Star Wars: Ahsoka — Who are Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati?

Who are Baylan Skoll™ and Shin Hati™? How will they impact the Star Wars™ universe after the end of season 1 of the Disney+ live action television series Ahsoka™? Let’s break down their roles, motivations, and impact below.

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Name Etymology

The surnames Skoll and Hati originate from Norse mythology. Within Norse myths, Skoll and Hati are two wolves fated to eternally chase the sun and moon, respectively. They will only catch their prey when Ragnarok, or the end of the gods, occurs. This is tied to Fenrir’s escape, and how this infamous wolf devours his chains and the world. Could Grand Admiral Thrawn™ be Fenrir in this extended allegory?

So, what does this mean for these Star Wars characters? Well, it could imply their desires are nearly impossible to reach. It also indicates they seek to end the “gods” so that they might find peace. In this case, could the “gods” be the Jedi™ and the Sith™? Many questions abound. Plus, it’s all up to fan interpretation and prediction until canon confirms the events.

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Appearances and Affiliations

Baylan and Shin wear medieval armor, dark robes, and heavy eyeliner. They wield red lightsabers™. Shin is deathly pale — but don’t mistake her for a Nightsister™ from Dathomir™. In fact, don’t assume you know anything about these two. Because they aren’t Sith, and they aren’t Inquisitors™. Based on the original Ahsoka trailer, most fans assumed they were the fearsome Jedi hunters who serve Darth Vader™ and Emperor Palpatine™. Additionally, things were complicated by the mercenary Marrok™, because he was actually an Inquisitor before he died/disintegrated.

But ultimately there’s a lot more to Baylan and his apprentice Shin than mere allegiance. In fact, Baylan wants to put an end to the cycle. While he and Shin are Force wielders, specifically dark side users, they owe neither loyalty nor love to either side of this never-ending intergalactic conflict. The Master and Apprentice seek to free Force wielders from the tormented, cyclical nature of the struggle for “balance” in the galaxy.

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Baylan and Shin in Ahsoka

Shin and Baylan spent the entire show fighting against our heroes. They were constantly at odds. Small skirmishes led to bigger fights — including one where Sabine Wren™ almost lost her life.

However, we didn’t really know what Baylan and Shin wanted. Like, at all. Only closer to the end did we discover that while they were helping Thrawn return, they weren’t exactly his biggest fans or supporters. He was just a means to an end. Baylan had much bigger dreams than simply bringing another despot to the throne.

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After Ahsoka

At the end of Ahsoka, antagonists abound. Thrawn has returned, and evil reignites across the remnants of the Empire … soon to be the sequel trilogy’s First Order™. Meanwhile, Baylan and Shin have gone their separate ways. Baylan seems to have chosen the path of lone wanderer. Sadly, this is the last we’ll see of him, because the actor Ray Stevenson passed away before the Ahsoka premiere.

That leaves Shin to fulfill her master’s legacy and dream. Last we left her, she was fleeing the fallout of the final battle. Thrawn and his stormtroopers™ want her dead. Ahsoka Tano, Hera Syndulla™, Chopper™, Ezra Bridger™, and Sabine Wren certainly don’t want her on their crew. With no allies, which corner of the galaxy will Shin run to? And how will she carry forth Baylan’s wish? We’re excited to see her future in the franchise.

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