Who is Yoda in Star Wars? For those who are well-versed in the various Star Wars movies and TV series, Yoda is a name that has popped up multiple times. Even if you haven’t watched any of the science fiction movie franchise before, you’re very likely to have at least seen a picture of this Star Wars character, but we’re here to explain what the little green dude is all about.
While many of the heroes of the Rebellion and the Star Wars villains operating in the Galactic Empire look fairly human, Yoda is far from it. He’s tiny, green, and he speaks funny, and while he may be very wise, there is so much mystery surrounding this iconic character.
So, who is Yoda exactly? Where did he come from, what is he capable of, and why does he behave the way he does? Answers, you are seeking. Provide them, we shall.
Who is Yoda in Star Wars?
Yoda is widely considered one of the most powerful Jedi Masters of all time and even served as the Grand Master of the Jedi Council. He lived to be roughly 900 years old, and was not only highly-skilled with a lightsaber but was also incredibly wise, too.
Born in 896 BBY, Yoda witnessed the rise and fall of both the Jedi and the Sith as their endless battle brought chaos and destruction to the galaxy. He would sadly die in 4 ABY, which means he never got to see the destruction of the second Death Star and the redemption of Darth Vader.
As the Grand Master of the Jedi Council, Yoda helped to train multiple generations of new Jedi in the ways of the Force. Most notably, he provided private training to Luke Skywalker on the planet Dagobah in the ‘80s movie The Empire Strikes Back, which was the first time we actually saw Yoda in the Star Wars timeline.
That appearance was a brilliant introduction to this quirky character and his time with Luke provides one of the best Star Wars scenes of all time, as Yoda toys with the young Jedi. Though we don’t get to see his proficiency with a lightsaber until the 2000s movie Attack of the Clones, we are treated to his unorthodox way of speaking and playful nature right from the start of the franchise.
Although no one knows what planet Yoda was actually born on or what his species is called, we do meet another member of his species who can offer us some context for the way Yoda speaks. Yaddle, a classic Star Wars Glup Shitto, is clearly from the same planet as Yoda, but she speaks perfectly normal. It has since been revealed that Yoda’s sentence structure is entirely his own choice, to honour his own Jedi Master.
Yoda was an integral part of the Prequel Trilogy, which saw the fall of the Galactic Republic thanks to Emperor Palpatine‘s scheming. When Order 66 was executed and the vast majority of Jedi eradicated, Yoda went into hiding on Dagobah and would ultimately die there after teaching Luke Skywalker all he knew.
You can see Yoda in many of the Star Wars movies and Star Wars series, including the animated series The Clone Wars. For more from a galaxy far, far away, check out our guide to the Star Wars cast or dive into our guide on the Andor season 2 release date.