Summary
- Ahsoka fans have found Easter eggs and connections to other Star Wars media in multiple places throughout the new Disney Plus series, showcasing their dedication.
- Observant viewers have noticed a similarity between Baylan Skoll's ring in Ahsoka and Supreme Leader Snoke's ring from the Star Wars sequel trilogy, hinting at a potential connection.
- The obsidian ring is significant because it can channel the dark side of the Force, making it a powerful symbol in the Star Wars universe. Baylan's connection to past and future characters adds intrigue to his character.
Star Wars fans are nothing if not committed to the bit. In this case, the bit involves scrubbing any footage from new and old projects for Easter eggs with the unflappable persistence of a mafia cleanup crew. Today, that hyperfixation has turned its gaze squarely on the new Disney Plus series Ahsoka.
Ahsoka fans have found connections to other Star Wars media in multiple places throughout the show's currently 3-episode run, proving their tenacity in the face of nothing in particular. It's not as if they're coming at this from a place of unfounded optimism. Star Wars is practically known for rarely creating something new without tossing a few references to fans here and there. In this case, however, those same fans may have discovered something well before they were supposed to.
Some rather observant viewers have now fixated on a small detail regarding former Jedi and current bad guy Baylan Skoll. As uncovered by Screen Rant, one fan pointed out how Baylan's ring seems to bear a striking resemblance to a similar bit of bling sported by Supreme Leader Snoke in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. On the surface, it could mean nothing. But there's a surprising amount of lore behind those rings because this is Star Wars. It's the same franchise that turned a guy carrying an ice cream maker into a folk hero.
Baylan (played by the late Ray Stevenson) is wearing what appears to be an obsidian ring, just like Snoke would eventually wear. This is significant due to the in-universe properties of the stone itself. In Star Wars, Snoke's ring was created with obsidian mined from the volcanic world of Mustafar, where Darth Vader keeps his broody castle. But aside from its origin, which could conceivably come from anywhere with a similarly lava-centric vibe, the actual stone is said to channel the dark side.
In-universe, obsidian is so effective at channeling the dark side of the Force that it can even be used as a power source for a lightsaber. It isn't the reason the villains' lightsabers are orange in Ahsoka, but good looking out there. This property is likely due to its origin in volcanic environments, as at least Mustafar has been transformed into its current state due to an ancient Force user attempting to cheat death and subsequently cursing the planet. However, while Snoke's connection to the dark side was overt, Baylan seems to hold a less indelible affinity, as he and his apprentice Shin Hati appear to be working for fellow antagonist Morgan Elsbeth out of necessity.
It's uncertain if this connection will go anywhere, but it's fun to speculate. Baylan also seems to have known Anakin Skywalker, so his potential connection to past characters is equally as viable as future ones. Either way, more Baylan is one thing Ahsoka fans won't complain about.
Ahsoka releases new episodes on Tuesdays on Disney Plus.
Source: StarWars0nly/X (via Screen Rant)