Sith Vs. Dark Jedi: Star Wars' Baylan Skoll Is More Complicated Than You Think
The conflict between the Jedi and Sith lies at the center of the "Star Wars" franchise and has since the very beginning. The Jedi generally represent the light side of the Force and seek to attain galaxy-wide peace and prosperity. Meanwhile, the Sith are selfish and oppressive, using the dark side to brutalize their enemies and take whatever it is they desire. Despite the clear divide between these two factions, there's actually some ambiguity between them. This gray area is where Dark Jedi, such as "Ahsoka" favorite Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson), reside.
Sith are full-on dark side users who wholly reject the light, while Dark Jedi are a bit different. In canon, these individuals have simply chosen to study the dark side without taking on the Sith label and ideology. Baylan and his apprentice, Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno), have popularized this concept through their appearances on "Ahsoka." Don't let their red-orange lightsabers fool you — they don't consider themselves Sith. As seen throughout the show, Baylan, being a former Jedi, believes that there's more to the Force than labels like "Jedi" and "Sith," hence why he has left the Jedi behind to explore the Force in its entirety — especially the dark side.
Baylan's philosophy on the Force and the groups that use it is similar to another type of well-known in-between Force user. In fact, it's so similar that one has to wonder why he's not in that category.
Why is Baylan Skoll a Dark Jedi instead of a Gray Jedi?
The idea of a Force user who doesn't label themselves a Jedi or Sith is nothing new in "Star Wars." The galaxy far, far away has famously housed people known as Gray Jedi, who rose to prominence in the "Star Wars" Legends continuity. The term generally refers to those who walk the line between the light and dark sides of the Force and elect not to affiliate with the Jedi Order or the Sith. It's also used to describe Jedi who may still practice the Order's teachings while acting and speaking in ways not condoned by the Jedi Council.
With that definition in mind, the big question is, why is Baylan considered a Dark Jedi and not a Gray Jedi? He was once a Jedi who left the Order behind and sought out the dark side without becoming a Sith, so shouldn't that label work for him? First and foremost, it's worth remembering that Gray Jedi are purely a Legends concept, too. Additionally, the argument can be made that he has strayed closer to the dark than the light rather than seeking balance between the two. Thus, even if the Gray Jedi title was canon, it wouldn't quite fit Baylan's honorable yet sinister nature.
In the event Baylan Skoll returns to the "Star Wars" forefront in the future, it'll be interesting to see how his stance on the Force changes. Will he remain a Dark Jedi, return to the light, or delve deeper into the dark? We'll just have to wait and see.