Star Wars: The 10 best villains of the Skywalker Saga, ranked

7. Grand Admiral Thrawn

One of the only non-humans to hold rank within the Imperial high command, Thrawn is a considerable mind on the battlefield. There are truly no others like him in either the Empire or the Rebellion. Even amongst his own species, the Chiss, he’s considered odd given his fascination with other cultures, particularly their art. That, however, is the secret to his success, he can learn how a group will fight through the art they exhibit.

Thrawn is genuinely one of the most intriguing villains in Star Wars because he doesn’t necessarily take pleasure in causing pain; he just wants to win. Pretty much every other villain on this list, and in the Star Wars in universe, are sadists who love causing pain to both their enemies and their allies. Thrawn, on the other hand, is different. He simply wants to win the battle, and he respects his subordinates, allies, and enemies, in both the Empire and out. Thrawn is incredibly complex as a villain because, depending on the stories involving him, he is sometimes the hero of the story. That really can’t be said for any other villain.

Thrawn’s intelligence is also incredibly captivating, as he is always the smartest one in the room, even if he doesn’t act like it. In most cases, he wants to teach as much as he wants to win a battle.