Where is Thrawn? The central mystery of Ahsoka, explored

Star Wars fans have been waiting for the Ahsoka series ever since Rosario Dawson debuted the character in live action on The Mandalorian. But even longer than they've been waiting for this show, fans have been clamoring for an answer to the question at the heart of it. That is: where is Grand Admiral Thrawn?

Now that the first two episodes are streaming on Disney+, we finally have some answers. It should go without saying, but spoilers for those first two episodes are on their way.

Before we get to that question, let's back up a bit. We're not going to go into who the villainous Thrawn is here (read Popverse's explainer on Thrawn to get that info), but we will take a moment to ask just why he's missing in the first place. To answer that, let's go back to March of 2018, and the much-lauded series finale to Star Wars Rebels.

Things were looking pretty bad for the titular Rebels, with an imperial fleet lead by the evil Thrawn just about to wipe them out. Fortunately for them, though, a young Force-sensitive Rebel by the name of Ezra Bridger had boarded Thrawn's ship with a plan. Using a tremendous amount of power, Ezra summoned the purrgil, a species of spacewhales with the ability to jump into hyperspace.

Titanic as his fleet was, Thrawn's army is not match for the galaxy-hopping creatures, and his ships are destroyed. The ship that Thrawn is on survives (barely), but does not entire escape the creatures; they drag him into hyperspace, with Ezra along for the ride. What was once the Empire's greatest tactician has been missing ever since.

Cut to the timeline of Ahsoka, set after the Empire has been defeated. There are still those that seek to rule the galaxy with an iron fist, and they could really use the Grand Admiral's help to do so. A race to find him begins, with ex-Jedi Baylan Skoll and apprentice Shin Hati one one side, and the titular Ahsoka Tano on the other. If the former Padawan of Anakin Skywalker doesn't find the 'Heir to the Empire' first, it could mean doom for the fledgling New Republic.

So just where is Thrawn? Well, it takes Ahsoka some digging to find out. In the first episode of the series, Ahsoka finds a map with his whereabouts on Arcana, former home to the Witches of Dathomir. Unfortunately, it's locked. In the second episode, however, our hero manages to get it open, and what she finds inside is quite a surprise. Thrawn (and possibly Ezra) are in a mythic realm called the Pathway to Peridea.

And just what is the Pathway to Peridea, you ask? Well to be honest, we're not sure. This is the first time it's ever been brought up in any Star Wars media. However, speculation is already raging online, with one intriguoing possibilty repeatedly showing up in discussion. Could the Pathway, it asks, be outside the galaxy in which Star Wars takes place? In other words, did Thrawn go from one galaxy far, far away... to one even farther?

We'll let you know as soon as we find out.

Did the first two episodes of Ahsoka have you scratching your head or feeling unprepared to watch? Let Popverse help you out with our Ahsoka watch guide.