"Consider this. A laser is made of light, and it can affect physical objects. Or to use another example, a lightsaber. Such a weapon is made of light, and it is no less sharp or deadly as any other blade." Thrawn doesn't know exactly how a lightsaber works, since he's never had a chance to study one, nor has he found any databases of lightsabers. It seems that the Jedi guarded such knowledge well. But he knows that they're basically a laser made into a blade.

"Any spell that I can do, you can learn to do as well. It takes practice, and your familiar is there to assist you with your magic."