The Mind-Bending Battle That Redefines Ahsoka's Lightsaber Duels
Ahsoka's most thrilling lightsaber duel lacks coherence and raises questions about her training and weapon choice
Summary
Ahsoka's duel with Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka episode 4 was a major misstep and a departure from her advanced lightsaber skills displayed throughout the series.
Ahsoka's failure to employ her second lightsaber against Baylan ultimately resulted in her being overwhelmed, granting success to Baylan's group.
The motives driving Ahsoka's choice to wield only one lightsaber against Baylan remain uncertain; however, it is possible that she aimed to counter his forceful attacks or maintain one hand available for seizing the starmap if needed.
Undoubtedly, Ahsoka delivered some of the most exhilarating lightsaber battles seen since the Star Wars prequels. However, there was a significant issue with one of Ahsoka's crucial duels that the show failed to address. Throughout the series, Rosario Dawson skillfully demonstrated Ahsoka Tano's advanced lightsaber techniques against a variety of opponents, ranging from the formidable Baylan Skoll portrayed by Ray Stevenson, to Morgan Elsbeth's HK-87 assassin droids. Ahsoka even confronted a vision of her former master, Anakin Skywalker, portrayed by a digitally aged Hayden Christensen. Despite this, Ahsoka's encounter with one opponent was flawed.
Ahsoka's journey in the series revolved around accepting her true self. Her duel with Anakin symbolized her struggle with her upbringing as a soldier during the Clone Wars. Initially, she was terrified of following Anakin's path, almost leading her to reject a vital part of who she was. However, she eventually came to understand that Anakin was a remarkable master. He taught her to be independent, and his final lesson enabled Ahsoka to embrace her destiny as a Jedi, transcending her role as a mere warrior.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Ahsoka Forgot All Her Training During Her Duel With Baylan
Although she has accepted her past, Ahsoka still struggles to utilize her training in her duel with Baylan Skoll in the fourth episode of Ahsoka. One of the main reasons why she wielded two lightsabers in Star Wars: The Clone Wars was because they provided her with additional defensive and offensive capabilities. Anakin was aware that she would encounter other lightsaber-wielding opponents during the war, such as Asajj Ventress and General Grievous. With only one blade, Ahsoka would be compelled to choose between defense and offense. However, with two blades, she can engage in defensive combat with one saber while simultaneously launching offensive attacks with the other.
Why Did Ahsoka Only Use One Lightsaber?
Due to some unknown reason, Ahsoka unintentionally neglects the presence of her second lightsaber hanging on her belt while engaging in a battle with Baylan. Consequently, she finds herself at a disadvantage as Baylan overpowers her. If she had followed Anakin's teachings and initially fought with both sabers, she might have been capable of obliterating the starmap before Elsbeth and the others could reach Peridea, essentially truncating the series. Nonetheless, her oversight ultimately resulted in the triumph of Baylan's group.
Ahsoka's decision to fight Baylan with just one lightsaber has sparked numerous theories. One suggests that she chose this approach to counter Baylan's powerful strikes by utilizing both hands on one saber. Another hypothesis proposes that she wanted to keep one hand free, in case an opportunity presented itself to grab the starmap during the intense duel. However, neither of these explanations fully satisfy the question. Nevertheless, Ahsoka managed to redeem herself in episode 7 when she faced Baylan with both sabers. In an attempt to defend against one of Baylan's strikes with one saber while delivering a decisive blow with the other, she revealed that Baylan's skill might surpass hers as he successfully defended himself against her attack.
