The character has been on many "top" lists of "Star Wars" characters, praising his villainy and character. In a list of fifteen "Star Wars" villains, Schedeen placed Thrawn as second best, beaten by Darth Vader, focusing on his greatness as a commander and tactician. In 2008, IGN ranked him as the tenth best overall "Star Wars" character, noting his influence in the expanded universe, and UGO listed him as the third greatest expanded universe character the same year. "Empire" listed Thrawn fifth in their list of the 25 best of the more obscure "Star Wars" characters in 2015.