We’ve seen Ahsoka fight with two lightsabers for years — from the Siege of Mandalore to her duel with Vader, it’s become part of who she is. So when Episode 4 of Ahsoka showed her facing Baylan Skoll with just one blade, it caught a lot of fans off guard.
At first, it might seem like a downgrade. Why not use both sabers, especially against a heavy-hitter like Baylan? But if you look closer, this wasn’t just a stylistic change — it was a calculated decision.
Here’s why Ahsoka made that call.
Table of Contents
1. Ahsoka’s Combat Style: Adapting to Constraints
Any Ahsoka fans out there know exactly how she fights. Whether it was the duel against Darth Maul during the Siege of Mandalore or her heartbreaking battle with Vader on Malachor — she’s almost always seen wielding her dual lightsabers. That’s part of what makes her so unique. But when she faced Baylan Skoll in Episode 4 of Ahsoka, something changed.
She only used one lightsaber.
So why the shift? The first reason comes down to the environment and her fighting style. Ahsoka’s technique is a hybrid of Ataru and Shien — both of which thrive on mobility, speed, and acrobatics. Those moves need open space to work, and the terrain she fought Baylan in was anything but ideal. Dense rocks, narrow clearings, and uneven ground don’t exactly pair well with flashy flips and wide-angle strikes.
In that setting, dual-wielding would’ve been more of a hindrance. By switching to just one blade, Ahsoka gave herself more room to move, tighter control over her defense, and fewer chances to get caught up in the chaos of the forest.
2. Ahsoka Knew Baylan Was Inside Her Head — So She Changed the Game
As we remember the moment before the duel between Ahsoka and Baylan Skoll, there’s something important that stands out — Baylan brings up Anakin. That wasn’t just a random name drop. It was a calculated move to get inside her head, and it worked. It showed that Baylan already knew who Ahsoka was, what she had been through, and probably how she fights too.
He even says, “Anakin spoke highly of you.” That one line carries so much weight. Not only does it confirm that Baylan had knowledge of Ahsoka’s past with Anakin, but it also shows he understands the emotional impact of that connection — and how to use it in a fight.
That tells us one thing: Baylan had done his homework. He wasn’t just preparing to face a Jedi — he was preparing to face Anakin Skywalker’s former Padawan. And Ahsoka, realizing that, likely understood he might be anticipating her usual dual-saber style.
So what did she do? She changed it up. By using only one lightsaber, Ahsoka shifted the dynamic. It was a way to break expectations, to fight on her own terms — not the way Baylan might’ve prepared for. And that kind of mental shift in battle can be just as important as raw skill. Baylan may have known the old Ahsoka… but the one standing in front of him wasn’t fighting by the old rules anymore.
3. Ahsoka Was More Focused on Recovering the Star Map Than Winning the Duel
On top of everything else going on in that moment — the terrain, Baylan’s strength, the mental games — there’s something we can’t forget: Ahsoka wasn’t just there to fight. She was trying to stop Baylan from getting the star map that could lead Thrawn back into the galaxy.
Thrawn isn’t just another lost Imperial warlord — he’s one of the most dangerous tacticians in Star Wars. If he returned, he could rally the remnants of the Empire and plunge the galaxy into another war. Ahsoka knew exactly what was at stake. This wasn’t about personal revenge or proving who was stronger — this was about stopping something much bigger before it began.
And we see that play out clearly during the fight. The second Ahsoka gets the upper hand and manages to kick Baylan back, she doesn’t follow up with another strike — she immediately reaches for the map instead. Her priority wasn’t finishing Baylan off — it was destroying that map before it could be used.
4. Baylan Skoll Was Just Too Strong for Ahsoka
In their second duel on Peridea, Ahsoka returns with both lightsabers drawn, fighting at full strength. Her movements are faster, more fluid, and she’s clearly more in control than before. She pushes Baylan hard, landing clean strikes and forcing him to go on the defensive.
But Baylan stays composed. He blocks every blow, holding his ground with his signature strength and weight behind every counter. The two exchange heavy strikes until Baylan breaks the moment with a firm statement: “Can’t defeat me.”
Ahsoka doesn’t argue. She stops, steadies herself, and answers, “Perhaps I don’t have to.”
She disengages — not because she’s lost, but because she no longer needs to fight him. The real objective is Sabine, and Ahsoka knows Baylan won’t chase her. That moment shows it clearly: even with both blades, Ahsoka couldn’t overpower him. So instead, she outmaneuvers him by walking away.
5. Learning from Past Encounters
A pivotal moment in Ahsoka’s combat evolution came during her duel with Darth Vader. Her dual-wielding technique, though formidable, fell short against Vader’s aggressive and powerful style.
Vader’s approach to combat, characterized by overwhelming strength and the use of both hands on his lightsaber for added power, provided Ahsoka with valuable insight.
Baylan Skoll, much like Vader, relied on brute strength, wielding his lightsaber with both hands to deliver devastating strikes.
This observation led Ahsoka to a crucial realization: matching Skoll’s strength would require a similar grip and stance—something only achievable with two hands on a single lightsaber.
This adjustment allowed Ahsoka to better absorb and counter Skoll’s powerful blows, a tactic that dual-wielding could not accommodate.
The Turning Point
As the duel progressed, Ahsoka suffered a burn to her hand, significantly impairing her ability to wield her lightsaber effectively.
This injury underscored the inherent risk of facing a power-driven opponent like Skoll with a dual-wielding stance, where control and strength are divided between two hands.
The pain and difficulty in maintaining a firm grip on her weapon ultimately led to Ahsoka’s defeat.
Conclusion
Ahsoka Tano’s choice to use one lightsaber against Baylan Skoll reveals a deeper understanding of combat dynamics and the wisdom in flexibility.
It’s a poignant reminder that in the art of war, especially within the Star Wars universe, the greatest strength lies not in the number of weapons one wields but in the ability to adapt to the opponent and the environment.