In the most recent episode of Ahsoka, Grand Admiral Thrawn studies Ahsoka Tano’s history – and is surprised to learn that her master was General Anakin Skywalker.
The moment in the show is designed fo a specific purpose, to show audiences that Thrawn is someone who studies his opponents to learn about them and how to defeat them. He appears to know Skywalker, because after learning this he asks Captain Enoch to confirm that there’s just one ship, and then he orders the fighters to withdraw. The reason being, as Thrawn explains, “if she’s anything like her master, she’ll be unpredictable and quite dangerous.” This moment is included to show us Thrawn approaching his tactics based on his knowledge of the opponent’s background.
But it also touches on another point, and it’s that Thrawn seems to know Anakin Skywalker – because he did. That story is told in Thrawn: Alliances, the second book in Timothy Zahn’s newer Thrawn trilogy.
In the book, during the late days of the Clone Wars (after Ahsoka had already left the Jedi Order), Thrawn and Anakin were both on missions to the known galaxy’s Outer Rim, on the planet Batuu. Anakin was on an unsanctioned mission searching for his wife, Padmé Amidala, with whom he’d lost contact. Thrawn, meanwhile, was on an unsanctioned mission to investigate growing threats to his people, the Chiss Ascendancy. The two met one another and teamed up for the mission, which led to Padmé’s rescue and help for the Chiss. Thrawn and Anakin came to a mutual respect for one another.
Years later, as Thrawn joined the Empire, he was brought before Emperor Palpatine because he claimed to be a friend of Anakin Skywalker. This was enough to get him an audience with Palpatine, but Thrawn was told that Anakin was dead. Once Thrawn had become a Grand Admiral in the Imperial ranks, he was assigned by Palpatine to a mission on Batuu working alongside Darth Vader, investigating a disturbance that proved a threat to the Empire. Palpatine saw Thrawn and Vader as two of his most valuable assets and therefore wanted them to team up. During the mission, Thrawn came to recognize Vader’s tactics and deduced that he was actually Anakin Skywalker (and also came to deduce what the Empire was truly working on in the top secret ‘Stardust’ project, a.k.a. the Death Star). Thrawn kept the information largely to himself, but did let on to Vader that he knew. Hearing again that Anakin was dead, Thrawn vowed to honor his legacy.
Now, Thrawn has come full circle as he prepares to face Anakin’s apprentice. His knowledge of Anakin’s tactics will make him all the more formidable a foe for Ahsoka to defeat.
Star Wars Thoughts 