Although in "Legends" works Thrawn was mostly placed in post-"Return of the Jedi" storylines, "Thrawn" is set before the events of the original 1977 film. It covers several years between Thrawn's "first encounter" with the Empire and the events of the third season of "Rebels", chronicling his rise to power. In the novel, exiled Chiss warrior Thrawn is rescued by Imperial soldiers, and soon proves a valuable asset to the Empire. His cunning and expertise as a tactician soon attract the attention of Emperor Palpatine, though Thrawn's renegade tactics ignite the ire of his superiors. As he rises in rank, Thrawn trains his "aide-de-camp" Ensign Eli Vanto in the ways of war, and finds himself in an uneasy alliance with ruthless administrator Arihnda Pryce.