How the Battle of Endor Would Have Played Out if Thrawn Commanded the Imperial Forces
H1: How the Battle of Endor Would Have Played Out if Thrawn Commanded the Imperial Forces
H2: The Outcome Would Probably Have Been the Same
The battle of Endor was more of a side show, with its outcome entirely dependent on Luke’s struggle to redeem his father, Darth Vader. While many Star Wars fans overlook this, the truth is revealed in the first episode: the Force controls our destiny, not blasters or ancient religions.
H2: Key Moments in Star Wars
In Episode IV - A New Hope, Luke is practicing with his father's lightsaber and gets shocked. He then has this exchange with Han Solo:
Han Solo: Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a blaster at your side, kid.
Luke Skywalker: You don’t believe in the Force, do you?
Han Solo: Kids, I’ve flown from one side of this galaxy to the other. I’ve seen a lot of strange stuff. But I’ve never seen anything to make me believe that there’s one all-powerful Force controlling everything. There’s no mystical energy field that controls my destiny. Anyway, it’s all a lot of simple tricks and nonsense.
This conversation marks Han’s initial skepticism, but he would later admit that he had been wrong about the Force in Episode VII. The Force, despite being a mysterious and powerful force, is not something that a Jedi can fully control. Overthrowing the Empire or destroying a planet pales in comparison to the power of the Force.
H2: Imperial Command Under Thrawn
Thrawn, with his strategic brilliance and deep understanding of the Force, would have had a very different approach. Given Thrawn's reputation as the "Master of Deception," he would have carefully orchestrated the battle to optimize the Imperial forces' strengths, making them far more formidable than they were in the original script.
H2: The Ground Team’s Role
The events on the ground at the battle of Endor would have seen a fundamentally different set of actions due to Thrawn's command. The ground team tasked with disabling the shield would not have succumbed to the reckless antics of Admiral Piett and Moff Jerjerrod. Instead, Thrawn would have issued orders that would have prevented such a breach.
Consider this scenario: The squad in charge of that specific door would have been given extremely strict orders not to open it, indicating that any breaches had severe consequences:
Squad Commander: My orders are that that door once closed and the trap is set, remains closed. Or you will find that Lord Vader is… most displeased. Now I’m off to deal with something a bit more complicated.
With these strict orders in place, the shield would have remained up, and the rebel fleet would have been destroyed. Thrawn’s tactical acumen and understanding of the Force would have led to a far more coordinated and decisive victory for the Empire.
H2: The Shift in the Force
Even with Thrawn in command, the eternal struggle between Light and Darkness, as symbolized by the shift in the Force, would have still occurred. If Luke failed to redeem Vader, the Emperor would have been supreme and unassailable, as the Force’s balance would still be in his favor.
On the flip side, if Luke succeeded, new fleets of freedom fighters would have risen up to challenge the Empire’s rule.
H2: Conclusion
In summary, while the underlying dynamics of the battle and its ultimate outcome would have been different due to Thrawn’s command, the ultimate fate of the galaxy would still depend on the delicate balance of the Force, as established throughout the Star Wars saga.