Who is Baylan Skoll in Star Wars series Ahsoka? One of the many new additions to the world of Star Wars in Ahsoka is a genuinely chilling new bad guy. With badass lightsaber skills and an apprentice of his own, Baylan Skoll is a very memorable addition indeed.
Star Wars fans have seen many devious fiends over the years, with the best Star Wars villains running the gamut from inhuman monsters and Sith Lords to manipulative humans. But now that the Ahsoka has come and gone, we can say that it’s one of the best TV series in the Star Wars canon, giving Ahsoka Tano her chance to shine in live-action after her time at the center of some of the best animated series in Star Wars history.
But you’re not here for the heroes in the Ahsoka cast. You want to know more about Baylan Skoll, who has cemented himself as one of the best Star Wars characters in the show. He certainly wields that saber like a champ.
Who is Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka?
Baylan Skoll is one of the main antagonists in Ahsoka. He’s a former Jedi who survived Order 66 and became a mercenary, now working with Morgan Elsbeth to secure the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
We first heard about Baylan Skoll at Star Wars Celebration 2023, when he was announced as joining Ahsoka to become the Star Wars franchise’s latest Force-sensitive baddie. The red lightsaber is always a clue, isn’t it?
The role was kept secret for a long time, but we now know that Skoll is a fallen Jedi. He survived Order 66 and became a mercenary, but he has now found himself in the service of the Imperial remnant, assisting Morgan Elsbeth in the hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn. But he seems to have his own motivations beyond Thrawn’s ideology.
Like any good Jedi or Sith, Skoll has an apprentice. Shin Hati, played by Ivanna Sakhno, is a fierce and formidable fighter. She also had the distinctive Padawan braid, which suggested Skoll hadn’t completely left the ways of the Jedi order behind.
We had seen the potential seeds of a face turn for Skoll. In the final moments of Ahsoka episode 2, he said it would be a shame to kill Ahsoka given how few true Jedi – as opposed to the ‘Bokken Jedi‘ he dismisses – are left. He has also spoken to Shin Hati about a great power calling to Baylan Skoll, which suggested neither Elsbeth nor Thrawn had his true loyalties.
Warning, we’re getting into spoiler territory going forward.
In the Ahsoka finale, we saw him standing alone atop a mountain on Peridea, with the range carved into the shapes of the Mortis gods. His future is unclear, but we know for certain he has grander ambitions. While he’s a unique Sith character in that he doesn’t have much of an evil presence, he clearly is seeking something out that falls outside of Thrawn’s militaristic plans for the Empire. What that is, we can’t say.
Who plays Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka?
The late Ray Stevenson, a celebrated character actor, stars in the Ahsoka cast as Baylan Skoll.
Stevenson played the Asgardian Volstagg in the first three Thor movies in order as well as the epic 2022 action movie RRR. He also has bona fide Star Wars series expertise prior to the Ahsoka cast, having provided voice work for both Rebels and Clone Wars.
The actor sadly passed away in May 2023 at the tragically young age of 58. The first episode of Ahsoka was dedicated to Ray Stevenson in a lovely and poignant touch.
That’s it on Baylan Skoll for now. For more on Star Wars and some of the best movies ever made, check out our ranking of the Star Wars movies and learn how you can watch the Star Wars movies in order. We’ve also delved into new movies with our guide to all of the new Star Wars movies announced so far, as well as looking at why Rey deserves a new Star Wars movie.
But if it’s Ahsoka you want to read about, find out how Ahsoka Tano survived Order 66 in the saddest way possible and learn about the Eye of Sion, the Pathway to Peridea, and the Nightsisters of Dathomir.
You can also check out everything else that’s new on Disney Plus and find out about future blockbusters including Avatar 3.