Thanks for filling me in on the novels I missed.
And I agree; Thrawn seems likely to remain an antagonist, but one audiences can enjoy and even sympathize with. I think he's simply too good a villain for anything else, honestly. The showrunners and writers might want to tease us and make us wonder who's side he's "really" on, but he's well known among the fans and like someone said, it's easier to "plug and play" him than it is to create a new villain.
Of course, a lot depends on what he's been doing since Rebels too. There's lots of ways they might present him, but setting aside any misdirects or "common enemy" troupes, I don't see Thrawn being handled as anything but the bad guy. And I wouldn't want it any other way. His motivations might be understandable but he's still a monster who's committed untold crimes against the galaxy.
He's not likely to have much love for the New Republic, or see much value to them. They're unable to protect the Outer Rim in the Mando era, and unwilling to even recognize the threat of the First Order in the sequel era. Thrawn might use and/or manipulate them, but I don't think he'd align himself with them the way he did Palpatine. Maybe as a farce, but not truly.
I don't think there's much doubt that she'll be some kind of antagonist in Mando season 3. She wants the Darksaber, she wants the throne, and any fondness she may feel for Din on a personal level isn't gonna count for much when weighed against her ambition for Mandalore.To change the subject a bit - three of the podcasts I listened to that talked about the teasers all mentioned they thought Bo-Katan was being positioned as an antagonist in the teaser. Now, I felt something like that ways inevitable given her complicated history and the way she exited The Mandalorian in Season 2… but I know a few fanboys and fangirls who really want her as a protagonist (including a few who want her to win the Darksaber and become the Mandalore.)
What role do you think she shouldtake?
But I also don't think it'll be as clean cut as the typical Star Wars good/evil divide. I think they'll play it more as "friends on opposite sides" and keep it clear that she's not really a villain in the traditional SW sense. I'm hoping she realizes she's not cut out for rule, makes way for Din or Grogu or whoever ends up being "worthy" of the Darksaber, and accepts some kind of advisory role. I think Bo's particular flavor of Mando ethics is worth keeping around and her viewpoint is valuable. Part of what makes Mandalore interesting (at least to me) is how they don't quite fit in the "Republic/Empire" moral axis. Bo and the Armorer both are valuable assets in maintaining that division.
As for Sabine.....it'd be nice to get her in Mando season 3 but I don't know if that'll happen, nor do I think it's necessary. Odds are Din will show up in Ashoka anyway, and they'll meet there. But I do think she'd be useful to the larger Mandalorian story, and I definitely agree that she offers a kind of blueprint for Din to follow; she hasn't lost touch with her culture, but she isn't the extremist Bo and the Armorer are. Sabine has found a balance to the sides of her life and despite their differences, Din may benefit from her experience.