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

Star Wars Celebration has provided fans with an exciting first look at Rory McCann stepping into the role of Baylan Skoll in Season 2 of Ahsoka. McCann takes on the character following the untimely passing of Ray Stevenson, who originally portrayed Baylan. Although we haven't seen McCann in action yet, the Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration offered a captivating first-look image that you can view below.

Ray Stevenson, known for his roles in Thor, RRR, Punisher: War Zone, Rome, and more, tragically passed away due to a brief illness just three months before Ahsoka's premiere. Many fans and critics hailed Stevenson's portrayal of Baylan as the standout performance of the series thus far.

Ahsoka series creator Dave Filoni opened up about the significant challenge of losing Ray Stevenson, emphasizing that he was "the most beautiful person on screen and off." Filoni and the team then shared more about what fans can anticipate in Season 2, including the return of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, alongside beloved characters such as Admiral Ackbar, Zeb, Chopper, and others.

In our review of the first season of Ahsoka, we noted that the series "struggles in its early episodes as it works to get viewers up to speed on characters and concepts introduced in Dave Filoni’s animated Star Wars shows. However, once the actors and cosmic plots are given ample time to shine, Ahsoka finds a wonderful mix of rich lore, humor, and epic battles that resonate with the classic Star Wars feel while also charting a new course."

For more insights, check out where Ahsoka ranks on our list of the best Star Wars Disney+ live-action TV shows and our detailed explainer of the Season 1 finale of Ahsoka.