Ahsoka Episode 6: The Real-Life Inspiration For Thrawn's Eerie Stormtrooper Armor
Contains spoilers for "Ahsoka" Episode 6 — "Part Six: Far, Far Away"
The return of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) has been a long time coming. The famed Chiss strategist, known for both his leading role in Timothy Zahn's "Heir to the Empire" novel and his canonical turn in "Star Wars Rebels," was first mentioned in live-action "Star Wars" way back in "The Mandalorian" Season 2. We've had "Obi-Wan Kenobi," "Andor," "The Book of Boba Fett," and another season of "The Mandalorian" in that time, but Thrawn has finally made his live-action debut in "Ahsoka" Episode 6, "Far, Far Away."
And he's not alone. When Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) and her cadre of villains reunite with Thrawn on the extragalactic planet of Peridea, he's flanked by a full deployment of stormtroopers. Of course, they aren't exactly the same as the ones fans know from the original "Star Wars" trilogy. A decade in exile beyond their home galaxy has left Thrawn's contingent battered and scarred, and their armor reflects that experience. His flagship, the Star Destroyer Chimaera, shows signs of numerous repairs with random materials, and the stormtroopers who guard it are similarly mismatched.
Leg armor is braced and held together with red tape. Helmets are plastered with black within the white, suggesting DIY repairs after untold battles. But the most interesting aspect of Thrawn's eerie stormtrooper armor is the golden accents — an artistic choice that draws inspiration from the real-world Japanese art of Kintsugi.
The Japanese art of Kintsugi explained
Kintsugi is believed to have begun in the 15th century. Its exact origins are unknown (though some legends trace it back to shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa), but by the 1600s, it was a common practice throughout Japan.
Essentially, Kintsugi is the practice of repairing broken ceramics with gold-dusted lacquer. This draws attention to the scar of the breakage and beautifies it, making it a proud part of the piece instead of something to be smoothed over or covered up. Pottery pieces like teacups or bowls that have been altered in this way can be seen as even more valuable than they would have been before being broken, as the gold makes them completely unique and adds a striking visual quality.
The philosophy behind kintsugi (also known as kintsukuroi, or "golden repair" in English) is just as beautiful as the art itself. It holds that scars are not things to be hidden, but rather part of what makes something unique. Healing from a wound is a beautiful thing, and it should be celebrated, even if the object or person won't be the same as they were before. Indeed, they may even be better off afterward.
What Thrawn's stormtrooper armor reveals about his army
The use of kintsugi — or rather, a sci-fi approximation of kintsugi — by Thrawn's army is quite interesting. It also twists the meaning of the art from a beautiful practice to something quite intimidating. Clearly, the last decade that Thrawn and his soldiers have spent stranded in this new galaxy hasn't been easy. They've had to fend for themselves in a foreign environment that likely lacks many of the resources and advantages they were used to before. And yet, they don't appear broken. They haven't given up their armor or their ship, and Thrawn still wears the traditional Imperial admiral garb, despite the Empire having fallen years ago.
Without using any words at all, this shows exactly how dedicated Thrawn's army is — both to him as a leader who's guided them through tough times and to their overall mission of returning to the "Star Wars" galaxy and reconquering it. These aren't shiny, inexperienced stormtroopers. They're hardened warriors who've emerged from a crucible with a fire in their hearts and an unquestioning loyalty to Thrawn.
In short, it's an army that's unlikely to give up easily. If they've fought this hard and repaired their armor this many times, they'll likely fight to the very last man. That's the kind of inspiration that Thrawn creates in his followers, and it could spell disaster for the New Republic if he returns.