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If there’s one aspect ofStar Warsthat every fan loves, it’s the creative alien species seen throughout the series. A recent example is the Grysk. While there may be a little too much emphasis on human Jedi for some people’s liking, some great alien beings like Yoda,Ahsoka, and even Thrawnhave caught the attention of fans.Star Warsfans who are the biggest fans of Thrawn may even have some knowledge of the mysterious alien species known as the Grysk.
The averageStar Warsfan may know little about the Grysk, but those who enjoy the expanded canon may have come across them. Initially a mysterious species, a plethora of information has since come to light about the Grysk. SomeStar Warsfans even theorize that the Grysk will have a much larger impacton theStar Warscanon in the near future, whether that be in the games or in new film or television projects.
Unknown; said to be nomadic
Unknown; the language is rare
Sentient; they appear to be organic
Physical Characteristics
Deep-set eyes, a neck and two arms, wide shoulders, and a tapered skull
The Grysk Hegemony
Military Might
Unknown, though they are able to employ client species at their discretion to add to the Grysk numbers
SinceThrawn is one of the most reliable sources of informationon the Grysk, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he offers up a perfect and succinct description of the species in the bookThrawn: Alliances:
Grysks are a species living somewhere in the Unknown Regions. Creatures half of myth, whom few have ever seen. It is said that they are nomads, with no fixed home, traveling in spacecraft so numerous they blot out the stars. They are said to be terrifying warriors, overwhelming their opponents by sheer numbers and ferocity.
With a description like that, it should be clear that the Grysk are something to fear.There aren’t too many enemies that get Thrawn’s full respect, but by the way he views them as an adversary, he at least respects the military might they wield. Not many forces would have been capable of opposing the Empire without the help of a Jedi, but the Grysk are at least one of those forces. Interestingly, much of the known information about the Grysk is in conflict with what Thrawn believes. Instead of mythical warriors, he views them as brilliant strategists who are not to be taken lightly.
The warfare that the Grysk conducted as the Grysk Hegemony is horrifying.Like The Reapers of theMass Effectuniverse, the Grysk could warp the minds of their targets until they were under their thrall. This meant that the Grysk were capable of adding to their military ranks at will and conquering planets with minimal effort. However, there is no indication of how powerful this ability is, or why a Grysk may sometimes choose to use it or not. If it is true that the Grysk do not have a homeworld anymore (though Thrawn does not believe this statement), then it can be assumed that the Grysk choose to live on a massive fleet of warships. Each of these ships is decked out with weapons and armor, should the Grysk need to engage in warfare.
Interestingly, thisobscure alien specieshave been shown as both brilliant military strategists, and yet short-sighted fighters. This is demonstrated by the Grysk’s willingness to wait and observe the Empire to understand just how powerful their army is. At the same time, the Grysk simply fight whatever is closest to them. This aggressive nature has the potential to provide an opening for factions who have a united interest in defeating the threat of the Grysk, allowing them to work together to destroy the dangerous species.
Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil (2021)
Timothy Zahn
To date, the Grysk as a species remain intimately tied to the story and life of Thrawn. They have appeared or been mentioned intwo separate novel trilogies written by Timothy Zahnfocusing on the adventures of Thrawn. The first isStar Wars: Thrawn,running from 2017 to 2019. This series is made up of the titlesThrawn,Thrawn: Alliances, andThrawn: Treason.The books follow the titular character doing what he does best for the Empire in a series of twisting dramatic and political-thriller-like tales.
The prequel series eraThrawn: The Ascendancy Trilogy, running from 2020 to 2021, puts a new emphasis on Thrawn during his time with the Chiss Ascendency in the far reaches of the Unknown Regions. This trilogy is made up ofThrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising,Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good, andThrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil.
While the Grysk have only appeared in Thrawn titles thus far, that might actually be a good thing. If Thrawn’s description of the Grysk from the bookThrawn: Alliancesis anything to go by, they are master warriors:
The Grysks are not to be underestimated. If they fled from combat today, it is because they chose to do so.
Thrawn’s most useful information on the Gryskcomes directly from the Chiss Ascendency, because they engaged in a direct battle with the threat. It is actually the brilliant minds of the Chiss Ascendency that put them into conflict with the Grysk, as the species saw the Chiss Ascendency as something to take on. The brilliant Grysk mind of Jixtus (who acts as a villain throughout the novels) tried a variety of strategies to defeat the Chiss. However, he would ultimately fail, taking his own life to keep the enemies of the Grysk from gaining too much intel on the species.
A number of other conflicts involving the Grysk pop up here and there, including an initial invasion of the galaxy. But it seems like the Grysk are more than ready for a full-blown invasion of theStar Warsgalaxy far, far away, at any moment.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise originally created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy of movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other media like comics, video games, tv shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.
