Ahsoka Episode 7 May Have Revealed Thrawn's Biggest Fear In Star Wars

Contains spoilers for "Ahsoka" Episode 7 — "Part VII: Dreams and Madness"

Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) isn't the type to startle easily. Quite the contrary, his calm demeanor is one of his greatest assets. Throughout "Star Wars Rebels," Timothy Zahn's various "Star Wars" novels, and the bits of "Ahsoka" that he's appeared in, Thrawn almost always maintains perfect poise. No twist can throw him off his game, and he rarely shows any sign of fear.

In "Ahsoka" Episode 7, though, we see a slight crack in that composed exterior. Thrawn appears quite startled upon learning that Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) is actually the former Jedi padawan of Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen). It's rare to see Thrawn show any emotion on his face, let alone that of shock or uncertainty. And yet, this reference to Anakin seems to shake him greatly.

The reasons why quickly become clear. Thrawn identifies Ahsoka as an unpredictable opponent, as her master was the same. Much of the grand admiral's advantage in battle comes back to his powers of prediction — if he can guess what an enemy is going to do, then he can devise a plan to counter their strengths. But a more chaotic foe like Anakin or Ahsoka makes that strategy harder to implement. Of course, Thrawn also saw Anakin's work as a warrior firsthand, both during and after the Clone Wars. Is it possible that after witnessing Darth Vader's power, it became Thrawn's biggest fear in the "Star Wars" universe?

Thrawn first met Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars. A member of the Chiss Ascendancy — a powerful political faction in the Unknown Regions of the galaxy — Thrawn ventured into Republic space to seek allies in his people's battle against a neighboring group called the Grysk Hegemony. Not long after leaving the Unknown Regions, Thrawn encounters Anakin, who's on a mission in search of Padmé on the planet Batuu.

This encounter is detailed in Timothy Zahn's canon novel "Thrawn: Alliances." The book explains how the two characters came to work together, with Anakin sharing details about the Clone Wars and the state of the Republic in exchange for Thrawn's assistance on his mission. Years later, after Thrawn officially joined the Imperial Navy and began rising through the ranks, he encountered Anakin again, only this time as the villainous Darth Vader. The grand admiral was one of the few people to deduce Vader's true identity, and because Palaptine valued them both as two of his most capable agents, they were sent to work together once again.

In a strange way, Thrawn may have known Anakin better than most, as he's one of the only people besides Palpatine to have worked alongside him in both the Republic and Imperial eras. Clearly, that combined experience instilled both respect and fear in Thrawn.

If you've read "Thrawn: Alliances," you might find it odd that Thrawn would be so shaken by a mention of Anakin Skywalker. You could also read his reaction in "Ahsoka" Episode 7 as mere surprise, rather than true fear. But there are reasons to believe that Thrawn would be scared of Vader, even if he rarely lets the emotion show.

When he first meets Anakin during the Clone Wars, he chastises him for being reckless and foolhardy. Thrawn knows of the Jedi and Sith through legends, and he believes the Sith to be the more capable warriors. Of course, after Anakin becomes a Sith himself, Thrawn is forced to confront a new truth: the fact that Anakin was capable of such viciousness and precision in his conquests all along.

Darth Vader is an intimidating person. There's no way around that. And "Star Wars Rebels" shows that Thrawn has an uncomfortable anxiety around the supernatural, as evidenced by his battle with the Bendu on Atollon. He may have heard that Vader is dead, but the idea of the Sith warrior could still be a source of fear. And of course, the notion of a living, breathing apprentice of Anakin would be enough to make even Thrawn straighten up and pay attention.