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'Star Wars': Grand Admiral Thrawn could return with a major role to play in the future of the franchise

A member of the proud warrior race known as the Chiss, Thrawn is depicted as a brilliant military strategist and though he may seem cold-hearted and callous in some works, he often displays a distaste for unnecessary violence.

Beyond the Jedi and the Sith, there are forces at work in the 'Star Wars' universe that have shaped the galaxy from behind the scenes with minimal fanfare. Grand Admiral Thrawn was one of those forces.

A beloved villain from the 'Legends' continuity, Thrawn was brought into the current canon as a major antagonist in 'Star Wars Rebels' (voiced by Lars Mikkelsen), bringing a lot of grief to the show's heroic revolutionaries until his disappearance and apparent death at the end of the series. But even though he has been absent from the galaxy for decades, Thrawn isn't someone you should ever count out. 

A member of the proud warrior race known as the Chiss, Thrawn is depicted as a brilliant military strategist and though he may seem cold-hearted and callous in some works, he often displays a distaste for unnecessary violence. If Sun Tzu's 'Art of War' was personified as a blue-skinned, red-eyed alien... well that's what Thrawn is. 

What makes Thrawn such an excellent villain is the fact that he's neither good nor bad. He's not even some vile bureaucrat who commits atrocities under the excuse that he's "just doing his job". In many ways, Thrawn is just as heroic as the rebels he fights and his ultimate goal is the safety and prosperity of his people, not the subjugation of others. 

Now with the Skywalker Saga finally coming to a conclusion with 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker', the franchise is expected to move beyond the moralistic wars of the Sith and the Jedi and enter into a new era. Considering we never actually saw Thrawn die, there's every chance that he might make his return in this new world, either as a force for incredible good or the galaxy's worst nightmare. 

Either way, it would be really great if Thrawn were to be brought back into the world of 'Star Wars' in a big way because he truly is one of the best characters the franchise has ever produced. 

'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' will hit theaters on December 20.