bigger, haha!

Fassbender would be my choice out of really big names.

Top Ten Thrawn actors, by me:
10. Robert Downey Jr.
9. Jeremy Irons
8. Andrew Scott
7. Gary Oldman (he can literally play anything)
6. Tom Hiddleston
5. Jude Law
4. Jason Isaacs
3. Benedict Cumberbatch
2. Michael Fassbender
1. Lars Mikkelson

 

Well the main reason we think he'll show up in one of the post Return of the Jedi series is because he got name dropped in Chapter 13 of the Mandalorian. So it is kind of inevitable because the character has a lot of history with the franchise some of it quite important. You don't place a Chekov's Gun like that and not deliver.

Thrawn is probably one of if not the best known character from the Star Wars EU and one of if not the most popular villain from the EU.

He was first introduced in the 1991 book Heir to the Empire, written by Timothy Zahn, which really kicked off the revival of the franchise and was the first story set after Return of the Jedi to be published. Before that the franchise had been dormant for about six years, a period many fans jokingly call "The Dark Times". It's often credited that the explosion of popularity for new Star Wars books and comics in the early 90's encouraged George Lucas to make the Prequels and the the franchise has been continuously pushing out content since, but it all started with Heir to the Empire.

What made Thrawn so popular was he was wasn't a total villain and contrasted well with a character like the Emperor, or Vader. He didn't have any special powers, but was a cunning tactical genius. Always being 10 steps ahead of his opponents. He strived to understand his enemies on every level down to even their culture by studying their art. Thrawn wasn't completely evil either. The best way to put him is ruthlessly pragmatic, or Lawful Neutral to put it in D&D terms. There is a poignant scene in the Thrawn Trilogy of books where a tractor beam operator fails to capture Luke in his X-Wing and he complains it wasn't his fault and Thrawn has him killed. The new tractor beam operator tries something new with the tractor beam and almost succeeds, but still fails, but the operator owns up to his failure and Thrawn commends him for his ingenuity and rewards him. He has the insightfulness of Sherlock's Holme's, the shrewd cunning of Tywin Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire, and the tactical genius of Lelouch from Code Geass and Thrawn predates the latter 2 of those characters.

Throughout much of the Thrawn Trilogy, Thrawn and the Empire were the underdogs. Thrawn began with a small fleet of Star Destroyers and he deploys a stateless strategy the Rebels did. He goes onto win stunning victory after victory against the New Republic and slowly builds up his forces to the point he's even able to bring the New Republic to it's knees. I think that's why the Thrawn Trilogy is so popular. They didn't have to make the Empire ridiculously powerful to be a threat, or the heroes stupid. Everyone acts smart in the books and yet Thrawn's ability to always be 10 steps ahead of his enemies makes the scattered remnants of the Empire a real threat.

The character made occasional appearances throughout old EU before it was made Legends after the Disney buyout.

He was reintroduced into the new Star Wars cannon with new books by Timothy Zahn and his role as the main villain of seasons 3 and 4 of the series Rebels. So he does exist in the same universe as the Mandalorian.

Many suspect he'll be the Thanos of the post Return of the Jedi TV-verse of Star Wars shows like the Mandalorian and that they're gearing up for a live action version of the Thrawn Trilogy.