Master Yoda is one of the most iconic characters in Star Wars, but there are still quite a few things about him that make no sense. Since he debuted in The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda has been a crucial part of several different Star Wars movies and shows. It’s partly because of how much he’s featured in the franchise, and other iconic things, like Yoda’s greatest quotes and the fact that he’s one of the most powerful Jedi ever, that he’s become such a symbol of the franchise as a whole. Even though he’s an incredibly visible and recognizable figure, Yoda still has some secrets.
Yoda had an incredibly long life, and he was present for most of the Star Wars timeline that has so far been explored. While that has given him plenty of chances to be included in Star Wars stories, it also means that there are several centuries of his life that the franchise hasn’t delved into yet. Those gaps in Yoda’s story, coupled with some of the confusing decisions he’s made in the movies, mean there are at least ten confusing things about the famous green Jedi.
Related How Old Is Yoda In Each Star Wars Movie (& In The Acolyte)
Yoda is one of the oldest Star Wars characters, having lived through most of the Skywalker saga as well as the entire High Republic Era.
10 Why Was Yoda Surprised By The Sith’s Return In The Phantom Menace?
Yoda Knew About The Stranger Just 100 Years Prior, & The Acolyte Won’t Have Answers
Close
One of the most recent additions to the list of confusing things about Yoda was his cameo in The Acolyte. At the end of the series, Vernestra Rwoh seemingly told Yoda all that had happened between Sol, Mae and Osha, and the Stranger. Because Vern told Yoda about the Stranger, though, he should have been able to realize that the Sith had returned much quicker than he did in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. There’s still room for Star Wars to explain this particularly confusing part of Yoda’s story, but it seems that the explanation is a long way off.
Vernestra Rwoh
A prodigy among the Jedi of the High Republic, Vernestra “Vern” Rwoh was one of the youngest Jedi ever to achieve the rank of Knight. She served at a time of crisis for the Republic, battling on the front lines against the Nihil, the Nameless, and the Drengir, and proving herself wise beyond her years. Vern will appear in live-action in The Acolyte, set over a hundred years after she became a Master, at the tail end of the High Republic Era.
Created By Justina Ireland Cast Rebecca Henderson First Appearance Star Wars The High Republic: A Test of Courage Alias Vern Alliance Jedi Race Mirialan Expand
Unfortunately, The Acolyte season 2 was canceled, so it’s unlikely Star Wars will reveal exactly how much Yoda knew about the return of the Sith anytime soon. Until a new comic or novel reveals what Yoda knew about the Stranger, it will remain a mystery that he was surprised by the Sith’s return just 100 years later. For now, it seems there’s no explanation why Yoda didn’t believe Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace, and why he didn’t realize that Darth Maul was a Sith apprentice.
9 How Many Coverups Has Yoda Been Part Of?
Yoda Was Involved In At Least Two Major Jedi Conspiracies
Close
Yoda’s knowledge of Vernestra Rwoh’s coverup and the Stranger seems like a break from his character, but it was actually very fitting. The Acolyte actually marked the second major coverup Yoda was directly involved in, with the first coming from even earlier in the High Republic era. When the Nameless first appeared, Yoda and Creighton Sun agreed to omit them from the Jedi Archives, effectively hiding them from the rest of the Jedi Order. The fact that Yoda was a key part of two Jedi conspiracies begs the question of how many others he was involved in that haven’t been shown yet.
Related Star Wars’ High Republic Era Explained
The future of the Star Wars galaxy lies in the past – in the High Republic Era, featured in books, comics, games, audiobooks, and Disney+ TV shows.
Yoda’s involvement in the coverups of the Nameless and the Stranger is definitive proof that he was willing to hide things for the good of the Jedi Order. That, coupled with the fact that there are still several centuries of Yoda’s time on the Jedi High Council that haven’t been depicted in canon yet, means there was ample opportunity for him to hide even more skeletons in his closet. There’s no telling what Yoda was involved in, or what kinds of dangers he merely brushed aside instead of dealing with directly.
8 Yoda’s Speech Patterns Still Make No Sense – Despite The Explanations
No One Else – Even Older Characters – Speaks Like Yoda Does In Star Wars
Close
One of the most iconic parts of Yoda as a character is his odd way of speaking, where he sometimes switches the clauses of his sentences. Star Wars has tried multiple times to explain the instantly-identifiable way Yoda talks, but all of those explanations fall short. Frank Oz, the original voice of Yoda, claimed he spoke that way in honor of his Jedi Master, while others have speculated that he is simply using an ancient dialect due to his old age. Both of those sound plausible, but they fall apart under scrutiny.
If Yoda’s speech patterns were meant to honor his late master, it would have gone against Jedi teachings. The Jedi were taught that they should accept death, as they believed that those who died simply became one with the Force. Yoda honoring his master for centuries after his death should have been seen as an unhealthy emotional attachment. Somebody should have tried to dissuade him from continuing it years before the Skywalker saga.
Related Why Does Yoda Talk So Strangely In Star Wars?
Introduced in The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda has always delighted viewers because of his strange way of talking. But why does Yoda speak like this?
1
On the other hand, if Yoda really was using an ancient dialect, other Star Wars characters should have spoken that way as well. Both Huyang and the Bendu, for example, are several thousand years older than Yoda, yet they speak normally. On top of that, Yoda was only born just 400 years before Phase II of the High Republic, yet no one spoke remotely like him. If the galaxy had gone from Yoda’s way of speaking to the normal speech patterns of Star Wars in a mere 400 years, it would have been considered a truly massive linguistic shift, and one that was never repeated.
7 How Many Lightsabers Did Yoda Have?
Yoda Had At Least Three Lightsabers In Star Wars Canon, & Possibly More
Close
Yoda lived an incredibly long life – to around the age of 900 – but it still seems like he had way too many lightsabers in the course of his Jedi career. Yoda had at least three lightsabers in that time: he gave one away in Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, one was destroyed by Mas Amedda after Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, and Luke Skywalker gave one to Grogu in The Book of Boba Fett. Those are just the lightsabers Yoda was confirmed to have, though, and he easily could have had more in the 700 years of life he lived prior to the High Republic era.
Related What Happened To Yoda’s Lightsaber In Star Wars
Yoda’s lightsaber appeared in several different parts of Star Wars, from the prequel trilogy to The Book of Boba Fett, but where did it end up?
2
Many characters in Star Wars have had several lightsabers: Anakin Skywalker had two while Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke, and Rey all used three. What differentiates them from Yoda, however, is the fact that Yoda was known for his wisdom and responsibility. Many of the characters with multiple lightsabers had so many because they lost or broke multiple blades. Yoda seems more responsible than that, though, so it’s odd that he went through so many. There are other aspects of Yoda’s lightsabers, such as why he brought one to Dagobah despite vowing not to use it, that make his blades even more confusing.
6 Why Did Yoda Age So Rapidly After The Clone Wars?
Yoda Went From Acrobatic Warrior To Dying Of Old Age In About 20 Years
Close
Yet another confusing part of Yoda’s transition from the prequel trilogy to the original trilogy was his age. During the prequel trilogy and The Clone Wars, Yoda was a mighty warrior and a skilled acrobat. He was capable of amazing physical feats, from dueling Sith Lords to taking out entire squadrons of battle droids. By Return of the Jedi, however, just a bit more than 20 years later, Yoda was ready to die of old age. It makes no sense that someone as long-lived as Yoda can age so quickly, going from fighting evil to dying of natural causes in such a short amount of time.
-
Yoda
The aged Jedi Master had trained Jedi for 800 years by the time he met Luke Skywalker on the planet Dagobah. One of the most famed and revered Jedi, Yoda served as Grand Master of the Jedi Order for centuries; he was powerful enough to duel Darth Sidious himself, although he was defeated. Yoda exiled himself to Dagobah, where he learned how to become a Force Ghost and offered guidance to Luke Skywalker.
Created By George Lucas First Appearance Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back Alliance Jedi Race Unknown
- Grogu
Grogu is a former Jedi youngling who is now training as a Mandalorian apprentice under his adopted father, Din Djarin. A survivor of Order 66, Grogu was hunted by the Empire for his blood amidst their cloning experimentation. Rescued by Din after initially being his bounty, Grogu went on to be trained briefly by Luke Skywalker as a Jedi Padawan, but has ultimately chosen the path of the Mandalorians instead to remain with his father. Grogu is now traversing the galaxy with Din to fight the Imperial Remnant and learn the Mandalorian Way.
Created By Jon Favreau , Dave Filoni First Appearance The Mandalorian Alliance Jedi, Mandalorians Race Unknown
Yoda
Grogu
Yoda’s rapid aging makes even less sense because of another character: Grogu. The Mandalorian made a point of claiming that Grogu was 50 years old at the start of the show, and despite living for half a century, he was still very early in his development. If Grogu took more than 50 years to exit infancy, why didn’t it take longer for Yoda to become truly elderly? Yoda’s age had been affecting him for a while, but even so, going from backflips to a death bed in about 20 years is a sign of incredibly fast aging.
5 What Species Is Yoda, & What Is His Home Planet?
Yoda, Yaddle, & Grogu Are Members Of A Mysterious Alien Race
Close
Yoda’s life cycle isn’t the only confusing thing about his species. Since Yoda debuted in The Empire Strikes Back, two more members of his species have been added to Star Wars canon: Yaddle and Grogu. Even though there are now three prominent members of this species, almost nothing is known about them. Aside from just the life cycle, Star Wars has yet to reveal the name, home planet, culture, or anything else about Yoda’s species. It’s not even clear if members of Yoda’s species are especially Force sensitive or if the three known members are rare exceptions.
Related Star Wars: Everything We Know About Yoda’s Species
Yoda’s species has been a mystery since 1980 – but will more about the unknown creatures ever be revealed after tantalizing hints have been provided?
What makes the lack of information about Yoda’s species even more confusing is the fact that Star Wars is usually incredibly detailed. Almost every species in the franchise has been meticulously defined. Even the most obscure species in Star Wars, the Dor Namethians, have a home planet, well-defined biology, and an established history. Yoda’s species, however, has been kept mysterious. While that was likely a purposeful decision by Star Wars to maintain Yoda’s mystique, it’s confusing nonetheless.
4 Why Did Yoda Appear To Luke Skywalker On Ahch-To Instead Of Obi-Wan?
Obi-Wan Was Luke’s First Mentor & Father Figure
One of the best scenes in Star Wars: The Last Jedi was when Yoda’s Force ghost visited Luke Skywalker on Ahch-To. While it was a great scene of Yoda dispensing wisdom and guiding his final student one last time, it was also a bit confusing. It doesn’t make sense that Yoda appeared to Luke on Ahch-To instead of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan was Luke’s first mentor and his father figure, and he had been guiding him as a Force ghost since the original Star Wars. It would have been a lot more powerful to Luke to see Obi-Wan instead of Yoda, yet it didn’t happen.
Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi 
4.5 5
Your Rating
5 stars4.5 stars4 stars3.5 stars3 star2.5 stars2 stars1.5 stars1 stars0.5 star Rate Now Submit Rate Now Edit Leave a Review
Your comment has not been saved
PG-13 Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
In the second installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, General Leia Organa leads the Resistance forces against the First Order. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker struggles to come to terms with his past failures, while Rey urges him to train her in the Force and join the resistance. Culminating in a massive battle between the two armies, The Last Jedi raises the stakes of this intergalactic war, and sees the final fight of one beloved character.
Director Rian Johnson Release Date December 15, 2017 Cast Daisy Ridley , Oscar Isaac , Mark Hamill , Carrie Fisher , John Boyega , Adam Driver , Andy Serkis , Lupita Nyong’o , Anthony Daniels , Gwendoline Christie , Kelly Marie Tran , Laura Dern Runtime 152 Minutes Budget $317 million
There were some obvious real-world reasons The Last Jedi included Yoda instead of Obi-Wan. Alec Guinness, the actor who played Obi-Wan in the original trilogy, had been dead for over a decade, and there may have been some hesitancy to use Ewan McGregor instead. The sequel trilogy tried, largely, to distance itself from the prequel trilogy, and McGregor would have gone against that goal. Yoda is also a much more instantly recognizable figure, and he’s more closely associated with wisdom and guidance. Real-world issues aside, it’s still odd that Obi-Wan didn’t have anything to say.
3 Why Did The Force Priestesses Want Yoda To Become A Force Ghost?
Luke Skywalker Became A Jedi Long Before Yoda Died
Close
Star Wars: The Clone Wars did quite a bit to clear up some of the questions left unanswered by the main movies of the Skywalker saga, but it also introduced one particularly confusing part of Yoda’s story. In The Clone Wars season 6, Yoda learns the secret to becoming a Force ghost after Qui-Gon Jinn tells him to meet with the Force priestesses. The Force priestesses mentioned that Yoda would be given “the great gift” for training Luke Skywalker as a Jedi, but it was far from necessary for him to become a Force ghost to finish training Luke.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars 4.0 4
Your Rating
5 stars4.5 stars4 stars3.5 stars3 star2.5 stars2 stars1.5 stars1 stars0.5 star Rate Now Submit Rate Now Edit Leave a Review
Your comment has not been saved
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
The animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars takes place between Episodes 2 and 3 of the Star Wars film saga. The fan-favorite series expands the story of the prequel trilogy through characters including Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, and more fan-favorite jedi.
Cast Matt Lanter , James Arnold Taylor , Ashley Eckstein , Dee Bradley Baker , Matthew Wood , Tom Kane , Catherine Taber , Terrence Carson , Corey Burton , Nika Futterman , Katee Sackhoff , Sam Witwer Release Date October 3, 2008 Seasons 7 Showrunner Dave Filoni
While The Clone Wars‘ story arc helped explain why Yoda could become a Force ghost, it didn’t explain why he needed to learn the skill at all. Luke finished his training long before Yoda died, and Yoda didn’t do much as a Force ghost after that. He only did a few things, like taunting Palpatine, attending Anakin’s funeral, and speaking to Luke on Ahch-To, most of which could have been done by Obi-Wan. Becoming a Force ghost didn’t seem crucial to Yoda’s mission, so it’s odd that Qui-Gon pulled him away from the middle of the Clone Wars for it.
2 Yoda’s “Good Relations” With The Wookiees Makes No Sense
How Did Yoda & Chewbacca Become Close Personal Friends?
Close
One of the smallest yet most confusing parts of Yoda’s backstory is his relationship to the Wookiees. In Revenge of the Sith, Yoda agreed to defend Kashyyyk because he had “good relations with the Wookiees.” Yoda’s quote has since become a bit of a meme because there was no set up for it. Yoda had never been seen on Kashyyyk prior to that moment, and he’s only gone to the planet a handful of other times. What makes that relationship even stranger is the fact that Yoda seemed to be extremely close to Chewbacca, even telling him that he would miss him.
Chewbacca
200 years old by the time of the Star Wars original trilogy, the mighty Chewbacca is best known for swearing a life debt to Han Solo. Chewie accompanied Han through countless adventures, choosing to battle against the Empire for the freedom of his homeworld Kashyyyk. He remained with Han and the Solo family even after the Empire’s fall, becoming a crucial ally of the Resistance to the First Order. The sequels seemed to end with Chewie remaining co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon – but now to Rey.
Created By George Lucas Cast Peter Mayhew , Joonas Suotamo Alias Chewie RELATIONSHIPS Attichitcuk (Father), Mallatobuck (Wife), Lumpawaroo (Son) Alliance Rebel Alliance, Resistance Race Wookiee Expand
Star Wars has briefly explained why the Wookiees had such a high opinion of Yoda. A source book titled “Star Wars: Complete Locations” mentioned that Yoda had served as a negotiator between the Wookiees and the Trandoshans, their ancestral enemies, and his work earned him a positive reputation. That doesn’t, however, explain why he was close personal friends with Chewbacca. The fact is that Yoda’s relationship to Kashyyyk was just a plot contrivance to have Chewbacca meet Yoda and highlight the planet, and it was only explained a decade after the fact.
1 How Could Yoda Not See Anakin Skywalker Was Falling To The Dark Side?
Yoda Didn’t Need The Force To See That Anakin Was Changing
Close
The prequel trilogy went to great lengths to explain how Yoda’s connection to the Force was clouded by Palpatine and the dark side. While that explains how they weren’t able to tell that Palpatine was Darth Sidious, it doesn’t explain why Yoda couldn’t see that Anakin Skywalker was about to fall to the dark side. Even without a clear view of the Force, Yoda should have been able to tell that Anakin was in a dark place mentally and emotionally. They had multiple conversations where Anakin expressed his anger, pride, and emotional attachments, and they should have been immense red flags for Yoda.
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Conceived by the will of the Force itself, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring the Force into balance. Anakin struggled to balance competing attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Padmé Amidala, and ultimately fell to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. For years he served as Palpatine’s right hand man, but he was ultimately redeemed by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now a Force Ghost, Anakin continues to act as an agent of balance.
Created By George Lucas Cast Bob Anderson , Hayden Christensen , James Earl Jones , Matt Lanter , Matt Lucas , Jake Lloyd , David Prowse , Sebastian Shaw Alliance Jedi, Sith
The obvious ways Anakin showed his growing darkness weren’t the only reason Yoda should have recognized where he was headed, though. There was perhaps no one in the entire Jedi Order who was better equipped to foresee Anakin’s fall: Yoda was the oldest and wisest Jedi, and he had a personal connection with Count Dooku, another Jedi who fell to the dark side. Even if the rest of the Jedi missed Anakin’s growing darkness, Yoda should have noticed, but he didn’t.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
Created by George Lucas Cast Mark Hamill , James Earl Jones , David Prowse , Carrie Fisher , Harrison Ford , Daisy Ridley , Adam Driver , Ian McDiarmid , Ewan McGregor , Rosario Dawson , Lars Mikkelsen , Rupert Friend , Moses Ingram , Frank Oz , Pedro Pascal Character(s) Luke Skywalker , Han Solo , Rey Skywalker , Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious , Obi-Wan Kenobi , Ahsoka Tano , Grand Admiral Thrawn , Grand Inquisitor , Reva (The Third Sister) , The Fifth Brother , The Seventh Sister , The Eighth Brother , Yoda , Din Djarin , Grogu , Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader , Leia Organa , Ben Solo/Kylo Ren Expand