Heroes of Old - A Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy Review
The foundation for the other Star Wars universe stands the test of time.
As movies become more concerned with selling their brand and the associated merchandising, it’s easy to recognize Star Wars as the template. The original run of Kenner action figures sold well enough for George Lucas to pay for the rest of the Original Trilogy. The 90s campaign Shadows of the Empire was explicitly envisioned as a multimedia merchandising event with all the bells and whistles but no movie.
Beyond the purely commercial side of things, for many years there were two Star Wars universes: the beloved movie franchise and an interconnected universe of comics, movies, sourcebooks, and games.
The latter, consigned to the non-canon Legends label after the Disney buyout, had no bit players: alien props left on the cutting room floor and extras clutching ice cream machines were not only named but even had their own stories.
Two events can be credited with kickstarting this “Expanded Universe.” First, West End Games Star Wars Roleplaying Game, debuting in 1987, and perhaps more prominently Timothy Zahn’s The Thrawn Trilogy, consisting of Heir to the Empire published by Del Rey in 1991, followed by Dark Force Rising and The Last Command in 1992 and 1993 respectively.
These books depicted the original heroes five years after the Rebel Alliance’s victory at Endor. What remains of the Galactic Empire is on the brink of collapse and the New Republic grows in prominence.
But hard fought victories are thrown into jeopardy with the emergence of the mysterious Grand Admiral Thrawn, a tactical genius who seeks to restore the Empire.
These books unfold over a much shorter timescale than the Original Trilogy (OT)but sport an even broader focus. The three installments form a distinct arc, but not so much that you can’t separate each plot. Heir to the Empire and Dark Force Rising travel far and wide to set the stage as well as the players, while The Last Command tells a much more focused narrative to wrap everything up.
The original Star Wars films infrequently depicted galactic politics and negotiations, while the Prequel Trilogy’s more concerted efforts tragically misfired. The Thrawn Trilogy finds the healthy middle ground.
A good portion of every book is spent establishing the political situation of the galaxy. Typically, more time is spent on the planning and ensuing consequences of each side’s actions compared to what’s shown of the actual events.
While there’s still plenty of saber swinging and exploring, there’s a reason Dark Empire scribe Tom Veitch once accused The Thrawn Trilogy of being “curiously uncinematic.”
I wouldn’t compare it to non-licensed military or political epics, or even genre peers like Legend of the Galactic Heroes. But there’s a thoughtfulness to the Trilogy sorely lacking in most licensed fiction and especially the subsequent Star Wars literature.
It’s genuinely engaging to see the Rebels struggle with the rigidity of becoming an established, respected authority and by contrast Thrawn’s reversal of the Empire’s fortunes.
Admittedly Zahn was playing to his strengths, as his prose is very dry and the repetition of certain phrases became a running joke among fans. I’d say the Trilogy’s only truly grating habit is the constant, direct references to the films’ events in the characters’ internal narration. Especially since it makes certain parallels feel more derivative than they otherwise would.
I do wonder if this was necessary at the time, as Star Wars was dormant when Heir to the Empire was released. The constant references feel more natural in a world without back to back Star Wars TV shows being released and a refresher was more in order.
The constant comparisons also serve as an admittedly clumsy gesture connecting cinematic Star Wars to the galaxy Zahn presents. Aside from a detour to Dagobah, the alien cultures and worlds encountered are all new and well developed. Much of the Trilogy occurs on Coruscant, though long before the ecumenopolis graced silver screens.
Even with all these new additions, forming a link to the source material is better accomplished through the presence and depiction of the OT heroes. By the Thrawn Trilogy, Luke has conquered his demons but still grapples with his role as a Jedi and what that even entails.
Zahn channels the empathy and trust that makes Luke such a compelling character throughout the books, showing a good understanding of the characters.
The other Skywalker child gets fair treatment too. Almost uniquely so. I don’t think any other male Star Wars writer balanced Leia’s love for her family, commitment to diplomacy, talent for leadership, and willingness to confront injustice half as well.
The Thrawn Trilogy also introduces Zahn’s own stable of characters. One could be forgiven for thinking Zahn prefers his own creations. It’s easy to see how a lesser writer might have produced a host of Mary Sues with the likes of smuggler baron Talon Karrde and intergalactic woman of mystery Mara Jade.
This is best seen in Thrawn himself, with his prodigious skills as an officer and leader. In addition to a talent for crafting perfect plans from a culture’s art, he also possesses Sherlock-esque powers of deduction, with his very own Watson in the form of Captain Pellaeon.
Exclusively viewing Thrawn from the perspective of that apprehensive warhorse adds to his sense of mystery, especially in a series that shifts point of view so frequently and relies heavily on internal monologues.
He’s a cold, calculating villain with a strange charisma, no small part of the trilogy’s enduring appeal.
Zahn’s respect for what came before and his own sense of restraint makes his larger than life characters work. Case in point, Thrawn isn’t omnipotent nor are his plans invincible. Every character has distinct flaws the story does well to explore. Instead of invading the galaxy with pompous intruders, Zahn instead broadened the setting and created some fan favorites along the way.
That being said, The Thrawn Trilogy plays heavily into the film’s impression that the fate of the galaxy is in the hands of a few gifted individuals. Think Great Man Theory with blue aliens and force powers.
It even bleeds into the narrative itself, with Pellaeon despairing at Thrawn’s suggestion that the Empire’s defeat at Endor was entirely due to the loss of the Emperor’s guidance through the force.
Even so, the Trilogy pushes against “Great Men” at a few points, most noticeably in The Last Command. No one person, no matter how brilliant or gifted in the force, can singlehandedly dominate an entire galaxy.
Insane Jedi clone Joruus C’Baoth’s obsession with control and the disastrous consequences of failing to account for individual agency contrasts with a message much of the book reinforces.
On the subject of force users, The Thrawn Trilogy’s presentation of it feels in line with Midichlorians, despite predating the concept by almost an entire decade. Despite Joruus’ role as a “mad wizard” and Luke’s insistence on upholding Jedi values, the force often feels like a mechanical function rather than something more spiritual or even magical.
That’s not to say Zahn crafted a stolid book with a hard sci-fi bent, if the insane Jedi sorcerer didn’t tip you off.
For all the many debates on starship bridges, there’s plenty of moments of levity and bizarre, pulpy concepts. The Trilogy goes all in on cloning, a concept restricted to a single throwaway line at the time of publishing. Throw that in with the force blocking lizards and some of the twists in The Last Command and you’re left with a book that has no shortage of oddities.
But unlike later Star Wars books’ own absurdities, The Thrawn Trilogy couches them in a well developed narrative that’s true to its characters. These books offer an organic continuation of the films without resorting to an outright retread or undoing the accomplishments of the Original Trilogy. Thrawn Trilogy had the benefit of being the first book to depict the post-Endor galaxy but it helps Zahn got it right the first time.
I’d say that’s why The Thrawn Trilogy remains so beloved and continues to draw fans in.