Yoda

Template:Star Wars character Yoda is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe, who appears in all of the franchise's films except for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Frank Oz provided Yoda's voice in each film, and lent his skills as a puppeteer in the original trilogy and The Phantom Menace. For the radio dramatizations of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Yoda was voiced by John Lithgow, while Tom Kane voiced him in the Clone Wars animated series and several video games.

Yoda first appears in the saga in The Empire Strikes Back as a Jedi Master, and trains Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Jedi. In the prequel trilogy, he serves as Grand Master of the Jedi Order. Additional fiction in the Expanded Universe fills in more details of his life.

History

Character overview

Tahi is portrayed as a wise and powerful Jedi master in the fictional Star Wars universe. Series creator George Lucas originally wished Tahi to follow his other characters in having a full name: Tahi Minch, but instead opted to have many details of the character's life history remain unknown. Yoda's race has never been stated in any media, canonical or otherwise, and he is merely stated to be of a "mysterious species" by the Star Wars Databank. His race has been called a "tridactyl species" but this simply means that they have three fingers.

Early in the development of Episode IV, Lucas included a species called the Whills, a distant, omnipresent race who were to take the story-teller perspective. It has been postulated by fans that Yoda, Yaddle and Vandar Tokare are Whills; recently, there has been passing reference to a Shaman of the Order of the Whills in the novelization of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, confirming their continued canonical existence in the Star Wars universe. However, Lucas has firmly denied that Yoda's species is in fact that of the Whills.

In fact, very little is reported of Yoda's life before the events of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

The films and Expanded Universe reveal that he had trained several notable Jedi, including Count Dooku, who is identified in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones as Yoda's old Padawan Learner; Mace Windu; Obi-Wan Kenobi (partially, before Qui-Gon Jinn takes over Obi-Wan's training); Ki-Adi-Mundi, Kit Fisto and eventually Luke Skywalker. (In between here, during the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars, he mentions that he trained another one of the leaders on the Jedi Council, Master Oppo Rancisis.) The Star Wars prequel films explain that he instructs all younglings in the Jedi Temple before they are assigned to a master. This was displayed in a scene in Attack of the Clones.

The Phantom Menace

In the canonical timeline, Yoda first appears in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. In that film, Qui-Gon brings the young Anakin Skywalker to the Jedi Council, claiming that the boy is the "Chosen One" who will bring balance to the Force, and requests to train him once Obi-Wan has completed the trials necessary to become a Jedi Knight. Yoda senses great fear in the boy, and tells him "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." Yoda plays a key role in that body's initial decision to deny the request; he believes that Anakin is clearly affected by his years as a slave, and that he still clings too tightly to the memory of his mother to be trained safely. Yoda thinks his future is clouded.

After Qui-Gon's death at the hands of Darth Maul, however, the Jedi Council rescinds their previous decision, despite Yoda's misgivings.

Attack of the Clones

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Yoda battling Count Dooku in Attack of the Clones.

In Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, set 10 years later, Yoda is one of the many Jedi who is concerned about the emergence of the Separatists. After the second attempted assassination of Senator Amidala, Yoda orders that she be put under the protection of Obi-Wan's apprentice Anakin.

Yoda leads an army of Jedi and clone troopers in the film's climactic battle scene. He helps rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padmé Amidala from execution at the hands of the Separatists, a group of systems rebelling against the Republic. At the climax of the battle, Yoda duels with Separatist leader and Sith Lord Count Dooku, who was once his Jedi apprentice. This confrontation ends with Dooku making his escape by threatening Yoda's injured comrades, Anakin and Obi-Wan. Although seemingly frail, the ancient Yoda demonstrates agility and mastery of lightsaber combat and acrobatics through the Force.

Clone Wars

During the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars, Yoda is made a General, like many of the Jedi Knights and Masters. Yoda escorts Padmé on their journey to a planet, but Yoda senses several Jedi in distress on Illum. Using the Jedi mind trick to convince Captain Typho to take them to Illum, Yoda saves two Jedi Knights and finds a message from Count Dooku giving orders to destroy the Jedi Temple.

In the series' final episode, Yoda fights alongside Mace Windu to defend Coruscant, which is under attack from the Separatists. The two Jedi Masters realize that the battle is a distraction; Separatist leader General Grievous truly intends kidnap Chancellor Palpatine. Windu goes onto a Clone Hanger to try and prevent the kidnapping, but is too late.

Revenge of the Sith

In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Yoda leads the Jedi Council in seeking out the mysterious Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Yoda uses his sensitivity and power with the Force to discover the Sith Lord's identity, ultimately concluding that Sidious is someone within Palpatine's inner circle. Palpatine himself sidetracks the mission, however; by now, the Chancellor has amassed near-absolute power in the Galactic Senate, and begins interfering in Jedi affairs. He appoints Anakin as his personal representative on the Council, which would effectively grant the Jedi Knight the rank of Jedi Master. The Council denies Anakin the promotion fearing that giving Palpatine's representative the rank would be tantamount to giving Palpatine a vote in the Council. Embittered by the perceived snub, Anakin begins to lose faith in the Jedi.

Earlier, Anakin seeks Yoda's counsel about his prophetic visions that someone close to him will die (he does not identify the person as Padmé, his secret wife and pregnant with his child, as emotional attachments are a violation of the Jedi Code). Yoda, unaware of the intensity of Anakin's love for Padmé, tells him to "Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose." Unsatisfied, Anakin instead turns to Palpatine, who reveals himself as Darth Sidious, and manipulates the young Jedi into becoming his Sith apprentice — Darth Vader — with the promise that he can save his wife by embracing the dark side.

When Palpatine, now self-appointed Emperor of the Galactic Empire, orders the clone troopers to kill their Jedi generals, Yoda is on Kashyyyk, overseeing the battle between the Separatist forces and a combined command of clone troopers and Wookiees. Through the Force, he feels the deaths of each of the Jedi as they are slain by the very troops they commanded. He swiftly kills the clone troopers sent to dispatch him, escapes with the help of Wookiee leaders Tarfful and Chewbacca, and returns to Coruscant, where he and Obi-Wan fight their way into the Jedi Temple to stop a trap for any surviving Jedi. Inside, they discover that every Jedi inside, younglings included, has been slaughtered. Upon discovering a holographic recording revealing Anakin as the assassin, Yoda sends Obi-Wan to kill his former Padawan. Obi-Wan tells Yoda he cannot fight Anakin, but Yoda insists, saying, "To fight this Lord Sidious, strong enough you are not."

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Yoda absorbing Darth Sidious' Force lightning in Revenge of the Sith.

Subsequently, Yoda battles Palpatine in a titanic struggle that wrecks the Senate building. The fight is effectively a stalemate, neither able to overcome the other. Unable to defeat the Sith Lord, Yoda is forced to retreat and go into exile so that he may hide from the Empire and wait for another opportunity to destroy the Sith.

At the end, it is revealed that Yoda has been in contact with Qui-Gon's spirit. Although this is given little attention in the film, the novelization reveals that Yoda actually becomes Padawan to the deceased Jedi Master's Force ghost, learning the secret of immortality from him and passing it on to Obi-Wan.

Yoda is also instrumental in deciding the fate of the Skywalker children after Padmé dies in childbirth, recommending that Luke and Leia be hidden from Darth Vader and Palpatine in remote locations. Other than the ancient Jedi Master, only the Organas, the Larses, and Obi-Wan know of their placement.

The Empire Strikes Back

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Yoda trains Luke Skywalker on Dagobah in The Empire Strike Back.

In Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, set 22 years after Revenge of the Sith, Luke Skywalker arrives on Dagobah to seek Yoda's guidance. This happens after Luke is instructed to do so, by the Force-ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Obi-Wan had sacrificed himself in a duel with Vader in A New Hope).

Rather than immediately identify himself as Yoda, the Jedi Master tests Luke by initially presenting himself as a comical, backwater individual, deliberately provoking both Luke and R2-D2. Finding that Luke exhibits many of the traits that led to his father's downfall, Yoda is reluctant to teach him in the ways of the Force, but agrees to do so at the spectral Obi-Wan's behest. Prior to finishing his training, however, Luke chooses to leave Dagobah in order to confront Darth Vader and save his friends from the Empire's grasp at Bespin. Yoda and Obi-Wan insist to Luke that he is being lured into a trap, and that he must stay to complete his training. Luke cannot forsake his friends who are in danger, but gives Yoda his promise to return. As Luke departs, Obi-Wan laments that the boy is their "last hope," but Yoda reminds him that "there is another."

Return of the Jedi

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Yoda (center), one with the Force after 900 years, looks upon Luke with pride, along with the spirits of Anakin Skywalker (left) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (right).

Yoda's final chronological appearance is in Return of the Jedi, set a year later. Yoda, sick and greatly weakened by old age, informs Luke that he has completed his training but will not be a Jedi until he confronts Darth Vader; he also confirms that Vader is Luke's father, which the Sith Lord had told a shocked Luke in the previous film. Yoda then dies at the age of 900 and becomes "one with the Force" (his body disappears). He leaves Luke with the knowledge that "there is another Skywalker." Moments later, Obi-Wan's Force ghost helps Luke come to the realization that the sibling Yoda spoke of is none other than Leia.

In the film's final scene, Luke sees his father's redeemed spirit looking at him with pride and gratitude, in the company of Obi-Wan Kenobi and their once and future master, Yoda.

Language

Yoda speaks "Galactic Basic" in a distinctive manner by using anastrophe, that is, placing verbs (and more frequently, auxiliary verbs) at the end of a clause, and inverting the object and subject. In linguistic typology this is the "Object Subject Verb" format. A typical example of this pattern is from Return of the Jedi: "When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not." Yoda also occasionally speaks in Object Verb Subject format. For example: "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter," and "Powerful Jedi was your father."

Yoda's speech pattern has been the source of much parody. He uses this style of language much less in the original trilogy, while he rarely speaks without anastrophe in the prequel trilogy.

Animating Yoda

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; his eyes were inspired by the latter. Yoda was voiced by Frank Oz. In the original Star Wars trilogy, he was realized as a puppet (controlled by Oz). Contrary to common belief, Yoda was never constructed as a Muppet; in fact he was designed almost entirely independently from Jim Henson's company, aside from minor consulting.

In The Phantom Menace, he was redesigned to look younger. He was computer-generated for two distant shots, but remained mostly a puppet. The puppet was re-designed by Nick Dudman from Stuart Freeborn's original design. However in a featurette in Attack of the Clones, Lucas comments that many found the redesign made Yoda look fake.

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. In Revenge of the Sith his face appears in several big close-ups, demanding highly-detailed CGI work. Despite the use of advanced technology, his performance was deliberately designed to match the puppet version, with some "mistakes" made such as the occasional ear-jiggling. Rob Coleman was the man responsible for the character's new incarnation to the series.

According to many Lucasfilm reports, Yoda has been redone in CGI for a later release of The Phantom Menace. This edition will most likely be part of a future release of the Star Wars saga. A clip of the new CG Yoda from The Phantom Menace can be seen in the featurette The Chosen One, included in the DVD release of Revenge of the Sith. The new version of the film has yet to be announced.

In other Media

Yoda is confirmed as a playable guest character in the Xbox 360 version of Soul Calibur IV, wielding a green lightsaber. Darth Vader was also confirmed, but is due to be on the PS3 version. Yoda is also seen in games such as Star Wars Battlefront and Lego Star Wars.

Parodies

• "Yoda" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. The song is a parody of The Kinks' "Lola".

References

• The Jedi Apprentice series by Dave Wolverton and Jude Watson
• Episode I: The Phantom Menace, 1st edition paperback, 1999. Terry Brooks, George Lucas, ISBN 0-345-43411-0
• Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - Novelization, 1st edition hardcover, 2005. Matthew Woodring Stover, George Lucas, ISBN 0-7126-8427-1
• The Annotated Screenplays, softcover, 1997. George Lucas, Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan, Laurent Bouzereau, ISBN 0-345-40981-7
• The Courtship of Princess Leia, 1995. Dave Wolverton, ISBN 0-553-56937-6
• Mission from Mount Yoda, 1993. Paul Davids, Hollace Davids, ISBN 0-553-15890-2
• A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, 2nd edition, 1994. Bill Slavicsek, ISBN 0-345-38625-6
• The Essential guide to Characters (Star Wars), 1st edition, 1995. Andy Mangels, ISBN 0-345-39535-2
• The New Essential Guide to Characters, 1st edition, 2002. Daniel Wallace, Michael Sutfin, ISBN 0-345-44900-2
• Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 1998. David West Reynolds, ISBN 0-7894-3481-4
• Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 2005. James Luceno, ISBN 0-7566-1128-8
• Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Revised Core Rulebook, hardcover, 2002. Bill Slavicsek, Andy Collins, J.D. Wiker, ISBN 0-7869-2876-X
• Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Power of the Jedi Sourcebook, hardcover, 2002. Michael Mikaelian, Jeff Grubb, Owen K.C. Stephens, James Maliszewski, ISBN 0-7869-2781-X

External links

• Yoda in the StarWars.com Databank
• Yoda on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki