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| Yoda | |
| Aliases: | Master Yoda Jedi Master Yoda |
| Franchise: | Star Wars |
| Notability: | Supporting character |
| Type: | Jedi Master |
| Gender: | Male |
| Location: | Coruscant Dagobah |
| Status: | Deceased |
| Born: | 896 BBY [1] |
| Died: | 4 ABY |
| First: | Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back |
| Actor: | Frank Oz John Lithgow Tom Kane Mike Quinn |
Yoda is a central character featured in the Star Wars franchise. He was introduced in the first feature film sequel to George Lucas' seminal 1977 classic Star Wars, which was released in 1980 and entitled Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. A puppet was used to portray the role of Yoda and he was voiced by Jim Henson puppeteer and actor Frank Oz. Yoda quickly became a fan favorite character and he returned three years later, albeit in a diminished role for the final film in the series, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. The character also appeared in the novelization and comic book adaptations of both films. In the late 1990s, George Lucas began production on the Star Wars prequel trilogy, which began some thirty-two years prior to the events of the first Star Wars film. The first film, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, presented a slightly younger Yoda who was once again voiced by Frank Oz. In the two sequel films, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas elected to replace the Yoda puppet with a completely digitally generated character, again voiced by Frank Oz. For the DVD release of The Phantom Menace, Lucas replaced the Yoda puppet with a computer generated rendering as well. Outside of the films, Yoda has appeared in three Star Wars: Clone Wars animated projects. He appeared in the 2003-2005 Star Wars: Clone Wars micro-series, with dialogue scenes in nine of the twenty-five broadcast serials. He also appeared in the 2008 feature film of Star Wars: The Clone Wars as well as the regular Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. In all three projects, the role of Yoda was voiced by Tom Kane.
Biography[]
During the controversial blockade of the planet Naboo by the Trade Federation, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn returned to the Jedi Temple with a nine-year-old boy named Anakin Skywalker. He presented him before the council claiming that Anakin was the "Chosen One" spoken of in Jedi prophecy - one who was destined to bring balance to the Force. The council members interviewed Anakin, but Yoda sensed great fear in the boy, most of which was rooted to his mother, Shmi Skywalker, who was still living as a slave on Tatooine. Yoda warned young Anakin about the consequences of fear by stating, "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you." Qui-Gon wished to take Anakin on as his padawan learner, but the council wouldn't allow it, citing that a master cannot train more than one apprentice at any one time. Qui-Gon told them that his current padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, was ready to take the trials and become a Jedi Knight, thus allowing Qui-Gon the time to work with Anakin. When the council refused, Qui-Gon balked at their decision, exclaiming that he would train Anakin regardless of their wishes.
Soon after, Qui-Gon Jinn lost his life battling the Sith Lord Darth Maul. His dying wish was for Obi-Wan to train Anakin in the ways of the Jedi. The Jedi Council deliberated over the issue and agreed that Obi-Wan would become Anakin's mentor. Yoda was one of the few dissenting voices however, and expressed his opinion to Obi-Wan, even while conferring upon him the rank of Jedi Knight.
The death of Qui-Gon Jinn awakened a new mystery in the ranks of the Jedi Council. Yoda conferred with council member Mace Windu about the surprising emergence of the Sith, reflecting upon the "rule of two" that governed the Sith's hierarchical structure since the time of Darth Bane. "Always two there are. No more, no less...", Yoda intoned, "...a master and an apprentice". The question that pressed upon them however, was determining which one had felled Qui-Gon Jinn, the master or the apprentice. Yoda, and the rest of the Jedi Council attended funeral services held for Qui-Gon Jinn on the planet Naboo.
As a member of the Jedi Council, Yoda played a key role in keeping close communication with Chancellor Palpatine during the Separatist Crisis. He had no idea however, that Palpatine was in fact that second Sith Lord that the council had been trying to find. During the crisis, an assassin attempted to take the life of Senator Padmé Amidala on the day that the Galactic Senate was to vote on the Military Creation Act. Yoda was greatly relieved to see that Amidala had survived.
As the Confederacy of Independent Systems continued to gain more power and influence, war fever held a tight grip on the Republic. The tension took a toll on many Jedi, in particular, nineteen-year-old Anakin Skywalker. Through the Force, Yoda knew that Anakin was suffering from great pain and torment. This tension was exacerbated when Anakin learned about the death of his mother, Shmi, at the hands of Tusken Raiders. Yoda could feel Anakin's anguish and knew that he was suffering.
Yoda learned that the Jedi Council had secretly contracted the geneticists of Kamino to create a Grand Army of the Republic. When the Chancellor's office learned that Separatist leader, Count Dooku, Yoda's former pupil, was headquartered on Geonosis, he petitioned the Senate to grant him Emergency Powers so he could ratify the Military Creation Act. Once this was done, he sent Yoda to Kamino to gather the armored clones and bring them to Geonosis. Yoda took command of the battle-ready clones and they provided aerial and ground support to the two-hundred Jedi that had been sent to Geonosis to combat the CIS. When the Separatist Council realized that they were now outnumbered, they retreated from the battlefield. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker pursued Count Dooku to a hangar bay inside of a cave, but the seasoned former Jedi easily defeated both of them. Yoda entered the hangar and engaged Count Dooku in lightsaber combat. Both combatants fought hard, but Dooku realized that Yoda would eventually defeat him. Using the Force, he distracted Yoda by placing the disabled Obi-Wan and Anakin into further danger, thus giving himself the opportunity to escape. This incident became known as the First Battle of Geonosis and precipitated a three-year campaign which history refers to as the Clone Wars.
Following his defeat against Darth Sidious, Yoda met up with Bail Antilles and Obi-Wan Kenobi aboard the consular ship, the Tantive IV. It didn't require Jedi wisdom to know that the remaining Jedi in the universe were grossly outnumbered by the legions of clones under Palpatine's command. Following the death of Senator Amidala, Yoda instructed Bail and Obi-Wan to take charge of her surviving twin infants, placing them into hiding so that the Emperor and his new apprentice could never learn about them. With that, Yoda took a personal shuttle and placed himself into exile on the swampy, jungle planet Dagobah. He remained there for the rest of his days, carefully avoiding detection from Palpatine's new Galactic Empire.
In the early years of the Galactic Civil War, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi sacrificed himself to Darth Vader aboard the first Death Star battle station, but thanks to the teachings of his late mentor Qui-Gon Jinn, his spirit lived on as an emanation of the Force. Obi-Wan's "ghost" appeared before Vader's son, Luke Skywalker, a hero of the Alliance to Restore the Republic on the frozen planes of the planet Hoth and instructed him to seek out Master Yoda in the Dagobah system.
Yoda knew of Skywalker's arrival and communed with Kenobi's spirit about the prospect of training him as a Jedi. Yoda was extremely reluctant to take on such a task, fearing that the taint of evil that ultimately corrupted Anakin Skywalker, might reside within his offspring as well. Moreover, Luke was in his twenties by this point and was too old to begin proper Jedi training. Luke pleaded with Yoda and ultimately the venerated Jedi scholar agreed to teach him.
Luke spent several weeks on Dagobah learning under Yoda's tutelage. He was careful not to reveal too much about Vader's true identity and origins to him however and concentrated on getting Luke to "unlearn" what he had believed to be the truth of the world around him. Yoda's instruction was not restricted to simply knowledge of the Force however. He also put Luke through an exhaustive physical regimen to prepare him for what was to come. Despite his efforts however, Yoda did not feel that Luke was ready to take on such a monumental task like taking on Darth Vader. Yoda's suspicion concerning Luke's connection to the Dark Side of the Force revealed itself during a trial within the hollow of an old tree - one rich with Dark Side energy - wherein Luke confronted an image of Darth Vader, only to find his own face staring back at him from beneath Vader's black metal helmet.
Soon after, Luke experienced a vision wherein he saw his friends and loved ones dying at Lord Vader's hands. He wanted to go to them, but Luke insisted that he should remain on Dagobah to complete his training. Regardless, Luke left Yoda with the promise that he would return to finish his Jedi education. Though disappointed, Yoda did not feel that Luke represented the only lasting hope for defeating the Empire. He knew that there was another Skywalker, Luke's twin sister, Leia.
Over the course of the following year, Yoda's health diminished greatly. At the age of 900, he knew that he would soon become one with the Force. Luke Skywalker eventually returned to Dagobah to complete his training, but found Yoda too ill to teach him any further. Yoda revealed that he did not require any further training and that he was armed with everything he needed to go on. Luke momentarily believed that Yoda was making him a Jedi, but Yoda quickly corrected him, explaining that he would only become a Jedi after he confronted and defeated Darth Vader for all time. Before expiring, Yoda told Luke one final piece of information; that the Force runs strong in the Skywalker family line, and that he must pass on what he has learned. He punctuated this statement by revealing, "There is another Skywalker..." and then quietly passed away. Luke watched as Yoda's body disappeared and he became one with the Force.
Yoda's spirit appeared alongside that of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker following the destruction of Emperor Palpatine and the second Death Star at the Battle of Endor.
Alternate media[]
In addition to the film and television projects, Yoda has also appeared in numerous novels, comic books, video games and audio dramatizations. Tom Kane provided the voice for Yoda in Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, Star Wars: Super Bombad Racing, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike, Star Wars: Battlefront, Star Wars: Republic Commando, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. Though most consider Frank Oz to be the definitive voice behind Yoda, Tom Kane has provided the voice for the character more than any other actor.
Archival audio samples of Oz's Yoda has appeared in LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game, LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy and LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. For the 1983 radio dramatization of The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda's voice was provided by John Lithgow. He reprised the role of Yoda for the 1996 radio drama of Return of the Jedi. Lithgow is best known for starring in films such as 2010: The Year We Make Contact and the hit comedy series 3rd Rock from the Sun.
Notes & Trivia[]
The character of Yoda was created by director Irvin Kershner and franchise creator George Lucas. He was first brought to life by puppeteer and voice actor Frank Oz.
There are very few known members of Yoda's species. A female member of the species, Yaddle, lived during the final years of the Galactic Republic and was briefly seen in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Another member, Vandar Tokare, was active during the years of the Mandalorian Wars and the Jedi Civil War. Another member, Minch, was a member of the Jedi Order some seven-hundred years before the Battle of Yavin.