Thrawn's Ship In Ahsoka Has Its Own Rich Star Wars History
This post contains spoilers for "Ahsoka" episode 6, "Far, Far Away."
"Ahsoka" has finally reached the point that "Star Wars Rebels" fans have been waiting for with bated breath: the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen, reprising his role from "Rebels"), who appears in live-action for the first time, announcing his twisted plan for the galaxy. The moment Thrawn arrives in the episode, the remnant Empire's plans automatically gain gravitas. There are a lot of interesting things to dissect here, including his Kintsugi-style deathtroopers, his gold-masked right-hand man, Enoch (Wes Chatham), and most importantly, his flagship, the ISD Chimaera.
The Chimaera is the first visual introduction to Thrawn's return after Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), along with Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno), arrive on Peridea. This is not just a ship; the vessel is intimately linked to Thrawn's rise through the ranks when the Empire thrived, and it is likely that the Chimaera played a crucial role in keeping Thrawn and his men alive on such a hostile planet. As Thrawn walks towards the group, flanked by his troopers inside the ship, we are reminded of the raw power he holds — not from the Force, but from the cold, calculated outlook with which he roots out problems that hinder his path.
As an extension of Thrawn's presence, the Chimaera has played a pivotal role in shaping "Star Wars" history, from its early service days under a younger Thrawn right up to the present day, where Elsbeth and the Chiss strategist seem to be hatching a macabre plan involving "catacombs" and the dead. Thrawn's return automatically signals war and instability, and the Chimaera will act as the vehicle for such chaos. Let's look into the history of the ship and understand why it's so important.
A unique vessel
The Chimaera is a modified Imperial I Star Destroyer, which served as Thrawn's command ship throughout the course of his career dedicated to the Empire, from Commodore to Grand Admiral. Prior to the Liberation of Lothal, Thrawn used the Seventh Fleet to blockade the Outer Rim planet but was later defeated when Ezra Bridger (played by Eman Esfandi in "Ahsoka") used the purrgils to drag Thrawn, the Chimaera, and himself into hyperspace. Since their departure in the "Star Wars Rebels" series finale, Thrawn's return has been the subject of constant theory-crafting, along with that of Ezra's fate, who was often theorized to have gone rogue (the actual reveal of his fate is much more endearing).
The ship's most unique feature is the engraving of a chimaera on the underside of its hull, and Thrawn was struck by this specific inspiration during his time as Senior Captain of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet. While standard Star Destroyers had double-barreled turrets, The Chimaera had eight-barreled ones, possibly tweaked to accommodate the Admiral's grand ambition and his need for a foolproof airborne fortress that could tank enemies.
One of the ship's earliest uses was during the height of the Galactic Empire when rebellion was just a spark in various corners of the galaxy. Thrawn was sent to squash these potential pockets of rebellion, which he proceeded to do over the years without any mercy, using the ship to turn the tide of some small-scale space battles, including the attack on the Lansend Twenty-Six space station to recapture Wookie slaves who had escaped with the aid of rebel groups. After winning this particular space battle, Thrawn went on to deal with various threats until the civil war started, weakening planetary defenses ruthlessly and apprehending malcontents who threatened the cause of the Empire.
Quelling rebellion
Specific instances of rebellion-squashing spearheaded by Thrawn with the aid of the Chimaera include his assignment to the 96th Task Force after being promoted to the rank of Admiral. The mono-continent planet of Batonn was the target this time, as an insurgent faction was rampant here at the time. With the help of TIE fighters and on-vessel arms, the mission was accomplished, and the rebel base on Scrim Island was fired upon directly by the ship. While Thrawn was reprimanded for the unnecessary loss of civilian lives, his career advanced anyway, as he was too valuable an asset for the Empire.
When unrest bubbled in Lothal around 2 BBY, Thrawn (who was Grand Admiral by now) and his Seventh Fleet were asked to aid in strengthening the Imperial stronghold over the area. A battle with rebel allies ensued on Mykapo, which later spurred Thrawn to dispatch droids to hunt down rebel bases. While the Phoenix Squadron geared to attack the Imperial Starfighter factory in Lothal, they learned that Thrawn intended to attack Atollon. A tense series of events led to the Battle of Atollon, where The Chimaera and the 7th Fleet took out the rebel squadron with ease. However, a surprise attack by a Mandalorian fleet rendered Thrawn's victory incomplete.
At some point, Thrawn worked directly alongside Vader to investigate a disturbance in the Force in Batuu under Emperor Palpatine's order, where they discovered a Grysk operation to overthrow the Empire. The Chimaera, alongside Vader and Thrawn's death troopers, squashed this operation before it could be employed in action. The Chimaera then went on to play a crucial role during the Liberation of Lothal, the final battle of "Star Wars Rebels," before it disappeared alongside Thrawn thanks to Ezra's galaxy-saving sacrifice.
Episodes of "Ahsoka" drop every Tuesday on Disney+.