Warning! This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 4.
Baylan Skoll is one of Ahsoka‘s most intriguing antagonists, yet one of the show’s directors has revealed that the character being evil was not part of internal discussions. Since Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati were introduced in Ahsoka episode 1, it has been clear that the two are more depicted as Dark Jedi rather than Sith. This was exemplified by the ending of Ahsoka episode 4 when more about Baylan’s motivations were discovered prior to his duel with the titular character to make him an incredibly compelling figure.
As revealed in an IGN interview with Ahsoka episode 4 director Peter Ramsey, Baylan’s compelling nature was intentional given that the character being inherently evil was not part of discussions for the show. When asked about how the late Ray Stevenson approached Baylan in combination with how the Ahsoka team saw his character, Ramsey had this to say:
“The idea that he was evil or a bad guy was never part of the discussion… he has an agenda and he has a belief system that he’s very rigorous and sincere about. And it’s just a different one that the other characters have. So in the way that Ray played him, he was playing a person who was at peace with his own decisions and had a real goal and a real philosophy… It wasn’t, ‘at last I can destroy the Jedi’ or anything like that. It’s what Baylan says in the episode: ‘I see things differently than you do. I disagree with your way’ and he actually does believe he’s serving a greater good.”
As evidenced by Ramsey’s comments, the intention was for Baylan to simply be a man who believes in his own cause after losing faith in that of the Jedi Order. Rather than have an ulterior motive to destroy the Jedi out of vengeance or rule the galaxy, Baylan is fighting for a cause he thinks is just and true, just as Ahsoka and Sabine are on the opposite side.
Baylan Might Prove To Be A Hero
Of course, Baylan having a goal like this could mean he has a change of heart in Ahsoka. While he would never betray his philosophy, his viewpoint could change. It could turn out that the power he seeks from Thrawn’s return is not everything he wishes it would be once the Imperial Grand Admiral returns.
While this is unlikely, Baylan’s Jedi past could get the better of him. Baylan once thought as the Jedi did, aligning with the will of the Force rather than the will of himself. If the return of Thrawn risks throwing the Force out of balance, the mystical energy field could call out to Baylan once again and see him form an alliance with another of its agents in Ahsoka Tano. Regardless, it will be interesting how Baylan Skoll’s character will play out in the remaining four episodes of Ahsoka after his overwhelming compelling introduction and Ramsey’s comments on how his character was approached.
New episodes of Ahsoka release every Tuesday at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Disney+.
