Why Baylan Skoll is WAY More Powerful Than You Realize - Star Wars Explained

NEW STAR WARS MERCH PAGE: bit.ly/TheStupendousWaveMerch
For all sponsorship and business inquiries please contact:
Business: [e-mail]
Twitter: @StupendousWave
I believe all content used falls under the remits of Fair Use, but if any content owners would like to dispute this I will not hesitate to immediately remove said content. It is not my intent to in any way infringe on their content ownership. If you happen to find your art or images in the video please let me know and I will be glad to credit you.
End Song By WhiteSand "Eternity" • Whitesand - Eternity (...
Composer: Whitesand (Martynas Lau)
Year: 2017
Title: Eternity
Additional Music by WhiteSand: www.youtube.com/@WhitesandCom...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/3GXun...
Bandicam: whitesand.bandcamp.com
Additional Music Terminus by: Scott Buckley
Released under CC-BY 4.0.
www.scottbuckley.com.au
Terminus: • 'Terminus' [Epic Cinem...

[@ItsyaboiDillon]

I’m sad Ray Stevenson died, he had so much potential for the character. May he rest in peace

[@L4GGAMING95]

I didn't know he had passed, damn what a shame honestly. May the force be with him.

[@carlod1605]

I'm afraid it's impossible to find someone half as good to play this character, but I hope they will try to recast it.

[@deanfirnatine7814]

Agreed

[@womanfromthenorth1]

Sadest thing.

[@taylrthegreat]

​@carlod1605 I bet the world between worlds could play a part and we could get a younger baylan to take his place I'd rather that than sloppily recast

[@ran0427]

That saber power drop move Baylan did gave me chills. It was indicative of Baylans strength and Ashokas mistake to meet power with power

[@lionelsenga3752]

that scene, releases my dopamine every time I re-watch it

[@MrBraceface216]

Sorry, but what part is this??

[@AmocideB]

@@MrBraceface216 The part where hes blocking one of her swings, then overpowers it with his raw strength. You see him fully use both his arms to push the lightsaber away a solid 2 feet.

[@MrBraceface216]

@@AmocideB ahhhhhh, I see. Thank you😅🙏🏼

[@Capybara2240]

And rays face when doing it is just too cold

[@itzhookz_]

Wish ray was here to see the love of his character RIP RAY

[@pullo5518]

Sad he is gone, rip Ray.

[@tonysimon8060]

Wherever he is I’m sure he knows he did an amazing job and fans love him and his character!

[@everettweatherfordcagle7896]

He’s one with the force now

[@greyjedi6430]

Thought u meant rey ,the bestest ever lol

[@kadbenson7540]

I'm sure it's a great gift to leave behind for his family tho

[@lawrenceking9300]

I don't think Ahsoka knew the map was going to scorch her hands. That single mistake cost her the duel as it broke her concentration, which was then further weakened with her thinking Sabine was dead. Distractions cost her the duel.

[@womanfromthenorth1]

Caring, loving can be deadly.

[@tw19771]

She was losing in the duel from the start, she simply couldn't handle Baylen, end of. Grabbing the map orb and thinking Sabine was dead, was just an accentuation of her desperation. She was, to put it simply, bested, at least this time.

[@Xyma-YT]

@@tw19771 Nonsens! The fight was pretty Equal, until she got burned by magic...

[@praedonius9693]

It wasn't, though - Baylan had her on the backfoot most of the fight@@Xyma-YT

[@ernielarkin4793]

So .....the most powerful jedi in the galaxy loses her shit over a burn? BS

[@michmich1880]

I loved this duel! No childplay, just 2 warriors in the path of eachother! The attention of details is insane they nailed it!

[@beyond_the_tequila_rift3194]

FUCK YES!!! I had some Bass Boosting Skull Candy headphones (Crusher Evo's) and While listening to the sounds of the Sabres and the effects made it even that much ore satisfying!! This was by far one of the best duels hands down.

[@LegacyArkGames]

Baylan's general look, his attire, the lightsaber... All reminds me of a medieval knight transported into the future. :)

[@Psyfi85]

Yep, he was either a knight under Plo Koon or a temple guard. I don’t think he just reads minds to gain knowledge, he lived it, hence his knowledge of Ahsoka and of course Anakin.

[@rumplebunny]

Yeah that saber seals it, it's a two-handed model designed for power strokes like a knight wielding a greatsword, not a curved-hilt flippity-floo like Dooku had heh.

[@cr90captain89]

@@rumplebunny i love it when old school knights beat the hell out of some fantasy tropes. you just can't beat the classics.

[@Kobalt_Rax_the_one]

A dark jedi from old republic as well .

[@eliteslayer66]

like the ESO Breton knight perhaps? Really like that cinematic. @@cr90captain89

[@Kairuofficial]

This just makes the passing of Ray Stevenson hurt even more, loved him since I saw him in ROME series as a kid and knew he would knock this role out of the park too. Even though we have only got to see a bit of this character it is already the most interesting character in Star Wars I've seen in forever, maybe even all time. love the duality, his drive juxtaposed with his moral code, top tier.

[@pullo5518]

Indeed

[@DK-gy7ll]

I agree. I'm so sick and tired of "over the top" bad guys with no morals and no character other than being evil. To see one who has his own idea of what is right and just is a rare thing in movies these days.

[@evel8042]

he gives me dooku vibes mentally, but with anakin's lightsaber style

[@angusnelson6441]

check out black sails, he turns up in season 3 - again the character he plays nails the fucking role

[@Kairuofficial]

@@angusnelson6441 thanks for the suggestion bro! will check it out for sure!

[@mortalitydoesstuff8965]

Ray didn't deserve to die before witnessing the love and admiration his performance would receive. Rejoice, we must, those who transform into the Force.

[@Mattlife97]

Tbf very few people deserve to die.

[@mortalitydoesstuff8965]

@@Mattlife97 I mean agreed, I just wish that if it had to happen it happened after seeing all the love he got here rather than before

[@royalbritannia6586]

Is it weird that in that final fight, i was actually routing for Baylen?

[@davidsmith7962]

Ray played his role very well. RIP Ray. May the force be with you. Always.

[@agustinmarioquiroga3776]

Great observation. I think the main difference here was towards the end. The stillness of emotions was the determining factor. Baylan Skoll held it together. While Ahsoka’s emotional state began to waiver. The pain from grabbing the map. The thought of losing Sabine, the thought of seeing Sabine after thinking her dead. Desperation. I think Ahsoka was off balanced a bit. What a great battle. Can’t wait for the rematch

[@sirrloin]

What Baylan lacked in speed he made up for with strength. Ahsoka might be more agile but the moment she was in melee range with him you could tell he was overpowering her and dictating where her blade went. Just like in the real world..."There's always a bigger fish".

[@artdjesus6267]

Not just that but his trash talk hit hard. He knew exactly what to say to her to make her drop her guard

[@leonaminor9302]

@@artdjesus6267 exactly, that was his main advantage over her... had she been utterly balanced like before she would probably have been able to defeat him. However, her emotions unbalanced her, drove her to make some stupid decisions and eventually lead to her hand being scorched. Without her second hand reinforcing her grip, she stood no chance to block his blows for long.

[@chriscunningham8703]

She moves like a 47yr old

[@chriscunningham8703]

@@vominomi Duh!

[@anubhavdassharma1854]

​@@leonaminor9302well in duel 2, Ahsoka still couldn't defeat Baylan so he's just above her in power level

[@jclu3334]

He is the best part of this show and worst part is he has since past and even if he didn't get killed off in the show we won't get more of his character and thats a tragedy.

[@CokeFlakes]

Imagine a Baylan Skoll vs Qui-Gon fight man! Similar fighting styles, both are concentrated and wise in the force...that would've been great

[@richardglidden1191]

I think its really a simple explination, of you cant use one hand to block Baylon, he's just bigger stronger. Merrok wasnt nearr as big with that dual sabre.

[@thetjbucy]

i would say baylen would win against qui gon.

[@brentc2411]

Balayn has been pretty awesome this series so far. His entire presence and demeanor are amazing. Every time he speaks, it's always with purpose and carefully chosen words. Love this character, and his crazy looking apprentice is awesome too.

[@chrisyork9538]

Even though we haven't had much of Baylan, he (ray) has made the character into an instant favourite, well, for me anyway. I like to think he is what a darker version of Qui Gon would be like. Both greys, just opposite sides of grey. Thanks Ray

[@HeyStrombo]

It's scary how similar Skoll's lightsaber form is to Darth Vader's. Both use primarily Djem So alongside mastery of Soresu in combination with footwork learned from Ataru to become an unstoppable avalanche of pressure in a duel. If only we could've seen a duel between Skoll and Vader, it would be so interesting to see how the fight pans out between them since they fight so similarly.

[@shailonnoelle7175]

I'm so glad you were this in-depth. Star wars needs it. We need depth. It's our subsidence

[@darylsdesigns6679]

I think Vader would still win. He backs up his mastery of Forms V and III with elements of Form II Makashi in order to dissect and probe his opponent’s defenses

[@HeyStrombo]

@@darylsdesigns6679 I agree, and I think Vader's cybernetics would give him the edge in physical strength that one needs in a duel between two Djem So masters

[@hermitmoth6118]

Nah, in clashes of direct force, the greater force almost unilaterally prevails. Vader would stomp him.

[@HeyStrombo]

@@hermitmoth6118 I think skoll and Vader likely have a similar upper bound in force potential considering the cap that got put on Vader after Mustafar. Vader definitely is still more powerful in the force even after his injuries and skoll's human muscles definitely can't compare to the power of Vader's cybernetics. Even though Vader clearly outmatches his opponent in nearly every aspect I still think it'd be cool to see how long baylon would hold out, or if he would escape Vader's blade.

[@caneloANDRETTi]

Love that this channel gets into the fighting styles instead of just Easter eggs!

[@aljan6]

I legit subbed for this, really in depth and cool how he analyses the stuff

[@caneloANDRETTi]

@aljan6 yeah other channels just break down the same thing every episode over and over again. When I think of a break down. This is the attention to detail I imagine.

[@avonbarksdale2506]

this is such a well done video. The different stances have always fascinated me and this really drives it home. Was just something about the duels in this episode i loved so much, felt like watching a classic samurai film with so much measuring and tactics going on

[@Sunstar808]

Excellent breakdown of lightsaber forms and analysis of this duel. I also appreciated how Baylan didn’t block every light saber swing from Ahsoka but simply dodged his upper torso out of the way.

[@darekforeman535]

Ahsoka strategy worked for what she was trying to do. She was trying to take out the map. Her downfall was not actually destroying it, she grabbed it. I think she did this thinking about Sabine and trying to salvage the map to help Sabine later. When Ahsoka got angry she kicked him and put him down and went straight to the orb instead of attacking because she's not trying to kill him. After she took the orb, she was one handed so it wasn't no longer a battle then and that's the only reason he "won". She didnt struggle, i didnt see that all.

[@asokatano9410]

Balen is quite powerful, but I think Ahsoka is much stronger. It makes sense that she lost this duel, she focused more on taking or destroying map than defeating Balen. Ahsoka fought well against Vader.

[@jonathanhernandez2986]

I’ve never heard such and excuse anakin would be disappointed

[@pullo5518]

She struggled with his power, she would not have had the time to destroy the map seeing how long it took for baylan's lightsaber to destroy the map when he put his lightsaber in it.

[@VictimOfReason]

There was so much to like in this episode with it’s duelling choreography. I am blown away by how much I love Baylan! If Ray hadn’t passed I would watch anything that included his character he’s that good!!

[@schoolprojects1835]

I really like Baylon and I’m glad this series has a character who can match and defeat ahsoka, I was kinda worried it was just gonna be her stomping everyone

[@womanfromthenorth1]

Thanks for everything. I could listen to you read the obits. It's amazing! Calming and informative. Winner.

[@jacobdrolet4262]

Amazing video,fantastic job.

[@MNToThat]

Fascinating video. Great work!!

[@tricksinmyhand704]

This breakdown is exactly why i subbed to you're channel in the first place. Love it, Ahsokas mistake was her confidence in thinking she could match him with strength. Hes bigger and stronger, even his lightsaber has these qualities. May Ray Stevenson RIP, great portrayal of this character so far 🙏🏽

[@Deejus679]

I really like your breakdown of the various stances they used during their faceoff. It is interesting that Ahsoka decided to dual using only one saber when in almost everything other encounter we've seen dual with two.

[@felixjonsson5634]

I bet she will use both her sabers in their rematch

[@DjBaapreB]

Very impressive review of the fighting styles in this episode!

[@iianneill6013]

Thanks for this excellent analysis. You've raised my opinion of the duel.

[@MrB.Barbarian]

Honestly, he has been one of my favourite actors since I saw him in King Arthur! Now he's up there with Vader as my fave SW character! RIP Ray!

[@davideluciano7761]

Great video love love Ray thank you for this

[@bowserbowser2223]

So much epic in this duel, I also loved seeing the Samurai/Kendo roots in the stances of the different forms. Great nod to Samurai films !

[@00Mindi00]

FANTASTIC duel. I loved Baylan's brute strength and power, like an old knight wielding a broadsword.

[@aaronrodriguez9376]

To be fair to ahsoka she was only losing the fight at the beginning and then quickly took the advantage. Only to lose it again when her hand was hurt. She also was not using two lightsabers which means she wasn't at full power and was playing it defensively instead of offensively like she usually does. I think if she used two lightsabers, was offensive like she usually was, and didn't injure her other hand she would have had the advantage through most of the fight.

[@deanbrandt4356]

I came here to say this. Ahsoka was also not perfectly balanced like she usually is. The anxiety she feels about Thrawn was enough to cause that, nonetheless worrying about Sabine. It wasn't her best moment, but it was also an obvious plot point; she loses to him now only to stomp his ass later.

[@jeremiahsummers8054]

@@deanbrandt4356 they need her to be unbalanced and flawed, they have to break her down to build her back up so she can return as Ahsoka the white lol

[@inquisitorsneed2]

With 2 lightsabers she wouldn't have had the strength to parry blows, would have been killed in an instant

[@shazamcollins9756]

@@inquisitorsneed2not exactly she fought with two lightsabers with Vader and was going toe to toe with him I think she should have used two lightsabers

[@DaNewWaveLee]

She was never “losing” in this fight. She almost sliced his head off. Baylon escaped. Any real win needs to end in death or severe damage needing a droid to repair.

[@taylorsimmonds9957]

Love the breakdown!!

[@FelixTheCat1919_PSN]

10:00 Saber lock scene was EPIC. He reminds me of Count Dooku in a way but more redefined & balance of skill/power.

[@tyronedavis1767]

Thanks again for your information, you are really great.

[@TheStupendousWave]

Thank you for watching

[@aaallllen]

Baylan's style reminded me of the "Cross Guard Blade" power style from Jedi Survivor. I kept thinking that live action dual blades wouldn't looked as great as in the animated version.

[@khalil.Rivera]

One your best videos breaking down every move

[@cwam1701e]

At a much more simplistic level than the analysis in this video, Ahsoka was at a disadvantage from the start because all Baylan had to do was stand between her and the map for a short period of time to prevent her getting to it; the longer they did the mind-duel thing, the easier his job became and the harder Ahsoka's became. Eventually she had to get to the map even if it made her vulnerable in doing so. Then, as others have commented, she got unexpectedly injured when she grabbed the map, and then she assumed Sabine had been killed. So the situation for her started bad and got steadily worse. The fact that she was up against so powerful an opponent only made it worse again.

[@LARDinhoFC]

THIS IS A GREAT VIDEO!

[@robynfuller3988]

Loved this analysis!

[@mrnobody1816]

He beat her because of her damaged hand. But they're peers when it comes to sabre battles for sure. He may have fought Vader in the past, too? And, if he did, he clearly survived that battle. It might also be why he was able to recruit the former Inquisitor? I.E. his reputation preceded him as one of a very few Jedi that survived a one on one battle with Vader? I'm hoping we get to see this at some point!? Even if it's animation because we lost Ray IRL 😔. His character should go on IMO. And I hope it's a story arc in which he starts a Gray Jedi Academy before his death? Perhaps even with Ashoka? But that Padawan of his is headed towards being a Sith for sure. What a story it could be! Animation can make this a reality. 🙏🏽 If not Disney....we're going to have to Fan Film his Arc. 🌌 May The Force Be with RAY, Always 🧙🏽‍♂️✨ RIP

[@Dec4AllTimeAlways]

The late Ray Stevenson has become the real star of Ahsoka and Baylan Skoll is a more of an exploration of Count Dooku losing his faith and being part of the Lost Twenty. I remember reading about the Lost Twenty before AOTC was released. It ended up being a deleted scene. So seeing Baylan is what we should've saw with Dooku. Ray is getting his Heath Ledger moment. It would be cool if we got a live-action origin story of Dooku. Watch him as a young Jedi and why he left the Order. Damn shame that both Christopher Lee and Ray Stevenson have passed. More expected from Sir Christopher as he would be 101 today if he was still alive. But at least their characters can live on through origin stories and prequels. I thought Dooku had so much potential to be a top 5 great SW character but they killed him off early in ROTS. I no longer believe Shin will kill Baylan. She seems to obey everything he orders. What I now see is Baylan getting killed by either Morgan or Thrawn. Baylan will die from a hero's sacrifice like Kanan perhaps trying to save Sabine from harm. Then Shin will help Sabine escape from the Eye of Sion and be part of Ahsoka's crew. Ahsoka can train Shin instead of Sabine. Shin is like Pom's character, Paris, in Dead Reckoning P1. Relentless but there is still good in her. Now I personally don't wish Shin to turn to the light. But if she stayed with Morgan and Thrawn on the dark side, she would end up being dead. I don't think Shin will ever turn good. I just see her as a rival turned ally after she watches Baylan get killed. It would be cool to watch Ahsoka and Shin fight side-by-side and it's Shin who Ahsoka trains and Sabine sticks to being a Mandalorian. We all know the heroes always win regardless if they happen to lose this season and Thrawn returns to their galaxy. If Shin stayed bad, she's going to eventually get killed and Ahsoka is way too powerful for her to handle. So Shin needs to turn so we can watch her, Ahsoka, and Sabine participate in future crossovers with the characters from Mando and TBOBF. Can we stop with the staring contests in every lightsaber duel, please? I wanted to see hearts flutter like on IG Live 💕 when Sabine and Shin kept staring into each other's eyes again and then Ahsoka and Baylan did the same.

[@aljan6]

Tales of the Jedi somewhat goed into Dooku's origin story but i would love a live action variation of that which describes his early life and fall to the dark side as well

[@artdjesus6267]

I wish they'd reveal Shin as his daughter

[@extremehunter426]

Hands down my new favorite character in Star Wars, love his character, love his lightsaber, it's a shame that Ray will never see the amount of love his character is receiving. R.I.P Ray Stevenson😔😔

[@georgepapatheofilou6118]

Some great cricket strokes there Sent Snips to the boundary

[@1988DanielJ]

It amazing that there's more then one style of sword fighting. I never knew this until recently.

[@SignumInterriti]

What made this scene even better for me was the objectives of both duelists, not defeating the other, but getting the map vs defending it to finish the calculation. In that phase of the fight, we see Baylan constantly repositioning to block her way to the centre, even when he throws the stone there is no followup attack because he's really only trying to buy time, despite looking so powerful he is still fighting defensively. Ahsoka wins this first engagement according to the established objectives: She gets the map in time. Only now Baylan switches to offense to get it back, but the second phase is decided by the battle of words and emotions that begins even before the stances. This may be Baylan's greatest strenght, he is prepared for his enemies with knowledge (his speach to Sabine shows he either did a research deep dive into her life or can very quickly read her mind and connect all the dots like a super-psychologist) and brings up Anakin to unbalance Ahsoka and she has no real retort. When Shin comes back, Ahsoka is afraid for Sabine, loosing her calm and thus the mental contest, whereas Baylan can use the dark side when Shin is hurt to draw power from his despair. So we also have two contrasting master-student relationships: Sabine makes Ahsoka weaker and causes her to loose the fight and the map. Baylan is also protective of his student, but it makes him more dangerous, like a bear mother.

[@charlesriley6752]

He is kinda of a mix of joruus C'baoth from heir to the empire and bane and just as powerful will be interesting to see round two if we get one. And if ashoka is now balanced he may be done for. Great video as always

[@josephtenthousand]

Loveeeee the saber analysis

[@JamesJones067]

Great video.

[@ShEDDiNgmYSkiN]

This episode really made me sad about Ray Stevenson, RIP. Baylan is an awesome character. Edit: Really great video! Love how you went through the lightsaber style forms used in the duel.

[@jamescheddar4896]

legionary titus pullo of the XIII has died

[@indianajones4321]

Ray Stevenson did a fantastic job, he has such a commanding presence onscreen

[@jeremyk.6456]

Ahsoka would’ve done better in the duel if she didn’t go to remove it with her bare hands instead of force pushing it off when running away or destroying the pedestal with the force.

[@summersoldier1003]

the way it burnt her hand makes me think it needed to be physically removed.

[@jeremyk.6456]

@@summersoldier1003 then throw her lightsaber through the bottom of The base of the statue to make it fall to the ground then force push the piece of the pillar out of the circle if it still manages to continue to work to some degree.

[@daniels7907]

Or stabbing the map with her lightsaber. Baylan proved that the map could be destroyed this way. My guess is that Ahsoka might have been trying to recover the map as a favor to Sabine, who *really* wants to find Ezra. But touching the map with her hand while it was caught up in some Nightsister magic wasn't the best choice.

[@marvynwilliamson9796]

I think maybe it's been done so they have a way to follow. Maybe the map is burned on her hand.

[@daniels7907]

@@marvynwilliamson9796 - Not that kind of map (and not Raiders of the Lost Ark). Hence the need for Nightsister witchcraft to make full use of it.

[@talamioros]

I am so glad that Titus Pullo got to wield a lightsaber before he left us. Thousands of years of martial involvement across galaxies.

[@Chaos1000ify]

Baylan feels like he has seen alot in his past presten and trying to make a future he seems more focused in a goal with a clear path compared to others

[@milijanpetrovic7228]

This was great duel. Notice that at first both are more or less evenly matched but as duel progresses it is Ahsoka who is on the ropes and running out of time and makes two crucial mistakes. Two things that weakened her were her grabbing the star map and burning her hand because of it making her unable to use bothe of her arms thus compromising her defense. That is why in the end Baylan was able to so easily toss her around like a ragdoll. Two she was unbalanced after she saw Shin thinking Sabine was dead. While Baylan was composed for most of the duel and thought with clear head. Best light saber fight in quite a while.

[@CommanderWaterSoul]

Lore Compilation video of all Lightsaber Combat Forms perhaps one day?

[@kelathos]

Baylan really echoed Vader's form and physcial strength. Not a match, but rather similar.

[@Capybara2240]

They both used djem so

[@TheFireHawk7]

I would note that his guard and some of his moves were closer to Ataru, particularly the initial guard, and presumably Djem So was added to his repertoire as he got older and bulkier, exploiting his physical power.

[@seandoherty7963]

The entire time I watched this I thought “I can’t wait for Stupendous Wave to break this fight down”.

[@jeangulfran]

We will always remember you Titus Pullo! His legend just keeps growing...

[@darylsdesigns6679]

The way Ahsoka took down Marrok reminded me of how Kyle Katarn defeated Inquisitor Jerec at the Valley of the Jedi

[@BigBackInk]

I have been a huge fan of the actor Ray Stevenson for many years, ever since I first saw him in Rome on HBO. I was very excited to hear that he was going to be in Ashoka. He was more of a powerful brute in Rome and he absolutely demolished his enemies when he played The Punisher. It saddens me that this is his last role, but I have a feeling it will be one of his best. That being said I believe a powerhouse like Baylon Skoll is a good match against Ashoka who was more of finesse fighter. His approach is different than Maul's and I'm very much looking forward to the rematch and if he fights anyone else.

[@christophermarcinkiewicz2541]

Titus Pullo is excellent in all of his roles

[@CMDROldDuck]

Baylan is also physically huge and strong, and I can’t imagine blocking his powerful blows with just one hand. Granted, she could use both sabers together for blocks, but that seems more complicated and maybe even weaker than just using the one saber with a strong two-handed (or one hand and force push) grip.

[@10394925]

In the beginning Baylan reminded me of an old Knight from the crusades with his large broadsword and stance. Ashoka reminded me of a samurai/ninja. Quite the visual.

[@iDarthShura]

baylan got me thinking who he could be to be able to put up a challenge to ahsoka, the one who kept up with vader and other notorius force user duelists. I was kind mad because at the first look, I thought he was too op, but im curious the see the lore behind this character, but the bro its a brutal duelist, wich is the oposite of Ahsoka, a light agile duelist

[@BladeCrossEXE]

"Why"? Look at that frame, those muscles, that mountain of a man. THAT'S why.

[@erikberggren2967]

Is it just me that see a strong resemblance with how he fights vs Vader? I'm no expert on the forms but the way he fights arms below shoulder height mostly, the brute force yet strong defense, sudden throw of object with the force mid fight. And also bringing Anakin up etc. Could he have been trained by Vader by any chance?

[@slmmcgee8686]

They were equally matched in their own ways. I don't think Baylan outright won the duel - he even acknowledges this when he says 'That was unwise,' after Ahsoka grabbed the map with her bare hand. Ahsoka's mistake, though it was contextually driven given the time constraints on the hyperspace jump coordinates, was focusing on getting to the map vs. defeating Baylan first. She didn't know what would happen if she grabbed the map by hand. Wielding what amounts to a kitana one-handed against a physically larger and stronger individual wielding what amounts to a great sword two-handed is a significant mismatch. That's why she lost, not necessarily because Baylan is entirely more powerful.

[@chrisaguilera1564]

Such a magnificent character that sadly we will never see his ultimate potential. Ray Stevenson left a legacy behind that deserved continuation in feature films.

[@gideonporter537]

Fighting aside, the thing I liked most was that Skoll really does seem like an out of place knight of the roundtable. He seems "honourable" in the sense he believes he's fighting for a greater cause - he laments having to battle Ahsoka, and keeps his word to Sabine.

[@gideonporter537]

@j.d4559 Yes. Sadly, Vader-to-be ensured he had a decidedly undignified end. You'd think Anakin would realize his boss was an utter scumbag at that point....but. No.

[@InfiniteNaos]

Baylan is a clear definition of a clear headed master with dark tendencies. Posh, skilled, similar etiquette to Dooku plus he seems physically strong with how he tossed Ahsoka around with one arm while fighting. I see him physically strong similar to Anakin and Plo Koon, both individuals also physically gifted.

[@evel8042]

i like what you said about comparing him to dooku. he's like a mix of anakin and dooku, dooku's morals and level headed ness, mixed with anakin's brute strength

[@Psyfi85]

Still leaning towards him being a former Temple Guard or possibly a Plo padawan at one time. His age definitely lines up with order 66, maybe he witnessed Anakin spearheading it or saw the younglings being cut down. Explains his disdain for Anakin destroying all he had “faith” in. Hard to know what direction it will go.

[@InfiniteNaos]

@@evel8042 That is a good analysis.

[@InfiniteNaos]

@@Psyfi85 If he was a temple guard then he was a very powerful one. If this other theory holds up then it’s unique to see sibling apprentices clashing with different morals and mindsets.

[@seanmorgan2356]

I practice swordsmanship and I enjoy seeing these realistic stances and footwork in lightsaber combat.

[@jovanleonardi1574]

honestly i think dave did a good job of showing the difference between the fighters, ahsoka defeats marrok with lightning quick speed. when she fights baylan its clear how strong he is, and fight was pretty even thru out. it was once ahsoka lost the use of her left hand that baylan knew he won, as she could no longer match his power without two hands. she even uses the force too supplement her blade grip.

[@dok703]

Excellent analysis. He will be missed.

[@ryanchilders8017]

Reading the comments and learning the actor passed sucks to hear, he’s become one of my favorite starwars characters in just a couple episodes of the show

[@jarreththomson4535]

something to think about is the butterfly kick he does early on in the fight, it's done so seemlessly. but at the same time, you see him use very little acrobatic movements at all. ataru gives great bursts of speed and strength but it's also meant to rapidly drain the users stamina. so perhaps balen has high power but low stamina? or maybe he is just a very patient fighter as typically ataru users are also impatient, this being one of the factors leading to qui gons death. there is a lot to think about in the moves he uses.

[@gabrielcarrasco9078]

Probably because he's older so his stamina is less. But also maybe it's experience knowing it isn't a good idea to fight finesse with finesse against a younger more agile opponent.

[@Sharpester]

I've watched all the movies and live-action series, but none of the animated series. So far, Baylan is my favorite character in this series. His presence, skill, and integrity combine into a well-rounded character.

[@jaykorner1391]

RIP Ray, fucking amazing performance

[@AL-fl4jk]

Love the character so much. He’s not cliche, respects his enemy and doesn’t underestimate them, thinks before he acts, has great lines and is physically imposing as hell. RIP Ray

[@okamireader5]

I have to say, it was indeed interesting for Ahsoka to meet her match. The only foe we've seen her really struggle against, during and after the Imperial Era, was her former master, Darth Vader. Otherwise, Ahsoka fought inquisitors, bounty hunters, mercenaries, storm troopers, none were able to best her, and only a few were able to hold their own against her albeit for a short time. Baylan Skoll is another story. He is a former Jedi who fought in the Clone Wars, survived the Jedi Purge, and even lived past the perilous times of the Empire, when Vader, the Inquisitors, and bounty hunters were constantly looking for Jedi survivors. When we were introduced to him and his apprentice, Shin Hati, I observed the ways of how Baylan wielded his saber to easily block and deflect blasterfire from the NR security officers that were escorting Morgan Elsbeth. To me, his movements were methodical, almost automatic even, very much "a matter of fact", as you described. I immediately knew that Baylan was a formidable lightsaber combatant from that short observation, but I was still stunned by how his inevitable duel with Ahsoka went. To me, Baylan was like a tank, constantly moving forward and pushing Ahsoka back. While she got a few good hits and even nearly struck a killing blow once or twice, Baylan showed a disciplined and honed skill in lightsaber combat that automatically made him the most formidable opponent Ahsoka has faced since her fateful duel with Vader on Malachor. It seems to me that he wielded the Force to augment his physical strength and stamina in order to overpower Ahsoka but in a tactical manner rather than a brutish one. The only real trick he seemed to do was telekinetically launching that rock at Ahsoka, otherwise his style and the manner in which he used it was straightforward and tenacious yet honed and in control. You also mentioned, the stage was in Baylan's favor, and that is most certainly true. Had they dueled in a more open area, with little to no obstacles to get in the way, I feel Ahsoka would have fared better. With greater room to maneuver in and nothing barring her way, Ahsoka would have had greater agility that would have given her more of an edge over Baylan. Baylan's fighting style is truly formidable. It's strong but it's not reckless. It's not haphazard and all over the place, but it keeps moving forward aside from a few shifts to adjust for the unexpected. I look forward to their rematch and how they will adjust their styles for it, having experienced the other's already

[@asokatano9410]

I agree with that. But we have to remember Ahsoka didnt really focuson defeating Balan. She tried to destroy or Simply take The map. Balan is powerful and well trained "jedi", but Ahsoka is still stronger, looking how well she fought against Vader.

[@HeliRy]

One thing that’s being overlooked, is the very start of the duel. As in who flinches and makes the first move. They’re setting up different forms and evaluating one another’s reactions for a minute. Then they both settle on a final stance and starting position, and for what feels like an eternity… nothing happens. They’re both just staring at each other. Waiting for the other to attack. Ahsoka is very tense in her body language, bracing for him to make the first move. Baylan on the other hand looks as though he couldn’t be bothered by any of this. Expressionless and stoic, he kind of shrugs at her as if to say “Come on then.” He forces her to initiate the duel. From that moment on he’d already won.

[@Eliezar18]

More importantly, delay only worked in his favor. He never needed to initiate, because he was the defender and only needed to run down a clock. And when his attitude tipped Ahsoka off to this fact, she realized that she was playing into his hands by attacking, but also that she really had no choice but to do so.

[@bubkusjones]

I wouldn't say he had it won from the start, but it did give him an advantage that he was able to capitalize on.

[@HeliRy]

@@Eliezar18 Exactly, she was screwed every which way. No time, no plan, and no time to form a plan. Jedi are reactionary by nature, and he refused to give her something to react to. He got into her head immediately and I think that really threw her off.

[@paulmccloud9395]

Not using her Shoto saber makes absolutely no sense. She's trained with and used two sabers since she was a teenager and used this form to face Maul, Vader and Elsbeth. Why she suddenly switched to a style she hasn't used for 30 years defies logic.

[@levilevilevi888]

She just forgor 💀

[@aniheartsong5102]

I wonder if she just wanted a hand free. That would be my reasoning. Plus nothing indicated the map would hurt her from her perspective and that threw her off.

[@Psyfi85]

@@aniheartsong5102correct, a hand free for the map and to counter Baylans powerful strokes.

[@ironman44320]

The real question is how many forms is Baylan proficient or perhaps even a Master of and how often one switches forms mid duel. It should be noted, that at least in legends, it is uncommon for human jedi to be so physically well developed since little of their training develops the body physically. It seems Baylan uses forms that allow him to best utilize his physical power against clearly physically weaker opponents.

[@tomaskops7119]

After order 66 he had so much time to train

[@Chaos3183]

You said she was burned slightly… but honestly it damaged her hand enough …preventing her from combating his strength. Leaving her completely open I think up until that point they were basically even. I think it would have ended in a stalemate

[@MassEffectFan113]

I would have loved to have seen Dooku and Baylan go out it in a friendly duel. Curious how that would have turned out.

[@Gor85]

This is fantastic fight! Their mind tricks,stance changes. Perfect! True mental fight. Great analysis. I think Baylan mixes all lightsaber styles. May the Force be with you. See you soon😊

[@marksouza1170]

What you notice too is before he tossed his apprentice and before she grabbed the map, he wasnt even trying to kill her. But instead was aiming to maim her. Idk if anyone caught that

[@adundeemonkey]

I think a big oversight is the impact of Ahsoka clearly having to balance fighting and getting to the objective. Ahsoka would most probably prevailed if there was no time pressure. But here she had to get to the map. There was nothing gained if she won but did not prevent the coordinates completing. In the kids series Young Jedi's there is a training session with this very scenario. The lesson was to get to an objective point while a foe was present. They realised that they needed to prioritise getting to the objective over defeating the training droid.

[@Divadtube]

What I saw was Baylan being really nice, not taking the obvious openings while she did unnecessary spins leaving herself wide open. One wrist flick and it would have been over, but plots gota plot.

[@78vintages]

What a cool episode one of my favourite ones since Disney took the helm. Baylan is a good guy i;m now absolutely convinced

[@ramonejules9938]

I have watched the episode six times now and need to watch it a few more as I need to absorb the fights better it was a very intense fight between Baylan and Ashoka I found it very gripping rest well ray you have done such an amazing job and I will miss you may the force be with you always ☝🏾

[@pullo5518]

Well said

[@SourBogBubble]

Like Hamill said when he signed onto Force Awakening, he thought Luke would have force lightning out his eyes but that age with a the time and training. So Baylan being aged is actually an advantage in force wielding.

[@chrisgbassknight]

We need to learn more of the history between Baylon and Anakin. Also, I didn’t think Ashoka lost this duel. Her main focus was the map, and it looked even until her hand got ruined.

[@Psyfi85]

Definitely, really curious if he was a temple guard or just a knight back during the war. He lived his knowledge of Ahsoka and Anakin, his “faith” was destroyed because he was there that night.

[@dreadrath]

I'd say neither were really all in on that particular battle. Ahsoka was distracted, and Baylan is somewhat conflicted since he clearly doesn't want to kill Jedi unless he has to. Neither one of them really put their heart into the dual.

[@drewwrobel]

Baylan's saber style reminds me a lot of Qui Gon Jin's own variant of ataru. Due to age, Qui Gon lost his ability to keep up with the forms sweeping acrobatic movements, but still employed the footwork and blade strikes while taking advantage of his immense physical strength and stature. Baylan here seems to do something similar, but tuned more towards defense rather than offence. his choice of wielding a greatsaber just seems to further compliment this physically imposing defense style

[@stratigo4life322]

It's Canon that qui gon had so many sti'ds that is slowed down his reactions

[@TheMiniFincher]

If they will be recasting Baylan Skoll, I hope they consider Liev Shreiber.

[@dyent]

I've always thought of the Force as a single pool of energy shared between force users, with each user being able to draw a portion of it based on their connection. Thousands of jedi with similar levels of connection to the force drawing energy meant it was fractioned out, with all those force users sharing 95% of it and the rest being split among the billions of non-sensitives in the galaxy, meaning that even the most powerful, like Yoda or Anakin, could only use maybe 0.5% of the forces potential. But now, that 95% is split amongst like 10 force users, allowing each to wield more force energy at any time, explaining why post-empire practically every jedi has accomplished feats that Republic-era jedi couldnt have dreamed of, and why new jedi like Luke and Ezra are able to access and control the force much easier. And I think that's partially why Baylan has so much power.