This is a good thing in my eyes. Far less annoying to me than Maul's return from the dead.

Truth, though as I understand that happened in Clone Wars, not Rebels (though they do use him in rebels)

And would <3 to see Kyle and Jan show up. That's some Legends worth revisiting.

Same writer though, as much as I love Mauls character in clone wars and in rebels, his comeback from being sliced in half by obi-wan is a bit absurd and its those absurb moments in the films, cartoons and books that make me lose that suspence of disbelief. I know this is a fantasy world, but I felt that as good as Maul was they could have brought in a new character at that stage in the series and have it work just as well. I've loved the character since that point (voiced by Sam Witwer who also does the Emporer in Rebels and another great (butt ludicrous) character, Galen Marek the secret apprentice.

I've loved what Filoni has brought to the table for Star Wars , but there have heen a few 'duh' momennts, but this is a common trope in Star Wars media and both Lucas and Zahn have had them ( for example some of the inconsistencies, and the omniscience or omnipotence of certain key characters)

That's a pretty intense eye design. I don't think they've depicted Chiss with eyes quite like that, but just solid glowing red? Either well, I'll take it.

And it's... Caamasi, Gank, Drall, Selonian, Sathari. Verpine haven't appeared, but have been mentioned in some reference book.

This does mean that Chiss are now D-canon. So do any of the species shown in the FFG lines (aside from the birdmen from the FaD adventure) not yet have D-canon appearances?

IIRC, the Chiss have been canon since late 2014.

This does mean that Chiss are now D-canon. So do any of the species shown in the FFG lines (aside from the birdmen from the FaD adventure) not yet have D-canon appearances?

IIRC, the Chiss have been canon since late 2014.

Did they appear in Rebels season 1? The Movies + CW cartoon + Rebels cartoon are really the only bits considered cannon. Appearance in "Enter the Unknown" or other RPG material doesn't really count.

Figured it was only a matter of time.

I do like Thrawn, but rereading the trilogy recently, even Zahn tended to make him borderline omniscient from time to time. He's a neat character, but it's hard to suspend disbelief when he can accurately deduce certain things at a glance despite significant variables.

What, so the bad guys can't have their own equivalent of Sherlock Holmes?

If you read the Holmes stories, he's extremely perceptive about his environment, very well-educated, and decently versed in the behavior patterns of people. The Guy Ritchie films actually do a very good job of capturing this, especially that for all his intellect Holmes simply has no real social skills, but he can read and manipulate people quite well, and is often several steps ahead of everyone else in terms of planning.

In the Zahn stories, the only reason Thrawn appears to have any degree of omniscience is because we don't see his thought processes, and any time we get an explanation, it's after the fact. Like Holmes, Thrawn is very intelligent, very well educated when it comes to tactics, and goes the extra mile to try and understand the general mindset of a species/culture. It's easily missed, but Thrawn does admit that his modus operandi of studying a species cultures has failed him in the past, and as a result to win he had to resort to standard Imperial brute force tactics, making it a tainted victory at best. In the Heir to the Empire trilogy, if you pay attention you see Thrawn making little mistakes and oversights along the way, based upon variables that he'd have no way of knowing. And even when he had all the facts, he could make erroneous conclusions, but was savvy enough to be able to adapt his plans as necessary to account for new or unforeseen variables. It's been said that no battle plan survives contact with the enemy, and Thrawn was well aware of that fact, to the point that if he saw a fight was going to cost more than he stood to gain from the military action, he retreated, something generally unheard in Imperial military command.

Sadly other EU writers overlooked this, and they instead treated Thrawn as some nigh omniscient tactical genius whose stratagems frequently went off without a single hitch.

Cool. Are we back to tiered canon, again? Other than the Lego Star Wars vs Rest of Star Wars.

To answer your question, Caamasi are in the FFG Star Wars line and as far as I know, are strictly legends.

I am, There's D(isney)-Canon and there's P(re)D(isney)-Canon. Of course, I don't give two craps about canon 99% of the time.

I mean, really, that's just common sense. What other type of Tam & Bak turbolasers could give a wookie flatulence?

Those Tibanna Gas farts are pretty nasty.

Thrawn, Thrawn, Thrawn... Yawn. Lets talk about the fact that it seems Darktroopers are bein canonized as well. Hopefully, hot on their heels is Kyle Katarn and Jan Ors, Kyle in his badass non-jedi form.

Jan Ors would rock my socks.

Figured it was only a matter of time.

I do like Thrawn, but rereading the trilogy recently, even Zahn tended to make him borderline omniscient from time to time. He's a neat character, but it's hard to suspend disbelief when he can accurately deduce certain things at a glance despite significant variables.

What, so the bad guys can't have their own equivalent of Sherlock Holmes?

If you read the Holmes stories, he's extremely perceptive about his environment, very well-educated, and decently versed in the behavior patterns of people. The Guy Ritchie films actually do a very good job of capturing this, especially that for all his intellect Holmes simply has no real social skills, but he can read and manipulate people quite well, and is often several steps ahead of everyone else in terms of planning.

In the Zahn stories, the only reason Thrawn appears to have any degree of omniscience is because we don't see his thought processes, and any time we get an explanation, it's after the fact. Like Holmes, Thrawn is very intelligent, very well educated when it comes to tactics, and goes the extra mile to try and understand the general mindset of a species/culture. It's easily missed, but Thrawn does admit that his modus operandi of studying a species cultures has failed him in the past, and as a result to win he had to resort to standard Imperial brute force tactics, making it a tainted victory at best. In the Heir to the Empire trilogy, if you pay attention you see Thrawn making little mistakes and oversights along the way, based upon variables that he'd have no way of knowing. And even when he had all the facts, he could make erroneous conclusions, but was savvy enough to be able to adapt his plans as necessary to account for new or unforeseen variables. It's been said that no battle plan survives contact with the enemy, and Thrawn was well aware of that fact, to the point that if he saw a fight was going to cost more than he stood to gain from the military action, he retreated, something generally unheard in Imperial military command.

Sadly other EU writers overlooked this, and they instead treated Thrawn as some nigh omniscient tactical genius whose stratagems frequently went off without a single hitch.

When he's being an evil Holmes he's totally the poop. It's when he's outright pulling solutions out of his pixie dust hole I have issues. Fortunately that's fairly rare.

I think the most interesting thing about the announcement is that it opens the door to see other characters from the Zahn stories. Specifically Mara Jade and Talon Karrde.

Did they appear in Rebels season 1? The Movies + CW cartoon + Rebels cartoon are really the only bits considered cannon. Appearance in "Enter the Unknown" or other RPG material doesn't really count.

Just about any official Star Wars story material released after April 2014 is considered canon. As long as it is developed with Lucasfilm Story Group it is canonical. For example, all novels published after A New Dawn are canon.

Anything prior to April 2014 isn't canonical, with the exception of the 6 Star Wars saga films, the Clone Wars TV show and film, and the Star Wars: Darth Maul—Son of Dathomir comic.

I think the most interesting thing about the announcement is that it opens the door to see other characters from the Zahn stories. Specifically Mara Jade and Talon Karrde.

Filoni was asked about Mara Jade and outright dropped a No answer on it.

I think the most interesting thing about the announcement is that it opens the door to see other characters from the Zahn stories. Specifically Mara Jade and Talon Karrde.

Filoni was asked about Mara Jade and outright dropped a No answer on it.

Well that's disappointing; even when I try to find a reason to get excited for it, it's a let down. I guess I'm back to not giving a crap about this announcement then.

No Mara Jade in Rebels doesn't mean no Mara Jade ever.

Jan Ors would rock my socks.

Does anyone but me feel like "Jan Ors" is suspiciously close to "Jyn Erso"?

Vindicated! *proceedes to perform a complicated victory dance* Thrawn was one of the first Legends (ahem, Expanded Universe!) and it's good to see him back.

OMGOMGOMG

...

*faints*

I never understand the amazement at the appearance of a character from the EU. They said they would freely cherry pick whatever they wanted all along when the purge occurred. They just wanted the chronology/timeline/history sacked from the EU mostly as they were going to be doing their own stuff. The whole canon vs not canon hysteria baffles me. Even Lucas said the only thing that was ever truly gospel and not subject to being gutted was what he put down.

Yeah, you can pretend to be all grown-up grognard if it makes you feel cool. Sadly, that's not an option for me - Teenage me would squarely kick me in the groin.

I never understand the amazement at the appearance of a character from the EU. They said they would freely cherry pick whatever they wanted all along when the purge occurred. They just wanted the chronology/timeline/history sacked from the EU mostly as they were going to be doing their own stuff. The whole canon vs not canon hysteria baffles me. Even Lucas said the only thing that was ever truly gospel and not subject to being gutted was what he put down.

I think it's because it hasn't happened before. It's one of those things where they said it could happen, but you take it with a grain of salt. And now that it's happened once, the door's open wide as to what they can include next. Talon Karrde? Garm Bel Iblis? Prince Xizor?

Good idea and a move that will please a lot of fans. The Thrawn-books were part of the bit of the EU that I enjoyed, although reading them again not so long ago I realized that I was simply younger when I read them first. Still, fond memories and all that. Given that I like Rebels and Thrawn, I am really looking forward to this.

The whole trailer looks good, though. Darker, with the whole Ezra and the Dark Side storyline (which makes a lot of sense) and the rebels seemingly coming under a lot of pressure. It will remain a kids' show, but maybe it takes a turn like Clone Wars, becoming a bit more mature and darker as the story unfolds in later seasons.

No Mara Jade in Rebels doesn't mean no Mara Jade ever.

Pretty much.

Filoni's answer is based upon the predication that Mara Jade as a character wouldn't work for the story that he's angling to tell in Rebels. And as excited as most folks are for Thrawn's return to canon, I get the feeling that if it didn't work for the story, then Filoni wouldn't have brought Thrawn back, and instead would have created some new villain to be the major threat to the crew of the Ghost this season.

I never understand the amazement at the appearance of a character from the EU. They said they would freely cherry pick whatever they wanted all along when the purge occurred. They just wanted the chronology/timeline/history sacked from the EU mostly as they were going to be doing their own stuff. The whole canon vs not canon hysteria baffles me. Even Lucas said the only thing that was ever truly gospel and not subject to being gutted was what he put down.

Which is kind of funny as he went ahead and gutted ... sorry, "revised" parts of his own films (who shots first, Han or Greedo? Does Vader make a big 'NO!' before tossing Palpatine do his death or does he remain grimly silent?), so even that was subject to change in his pursuit of the "perfect" version of the originals.

Which of course leads right back to do something need to be canon for people to enjoy it ? I don't think the Han Solo novels by Brian Daley will ever be anything except not Canon and never were really , but they still remain my favorite books , elements of them are in the game , I don't think the stamp of officialness really amounts to anything in regards to whether or not somebody is allowed to enjoy a piece of fiction .

I think it has less to do with enjoying it, and more that one's personal favourite character is considered popular enough to not be discarded or replaced.

For me, I love seeing the Dark Troopers, if that is what they indeed are. I really like Kyle and Jan as characters, and don't think Kyle needs to be a Jedi, in fact, I preferred when he was not. I want a smarmy heavily armed mercenary added to the rebels roster.

My only disappointment with this whole thing is giving Chiss (or at least thrawn) pupils. I think the "smoldering coals" look of Chiss is much more interesting.