This article was originally published on SFFGazette.com.
Baylan Skoll has been one of Ahsoka's most compelling characters from the start, but his mission becomes slightly clearer in last night's episode of the series.
Explaining to Shin Hati that, following Order 66, he came to the conclusion the Jedi were always destined to fall, he expresses a desire to move beyond the Galaxy's inevitable cycle of violence and the rise and fall of entities like his former allies and the Empire. He tells Shin Hati that he's trained her to be something more than a Jedi but now we know he doesn't share a history with Thrawn, what exactly does the former General want?
It's difficult to say right now, but we do learn that there seems to be a rare source of power on Peridia calling out to him.
With it, it seems Skoll can reshape the Galaxy as he wishes and there's every chance he's going to be a bigger threat to his home than even the Grand Admiral. For those of you who have read Timothy Zahn's "Heir to the Empire" series, we're sure you're getting serious Joruus C'baoth vibes, though we don't anticipate the villain's arc playing out in quite the same way.
For the time being, both he and Shin have been tasked with killing Sabine Wren and Ezra Bridger, with Thrawn making it clear to Morgan Elsbeth that he has no qualms about killing them as well or simply leaving them behind in an ancient Galaxy once thought to be a myth.
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Peridia And What Is Thrawn Transporting? - Possible SPOILERS
Elsewhere in the episode, it's all but confirmed that Sabine is a Jedi (even if she still hasn't quite mastered the Force), while Thrawn's new ally - Captain Enoch - has immediately generated discussion among fans online.
Played by actor Wes Chatham, he's decked out in Stormtrooper armour but has a gold face mask, suggesting he's more than just a normal soldier who rose up the ranks. Some believe this could be Ensign Eli Vanto from Zhan's canon Star Wars novels and other suggestions range from him being a clone to another member of the Chiss.
If Thrawn's people do somehow factor into this story, they may well be whatever is inside those pods. On the page, there are Chiss with Jedi-like navigational powers and even just an army of beings with the same skill as the Grand Admiral...well, that's a scary thought. While it's doubtful they were found on Peridia, we can't discount the possibility they've been hidden away on the Chimaera this entire time.
With only two episodes left, it's unclear when or where the many years Thrawn spent in exile will be explored and elaborated on.
Going back to Enoch, though, he's clearly the new Marrok when it comes to wild fan theories. However, one thing this episode does seem to make clear is that Thrawn's army of Stormtroopers/Night Troopers isn't quite what they seem. Are they also zombified soldiers forced to do the villain's bidding by The Great Mothers? We'd say it's likely and that could have major consequences for Star Wars moving forward.
You can also see a handful of spoiler stills from the latest episode of Ahsoka below.