Baylan And Shin Have Orange Lightsabers, Right?

In Ahsoka, we’re introduced to two very intriguing characters, Baylan Skoll and his apprentice, Shin Hati.

And if you’ve noticed something odd about their lightsabers, you’re not alone.

Unlike the typical Sith red, their lightsabers are distinctly orange – or more accurately, red-orange.

But why is that? Let’s break down why Baylan and Shin wield these unique lightsabers and what it means for their characters and the Star Wars lore.

The Connection to Legends: Synthetic vs. Bleeding Crystals

First things first, Baylan and Shin don’t have your standard Sith red lightsabers. They don’t have the bright Jedi blue or green either.

What they wield is something in between, an orange-red hue.

In Star Wars lore, how a lightsaber gets its color is fascinating. Back in the Legends (before Disney reset things), Sith often used synthetic crystals, which can come in different colors.

Nowadays, in the current canon, the Sith create red lightsabers by “bleeding” a natural kyber crystal through the dark side of the Force.

This process turns the crystal red, reflecting their corruption.

So, What’s Up with That Red-Orange Hue?

This color sets Baylan And Shin apart from your run-of-the-mill Sith or Jedi. It’s not just for show; this particular color says a lot about who they are and what they represent.

So, what does red-orange mean in the Star Wars universe? Well, lightsaber colors usually reflect the user’s alignment with the Force.

Jedi tend to have blue or green lightsabers, while Sith have red. The fact that Baylan and Shin’s sabers are red-orange suggests they’re not fully committed to the dark side like Darth Vader or Palpatine, but they’re not Jedi either.

In an interview, Dave Filoni confirmed that these lightsabers were intentionally designed to be different from traditional ones.

He explained that their orange-red hue signals that Baylan and Shin are not purely dark Jedi or Sith.

They don’t fit neatly into the established categories, which is visually represented by their unique saber colors.

Filoni also referenced how lightsaber colors, like Vader’s, have fluctuated in the past, further emphasizing the idea that Baylan and Shin aren’t characters we should expect to follow typical dark-side traditions.

This ambiguity in their allegiance is crucial. Their red-orange hue suggests that while they’re tapping into the dark side, they haven’t gone full Sith.

They’re dark side users, but maybe not driven by pure hatred, as Sith traditionally is.

This theory aligns with how we’ve seen dark Jedi (Force users who are no longer Jedi but aren’t quite Sith) portrayed in other Star Wars media.

Baylan and Shin’s lightsabers fit into this gray area, just like their morals.

This makes them even more interesting because they don’t fit into the neat categories we’re used to: Jedi or Sith.

Their moral ambiguity adds layers to their roles, and the red-orange hue of their sabers signals that they’re playing by their own rules.

Red-Orange Blades Have Precedent in Star Wars Media

If you’re a long-time Star Wars fan, you might recognize this color from previous media.

In games like Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) and Knights of the Old Republic II (KOTOR II), red-orange or orange lightsabers were often used by many characters already.

Even in the more recent game Jedi: Survivor, the character Dagan Gera has a similarly colored lightsaber and doesn’t become a Sith when they turn to the Dark Side because they don’t take on a Sith master or follow any Sith teachings or beliefs.

This reinforces the idea that red-orange lightsabers represent a less absolute fall to the dark side.

Baylan and Shin seem to follow this tradition. They aren’t pure evil, but they’ve definitely strayed far from the light.

This color palette has often been used to highlight morally complex characters – ones who aren’t quite Sith, but who definitely aren’t heroes.