As Ahsoka gears up for its second season on Disney+, a pivotal character is being reimagined, and the franchise is welcoming a familiar genre veteran to fill some significant boots.
Premiering on August 22, 2023, Ahsoka follows Rosario Dawson’s take on the beloved Togruta warrior, set in the aftermath of the Galactic Civil War. Taking place around 9 ABY, the show bridges the gap between Star Wars: Episode VI–Return of the Jedi (1983) and a host of animated and live-action stories, including The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, The Mandalorian, and The Book of Boba Fett.
Dawson headlines a stacked cast that includes Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla, Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger, and Lars Mikkelsen reprising his animated role as Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ivanna Sakhno plays Shin Hati, with Diana Lee Inosanto returning as Morgan Elsbeth. And then there was Ray Stevenson’s Baylan Skoll—a stoic, enigmatic presence who immediately became a standout.
Season 1 wrapped with “Part Eight: The Jedi, the Witch, and the Warlord,” leaving several characters in limbo. Ahsoka and Sabine found themselves marooned on Peridea alongside Shin and Baylan—who, in his final appearance, stood before ancient Mortis god statues. Meanwhile, Ezra managed to return home, reuniting with Hera.
But just as Ahsoka raised new questions, real-life tragedy left fans reeling. Stevenson passed away in 2023 before the series aired. His death cast uncertainty on the character’s future until earlier this year.
Stepping into the role for Season 2 is Scottish actor Rory McCann, widely known for his turn as Sandor Clegane, aka The Hound, on Game of Thrones. The casting was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, which stated: “Scottish actor Rory McCann, best known for playing the burly brute The Hound on HBO’s Game of Thrones, will replace late actor Ray Stevenson for a second season of Star Wars show Ahsoka, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.”
Stevenson, known for Rome and the Thor franchise, died just shy of his 59th birthday while filming Cassino in Ischia, reportedly after experiencing heart issues. While Dominic Purcell completed Stevenson’s role in that project, the path forward for Baylan Skoll was less clear—until Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Tokyo.
Fans got their first glimpse of McCann as Baylan during the panel, with Brandon Davis (@BrandonDavisBD) posting the images on X (formerly Twitter). During the presentation, Lucasfilm’s Dave Filoni revealed that he had discussed the future of Baylan with Stevenson’s family.
“I’m very confident now that Ray would be happy with the direction we’ve chosen,” Filoni said. “The character was meant to be important. He’s meant to be the parallel to Ahsoka in every way.”
Filoni also spoke to McCann’s commitment: “His whole focus is not letting Ray down and not letting you guys down,” he added. “The Force is with him.”
Production on Ahsoka Season 2 begins next week. The new chapter will run for eight episodes, all penned by Filoni. As reported in late 2024, the new season is seemingly being constructed with an intentional endpoint, should it not continue beyond this run.
“According to [Daniel Richtman], the plan now is to make sure the series has a satisfying ending in case it’s canceled and doesn’t return for a third season,” the report noted. “We hadn’t expected Filoni to tell this story beyond a couple of seasons, anyway, but Disney+ could always push for more episodes if Ahsoka is a big enough hit.”
At Celebration, fans were treated to a teaser crafted in the spirit of Star Wars: Episode V–The Empire Strikes Back (1980), revealing key details: Ahsoka and Sabine must race to stop Baylan from unlocking a mysterious threat on Peridea, while Ezra and Hera prepare to counter Thrawn’s imminent assault on the galaxy.
Another returning face will be Hayden Christensen, reprising his role as Anakin Skywalker. The actor portrayed his Clone Wars incarnation in Season 1—affectionately referred to as “Skyguy”—during a pivotal moment with Ahsoka in the World Between Worlds.
For months, speculation swirled about whether Ahsoka’s story would conclude in other Star Wars projects, like the long-teased New Republic crossover movie announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023. Then came a major update: Ahsoka Season 2 was not only in development, but its reveal coincided with the announcement that The Mandalorian and Grogu, directed by Jon Favreau, is set to premiere in theaters in May 2026.
The crossover film, however, is still very much in play. Filoni spoke with Collider about the project, calling it “a long development.”
“You keep that in your mind in the future while you’re working on the present,” Filoni explained. “So, right now, I’ll be on Season 2 [of Ahsoka], and as those stories develop, it might change things that would affect what’s happening in the future and what I would do. At times, it’s a balancing act, but I’m constantly working at it, working out scenes. I know several scenes and where they would go, so you just kind of plug it in as you go.”
With McCann now stepping into the role of Baylan Skoll, and the creative team steering the story toward a high-stakes climax, anticipation for the next chapter is higher than ever.
Among the other major announcements at Celebration: Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter is targeting a 2027 release with Ryan Gosling attached, and Maul will headline a new animated series titled Star Wars: Maul—Shadow Lord.
How are you feeling about Rory McCann entering the Star Wars fold? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
