Ahsoka Tano: Charting New Territories in the Star Wars Universe

Star Wars often portrays a simplistic perspective, categorizing everything into binary terms, such as heroes and villains, light side and dark side, selflessness versus selfishness. This lack of nuance or exploration of complex ideologies is the norm. However, there are exceptions to this pattern, and Baylan Skoll, portrayed by the late Ray Stevenson, seems to be one of them in Ahsoka, a series on Disney+.

In this week's episode, Baylan, a rogue Jedi, shares his reflections on his Jedi upbringing and the downfall of the Order with his apprentice, Shin Hati. He points out that as one grows older and examines history, it becomes evident that certain events are inevitable, such as the fall of the Jedi and the rise of the Empire. This realization challenges the simplistic view of the Star Wars universe.

"Is it not our time yet? Will our alliance with Thrawn not finally grant us the opportunity to seize power?" Shin inquires.

"Such power is transient. What I desire is the commencement, to ultimately conclude this cycle," Baylan proclaims.

I'm unsure about the specific topic he's discussing, possibly related to the Mortis realm from Clone Wars or the World Between Worlds. Insufficient information is provided to make an informed guess. He mentions being drawn towards something, located somewhere in the untamed lands of Peridea.

Baylan believes that this entity is the source of the ongoing cycle of war and devastation plaguing the galaxy on a massive scale and for a prolonged period of time. This is the reason for his presence here. His intention is not to align with the Jedi, Sith, Nightsisters, or any other mystical groups. He desires to eradicate all of them, believing that discovering the source of the disturbance on Peridea could enable him to achieve that goal.

His desire to dismantle the established system is a fresh perspective within the Star Wars franchise, which typically thrives on perpetuating the same cycle. Therefore, it is incredibly exhilarating when a character, especially a sympathetic one, chooses to deviate from the norm. While such occurrences are rare, there have been notable instances, particularly in the non-canonical Expanded Universe. Within this realm, two characters stand out as personal favorites: Vergere from the New Jedi Order book series and Kreia from Knights of the Old Republic 2.

Vergere, a Jedi Master from the Old Republic, defied expectations by residing among a violent extragalactic alien race for many years. Eventually, she assisted in halting their invasion by imparting knowledge about the Unifying Force to Jacen, the son of Han and Leia. This concept suggests that the light side and dark side can coexist harmoniously, an idea Luke Skywalker later adopts for his reborn Jedi Order in the New Jedi Order series. However, this morally nuanced development triggered controversy amongst fans two decades ago. In response, subsequent novels in the series retconned Vergere into a Sith lord who manipulated Jacen under the guise of teaching him about the Unifying Force with the intention of corrupting him.

After the introduction of Vergere, but prior to her retconning as a secret Sith, another subversive Force user emerged in Obsidian's Knight's of the Old Republic 2. This game featured a character called Kreia, an elderly blind woman dressed in Jedi robes, who functioned as one of the main companions throughout the story. If you choose to include her in your group, she will scrutinize every action you take in any given situation, particularly when you engage in kind and compassionate acts as a Jedi. For instance, she argues that offering charity undermines an individual's long-term self-sufficiency.

Undeniably, her philosophy is flawed, as self-sufficiency is influenced by both personal determination and external circumstances. Nevertheless, her central argument carries weight: addressing the symptoms of an ailment often falls short of providing an actual cure. By defending a person from debt collectors, for instance, you merely provide temporary relief since the debt still remains.

In the game, it is later revealed that Kreia was once a Jedi and then became a Sith Lord. However, this is merely a convenient label that she hopes will assist her in achieving her true goal: to destroy or disconnect everyone from the Force. When looking at Baylan Skoll, it is apparent that he shares this same desire based on his emotionally drained demeanor.

As a long-time Star Wars enthusiast, I have grown tired of the predictable nature of the franchise recently, with a few exceptions like Andor. Therefore, encountering these nonconformist characters, who defy the established archetypes of the franchise, especially in its more commercial aspects, is always thrilling. A character like Baylan Skoll can completely transform a show like Ahsoka, which often feels like a chore to watch, into something I am eagerly anticipating, even as a jaded fan. Credit must be given to Stevenson himself, as he delivered the most remarkable performance of this era of Star Wars, resulting in a strong affinity that many of us feel towards Baylan.

Unfortunately, it's difficult to envision significant long-term consequences for this storyline, given its placement between the original movie trilogy and Disney's sequel trilogy. The ultimate destination remains the nonsensical events of The Rise of Skywalker, making it hard to foresee any substantial impact by Baylan on the bigger picture involving the First Order and the resurrected Emperor. This would be similar to Kreia's unfortunate fate, as her gray philosophy failed to leave a lasting impression due to the lack of follow-up to her story.

However, there are still two episodes remaining for Ahsoka, and I believe the show has earned the opportunity to defy expectations. I hope to be proven wrong.