Summary
- Grand Admiral Thrawn's return to the Star Wars galaxy may lead to the downfall of the New Republic government due to his strategic expertise and ability to dismantle opposition.
- Mon Mothma, a key leader in the New Republic, held the government together with her experience and ability to unite, but her absence leaves the government vulnerable to the rise of the First Order.
- Without Mon Mothma's knowledge and leadership, the weaknesses of the New Republic could be exploited by figures like Thrawn, ultimately leading to the government's collapse.
The Ahsoka season 1 finale has officially brought Grand Admiral Thrawn back to the main Star Wars galaxy, but a new theory predicts he’s the real reason the New Republic failed. The New Republic era of Star Wars has largely gone unexplored compared to other eras of the galaxy, but the string of Star Wars Disney+ TV shows by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni has started to change that. It’s known from the sequel Star Wars trilogy that the New Republic government was destined to fall, but there have been hints at the new government's glaring failures fifteen years before the New Republic is decimated by the First Order.
Grand Admiral Thrawn was one of the best, if not the best, strategists in the Empire, and was one of the highest-ranking non-humans. Thrawn’s best asset was his patience, which often allowed his opposition to make a mistake and show their cards. Thrawn was originally introduced in Timothy Zahn’s Legends book Heir to the Empire, and he was reintroduced into canon in Star Wars Rebels season 3, where he exuded many of the same traits as the original version of the character. Considering Thrawn’s reputation as an expert strategist, he may be the one who begins dismantling the New Republic government.
