Baylan Skoll Is Fulfilling The Dreams Of Two Maverick Jedi Masters

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for the Ahsoka finale.
Summary

• Baylan Skoll seeks to redefine the Jedi Order and end the cycle of power in the galaxy after witnessing Order 66 and the fall of the Jedi Order.
• Baylan shares similarities with two other maverick Jedi, but he takes a different approach than them.
• Baylan's goal may be to create an in-between order of maverick Jedi that seeks power without being consumed by it, ultimately reinventing the Jedi Order.

For many, Baylan Skoll was easily the highlight of the Ahsoka series, and his goal actually aligns with two other maverick Jedi. The late Ray Stevenson’s mysterious and enigmatic performance brought one of the most intriguing Star Wars characters to life, making it all the more difficult for another actor to play Baylan in Ahsoka season 2. Baylan stands at the precipice of an unprecedented discovery; he is on the cusp of changing the very nature of the Force in the galaxy. Yet his desire for change stems from his experience with Order 66 and the fall of the Jedi Order.
Based on the statues he finds at the end of the Ahsoka finale, Baylan is looking for the Mortis gods. These mystical beings have appeared in both Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, and they essentially control the Force itself. At one point, Baylan explains to his apprentice, Shin Hati, that his goal is to end the cycle of power in the galaxy. Baylan is fed up with the failure in the Jedi Order, prompting him to search for a way to redefine it. And while he’s vague on how he plans to do it, it likely has to do with finding the beginning of the Force.
Your browser does not support the video tag. Why Baylan Is Similar To Qui-Gon Decades before Baylan saw the failure in the Jedi Order, Qui-Gon Jinn also felt the Order was going about things the wrong way. According to Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon was wise enough to be on the Jedi Council, but was never asked to join due to his disobedient attitude and radical ideals. Like Baylan, Qui-Gon believed the Jedi Order could be far more than what it was. And despite not always agreeing with the Council’s decisions, Qui-Gon still had a love for the Jedi Order and the idea behind it. He became obsessed with the prophecy of the Chosen One, and he was convinced Anakin Skywalker would bring balance to the Force.
Similarly to Qui-Gon, Baylan seeks to balance the Force in a different way. Rather than look into the Chosen One, Baylan seeks the source of the Force itself. Anakin’s ghost may be balancing the Force on Mortis, meaning Baylan and Qui-Gon seek the same person. Qui-Gon believed Anakin could be the one to reform the Jedi Order into what it was meant to be all along. But Baylan saw Anakin as the Jedi’s downfall, and therefore seeks to reform the Jedi by himself. In any case, both Qui-Gon and Baylan are maverick Jedi who think of the Order fondly, though they also believe it could be better.
Why Baylan Is Similar To Dooku In addition to Qui-Gon, Baylan also shares a lot of resemblance to Dooku. Dooku believed the Order failed him in particular. The Order could not satisfy his thirst for power and prestige, driving him to look elsewhere for power. Nevertheless, there was still a part of him that tried to reform the Order and show the Council where their shortcomings were. In particular, he argued with Yaddle, who shared his belief that the Jedi Order was not what it once was. Like Baylan, Dooku chose to step away from the Order and chose to pursue his own path to power.
Both Dooku and Baylan severed ties to the Order, but Dooku foresaw what Baylan couldn’t. Long before the Jedi fell, Dooku left to become something more than a Jedi. Meanwhile, Baylan only saw the hubris and failure of the Jedi after their destruction. Baylan’s experience in Order 66 caused him to reimagine his allegiance to the Order, yet Dooku gave up on the Jedi because he became frustrated with reimagining it. Had Baylan seen the darkness within the Order before the Jedi Purge, he very may well have taken a path similar to Dooku.


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