Ahsoka introduced the late Ray Stevenson as Baylan Skoll, an Order 66 survivor with a unique lightsaber - and a warrior who proved almost impossible to beat. Ahsoka Tano was trained by Anakin Skywalker himself, and she fought on the front lines of the Clone Wars, surviving the Dark Times and dueling Darth Vader himself. That made Baylan Skoll, her opponent in the Ahsoka Disney+ TV show, incredibly impressive; he was actually able to beat her, coming within a hair's breadth of killing her. When they fought a second time, Ahsoka hurriedly ducked out.
What makes Baylan Skoll so formidable? Partly, it's simply because he uses a unique lightsaber, one that gives him some decisive edges in combat. According to the lightsaber droid Huyang, this lightsaber design was one he'd only seen once in the last 500 years, suggesting Baylan's design choices were particularly unusual. Here's everything Star Wars has revealed about this blade, and everything we've been able to figure out.
Baylan Appears To Be Using A "Great Lightsaber"
This is like nothing we've seen before
It's immediately clear that Baylan's weapon is different, and not just because of its unusual orange-colored lightsaber blade. The blade is longer, and the hilt is clearly heavier, meaning Baylan has to grip it with two hands. It appears to be a Great Lightsaber, an unusual lightsaber type described in the Star Wars: Force & Destiny sourcebook Knights of Fate. Traditionally used by nonhumans, it has a reinforced hilt and a heavy-duty power emitter to generate a longer blade.
"Their heavier hilts and more powerful blades, combined with the natural strength of their intended users, make these massive lightsabers even more potent and deadly than their smaller cousins," the sourcebook notes. The point is that using a Great Lightsaber forces a Jedi to cultivate a certain physical strength, uncommon among even the Jedi. Their blows carry phenomenal physical force, crushing their opponents when they strike.
Baylan's Lightsaber Moves More Slowly
He's forced to fight in a very different way
Ahsoka VFX supervisor Richard Bluff revealed some secrets of Baylan's lightsaber when speaking exclusively to Screen Rant.
"For us, it was interesting from the perspective that if this lightsaber is so long, and it's double-handed, oftentimes it's moving through the air slower than a one-handed lightsaber would be. We had to [ask ourselves questions like], 'When do we need to do those additional speed ramps to speed up the film to make sure it feels like he's coming down with force, but also he's not leaving himself exposed?'"
You'd expect slower strikes to mean Ahsoka was able to parry and dodge more effectively. The point, though, is that Baylan simply handles his weapon differently, meaning Ahsoka is forced to adapt. She's used to the speed and fluidity of a normal duel, but Baylan's weapon is handled more like a historical broadsword than a samurai blade, which completely wrong-foots her.
Baylan's Lightsaber Clearly Has A Sense Of Weight To It
This is no ordinary lightsaber blade
This brings us to another key observation, one that's actually quite shocking. You have to remember that a lightsaber is, fundamentally, a "laser sword" - and light doesn't have any weight to it. Traditionally, then, the only part of a lightsaber with weight is the hilt, which explains why most lightsaber duels are swift and brutal. They're often compared to rapiers, slender and light blades that are perfect for thrusting attacks. Baylan's, though, is visibly different - as can be seen when he and Ahsoka lock blades.
If you watch the battles carefully, you'll see that Baylan favors the kind of chopping attack that only works when you've got a great deal of weight behind your blow. What's more, Ahsoka actually reacts to the weight; at times, she looks as though she's actually being slammed down, almost disarmed by the sheer force of Baylan's strikes. Both Baylan and Ahsoka are reacting to weight, suggesting that Baylan's lightsaber blade is actually heavy.
It's unclear why this should be the case, but the orange blade may provide a hint. Jedi and Sith tend to use kyber crystals to power lightsabers, but you can use other potential crystals instead. Intriguingly, many of these create blades with different properties, and it's possible Baylan is using something that gives his lightsaber blade weight.
Allya's Exile and Allya's Redemption | Mysterious gems found by the Jedi Exile in KOTOR, generating blades with additional burn damage or an acidic effect. |
Baa's Wisdom crystal | Creates a lightsaber blade that causes frostbite instead of heat damage. |
Barab Ingots | Found on Barab I, these create blades that are slightly radioactive. |
Blackwing Crystal | Created from contact with a Sith bioweapon, create blades that emit smoke. |
Corusca gems | Found in gas giants, generate powerful lightsaber blades. |
Dahgee crystals | An unusual crystal found in Star Wars Legends, create lightsaber blades with zigzagging patterns and an unusual glow. |
Damind crystal | Found only on the planet Damina in Legends, these create blades that are wider and longer, perfect for deflecting blaster fire. |
Dantari crystals | Another KOTOR crystal, canonized as a variant of kyber. |
Dragite gems | Generates blades that emit a shockwave on impact. |
Durindfire gem | Found on Tatooine in Legends, Durindfire gems create lightsabers with a distinctive silver sheen. |
Ghostfire crystals | Rare lightsaber crystals from the Outer Rim that produce completely silent blades. |
Hurikkan crystals | In Legends, Mace Windu's lightsaber was powered by a rare Hurikkan crystal, capable of penetrating the strongest armor. |
Kohlen crystals | Rare gems known to create blades with an orange hue. |
Rainbow Gems | Beautiful, much-sought-after gems used to power lightsabers in Legends. |
Baylan Adapted His Lightsaber Form To Take Advantage Of His Blade's Properties
Ahsoka knew his style, but struggled to work around it
There's one other factor to consider; Baylan's lightsaber form. Most Jedi choose a lightsaber form that compensates for their own weaknesses in some way; Yoda's agile Ataru is designed to compensate for his height, while Mace Windu's Vaapad channels his inner darkness. Baylan is different, though, because his lightsaber form has been modified to suit his unique lightsaber. He uses a modified version of Form V, Shien, an aggressive form looked down on by many Jedi - but also used by Anakin Skywalker.
This would make Ahsoka's duels with Baylan particularly difficult for her, because she'd be able to recognize elements of his form. The problem, though, is that her defenses wouldn't quite work; Baylan had adjusted his form to compensate for his lightsaber's weight, meaning every sweeping arc would feel ever so slightly wrong to Ahsoka. It doesn't help that Ahsoka probably hadn't encountered Form V in years - since she clashed with Darth Vader himself on Malachor. She was out of practice.
Modern Star Wars pays a lot of attention to the details of lightsaber combat. In the case of Ahsoka, the fight choreography is absolutely remarkable; it reveals so much about Baylan Skoll and his lightsaber. It even explains why he's so tough for Ahsoka Tano to beat, making him a true challenge for Anakin Skywalker's Padawan.
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Baylan Skoll
A mysterious and enigmatic Jedi Master, Baylan Skoll survived Order 66 and took on Shin Hati as his apprentice. He operated in the galaxy's shadows for years, only emerging when he took on an assignment for the Imperial Morgan Elsbeth - a mission that took him to the distant planet Peridea. There, he continues to advance his own mysterious agenda.
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