Anakin Skywalker Just Gave New Meaning to a Beloved Prequel Scene

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: Thrawn - Alliances #3

Summary Anakin and Thrawn work together as a team in the new Thrawn Alliances comic adaptation, emulating the reek Anakin fought in Attack of the Clones.

Their dynamic duo continues into the Dark Times, showing impressive teamwork despite becoming Darth Vader and Grand Admiral Thrawn.

The new Thrawn Alliances comic brings new visuals to the original novel's storyline, expanding the story that explains Thrawn's recognition of Anakin in the recent Ahsoka series.

In the new comic adaptation of Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Alliances, Anakin Skywalker emulates a classic Star Wars monster during his dynamic team-up with the future Grand Admiral Thrawn during the Clone Wars. Having joined together thanks to a chance meeting, Anakin and Thrawn gained mutual respect for one another as warriors. As such, the benefits of their shared skills are on full display in this new comic series.

As seen in Thrawn Alliances #3 by Timothy Zahn, Jody Houser, Pat Olliffe and Andrea Di Vito, Anakin Skywalker's adventures with Thrawn on the world of Batuu are intercut with Darth Vader and Grand Admiral Thrawn's joint mission to the same world as ordered by Emperor Palpatine, investigating a key disturbance in the Force. Facing Separatist allies during the Clone Wars while searching for the missing Padmé Amidala, Thrawn encourages Anakin to embody a classic Star Wars creature, ironically one Anakin is quite familiar with thanks to Attack of the Clones.

Understanding what Thrawn is implying, Anakin ignites his lightsaber while Thrawn continues driving their commandeered speeder through the streets of Batuu, the same planet that would become the backdrop for Disneyland's Star Wars-themed land known as Galaxy's Edge.

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Together, Anakin Skywalker and Thrawn Embody A Reek

The Rhino-Like Creature From Attack of the Clones

Working in tandem, Anakin and Thrawn emulate the rhino-like creature known as a reek, the very same monster Anakin fought in the Geonosian arena as seen in Attack of the Clones. While Thrawn drives, Anakin becomes the horn of their "charging reek" with his lightsaber, taking out several of the thugs. He even throws his lightsaber ahead of the speeder before using the Force to call it back.

Anakin and Thrawn gain the upper hand over the attackers, allowing them to learn their true motives and learn what might have happened to Padmé. Likewise, the true benefit for Thrawn during this era is the knowledge he's gaining about the Clone Wars, having come from the Unknown Regions on behalf of his people, the Chiss Ascendancy. Regardless, this exciting callback to Attack of the Clones is a testament to how great Anakin and Thrawn were as a team, an alliance that would reform during the Dark Times when they both came into the Empire's service.

Anakin And Thrawn Were One Of Star Wars' Most Impressive Duos

Even After Anakin Became Darth Vader

Returning to Batuu years later, Thrawn was smart enough to know the truth about Darth Vader, having recognized that he must have once been the Jedi he fought alongside years prior. Furthermore, Vader and Grand Admiral Thrawn are just as effective during the Dark Times as they were during the Clone Wars, taking out an entire cantina full of enemies even after they'd been immobilized by a concrete-like substance. At any rate, it's exciting to see the original Thrawn Alliances novel receive these exciting new visuals, explaining Thrawn's recognition when Anakin's name was referenced in the recent Ahsoka live-action series.

Star Wars: Thrawn - Alliances #3 is available now from Marvel Comics.