Dave Filoni Discusses The Late Ray Stevenson and Whether Baylan Skoll Will Return
While Ahsoka brought familiar faces from Star Wars Rebels into live action, the breakout star of the series was Ray Stevenson’s Baylan Skoll.
The fallen Jedi began the series as a mercenary for hire working for Morgan Elsbeth as she attempts to rescue Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Photo: Lucasfilm
After reaching Peridia, however, it becomes evident that Skoll and his apprentice Shin Hati have their own motivation for visiting the distant planet.
Parallels Between Ahsoka and Baylan
According to Dave Filoni, there is a parallel between Skoll and Ahsoka. Both former Jedi have spent much of their life wrestling with the fall of the Jedi order and the feeling of disillusionment that followed.
Photo: Lucasfilm
“He’s a person that survived the Clone Wars, that was trained in the waxing-waning days of the Jedi Knights, just like Anakin,” Filoni says. “He saw his order, his way of life fall apart. And he’s basically deemed it a failure: That way did not work. That it’s not something worth resurrecting, which is why he tells [his apprentice] Shin [played by Ivanna Sakhno], ‘I didn’t teach you to be a Jedi. I taught you to be something more.’”
Searching For “Something More”
The last time that audiences see Baylan in Ahsoka, the grey Jedi seems to have found the “something more” he was searching for. The series ended with Skoll standing atop the ruins of a mountain-sized sculpture of the Mortis Gods.
Photo: Lucasfilm
The trio of Force-sensitive gods were familiar to fans of The Clone Wars. In the animated series, Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka Tano are captured by the Mortis gods who are made up of the Daughter (an embodiment of the Light Side of the Force), the Son (the Dark Side) and the Father who balances the two. The father wants Anakin Skywalker to take his place and keep the Force in balance.
Photo: Wookieepedia
“You have to be careful with that,” says Filoni, explains. “I know it’s a very specific group of people that would even know what those statues are, but I thought it was an exciting image, and it does give you the shape of what Baylan is after.”
Remembering Ray Stevenson
Tragically, before Ahsoka landed on Disney+, Ray Stevenson passed away. In the subsequent months, Stevenson’s performance as Baylan Skoll has been lauded by fans and critics alike. Filoni for one, believes the actor would be thrilled with the reception of his Ahsoka character.
Photo: Lucasfilm
“I think he would’ve been over the moon. The big regret here is that he didn’t get to experience that,” Filoni says. “I’m glad he was at Star Wars Celebration with us, that he got to see the trailer and get a taste of that from the fans. And they’ve been nothing but wonderful about Ray and the character.”
Will Baylan Skoll Return?
With Stevenson now gone, however, the future of Baylan Skoll is clouded. While Filoni will not speculate on whether or not the character will return, he did say that the late actor understood Baylan in a unique way.
Photo: Lucasfilm
“Obviously, there’s a story there,” he says. “We’re in a wait-and-see pattern at this point. But I’m glad the conversation is about Ray and how great he was…. I used to have mini debates with him and say, ‘Ray, you’re the villain here.’ And he’d be like, ‘I don’t think so.’ I was like, ‘I know you don’t think so, but you are. I love that you’re playing it like you’re not.’ Which is exactly the way Baylan thinks.”
Photo: Lucasfilm
A second season of Ahsoka has not been announced. Should the series continue, Filoni and his team will have a tough decision to make about Baylan’s future.
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