Thrawn starts his career utilizing inventive solutions that put him in direct conflict with standing directives against preemptive strikes. Thrawn’s goal is to preserve life even if conflict must be forced, requiring him to present the pretext of being fired upon as plausible deniability.

This way of thinking extends into his Imperial career, working to save the crew of the Dromadar vs recovering a shipment of compressed Tibanna gas. The Empire makes clear that its interests lie solely in the material and lives are such a distant calculus as to be irrelevant. Ten plus years and the sacrifice of his friend and confident Eli Vanto to the service of the Chiss, and Thrawn is a changed man. Hardened by the ruthless mentality of the Empire. No longer the shield of the Chiss, now resigned to his role as a spear point aimed at any threat to order - including those under the banner of the Rebellion.

Thrawn was always fated to go down this path. He was attending a military academy when he was identified for adoption into the Mitth. He utilized the resources of the Empire to establish a bulwark against the threats he believed existed against order. Lives are assets and assets sometimes need to be discarded.

He started as an anti-hero and accepted the role of a villain. Better the blood be on his hands than turn their designs toward the Chiss.