By now we’ve talked about the Star Wars Rebels references in Rogue One until we are blue in the face. And, in this case, that pun is intended.


Of course, the film features Chopper, the Ghost, and General Syndulla, but did you know there was another one that fans couldn’t have guessed until they saw the season finale?

In the third season finale of Rebels, Grand Admiral Thrawn decimated the Rebels in one of their biggest battles yet. Well, Rebels executive producer Dave Filoni said that was one of the biggest reasons why the Rebel Alliance did not immediately trust Jyn Erso and send the Alliance to Scarif .


“You see the after effect of [Thrawn’s victory] in Rogue One,” Filoni said at Star Wars Celebration. “They’re really hesitant to actually fight. It takes a lot to draw them out because they lost.”

Of course, they do eventually fight, and enjoy “their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.” But, the long arm of Thrawn is felt all the way into the films. Whether or not we’ll see that actual battle in the final season of Rebels remains unconfirmed.

The fourth and final season of Star Wars Rebels starts in Fall. Rogue One is out now on Blu-ray.