Not a villain

Zahn-canon Thrawn is not a villain.

He is an antagonist, yes.

He plays in the "bad guys" team, yes.

But he is never ever evil.

Unless you consider "evil" to be like General Organa or Vice Admiral Holdo or anyone in the Rebellion or the Resistance that has ever taken a decision that led to killing other sentients beings.

They are at war, they make hard choices.

And, no, I am not claiming that the Empire and the Rebels are "the same". Even during a war, there are right reasons and higher purposes. And the Empire IS corrupt and tyrannical, and folks like Palpatine are never "very fine people".

So, yes, our heroes ARE the "good guys".

And, sure, it would be reductive to state that Thrawn does not know. He knows.

He perfectly knows.

He is aware of the hate, the pain, the atrocities of the Empire.

"What I don't understand is why you still serve the Empire. Can't you see the evil you're helping to perpetuate?" Nightswan tells him. "Take off that uniform, come to join us," he adds.

Thrawn's point is hard to accept, no doubts.

But he is firmly and genuinely convinced that the Empire might be a convenient prey, one day, devoured by "the far more evil things in this galaxy", while what that really matters can survive.

And there is not one occasion, NOT EVEN ONE, in which he *casually* kills, humiliates, disrespects another being. 

The care, recognition, loyalty, ability to lead and to make his subordinates thrive is *unparallel*.

Not even in any canonization of Leia, I saw so much guidance, attention.

Love.

I started to create this post by saying to myself "No problem to make my case. I can just report all the times that Thrawn demonstrates respect for others, for the word given, for sentient life, for kids, for his crew members, for his adversaries".

JUST.

So, I placed a post-it on every page containing that.

And I ended up using 96 post-its.

[And this considering just longer sentences, not the occasional "Good work" or "Excellent" or "Opinion?" or him translating for his subordinates just to make them feeling included or him using words of comfort or understanding]

Ninety-six.

Zahn-canon Thrawn is not a villain.