Baylan defeated Ahsoka in a lightsaber duel, but it doesn't necessarily mean he is more powerful than her. While Baylan is a skilled duelist, he falls short compared to some of the best Jedi duelists like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu.
Summary. Ahsoka's loss against Baylan in the duel can be attributed the fact that Baylan used an unusual lightsaber type she had never encountered before. Great lightsabers are larger and heavier than traditional sabers, requiring the user to wield them with both hands.
No. Baylan Skoll is a great duelist and powerful in the force, as shown when he beat Ahsoka and stalled her later on to. But beating Ahsoka is one thing, Darth Vader is on a whole other level.
As a former Jedi, Baylan Skoll was trained in the ways of the Force and was proficient in lightsaber combat. His approach was with long, two-handed, heavy strikes which combined with his physical strength and stamina allowed him to overwhelm his opponents.
Baylan may be seeking access to Mortis itself, or at least some aspect of its power, as he views this ethereal domain as the driving force behind the ebb and flow of dark and light. This would make Mortis "the beginning" of the galaxy's endless turmoil and the key to breaking the cycle.
Why Baylan Skoll is WAY More Powerful Than You Realize - Star Wars Explained
Why can't Ahsoka defeat Baylan?
Summary. Ahsoka has been distracted in her fights with Baylan, which has affected her ability to duel him effectively. Baylan is a strong fighter, but Ahsoka should be more powerful and skilled as a lightsaber duelist.
According to showrunner Dave Filoni, Skoll's lightsaber being orange-red instead of the traditional Sith red blade was intentional because he always felt as a kid that Darth Vader's lightsaber seemed to fluctuate from visual effects to being a little bit more orange, so he wished to not make a straight-up orange ...
She gradually starts to adapt, even using the environment to her advantage, but Baylan's form gives him an edge right from the start of the duel. At the end, he uses the weight of his lightsaber to deadly effect, with the sheer force of his blow sending Ahsoka off a cliff edge.
Baylan was trained in the waxing-waning days of the Jedi Knights. He later grew disillusioned with the Order and its ways and left. Eventually, he fell to the dark side and took Shin Hati as his apprentice after Order 66 while they both became mercenaries.
Ahsoka introduced Baylan Skoll, a lightsaber duelist so potent he is easily the most dangerous Dark Jedi imaginable. Played by the late Ray Stevenson, Baylan Skoll is the first canon Dark Jedi in Star Wars - a Jedi who has not become a Sith, but who is nevertheless willing to tap into the dark side of the Force.
Baylan was once a Jedi, and now Ahsoka confirms he knew Anakin Skywalker. Baylan told Ahsoka Tano in Ahsoka episode 4 that Anakin Skywalker would often speak highly about her. Not only did Baylan know Anakin, but the dark sider was also aware of what happened to Skywalker after the Clone Wars.
In Ahsoka, Baylan Skoll is not a typical Sith, as he does not seek power and control but rather wants to destroy the galaxy to rebuild it in a better way. Baylan's unique motivations and reverence for the Jedi set him apart from other Star Wars villains, giving him a three-dimensional characterization.
From the newly released teaser trailer, it is clear that Baylan Skoll knew Anakin on a first name basis and talked about Ahsoka with him. From this I think they grew up and trained together when they were younglings and were later acquaintances during the Clone Wars.
Despite defeating an accomplished duelist like Ahsoka, Baylan Skoll would likely falter against some of Star Wars' best Jedi duelists. Characters such as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, and Anakin Skywalker have already been established as some of the best lightsaber duelists in the prequel era.
Baylan is a very unique and complex Dark Jedi character, and that's what made him one of the best characters in Ahsoka. Based on the little bits of backstory, Baylan was once a Jedi Knight who lost faith in how they operated, just like how Dooku and Barriss Offee did. And rn he wants the endless cycle of war to end.
The most likely explanation is similar to Ahsoka's white blades, as Baylan and Shin lean toward the dark side but aren't as evil as the Sith. This was the approach Legends took with orange lightsabers, often wielded by "Gray" Jedi who didn't fully align with either side of the Force.
If we assume for the sake of argument that Baylan is about the same age as his actor (RIP Ray), he would've been somewhere between his mid twenties and early thirties at the time that Order 66 happened.
What he wants to create is seemingly a future without the death and destruction that burned down everything he's ever known. Baylan Skoll would seem to stand along the proverbial middle point between light and dark. That, along with his orange lightsaber, has led to some to ask if he qualifies as a Gray Jedi.
Baylan Skoll's character in Ahsoka was intentionally portrayed as complex and not inherently evil, with a unique belief system and a real goal he is committed to.
The Kyber crystals that she uses in her saber were recovered from a Sith, so she had to realign them with the light side of the force in order to use them, and the result was that the color of her lightsabers became white. It shows the balance of strength and independence that Ahsoka commands.
The black lightsaber, or Darksaber to give it its proper name, is one of the rarest lightsabers in Star Wars canon. Despite its rarity in canon, anyone who has seen the second season of The Mandalorian is likely to be familiar with the Darksaber.
Summary. The death of Ray Stevenson, who played Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka, likely means the character will be recast for season 2. Lucasfilm has been resistant to recasting, but it's necessary in order to continue Baylan's story and honor Stevenson's performance.
