shoulderholsterfreak

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it feels like Thrawn is a proud cat that keeps giving Ar'alani wild animals he finds outside: bird (Eli Vanto), snake (Ronin), clumps of moss (art museum in their school days)... what will Ar'alani be given next...

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"May warrior's fortune smile on your efforts"

he was our protector, he did what was best for us- Chiss Ascendancy

The time has come. I have finally finished this piece after working on it for several months, taking breaks from it and fighting through a massive art block. I have put sweat and blood into it, quiet literally.

I wanted to present Thrawn as an angel for the Chiss Ascendancy. Above you can see Csilla and under him you see Sunrise. It means that the Ascendancy watches over him, but he watches over the people he values. 🫐

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Glass Fragment. 14th–15th century. Credit line: Gift of George D. Pratt, 1930 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/467158

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Just… need to chime in here and give some input based on the actual text.

(From this post)

A few points: despite their casual, more “human” attitude in the canon novels, the Chiss are not human. They were originally created to have “alien minds and alien values” (as per Zahn). They are highly collectivist, wary of change, respectful of authority, and born pragmatists. Part of this is cultural, but it’s also ingrained biology. You just aren’t going to get “punks and anarchists,” not like you do in humans, anyway. They’re a very conservative (little c, not to be confused with current right-wing politics) society who, after having been subjected to several events that nearly wiped them out AND existing as one of the only major stabilizing forces in the Chaos, are extremely wary of anything that would rock the fragile stability they’ve fought so hard to achieve.

As for them using their own children, it’s very clear that they consider it a grand sacrifice and that it’s not something they do lightly (although, again, in their collectivist society the individual matters less than the well being of the group). As for why they don’t use pathfinders, it’s all about security. If they were to use pathfinders exclusively, their entire civilization would be at the mercy of the navigators (see the Dune novels to get an idea of just how much influence the people shipping your goods and moving your people can have on you, or look at the crazy monopolies real-world shipping companies have and how they can bully entire nations with their policies). Without the use of their own navigators, the Chaos would have them by the throat.

I’m sorry but I really, really wish people would read the books. Thrawn hates pointless loss of life. Not just “resources,” life. This is a fundamental part of his character. He destroys a seam of spice which obliterates an orchard and decimates the local economy but it saves a local population. He ALSO prioritized saving a crew over preventing the loss of a VERY expensive stock of tibanna gas. Even as far back as the original Thrawn trilogy when he was on a dog-kicking spree, he opted to bluff when intimidating his opponents rather than engaging in all-out slaughter (eg bombing a mountain range instead of cities, holding a planet hostage under threat of asteroid bombardment that would never come, etc).

I just… it baffles me that people seem determined to damn Thrawn and the Chiss. Calling them the equivalent of the Empire—and insinuating that Thrawn is gladly upholding an evil system—is absolutely asinine. Thrawn fought *against* people like Palpatine not just because they were a danger to the Chiss but to non-Chiss as well.

Also, them being non-interventionist is directly at odds with an imperial system. They do not have an “empire.” They hesitate to get involved with other sentient species and they certainly have no interest in conquering them. Their sin is apathy and hyper-pragmatism, not malice and a desire to take over.

I absolutely think that at the end of the day, there are times when Thrawn wonders if it’s all been worth it. I’m sure the deaths weigh on him. Then he remembers that if he fails, everyone is doomed, and he continues because there is literally no other option. In his mind, he’s staring down the end of the world and he has to sell his soul in order to save it. He’s exactly like Luthen, he’s just not gotten to the stage where he’s old and beaten down by his choices yet.

Edit: to answer the original post, I think Thrawn would be internally sickened by the Ghorman genocide (and BEYOND frustrated with the Empire’s ass-backward, self-destructive policies) but the fact of the matter is, there is absolutely nothing he can do about it (and if he tried to intervene he’d put his entire mission—and the safety of his people and the galaxy at large—at stake). In his situation, he could let the tragedy destroy him, or he can grit his teeth, compartmentalize, and carry out his duty.

Hey, I was wondering if I could get your opinion on something if that's OK?

I was just wondering do you think Thrawn has moments where he REALLY struggles over the empires most despicable acts?

I've been hearing a lot about the Ghorman episode of Andor (not seen Andor, but may have to give a watch cause I've heard nothing but good things about it), which sounds absolutely horrific.

In principle (Canon Zahn) Thrawn is against those types of acts (That is not to say that takes any guilt away from him, at the end of the day he still works for the empire and is still complicit).

Do you think he ever has any "screams into a pillow" moments whenever he hears about things such as this? Maybe a crew member will an involuntary eye twitch when discussing some poor people somewhere who have been killed for no reason?

What do you think?

Maybe not so much a "scream into a pillow" and more a "roll my eyes" or a "long tired sigh" type of moment.

I would like to say Thrawn would disapprove of those acts buuuuuuuuuuut... Would the Ascendancy treat dissidents any better? They are already comfortable enslaving their own girls and view other species as especially intelligent animals instead of equals.

And like... All the Chiss are okay with that, even Thalias, who pushes for better treatment of the girls, is not pushing to find a new way to navigate space to free the girls. Even Thrawn, who is extremely paternal towards the girls and even lost his sister to this institution, is very at peace with the system, like it was something inevitable by fate and not a Chiss-made problem.

Why not use pathfinders like all the other species of the chaos? Nope, we do things our way even if we have to sacrifice our own children!

And they are all pretty okay with that!

Like, where are the political opponents to the current system? Everyone is incredibly comfortable with the current system of family oligarchy, and everyone is okay with that.

Where are the Chiss punks? Where are the Chiss socialists? Where are the Chiss anarchists? Where are the Chiss deserters?

Like, the only true """"""opposing"""" voice is Thrawn's, and while we know it is a premeditated plan with Bakif and Ar'alani, the official public accessible version is that he gets exiled on an isolated planet to ultimately die of starvation for treason.

And he is a decorated officer. What do you think they would do to simple civilians?

Am I looking too much into it? Idk, but the Ascendancy is very much akin to the Empire when you take a step back, and Thrawn spent his entire life uplifting and protecting this entire system.

Maybe Thrawn is more accustomed to those practices than we know of.

Like he would try to prevent getting to resort those extreme actions, but if he judges they must happen for the "greater good" then I feel he would make his peace with them.

Idk, tell me what you all think.

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In Disney canon: treated Imperial defectors like criminals who were quarantined together and subjected to brainwashing if they got into trouble, disregarded the threat of Thrawn’s return, disarmed and disregarded the threat of the First Order until they were destroyed by Starkiller Base.

In the Expanded Universe: Borsk Fey’lya

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Chiss Spy AU Dedra, anyone?

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I can't be the only one who thinks Thrawn and Luthen would a house on fire meeting. It would have been filled with art based metaphors and theats.

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🚨ANDOR S2 SPOILERS🚨

Can’t stop thinking about how The Empire prioritizes subordination over competence.

Dedra FOUND Luthen. She solved the puzzle. She found a key part of the Rebellion. The Mastermind behind Aldhani. The guy who had a mole in the ISB’s inner circle for YEARS. But because she stepped out of line to do so she was thrown out. It didn’t matter that her insubordination was for the good of The Empire. The Empire lost one of their best minds because she hurt egos.

Anyways you know who would’ve loved Dedra?

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timothy zahn spoke at a panel and told people he was initially excited to work with dave/lucasfilm in telling thrawn’s story but he’s had 0 input. fawk you and your big hat dave filoni

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Okay so. I've been obsessing over the fallen angel painting again. So I may or may not have drawn Thrawn over it.. 😋😋

Images under the cut!!

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Multiple versions of this cuz I couldn't decide what to do for a background.. the white is fine with me (I was gonna attempt a background but lost motivation on it 💔) this was also an anatomy analysis, muscles, etc.. I'm so proud of this. Eat up pookies🫐🙏

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I 100% agree with this. I love how he’s this hyper-competent, intense, intimidating man with a willpower and drive strong enough to conquer galaxies… and he also brings the people he cares about drawing supplies and hot drinks when he’s supposed to be off-duty.

Noone can tell me Thrawn doesn't give off major girl dad energy.

Whenever I imagine him theoretically having kids it's always with daughters (probably because of the skywalkers lol).

My headcanon for own fictional timline is that Thrawn returns to his people after sorting out the Grysk and the Chiss find some other way to navigate the unknown regions without the navigators. Thrawn and his SO adopt a couple of the Skywalkers that no longer have families to return too...

But that's just my own gushy headcanon lol.

Dude/Ma'am/Non Binary friend...

I LOVE girl-dad Thrawn!!!!

EVERY TIME I give him a daughter! He is girl-dad coded to the CORE!

He needs women in his life, whether it is an SO, a friend, or a sister; he NEEDS women in his life in some way, and what better way but giving him a daughter ?!

He is good with kids, he is good with women, he would be WONDERFUL as the father of a lil girl!

He would be absolutely crazy about her! To me, he would see it as a great blessing to give birth to a daughter (cause Chiss don't have sexism in the same way that we do, I feel it is lighter, or at least different)

But yeah, Girl dad Thrawn, each day every day!

Not that he would do bad or don't love his son, but he would be C.R.A.Z.Y. for his daughter! Absolutely feral!

Whether they are his blood children or adopted like the Skywalkers, he would be so attentive and doting to his little girls. He would be the most gentle father imaginable, so patient and tender with them.

He definitely bonds with his babies and kids with artsy activities of any form! Paint, drawings, clay, color cubes, make-up, etc... Its artsy time with dad!

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Finally listening to the Thrawn ascendancy audiobooks. Nothing could've prepared me for Ar'alani's german accent 🤣. . . . I think I'll stick to reading.

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Having very serious conversations about fictional universes is one of my favorite things to do.

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my first PC drawing yayyyy. Enjoy some blorbos

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Chiss fans every three(3) minutes