Rory McCann Debuts as Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka at Star Wars Celebration

Star Wars Celebration has given us our first glimpse of Rory McCann stepping into the role of Baylan Skoll for Season 2 of Ahsoka, following the tragic passing of Ray Stevenson. McCann, known for his role in Game of Thrones, now takes on the mantle of Baylan, a character that Stevenson portrayed to critical acclaim in the show's first season.

While we're yet to see McCann in action, the Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration treated fans to an exclusive first-look image, which you can view below.

Ray Stevenson, who also starred in films like Thor, RRR, Punisher: War Zone, and the series Rome, sadly passed away due to a brief illness just three months before Ahsoka's premiere. Many fans and critics alike hailed Stevenson's performance as Baylan as one of the standout elements of the series.

Ahsoka's creator, Dave Filoni, openly discussed the challenge of losing Stevenson, describing him as "the most beautiful person on screen and off." This sentiment underscores the emotional impact of his loss on the production team.

During the panel, Filoni and the team also teased what fans can anticipate in Season 2. They confirmed the return of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, along with beloved characters such as Admiral Ackbar, Zeb, Chopper, and more.

In our review of Ahsoka's inaugural season, we noted that it "struggles initially as it tries to bring viewers up to speed with characters and concepts from Dave Filoni’s animated Star Wars series. However, once the narrative finds its footing, Ahsoka delivers a compelling blend of deep lore, humor, and epic battles, resonating with the essence of classic Star Wars while carving out a fresh narrative path."

For further insights, explore where Ahsoka stands in our ranking of the best Star Wars live-action TV shows on Disney+ and our detailed analysis of the Season 1 finale of Ahsoka.