The Unmatched Power of Ahsoka Tano: Why Baylan Skoll Stands No Chance

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 7.

Summary

Ahsoka's focus has been divided during her encounters with Baylan, diminishing her capacity to engage in effective duels against him.

Despite Baylan being a formidable adversary, Ahsoka is expected to possess greater power and expertise as a lightsaber duelist.

In the upcoming season finale of Ahsoka, viewers can expect a final showdown between Ahsoka and Baylan. It is anticipated that Ahsoka will emerge victorious. Throughout Ahsoka episode 7, Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka Tano and Ray Stevenson's Baylan Skoll have engaged in intense battles, with Ahsoka repeatedly falling short against the fallen Jedi. However, Ahsoka is widely recognized as one of the greatest lightsaber duelists in the Star Wars universe, as seen in her remarkable performances in series like Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. Surviving Order 66 amidst a sea of clones, Ahsoka's lightsaber skills have always been highly regarded, and she continues to prove her worth.

Baylan, despite Ahsoka's past success in lightsaber duels, has emerged victorious against her twice. It is important not to underestimate Baylan's abilities, considering his experience as a general during the Clone Wars and his survival of Order 66. However, it is perplexing that Ahsoka, who was trained by Anakin Skywalker, is finding it difficult to defeat Baylan in these duels. Why is Ahsoka unable to overcome Baylan's challenge?

Ahsoka Has Been Distracted In Both Her Fights With Baylan So Far

Ahsoka's focus has always been compromised whenever she faced Baylan in combat. During their initial duel in episode 4, Ahsoka was constantly worried about Sabine's safety, especially when Shin returned without any sign of Ahsoka's Padawan. In episode 7, her main concern was reaching Sabine and Ezra on time, with defeating Baylan and claiming his Howler being her sole objective. Thus, Ahsoka's attention has consistently been on others during their fights, negatively impacting her ability to effectively engage with Baylan.

The lightsaber blades themselves possess the ability to discern when their users' minds are clouded. This sentiment has been expressed not only by Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus but also by non-Jedi individuals such as the Armorer. When the user fails to concentrate on the present moment, their connection with the lightsaber blade is compromised, resulting in difficulties in wielding and controlling it. This has proven true for Ahsoka in both of her duels with Baylan, as her distracted mindset has hindered her ability to effectively utilize her lightsaber against him.

Baylan Is A Great Fighter, But Ahsoka Should Be More Powerful (& A Better Lightsaber Duelist)

Ahsoka's reputation as one of Star Wars' top lightsaber duelists is well-deserved. While Baylan displays strength and impressive lightsaber skills, Ahsoka should still have the upper hand. She held her ground against Darth Vader for a considerable length of time and emerged victorious over Darth Maul as a teenager during the Siege of Mandalore. Baylan does not possess more power than either of these formidable opponents.

Furthermore, Ahsoka has recently refreshed her dueling abilities by revisiting the training videos Anakin created specifically for her. Despite this, Baylan manages to anticipate many of her moves in their latest encounter. To add to the surprise, he even manages to restrain her hand just before she disappears into the smoke and seizes his Howler. While Baylan should not be underestimated, it would be unexpected for Ahsoka to be defeated by him, especially in this fashion.

Will Ahsoka Beat Baylan In The Season 1 Finale?

These two encounters between Ahsoka and Baylan foreshadow a final showdown in the season finale, following the rule of three. It would be logical for Ahsoka to ultimately defeat Baylan, allowing her to focus solely on him without any distractions. The presence of Ezra and Sabine by her side could also strengthen her resolve, reminiscent of her experiences during the Clone Wars when she fought alongside fellow Jedi.

The key question remains whether or not Ahsoka will confront Baylan again in Ahsoka. He has now broken away from Grand Admiral Thrawn's plans in pursuit of his own mysterious agenda. The fallen Jedi is in search of a power that will bring about a new beginning, with hints suggesting that he may even be hunting the Skywalkers. Unless Baylan quickly finds what he seeks or reveals his secret mission to Ahsoka, there would be no real motive for her to engage in another battle. However, if they do have one final duel in Ahsoka, it is expected that Ahsoka will emerge victorious, with a clear mind and her skills honed to perfection.

Ahsoka releases new episodes Tuesdays at 6 pm PT / 9 pm ET on Disney+.