Baylan Skoll’s thoughts on Ahsoka at the end of Episode 2 and their importance
Ahsoka Part 2 “Toil and Trouble” ended on a very promising note, and provided some insight into Ahsoka from the point of view of former Jedi, Baylan Skoll. The episode ended as Ahsoka and Sabine finally teamed up as Master and Padawan, putting aside their differences to find Morgan Elsbeth. In the meantime, Elsbeth was confident in her plans to bring Grand Admiral Thrawn from another galaxy, but Baylan Skoll seemed skeptical.
Ahsoka knows about Baylan Skoll and his apprentice, Shin Hati, and Skoll seems sure that she’s coming after them. Baylan has so far been a perfectly written gray character, as he’s neither the typical villain nor a good guy. He told Morgan Elsbeth that it would be a shame to have to kill someone like Ahsoka. This is interesting because despite claiming that he’s no Jedi in Episode 1, it’s clear that Baylan still has a soft spot for his kind. He once belonged to them, and he knows that he’s one of the very few left in the galaxy. The Jedi Order fell decades ago, and Ahsoka is one of the last few Jedi alive.
Skoll has a job to do, however, because now he’s nothing more than a mercenary, working with Morgan Elsbeth to ensure the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn to the galaxy. Skoll tells his apprentice that Thrawn’s return means that they will be able to have power the kind they’ve never imagined. What makes Baylan a good character is his honesty. He knows Ahsoka is coming after them, and she will be successful, and that’s because of her “vivid determination,” which Baylan can sense through the force.
According to Baylan, Ahsoka’s “presence in the Force is elusive, yet her determination is vivid.” This is an essential description and may reveal much more about Ahsoka than previously known. Why is Ahsoka’s presence “elusive?” Is there something about her that makes her presence in the Force so difficult to detect? Perhaps it has something to do with her Force powers. Ahsoka was saved by Anakin during The Clone Wars in the episode “Altar of Mortis.” In this episode, The Daughter, who represents the Light Side of the Force, uses her life force with the help of Anakin to save Ahsoka, whom her brother killed. Ahsoka woke up with no recollection of anything that happened to her, and the trio of Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka left the planet.
Could this be why Ahsoka’s presence in the Force is elusive? It’s very possible that she changed after Anakin saved her using the Daughter’s life force. This isn’t the only time Ahsoka escaped death. Ezra Bridger saved her when he entered the World Between Worlds right before Darth Vader could kill her. Maybe this is a sign that the Force has a very special purpose for Ahsoka, and her “vivid determination” will help her fulfill this purpose. Perhaps, Ahsoka is a living representation of the Light Side of the Force, making her presence seem “elusive” to a Force user like Baylan. Time will tell how significant this is in the overall scheme of things and for Ahsoka as a character, but for now, it’s clear that Ahsoka’s story is far from over. Ahsoka’s journey has just begun, and she’s no ordinary Jedi.
Ahsoka is streaming now on Disney+.