Ahsoka Gives Orange Lightsabers Their Live-Action Debut - What This Means For Jedi
Lightsaber colors have grown in complexity as the canon of "Star Wars has evolved. In the original trilogy, it was pretty much accepted that blue and green lightsabers were used by the noble Jedi, while red lightsabers were preferred by the evil Sith. More colors have been added over the years, from purple to yellow, to lend greater mythology around the use of kyber crystals in the legendary weapon. And now, "Ahsoka" will introduce many viewers to the orange lightsaber.
The "Ahsoka" trailer has already showcased Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) wielding orange lightsabers. They'll be some of the antagonists of the series, so their usage of orange lightsabers makes sense. It's not quite the blood-red shading used by Sith, but it does signify how these Force users operate within a gray area.
It's worth noting that Baylan Skoll is a former Jedi who survived Order 66 and became a mercenary, with Shin Hati as his apprentice. Both of them likely have experience navigating between the dark and light sides of the Force, which is why their lightsabers don't entirely fall into either camp. While the orange lightsaber makes its live-action debut in "Ahsoka," it already has a rich history in "Star Wars" lore, even if it hasn't always been canonical.
Who has wielded an orange lightsaber before?
Gamers might have first-hand experience using orange lightsabers if they played "Jedi: Fallen Order." The orange lightsaber was a pre-order bonus offered by Respawn Entertainment, which means protagonist Cal Kestis (Cameron Monaghan) is technically a Jedi who's held one before. However, seeing how this is mostly an aesthetic choice as opposed to a reflection of Cal's character, it's hard to declare him the first canonical orange lightsaber user.
To find others, one must look toward "Star Wars Legends." This is the Expanded Universe that sprung forth after George Lucas' first six "Star Wars" movies that fleshed out the galaxy even further. It's since been deemed non-canonical, but it could offer hints into the true nature of Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati. Within "Legends," orange lightsabers are most often used by Gray Jedi. They are not fully members of the Jedi Order, utilizing both the light and dark sides of the Force. In these instances, orange lightsabers represent their middle ground, with orange being a cross between red lightsabers used by the Sith and yellow ones used by guards of the Jedi Temple.
Of course, this isn't always the case, as several full-fledged members of the Jedi Order used orange, too. For instance, Yaddle (a female individual within Yoda's race) wielded an orange blade in "Legends" before it was replaced with a standard green blade in "Tales of the Jedi." Additionally, Plo Koon used an orange lightsaber in "Legends," but it's been different colors in various other media. It stands to reason that for more casual viewers, "Ahsoka" represents a proper introduction of orange lightsabers into "Star Wars" canon, opening the doors for exciting new possibilities.
Are Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati Gray Jedi?
"Ahsoka" takes place after the fall of the Empire. Darth Vader may be out of the picture, but Grand Admirable Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) is a formidable threat all on his own. He's served by Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), who in turn oversees Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati. They're not exactly Sith, with Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine being out of the picture for the time being. Therefore, the orange tint of their lightsabers could merely be a way to distinguish them from the Sith, introducing a new breed of Force wielders who aren't completely light or dark.
It's unclear if someone will mention the words "Gray Jedi" in any capacity in "Ahsoka." While some aspects of "Star Wars Legends" have become canon, such as the use of Force projection, it's ultimately up to those at Lucasfilm, especially "Ahsoka" showrunner Dave Filoni, to decide what to incorporate in terms of orange lightsabers entering the live-action fold. This could either be something familiar to those who know about the Extended Universe or something new entirely.
No matter what happens, Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati look like powerful foes for Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and her comrades to contend with. And fans can see how they factor into the larger "Star Wars" lore when "Ahsoka" premieres on Disney+ on August 23.