Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Ahsoka
Summary
- Grand Admiral Thrawn's return to the known galaxy in the Ahsoka series signals that his Empire will be more formidable and dangerous than ever before, surpassing even Emperor Palpatine's rule during the original trilogy.
- The Night Troopers's armor and Thrawn's ship have cracks filled with gold, repaired in the style of Kintsugi, symbolizing his purpose to restore the shattered Empire to something stronger and more dangerous.
- Unlike Palpatine's capricious Empire, Thrawn's tactics are deliberate and strategic, making every move with purpose. His Empire will be dedicated and carefully channeled, posing a significant threat to the New Republic and its defense fleet in the galaxy's future.
Grand Admiral Thrawn's Empire will be far more dangerous than Palpatine's during the original trilogy of Star Wars films. Having been exiled to the extragalactic planet of Peridea just before the events of A New Hope, Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) was not present for the events of the Galactic Civil War nor the Empire's eventual downfall at the hands of the Rebellion as seen in Return of the Jedi. However, Thrawn has finally returned to the known galaxy in the wake of the new Ahsoka series, and it stands to reason that his Empire will be far more formidable.
As seen in Ahsoka episode 8, Grand Admiral Thrawn successfully escaped the world of Peridea with assistance from the Nightsisters known as the Great Mothers and their dark magicks. Joined by the remains of his forces aboard Thrawn's Star Destroyer known as The Chimaera, it's clear that Thrawn stands ready to rally the Imperial Remnant as "Heir to the Empire". To that end, some key indicators suggest that the Empire under Thrawn's leadership will be even more powerful and dangerous than it ever was under the rule of Emperor Palpatine during the original trilogy.
Your browser does not support the video tag. Grand Admiral Thrawn's Night Troopers Serve As A Symbol Of His Purpose 
Grand Admiral Thrawn makes his live-action debut in Ahsoka episode 6 aboard his Star Destroyer, parts of which are covered with what looks to be gold, repairing the damage sustained when the ship was attacked by purrgil and sent to Peridea thanks to Jedi Ezra Bridger (as seen in Star Wars Rebels). Led by Captain Enoch, Thrawn's stormtroopers are now known as Night Troopers, seen wearing cracked armor also filled with gold along with red bandages likely coming from the Nightsisters who've pledged themselves to Thrawn. As such, both Thrawn's Night Troopers and his ship are key symbols pointing to his ultimate purpose for the remains of the Empire.
Essentially, Thrawn's soldiers have been maintaining their armor in the classic Japanese style of Kintsugi. This is the art of putting broken pottery pieces back together by filling the cracks with gold. It's based on the philosophy that by embracing flaws and imperfections, one can then create something even stronger and more beautiful than it was before it was broken. Not only does this fit incredibly well with Thrawn's established passion and study of art, but it's also symbolic of what he will do with the shattered Empire. Now that he's returned to the known galaxy, Thrawn will seek to restore the Empire, forging it into something stronger and even more dangerous.
