A fan favourite character from the departed Expanded Universe got a name drop in the last ever Star Wars Rebels – Captain Gilad Pellaeon.
During the finale of Star Wars Rebels, right before Grand Admiral Thrawn realizes his blockade has been destroyed by a bunch of space whales, he calls for “Captain Pellaeon.” Captain Gilad Pellaeon was Thrawn’s right-hand man in Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy of books, which have since been labeled as “Legends.” He’s a fan favorite Imperial who rocks a magnificent mustache and a long flowing cape—and went on in books to even outlive Thrawn, becoming a Grand Admiral and eventually a key leader in what remained of the Empire after the Battle of Endor. He helped form the Imperial Remnant, eventually signing the treaty that brought peace between the Remnant and the New Republic. But, until Monday, he wasn’t a part of the new canon.
“Sir, they came out of hyperspace,” Pellaeon says to Thrawn in Rebels’ finale. “I’ve never seen….” He’s cut off. Is he dead? No, Filoni exclusively told io9.
“Even though his radio transmission gets cut off there, I’m not trying to say that Pellaeon would be dead,” Filoni said. “I don’t think that’s it for him. I would like to see other stories with the guy.”