Ahsoka: “For our friend, Ray” Episode 1 dedication explained

❘ Published: 2023-08-31T20:29:19

Disney+

After Ahsoka premiered on Disney Plus, Star Wars fans likely noticed the emotional dedication in Episode 1’s credits – here’s what you should know.

The first two episodes of Ahsoka launched on Disney+ two weeks ago, giving the beloved title character her own standalone show.

Ahsoka Tano was introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars in 2008, then appeared in the Star Wars Rebels and Tales of the Jedi animated series. Her voice was heard in The Rise of Skywalker, while Rosario Dawson played the character in live-action form in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.

Dawson reprises the role in this new series, and you can read our review of Ahsoka Episode 1 here, and find out about that dedication below. Though beware of mild SPOILERS for that first episode ahead.

Ahsoka: “For our friend, Ray” Episode 1 dedication explained

The message “For our friend, Ray” appears onscreen at the end of Ahsoka Episode 1, and pays tribute to actor Ray Stevenson, who sadly passed away on May 21, 2023.

Stevenson plays Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka. The first episode kicks off with Skoll masquerading as a Jedi, and rescuing Lady Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) by killing everyone in his path.

Ahsoka believes him to be a mercenary, and her cohorts speculate that the character might be a former Jedi due to his Force abilities. They then learn Baylan Skoll’s identity via his lightsaber, believing him to be one of the Jedi who disappeared at the end of the Clone Wars.

Who is Ray Stevenson?

Ray Stevenson was a star of both stage and screen. Born in Northern Ireland in 1964, he started his career at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which led to roles in multiple plays in the early 2000s.

Stevenson’s major film roles were as Frank Castle in Punisher: War Zone, Dagonet in the 2004 King Arthur, Volstagg in Thor, Firefly in G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Porthos in Paul W.S. Anderson’s Three Musketeers movie, and Marcus across the three Divergent movies. While he recently received critical acclaim for his role as the villainous General Scott in RRR.

Stevenson also enjoyed small-screen success, playing Titus Pollo in Rome, Blackbeard in Black Sails, and Isaak Sirko in Dexter.

Ahsoka wasn’t the first time the actor appeared in the Star Wars universe, with Stevenson voicing Gar Saxon in Star Wars Rebels, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Ahsoka Episodes 1-3 are available on Disney+ now, which you can sign up for here. You can check out our other coverage below: