Which is your favorite Starfighter? (corrected)

[Guest Admiral_Antilles]

That's true Mad, they ruled by fear. But their weapon was turned against them, they became too demanding and tough, therefore creating their own demise in the shape of the Alliance.

[Mad78]

I think the hole idea of considering non-humans inferior was what really played against them. But under Pellaon they improved

[Guest Admiral_Antilles]

But under Pellaon they improved

 

I think you hit that one on the money. I always liked him a lot, but especially as he grew older post-thrawn saga. He became in someways like Thrawn but with a different personality. He was smart, tactful and considering. I believe that is why he has done so well and lived so long as the "leader" of the EMpire Remnant.

[Trejiuvanat]

Pellaeon has been always an interesting personality, ever since he first appeared in the Thrawn Trilogy.

He became an Imperial one could sympathize with -even more than Piett-, the evolution of his character from Endor to Bothawui -including the parts that have only been told in the essential chronology- shows that he assimilated the lesson he learnt from Thrawn and Daala (who was the first to accept nonhumans and women into the Imperial Navy) and that he applied them with relative success.

In the end, I think, Pellaeon could have been the only leader for the Empire at that time. Prudent and humble enough he realized, when it was time for peace. Over the years Pellaeon has impressed his personality on the Empire, creating thus a more conscient and human regime, but keeping the order of Palpatine's Empire.

[Stellar_Magic]

Pelleaon was a pragmatist, first and foremost. He saw the reality fo the situation and knew when to run away, which is one of the reasons why he actually lived so long. He also doesn't have the irrational dislike of non humans. The fact that he was humble kept him likeable, especially when he didn't participate in any atrocities against prisoners, or aliens.

 

Of course Pelleaon brings up a question I've been having, in the NJO do they ever talk about the Empire of the Hand, its like the authors thought of the Empire of the Hand and the Chiss Ascendency as the same nation. Could someone explain that all to me?

[Mad78]

Fro mwhat I understood the Empire of the Hand is a kind of nation created by Thrawn composed of Chiss and the Ascendency is the home nation of the Chiss.

[Guest Admiral_Antilles]

Of course Pelleaon brings up a question I've been having, in the NJO do they ever talk about the Empire of the Hand, its like the authors thought of the Empire of the Hand and the Chiss Ascendency as the same nation. Could someone explain that all to me?

 

Well I never personally read naything on it in NJO. It was just called the Chiss Empire. Sorry...

[Mad78]

It's true they don't say much about it

[Guest Admiral_Antilles]

Yeah, I also wish there is more Noghri info. I think those things are awsome. How they could move around and kill someone without them even knowing they were being attacked. I think Zahn created some of the best characters ever:

 

1. Thrawn

2. Palleon

3. Mara Jade

4. Noghri

 

I am sure there are more but that is all I can remember.

[Mad78]

Stackpole was good as well.

BTW Does Stackpole have a brother Aaron who works in computer game making? Because not long ago I finished a game called Gunman Chronicles and in the credits I saw to my great suprise.

"Very special thanks to Aaron Stackpole."

[Grand_Admiral_Thrawn]

I hadn't actually thought about the Hand. It wasn't the same thing as the Chiss Empire. It was created by Thrawn shortly after his Promotion to Grand Admiral, and his subsiquent banishment to the outer rim. Because he was also banished from the Chiss empire, this could dispell any link between the two.

I agree that Zahn created some of the best characters, though I feel that most writers didn't write them as well. Palleon seemed to change when they moved into the NJO series. He became more like the old Imperial officers, somthing I didn't feel was in him in any of the Zahn novels. He was also darker.

[Mad78]

I still consider Pellaon as one of my favorite imperial officers.

[Grand_Admiral_Thrawn]

He comes in for a close second with me.

[Stellar_Magic]

Personally I agree with Mad that Pelleaon is my favorite imp. Though thats mostly because I don't think of Thrawn as an Imperial. The books Survivor's Quest and Vision of the Future paint a very different picture of Thrawn, everything he does seems to be gearing for an invasion by some unknown force...maybe the vong, maybe something else.

[Mad78]

All Thrawn was aiming at was peace.

[Grand_Admiral_Thrawn]

It's rather difficult to determin what Thrawn's goal was. In the Heir series he seemed to want to re-establish the Empire. Once you get to the Vision series we see what was going on in the background and it does look as though he was preparing for something. We also learn that the Chiss have been holding back an enemy alien force, though whether it is the Vong or the Ssi-Ruk(sp?) is up to debate. I must admit that the idea that Thrawn only wanted peace is a little off though. Remember, he was cast out of his own home for being too brutal in combat (I can't remember if it was an uprising of some sort. It's been a while since I've read the early books). All I know is that I have hopes that the clone Luke and Mara found some how survived and will come into whatever new series is in store for us.

[Stellar_Magic]

At the end of Survivor's Quest its pretty clear Thrawn is back...

 

Thrawn got kicked out of the Chiss Ascendancy for conducting preemptive strikes on some of their enemies.

 

What I've always wondered is why did Thrawn destroy Outbound Flight? That still hasn't been explained.

[Mad78]

In the Hand of Thrawn book series Pellaon says that Thrawn was aiming for peace.

[Grand_Admiral_Thrawn]

Survivors Quest, that's the new one right? I actually haven't had time to read it... I think I'll grab it on my way to work today. I was literally heart-broken when I read the end of The Last Command. Thrawn was by-far my fav character (but you alread knew that). If he is indeed back, I will be overjoyed!

[Mad78]

I have to get up to date on my book collection.

[ADarkJedi44]

Thrawn is....back? I definatly need to get up to date with the new books, the last ones I read was the NJO.

Thrawn is definatly my favorite Imperial, you gotta love him.

[Trejiuvanat]

At the end of Survivor's Quest its pretty clear Thrawn is back...

 

Thrawn got kicked out of the Chiss Ascendancy for conducting preemptive strikes on some of their enemies.

 

What I've always wondered is why did Thrawn destroy Outbound Flight? That still hasn't been explained.

 

I found some reviews on the net (I haven't the book) and they hint that Thrawn at least is back as another clone. would that explain the rather silent role of the Empire of the Hand in NJO, or explain why it acts as a same entity as the Ascendancy?

 

Thrawn engineered his own way of getting kicked out of it.

 

Wait till 2005 with Zahn's other novel.. About the OBF Thrawn destroyed it after having been contacted by Kinman Doriana. Good ol' red eyes, must have figured that Palpy's Empire could come handy against the mysterious 100 dangers of the Unknown Regions.

 

About the Chiss Ascendancy and the Empire of the Hand, I think in some way the Empire of the Hand is a more independent branch of the Chiss Ascendancy, from VotF we know that the Empire of the Hand operates with lots of Chiss, and it keeps the Chiss nomination (Syndic, Phalanx), and that they get enough new recruits without being sanctioned by the official Chiss government.

I believe that Thrawn had a long talk with the members of the Ruling Families when he came back from Known Space, and convinced them to allow him to retake his title as a Syndic and create his own "Empire", that'd be the first line of defense for the Chiss Imperium, not only for defense against the above-mentioned threats, but for defense against Palpy's Empire. It is a Chiss politic entity that works with a different set of ideologies (Thrawn's particular interpretation of the New Order set to work in the Unknown Regions, pre-emptive strike and all), thus the Ruling Families do not accept officially their stance towards the Hand, but they understand the importance of such a military power in the Unknown Regions.

 

That's just some crazy theory, though...

 

Talking about Zahn... and about those that have read Survivor's Quest... There wouldn't be any mention of that alien civilization Thrawn destroyed because he didn't understand their art nor any further mention of Hijarna, would it? Those have been by far the most intriguing side-stories from the Thrawn Trilogy, and the ones I have been looking for solution for a long time...

[Grand_Admiral_Thrawn]

Say no more! AAAAAH! I've just started reading Survivors Quest and want to be surprised. (I only read the first part of that post anyways). As for Thrawn being back, I'm not so sure. Since the novel takes place before the NJO, one would expect that Thrawn would have somehow been written into the NJO series (I know, SQ came out after NJO was finished, the writers talk to one-another).

[BadSamaritan]

Survivors quest? I havent read it yet. between working, writing, and drinking, ive barely had enough time to sleep, let alone get up to date on the newset books. Looks like i have some catching up to do though.

[Grand_Admiral_Thrawn]

I'm about half way through it. I must admit, for a Zahn novel I though I'd get more for my money.