You know, if we end up doing the coup before Palpy initiates Shadow Hand, I had this funny image in my head of him loudly announcing his return, only for the entirety of the Empire to tell him to shove it. His reaction to what Thrawn has done with the Empire in his absence would be even better. Non-humans being embraced, superweapons being used for purposes that don't involve mass murder, the light side of the Force being taught in Thrawn's Force Order, and best (or worst, in Palpy's eyes) of all, no (overt) mass murder or enslavement of sentient beings!