One of Emperor Palpatine’s greatest Force purges in Ahsoka is reversed by Grand Admiral Thrawn, played by Lars Mikkelsen, and it happens as a result of his unexpected alliance with the Nightsisters. In the Star Wars Disney+ TV series’ climax, Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) reveals to Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) that Thrawn was the one who “awoke” the witches just before forging his alliance with him. The Great Mothers were urged to contact Morgan Elsbeth between galaxies and bring both he and his Imperial Star Destroyer back to the main galaxy as part of a deal that Morgan Elsbeth apparently made with them.
Emperor Palpatine, on the other hand, was never fond of the Nightsisters. Thrawn forming an alliance with them, even going so far as to transport crates from Peridea’s catacombs on his ISD as he returns to the main galaxy for the Nightsisters, defies everything Palpatine once stood for. While the contents of those crates are unknown, Ezra’s words about the witches being roused from their slumber and their origin in the catacombs imply that Thrawn is undoing one of Palpatine’s greatest Force purges: the genocide of the Nightsisters.
Palpatine Attempts To Exterminate The Nightsisters
Thirty years prior to the events of Ahsoka, during the Clone Wars, Palpatine saw the Nightsisters as a threat to his expanding Galactic Empire. Palpatine gave General Grievous the go-ahead to attack the Nightsisters on their homeworld of Dathomir after they revealed to be a pain in Count Dooku’s side as well. This was done in an effort to exterminate the group. Only a few Nightsisters, including Mother Talzin, Asajj Ventress, and Morgan Elsbeth, managed to survive this attack. Everyone else perished in a purge that was nearly as destructive as Order 66, if not even more so. The Nightsister civilization in the Star Wars universe came to an end with this genocide, but Thrawn is now reversing that.
Thrawn Is Reintroducing The Nightsisters
It is highly likely that the crates Thrawn is bringing back to the main galaxy contain a sizable number of Nightsisters who are dormant or in some form of suspended animation. By bringing the witches of Dathomir back to their homeworld in the main galaxy, Thrawn is reversing Palpatine’s genocide and restoring their civilization there. Even though it goes against a former order from Palpatine, Thrawn sees the arrangement as mutually beneficial, so it fits with his values of life and character. They serve him in return for his assistance.