Who Is Rukh: Thrawn's Star Wars Bodyguard Before Ahsoka Explained
If there's one thing that Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) is a pro at, it's rallying people to his cause. The Imperial figurehead inspires deep loyalty in those working below him, allowing him to execute his sinister plans with ease and comfort. One such individual who works closely with Thrawn is Rukh (Warwick Davis): a Nogrhi who serves as Thrawn's personal assassin and bodyguard on "Star Wars Rebels." The character makes his television debut during the "Rebels" Season 4 episode "Kindred," though he doesn't stick around the show for long.
Rukh reaches the forefront of "Rebels" due to his skills as a tracker and an assassin, being tasked by Thrawn to hunt down the Ghost crew and their allies in the Lothal resistance group after a prototype TIE/d Defender Starfighter is stolen. He successfully does so and subsequently clashes with heroes like Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray) and Zeb Orellios (Steve Blum) several times at the command of Thrawn. Unfortunately for Rukh, following orders is what leads to his downfall. During a confrontation with Zeb on Lothal in "Family Reunion – and Farewell," Rukh is electrocuted to death, concluding his canon story.
If you're new to the "Star Wars" universe or don't dive into the non-film and TV side of the franchise, you'll be interested to learn that Rukh is far from a recent creation. He actually dates back to an acclaimed "Star Wars" Legends project.
Rukh is a major player in the Star Wars Legends continuity
Long before Disney acquired "Star Wars," "Star Wars Rebels" arrived on Disney XD, and Rukh entered the world of animation, the character called print home. Rukh debuts in the widely-beloved non-canon "Thrawn" trilogy by author Timothy Zahn — consisting of "Heir to the Empire," "Dark Force Rising," and "The Last Command" — from the early 1990s. While the "Rebels" take on the character does use Zahn's writings as a starting point, the version of Rukh from the book trilogy is a bit different in terms of his story.
Much like his animated counterpart, the "Thrawn" trilogy version of Rukh is one of Grand Admiral Thrawn's closest allies. He's fiercely loyal to him as he attempts to rebuild the Galactic Empire following its fall, working under the assumption that the Imperial remnant is trying to restore his ecologically destroyed homeworld of Honoghr. However, he learns that Thrawn and the Imperials have no such plans for the planet, instead keeping it desolate and destroyed so the Nogrhi continue to serve the Empire. Enraged by this deceit, Rukh bides his time before killing Thrawn himself, stabbing him through the chest with a knife. Rukh is killed shortly after but honored among his people for his bravery.
Even though he doesn't enjoy much time in the "Star Wars" canon spotlight, at least a beloved Legends character like Rukh got the chance to shine in a canon production at all.