Summary
- Thrawn's portrayal in Ahsoka contradicts his depiction in Timothy Zahn's novels, where he is not shown as a loyalist to the Empire, but rather as someone using Palpatine's resources for personal gain.
- In Ahsoka, Thrawn is portrayed as a fanatical leader, with his Night Troopers worshiping him after being stranded with him for a decade.
- The reason behind Thrawn's desire to start another war is unknown. He has little to gain from crippling the New Republic and is more likely to conquer or annihilate planets.
Grand Admiral Thrawn made his triumphant return to Star Wars in Ahsoka, marking the character's live-action debut. Originating in Timothy Zahn's novel Heir to the Empire, the Imperial warlord is a brilliant strategist and military tactician feared by some in the New Republic. Prior to Ahsoka, Thrawn and Ezra Bridger were taken to another galaxy by the star whales called purrgil, where they waited for a decade in exile before allies arrived on Peridea to bring them home. Thrawn's defeat in Star Wars Rebels has been undone in the process, ushering in another war for the known galaxy.
Having made an alliance with the Great Mothers of the Nightsisters, Thrawn and his crew aboard the Chimaera are taking up residence on Dathomir ahead of the coming conflict. As was teased in The Mandalorian season 3, the Grand Admiral will assume control of the Imperial Remnant, which has the resources necessary to provide a fleet that can oppose the New Republic. The stage is set for Thrawn to reenter the theater of war, but Ahsoka failed to answer the biggest question about the Imperial: What is Thrawn's motive?
Your browser does not support the video tag. Timothy Zahn's Star Wars Novels Never Show Thrawn As An Imperial Loyalist 
There's an inconsistency in Thrawn's portrayal in Ahsoka and the Star Wars publishing works. Thrawn's creator Timothy Zahn has never depicted the Chiss mastermind as loyal to the Empire, but rather a person using Palpatine's resources as a means to an end. In the canon novels, Thrawn joins the Empire under the agreement with Palpatine that the Emperor might consider providing military aid to the Chiss Ascendancy to fend off a threat posed by the Grysks. Throughout the canon trilogy, Thrawn's loyalty was called into question, with the Grand Admiral secretly sending new allies to the Ascendancy when possible.
Rebels walks a tight rope between the two interpretations, with Thrawn being loyal to the Empire but not a villain in the vein of Darth Vader or the Inquisitors. With the Emperor threatening Thrawn's life just before the Liberation of Lothal, being transported to Peridea by Ezra likely saved the Grand Admiral. Why would he remain loyal to the Empire if his leader was prepared to kill him? The Empire was nothing more than a necessary evil to Thrawn, but his appearance in Ahsoka seemingly contradicts the version of the character in Zahn's novels.
