The trailer for the second season of the Disney+ series Ahsoka, released at D23, has ignited discussions among Star Wars fans regarding its potential impact on the established canon of the sequel trilogy. The trailer reveals the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn and his declaration of war against the Rebel Alliance, prompting questions about the New Republic's apparent unpreparedness for Imperial threats by the time of The Force Awakens.
Thrawn and Ezra Bridger were last seen departing the known galaxy for Peridea in 1 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin), with both characters eventually returning. The series' narrative suggests that Thrawn, during his absence, forged an alliance with the Nightsisters of Dathomir and worked to restore his Star Destroyer. His return, coupled with his declaration of war, presents a potential conflict with the peace presented in the sequel era.
However, the narrative does not necessarily contradict the sequel trilogy. Evidence from various Star Wars properties suggests a more nuanced picture of the New Republic's state. The sequel films themselves established that the New Republic was complacent, struggling with internal issues, pirates, and mercenaries while dismantling the Empire. This complacency left them vulnerable to the rise of the First Order, a remnant organization of Imperial sympathizers. The destruction of the New Republic's seat of government on Hosnian Prime by Starkiller Base highlighted the extent of this unpreparedness.
This theme of New Republic complacency and the persistence of Imperial remnants is further explored in other media. Ahsoka, The Mandalorian, and novels such as Claudia Gray's Bloodline and Chuck Wendig's Aftermath trilogy have depicted the fledgling government as overconfident after the Empire's defeat, allowing splinter factions to operate unchecked. In Ahsoka, New Republic senators are shown to be dismissive of Thrawn's potential return. The Mandalorian revealed Imperial infiltration through an Amnesty program, and Bloodline illustrated the New Republic's growing corruption, forcing Leia Organa to form the Resistance to counter the First Order independently.
Given this context, Thrawn's return and declaration of war in Ahsoka season 2 could be seen as a catalyst that exposes and exacerbates the existing weaknesses within the New Republic, rather than a retcon of established events. The events of Ahsoka season 2 may further illustrate how the galaxy's supposed peace was more a facade maintained by a naive or compromised government, allowing hidden threats like Thrawn to resurface. The new season is slated to premiere on January 20, 2027.
