Star Wars: Ahsoka Theory Claims High Republic Villains The Nihil Are Involved With Thrawn's Return

Star Wars: Ahsoka has, in many ways, been serving as a convergence point of sorts, bringing together the various eras of the Star Wars franchise, from the Clone Wars era of the Prequels to the Age of Rebellion in the Original Trilogy, to all the new frontiers being literally and figuratively explored in The Mandalorian's era of the New Republic. 

Now, a new Star Wars fan theory is predicting that Ahsoka franchise connections will also extend all the way back to the High Republic Era, by bringing back some of its worst villains: The Nihil! 

Who Are The Nihil? 

If you haven't read The High Republic line of Star Wars novels, comics, and audiobooks, The Nihil are a band of space pirate marauders that plagued the Jedi Order and Republic government in their efforts to extend the New Republic into the Outer Rim territories. The Nihil's main advantage against the Republic and/or Jedi was their signature piece of tech the "Path engines," smaller hyperspace drive devices that let the Nihil access the "Paths," lanes of hyperspace only the Nihil could access and navigate. The Paths let the Nihil appear, strike, and disappear at will across the galaxy; they could even jump across incredibly short distances, allowing them even more of an edge in space battles against enemy fleets and planets they targeted. 

The High Republic saga began with The Nihil's Paths causing a massive galactic disaster when one of the pirates' ships and a Republic ship collide in hyperspace, throwing massive pieces of ship debris into realspace at velocities that wipe out planets, ships, and space stations across an entire sector. The continuing saga has seen the High Republic Jedi go to war against the Nihil and their leader Marchion Ro, with the pirates turning a Republic fair into a mass murder; destroying the Jedi starbase Starlight Beacon; and unleashing Force-eating monsters called Levelers into the galaxy, killing off multiple key Jedi Knight and/or Master characters – including The High Republic's version of Ahsoka Tano. 

Why The Nihil Could Return For Ahsoka

Ahsoka has made the main focus of its story the race to get to Grand Admiral Thrawn and/or young Jedi Rebel Ezra Bridger, in the unknown regions of the galaxy. The show's credits sequence and various scenes throughout the series have teased a literal map to the stars, leading to Thrawn's location. In Ahsoka Episode 4, the duel between Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) included runes seen within the ancient map site on Seatos, which allegedly contain the Easter egg term "Occlusion." That very unique word only has one correlation in Star Wars lore: The Occlusion Zone, a section of space along the "Galactic Frontier" that the Nihil sectioned off for themselves, using a barrier. The Paths, Occlusion Zone, and No-space bases of operation made it nearly impossible for the Jedi and Republic to track down and stop the Nihil, who could flee to regions of space that traditional hyperspace navigational systems simply couldn't reach. 

Obviously, the Nihil and their Paths would be an easy bit of Star Wars: The High Republic lore to spin off into Ahsoka and the live-action MandoVerse. Even if there aren't any surviving Nihil centuries after The High Republic, Thrawn gaining access to their bases and/or technology within a distant pocket of space would make him a true "Heir to the Empire" threat that would rival Palpetine and The Sith Cult. 

Moreover, many fans have theorized that Ahsoka showrunner Dave Filoni will continue giving head nods to the old Star Wars Extended Universe (where Thrawn was first created) by doing a re-imagined version of the Yuuzhan Vong War – possibly with Thrawn and The Nihil at the center.  In that non-canon storyline, the Yuuzhan Vong were a nomadic species of warring, conquering savages, who burst into the Outer Rim from another galaxy, and nearly toppled the New Republic. If this current theory holds true, may soon find out that there is indeed a pointed purpose in the character similarities between the Yuuzhan Vong and Nihil. 

Star Wars comics of the Empire/Rebellion eras (see: Dr. Aphra) have made a point to be weaving Nihil technology into OT lore since The High Republic began. Ahsoka using the Nihil would be the biggest (and necessary) boost of The High Republic's profile yet. In fact, it will almost be a major missed opportunity if it doesn't happen that way. 

Star Wars: Ahsoka streams new episodes Tuesday nights on Disney+. The High Republic books and comics are available for purchase as well.