Yoda/Legends

"For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is."

- Master Yoda

Yoda was one of the most renowned Jedi Masters in the Galaxy, and one of the few Galactic Republic Jedi to survive into the Galactic Civil War.

Biography
Standing a mere 66 centimeters tall, Yoda was the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, one of the senior members of the Jedi Council in the last days of the Galactic Republic, and was the wisest and most powerful Jedi Master of his time. He had exceptional skills in lightsaber combat, employing whirling and acrobatic Form IV techniques. From c. 300 BBY to 19 BBY he trained almost every Jedi in the Galaxy&mdash;as Grand Master, he had instructed every youngling in the Jedi Temple at least once before they were assigned to a master. Perhaps the only Jedi of the Republic not to have been directly taught by Yoda was Anakin Skywalker&mdash;which may have contributed to the young man's fall to the dark side.

Yoda's most important student was arguably Luke Skywalker, whom Yoda trained to become the future of the Jedi. Having trained the first member of the New Jedi Order, Yoda served as the conduit between the two orders, preserving the Jedi's flame for the next generation when few others dared try.

The Republic (896 BBY to 22 BBY)
"For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind."

- Yoda to Luke Skywalker



Most details about Yoda's past are very difficult to determine, but some events in his history have been established. Born on a remote planet, Yoda originally did not know that he was Force-sensitive at all. He left his homeplanet with a Human friend, who also did not know he was Force-sensitive, on an old, barely space-worthy ship enroute to the Core Systems to seek employment. However, long before they could reach their destination, the ship was struck by an asteroid causing it to become severely disabled beyond their abilities to repair. They spent several days drifting dead in space during which time both their life support systems and rations came close to being exhausted, and there was still no response to their distress signal. It seemed like they would soon meet their deaths until their sensors picked up a star system not too far away. They had just enough power to make it there, and did so before crash landing on a swampy planet covered with a dense fog.

They spent a few days there before being found by a strange being: Hysalrian Jedi Master N'Kata Del Gormo, who revealed to them both that they were Force-sensitive. Master Gormo took them to his home where he trained them in the ways of the Force and, not long after their training was complete, a Galactic Republic starship picked up their distress signal and rescued the two friends, who were now Jedi themselves. It is possible that this "rescue" was in fact planned by Master Gormo, as the timing would seem to fit a bit too nicely, but this has never been confirmed.

By 796 BBY, Yoda had been granted the title of Jedi Master and had begun the training of his first student, who would be one of the thousands of Padawans Yoda would train over the course of his own life. Later, Yoda was one of the Jedi Masters who led the mobile academy aboard the starship Chu’unthor, which was constructed circa 500 BBY. After crash landing on the planet of Dathomir one hundred years later, Yoda and the other Jedi fought with the famed Witches of Dathomir. Coming to a stalemate, he agreed to leave the ship's data tapes although left no means of reading them. The tapes were bestowed to Rell of the Singing Mountain Clan for safekeeping until a time when a Jedi would come to save the planet from darkness and the information could safely be shared with the Witches. This did not happen until around 8 ABY.

By 200 BBY, Yoda, along with other great Jedi Masters of the age, discovered that the shape of the Force had begun to flux, becoming murky and uncertain. Studying the perplexing mystery in silent meditation, the Jedi High Council (of which Yoda was now a member) was unanimous&mdash;the power of the dark side was growing. Some believed this pointed to an imminent return of the Sith, but when no Dark Lords made an appearance, Yoda proposed an alternative theory: the long-awaited arrival of the prophesized Chosen One, who would bring balance to the Force. In opposition, several of the younger Jedi disputed Yoda's findings, and formed a breakaway sect&mdash;the Potentium. Their heresy was not welcomed by the Council, and Yoda led the campaign to expel them from the order in 130 BBY.

Circa 171 BBY, Yoda travelled to Ord Cestus and saved the native X'Ting from disaster. They honoured Yoda by building a giant statue of him, at least 70 meters tall, inside the X'Ting Hall Of Heroes.

Yoda was forced into combat&mdash;an activity he deplored but recognized as an occasional necessity&mdash;during the Yinchorri Uprising of 33 BBY. Leading his fellow Council members against the interloping Yinchorri warriors, Yoda proved that he was still a force to be reckoned with, even at his advanced age.

In 32 BBY, Qui-Gon Jinn brought a young Anakin Skywalker to the Jedi Council, requesting to train him once Obi-Wan Kenobi had completed the trials necessary to become a Jedi Knight (Jedi can only have one apprentice at a time). Yoda, as the teacher of many of those on the Council, and its most venerable and respected member, played a key role in that body's initial decision to deny the request. Yoda believed that the boy was clearly affected by his years as a slave and that he still clung too tightly to the memory of his mother to be trained safely. His future, Yoda thought, was clouded.

After Qui-Gon Jinn's death at the hands of Darth Maul, however, the Council rescinded its previous decision and let Qui-Gon's apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi, now a Jedi Knight, train Anakin.

The start of the war
"Begun, the Clone War has."

- Master Yoda



A decade later, during an investigation of a strange poisonous dart, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi discovered a massive army of clones was being created on the planet Kamino. After much debate, Yoda traveled to the planet to see these clones for himself. When several Jedi and Senator Padmé Amidala were captured on the planet Geonosis by the Separatists, it was noted that a droid factory on the planet was producing a powerful army. It was then decided that the clones would be used to put down this threat in hopes of preventing a galactic war. This was also used as a rescue mission to save the senator and the captured Jedi.

As the battle began, Yoda learned that the droid army was controlled by his old apprentice Count Dooku, who had left the Jedi Order to become a powerful Sith Lord and organized the Confederacy of Independent Systems to oppose the Republic. An epic duel began between the puissant Jedi Master and his fallen apprentice. Master Yoda proved able to counter all of the Sith Lord's Force techniques, and after a brief but explosive lightsaber duel in which the ancient Jedi further demonstrated his prowess, the Sith Lord fled, distracting Yoda by attempting to drop a pillar on the wounded Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker. Yoda was forced to use his power to stop the pillar, which gave Dooku enough time to escape.



Though the Republic won the Battle of Geonosis under the direction of General Yoda, he soon sensed that the Clone Wars would be a long and tumultuous period for both the Republic and the Jedi Order itself. During the Clone Wars, Yoda, along with many other Jedi Masters, became a long-term General fighting in various battles for the Republic on worlds across the Galaxy.

Frontline warrior
"Wars not make one great!"

- Yoda

Early in the conflict, Yoda saw frontline action on Axion, leading clone troopers into battle atop his kybuck steed. On that contested world, he saved the life of Commander Brolis, and in the process defeating a Hailfire droid in single combat. During the Battle of Muunilinst, Yoda came to the rescue of Luminara Unduli and Barriss Offee after the Crystal Caves on Ilum were destroyed by chameleon droids. On Ilum, Yoda learned that Dooku's treachery ran deeper than he had believed, for the former Jedi Master had ordered the attack on the crystal temple.

Yoda had lost his former Padawan to the dark side before the war began, but during the conflict, Yoda lost another good friend. King Alaric of Thustra was planning to secede his homeworld to the Confederacy, although he intended to rejoin the Republic when the corruption he had witnessed was gone. Yoda travelled to Thustra to speak with Alaric, but his old friend was resolute, and eventually, his world became embroiled in battle. Unwilling to face the state of his world, Alaric drew a blaster on Yoda, knowing his friend would be forced to defend himself. Left with no choice, Yoda deflected the bolt into the body of the King. Yoda lamented the fall of his friend, but more worrying was how even he had been forced to draw his blade in battle, and feared he would have to draw it again in many battles to come.

At one point in the Clone Wars, an insurrection broke out on Bpfassh, and a number of Dark Jedi ran rampant through the region. Yoda himself tracked one of the dark siders to the world of Dagobah, a place that figured prominently in Yoda's history. On that fog-shrouded world, Yoda and the Dark Jedi battled, and eventually Yoda emerged victorious. However, the power of the Dark Jedi lingered, casting a dark taint on the area. This would later manifest itself as a nexus of dark side energy centered around an old cave hidden underneath a gnarled tree.

Near the end of the war, Yoda journeyed to the planet Vjun after receiving a communication from Count Dooku, stating his intention to defect. Although Yoda was well aware of Dooku's treachery, he could not help but hope the Count's plea was sincere, and that his former student was, at last, trying to find his way home. Yoda rendezvoused with Dooku in Château Malreaux, and confronted the Sith Lord over his choice to join the dark side. Dooku attempted to convert Yoda, but the Jedi Master easily pushed aside Dooku's hollow promises. Instead, Yoda tried to persuade Dooku to rejoin the Jedi Order, and it appeared his words had a profound effect on Dooku. The unexpected intervention of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker hardened Dooku's resolve, and Yoda was forced into a second duel with the Count. Both Yoda and Dooku survived, but each left the confrontation with much on their minds.

The invasion of Coruscant
"Darker, the coming storm grows."

- Yoda



Despite these dark sojourns, Yoda largely remained on Coruscant, and coordinated the war effort on behalf of the Jedi. During the Second Battle of Coruscant, Yoda again rode his kybuck into battle, to support the forces of Captain Fordo with a dazzling display of mounted lightsaber combat. He eventually sent the creature back to the Temple, and continued to fight, side-by-side with Mace Windu, on foot.

Despite their efforts, the Jedi were unable to prevent the capture of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine by General Grievous, though Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi later rescued him and killed Dooku in the process. With his hopes of converting his pupil back to the light dashed, Yoda set his focus on tracking down the last Sith Lord, though tensions between the Jedi High Council and the Office of the Supreme Chancellor were high.

In 19 BBY, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine appointed Anakin to the Jedi Council as his own representative. Again, the Council was hesitant about Skywalker's temperament but, in turn, acquiesced to the request. Yoda once more played a significant role in the young Jedi's ascension in the order, as they denied Anakin the rank of Jedi Master. During that discussion, the clones reported that the Wookiees were under attack and Yoda, having once been the planet's watchman, decided to venture to Kashyyyk to assist them. Yoda was quite skilled in the technique of Battle Meditation and would use this to some affect during the Second Battle of Kashyyyk, assisting the Wookiees and clones below.

Survival
"In a dark place we find ourselves... a little more knowledge might light our way."

- Yoda

While Yoda was on Kashyyyk, Palpatine, now revealed as Darth Sidious, ordered the clones to implement Order 66, which meant the extermination of all Jedi. Yoda sensed his Jedi brethren being killed all over the galaxy, and was able to stop Commander Gree and his troops from assassinating him. With help from the Wookiees Chewbacca and Tarfful Yoda was able to escape to meet with another surviving Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, on Coruscant.



The two soon learned that Anakin had taken the Sith name Darth Vader and fallen to the dark side. They agreed that the two Sith Lords must be destroyed. Yoda would remain on Coruscant to confront the newly crowned Emperor Palpatine in the Senate Building, while Obi-Wan would battle his apprentice. Quickly dispatching Sidious' guards with the skill only a Jedi Master could harness, Yoda began the battle that would decide the fate of the galaxy. The Grand Master of the Jedi and Darth Sidious were counterpoised. During the fight his vision pierced the veil of the dark side and he was able to see a glimpse of the future. What he might have seen was unclear, but one thing is certain&mdash;Yoda gained an insight that bore the hope for the galaxy and he could not risk dying here.

The battle ended in a stalemate when an explosion of the Force, caused by Yoda's deflection of the Dark Lord's Force lightning, hurled them apart. Both Masters were able to grasp the edge of nearby Senate pods, with Sidious barely managing to right himself and achieve the high ground. Yoda, however, unable to maintain his grasp, fell several hundred feet down, to the floor of the Senate chamber. Thanks to Bail Organa, he escaped to Polis Massa.

There, he was instrumental in deciding the fate of the Skywalker children, recommending that Luke and Leia be hidden from Darth Vader and the Emperor in unsuspecting and remote locations. Other than the ancient Jedi Master, only the Organas, the Lars, and Kenobi would know of their placement. He would also tell Obi-Wan another secret &mdash; an old friend, Master Qui-Gon Jinn, had found the way in which to retain one's identity after death, a skill he would teach both of them.

Exile (19 BBY to 4 ABY)
"Into exile I must go. Failed, I have."

- Yoda to Bail Organa



During the Great Jedi Purge, Yoda escaped to Dagobah and hid on the swamp planet during the Galactic Civil War. He made his home inside a Force-sensitive tree, letting the organism absorb the Force power around it. Thusly, Yoda's imprint on the Force was hidden, and Darth Vader was prevented from ever finding the little green master's sanctuary.

In addition to the massive amount of lifeforms which masked his presence in the Living Force, there were several other factors affecting Yoda's decision to live on Dagobah, not the least of which being the nearby Dark Side Cave that counteracted his presence in the light side. Moreover, Dagobah was one of the thirty-seven planets erased from the Jedi Archives, and it is also possible that Yoda was comforted by returning to the world where he had once worked and trained so very long ago.



Shortly afterwards, Qu Rahn went to Dagobah and was taught many skills by Yoda. Before the Battle of Hoth, Tash and Zak Arranda would also encounter Yoda. It was during these years that the diminutive being developed a taste for rootleaf stew.

At some point during his exile, Alliance historian Major Arhul Hextrophon discovered Yoda's whereabouts and travelled to Dagobah to find him. Yoda originally intended to wipe his mind, but in the end decided against it, since it was not the Jedi way to cause pain and suffering, in this case, through the loss of memory. Hextrophon was instead made to swear not to reveal his existence. Hextrophon kept his word. He erased the records which lead him to Yoda in the first place, and apart from keeping logs in his private journal, it is believed he kept his word.

When Luke Skywalker, son of Anakin Skywalker, arrived Yoda reluctantly agreed to train him in the ways of the the Force, expressing caution as he sensed in Luke traits similar to his father judging him too old for training. The Jedi Master proved how great a teacher he was, summing up Jedi training to fit in the limited time they could afford. However, prior to finishing his instruction, Luke chose to leave Dagobah without completing his training in order to confront Darth Vader at Cloud City and save his friends. Yoda attempted to convince Luke to stay, thinking Luke not ready to face Vader yet, and the revelation to come. However, neither Yoda nor the spirit of Obi-Wan could persuade Luke otherwise. The brash young Luke promised to come back in order to complete his training.

"Sick have I become. Old and weak. When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not!"

- Yoda to Luke Skywalker

Luke returned a year later to find the elderly Yoda in poor health, obviously unable to continue his teaching. Yoda told Luke that his last test would be to face Darth Vader. Yoda then died at the age of 900 and became one with the Force.

Powers and abilities
"Size matters not. Judge me by my size, do you?"

- Master Yoda



Yoda was a formidable practitioner in lightsaber combat, his preferred choice was Form IV (Ataru), and the form of which he was a master. Form IV enabled him to overcome the limitations of his height and reach. He was an exceptional swordsman, displaying amazing speed and dexterity, leaping through the air and twirling as he battered at an opponent's defenses. Yoda was a great contributor to the highest level of Jedi strategy, and was also a worldly diplomat comparable to Mace Windu.

Master Yoda could fool soldiers such as Captain Typho, dissipate and deflect Force lightning, telekinetically lift enormous objects, including a C-9979 Landing Craft, and use Force Push and Force Wave to an untold degree. He was also adept at the saber throw, as demonstrated in his return to the Jedi Temple during the Great Jedi Purge.

Yoda was even able to win battles by lifting the morale of thousands of companions while simultaneously dampering the spirits of thousands of his opponents, using a valued Force technique called Battle Meditation. Really, given his reputation as a warrior, his very presence on the battlefield was enough to raise the spirits of the Republic Army. He could purge dark side manifestations through the use of Force Light and feel the deaths of individual people and identify them. These skills, in particular, showed a far more profound knowledge of the Force than most Jedi Masters or Sith Lords possessed.

Personality and traits
"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try."

- Yoda

To his students, the elfin luminary Yoda could appear as either very strict or like a grandfatherly figure, testing them to mental and physical extremes one moment and showing warmth the next. Students often strongly disagreed with him at first, but gradually came to understand his attitudes. Amongst his colleagues on the Jedi Council, he was known to have a penchant for mischief and practical jokes. To all of them, he was the humble Yoda, who offered enlightened leadership, epitomized the ideals of the Jedi Order; a grandmaster of that august body, he was widely known as a sage instructor.

Yoda spoke an unusual version of Basic. He usually tended to place verbs (especially auxiliary verbs) after the object and subject (an object-subject-verb format). An example of Yoda's speech pattern: When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not. Most agreed that this pattern of speech was convoluted, and whilst it seems as though others of his species (i.e. Yaddle) had the same penchant for rearranging sentences, not all of them did (i.e.Vandar Tokare).

Yoda walked with the aid of a cane later in life, although he was capable of throwing it aside and moving nimbly while using the Force. One of his canes was a gift from the Wookiees. His rare gimer stick cane contained nutrients that could sustain him were he to chew on it. He also used a Hoverchair for moving about the Temple quicker and more efficiently.

Another item unique to Master Yoda was a blissl, an instrument similar to a panflute, which he wore around his neck while on Dagobah. During the Clone Wars, he would often make use of a kybuck given to him by a Woolwarricca princess from Kashyyyk as a gift.

Behind the scenes



 * Yoda is voiced by Frank Oz. In the original trilogy, he was realized as a Muppet (controlled by Oz). Yoda's appearance was originally designed by British makeup artist Stuart Freeborn, who based Yoda's face partly on his own and partly on Albert Einstein's. Rendered with computer animation in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, Yoda appeared in ways not previously possible, including his participation in elaborate fight scenes. For the radio dramatizations of Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, he was voiced by veteran character actor John Lithgow.


 * During filming of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, director George Lucas played a prank on actor Christopher Lee by placing vampire fangs on a prop Yoda during shooting of the climatic lightsaber duel. This was a tongue-in-cheek reference to Lee's career of playing the famous vampire Dracula in the British Hammer Horror films of the 1960s-70s. The vampire Yoda can be seen on a segment of the documentary features on the Attack of the Clones DVD.


 * There is some uncertainty as to the precise number of toes that Yoda actually has (at least canonically), as the depiction of this anatomical feature is inconsistent between different films, alternately numbering three, four and even five toes. For more, see article: Unknown tridactyl species.


 * Yoda's popularity is such that the comedy musician, "Weird Al" Yankovic, parodied the song "Lola" by the Kinks with a version called "Yoda" included on the album Dare to Be Stupid (1985). More recently, the Great Luke Ski parodied the song "YMCA" by the Village People with a version called "Y.O.D.A." included on the albums Fanboys &#8216;n Da Hood (1996) and Carpe Dementia (1999).




 * Producer/Director Mel Brooks lampooned the character of Yoda in his 1987 movie, Spaceballs. Brooks portrayed a diminutive character named Yogurt who specialized in manipulating a magical energy known as the Schwartz.


 * Yoda also made a cameo in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, voiced by Eric Jacobson.


 * The name Yoda is derived from "Yoddha", the Sanskrit word for "warrior." The name may also be connected to the Hebrew "Yodea", meaning "He knows" or "One who knows." Additionally some believe the name might also be a reference to the teachings of Yoga, an ancient eastern mind, body and spiritual practice that influenced many vital energy based martial art forms in the far east, such as Tai Chi, and almost certainly inspired many of the concepts and abilities demonstrated by both light and dark side force users in Star Wars.


 * Yoda also appears in the hip hop Yoda music video, which can be accessed via the Revenge of the Sith DVD when you go to the Options Menu, highlight the THX logo, and press 11-wait for the pause-then press 3-wait for the pause-and finally press 8.


 * To get the animation team back in shape for their work Episode III, Rob Coleman and his team replaced the footage of the Episode I Yoda puppet with their Episode III digital model as a test to see how far they could push his usual performance boundaries. This footage worked its way into the DVD, where it can be see as part of "The Chosen One" featurette on Disc 2 of Revenge of the Sith. The footage has not yet been incoporated into a DVD release of The Phantom Menace.

Appearances



 * Star Wars Republic: Vow of Justice
 * Star Wars Republic: The Stark Hyperspace War
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Rising Force
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Dark Rival
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Defendors of the Dead
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Uncertain Path
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Captive Temple
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Fight for Truth
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Deadly Hunter
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Evil Experiment
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Ties That Bind
 * Jedi Apprentice: The Only Witness
 * Jedi Apprentice Special Editions 1: Deceptions
 * Jedi Apprentice Special Editions 2: The Followers
 * Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan: Last Stand on Ord Mantell
 * Star Wars Republic: Prelude to Rebellion
 * Jedi Council: Acts of War
 * Cloak of Deception
 * Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
 * Star Wars Battlefront II
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars Republic: Outlander
 * Star Wars Republic: Emissaries to Malastare
 * Star Wars Republic: The Hunt for Aurra Sing
 * Star Wars Republic: Rite of Passage
 * Jedi Quest: Path to Truth
 * Jedi Quest: The Way of the Apprentice
 * Outbound Flight
 * Star Wars: Zam Wesell
 * Jedi Quest: The Master of Disguise
 * Jedi Quest: The School of Fear
 * Jedi Quest: The Shadow Trap
 * Jedi Quest: The Final Showdown
 * The Approaching Storm
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars: Republic Commando
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars
 * Star Wars: Clone Wars
 * Chapter 1
 * Chapter 5
 * Chapter 14
 * Chapter 15
 * Chapter 16
 * Chapter 20
 * Chapter 21
 * Chapter 23
 * Chapter 25
 * Shatterpoint
 * Legacy of the Jedi
 * Jedi: Yoda
 * Jedi: Count Dooku
 * Star Wars Republic 63: Striking from the Shadows
 * Honor Bound
 * Deep Forest
 * Secrets of the Jedi
 * Jedi Trial
 * Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
 * Star Wars: Obsession
 * Sithisis
 * Star Wars Republic: The Siege of Saleucami
 * Reversal of Fortune
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Republic: The Hidden Enemy
 * Galaxy of Fear: The Hunger
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Marvel Star Wars 92: The Dream
 * The Courtship of Princess Leia
 * Star Wars: Union (dream)
 * ''Empire at War: Forces of Corruption

Non-canon appearances

 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
 * Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope
 * Star Wars Infinities: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Return of the Ewok
 * Star Wars Infinities: Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Yoda Stories