Yoda

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This article is about the Star Wars character. For the infant of the same species, see Grogu. For other uses, see Yoda (disambiguation).

Yoda
Star Wars character
Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
First appearance The Empire Strikes Back
Created by George Lucas
Voiced by
Performed by Frank Oz [h]
In-universe information
Full name Yoda
Species Unknown [3]
Gender Male
Occupation
  •  • Jedi Master [i]
  •  • Grand Master of the Jedi
         High Council [j]
  •  • General in the Grand
         Army of the Republic [k]
Affiliation Jedi Order [4]
Apprentices Count Dooku
 Luke Skywalker
 Numerous others

Yoda (/ˈjoʊdə/) is a character in the Star Wars franchise. He is a small, green humanoid alien who is powerful with The Force. He is a Jedi Master and a leader in the Jedi Order. Frank Oz voiced and puppeteered Yoda in the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back, which was the character's first appearance. Oz reprised the role in Return of the Jedi (1983), The Phantom Menace (1999), and The Last Jedi (2017). Outside of the films, the character was voiced most frequently by Tom Kane.

Profile

Before his death at the age of 900, the 2.2-foot (0.66 m) tall Yoda spent centuries training Jedi.[5] Before the fall of the Galactic Republic and the rise of the Galactic Empire, Yoda was the Grand Master of the Jedi Council. After the Battle of Naboo, the Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn presented the Council with the boy Anakin Skywalker, and requested that he be trained. The Council rejected Qui-Gon's request, partly because Yoda believed that Anakin was full of fear. After Qui-Gon's death, the Council reneged and allowed Anakin to become an apprentice of Obi-Wan Kenobi.[6][4]

The Clone Wars began when Separatists started clashing with the Republic throughout the galaxy. The faction was led by Count Dooku, a former Jedi apprentice of Yoda. During the Battle of Geonosis, Yoda led a legion of clone troopers against Separatist forces. The Jedi Master eventually dueled with Dooku, who had fallen to the dark side and was training under the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.[4][7]

As Anakin matured, Yoda was concerned about his potential to turn to the dark side. He assigned him an apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, hoping it would help him grow as a leader.[8] As the Clone Wars raged on, Yoda was visited by the Force spirit of Qui-Gon, who taught him important lessons about the Force. While Yoda was fighting on Kashyyyk, Sidious enacted Order 66, which compelled the clone troopers to annihilate the Jedi. Yoda battled Sidious—who had declared himself Emperor—but could not defeat him. While Anakin was completing his transition to the dark side as Darth Vader, Yoda went into hiding on Dagobah. He did not train another Jedi until Luke Skywalker approached him many years later at the behest of Obi-Wan.[4][9][5]

Creation

The Star Wars franchise was created by George Lucas, who wrote and directed the original Star Wars film (1977). He created the character Obi-Wan Kenobi as a mentor for Luke, and originally planned for Obi-Wan to continue training Luke in the sequel, The Empire Strikes Back. However, Lucas ultimately decided that Obi-Wan would die in the first film. Lucas then introduced a new mentor character, who was originally a diminutive frog-like creature called "Minch Yoda".[10][11] The name "Yoda" was chosen because Lucas envisioned the character as a "little Dalai Lama", and he wanted him to have an "Eastern-sounding" name.[12] The film's visual effects art director, Joe Johnston, sketched hundreds of different versions of Yoda. The design that Lucas finally settled on was described by Johnson as a combination of a leprechaun, a troll and a gnome.[13][l] Lucas gave Yoda a backward speech pattern because he felt the character needed a unique way of speaking that was more dramatic than an accent.[12]

Puppet

Yoda was originally portrayed by a puppet created by Stuart Freeborn and Wendy Froud.[16] Freeborn based Yoda's face on his own facial features and those of Albert Einstein, hoping the latter inspiration would make the character appear intelligent.[17][18] Lucas asked Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets, to perform the puppeteering for Yoda. Henson was busy with another project, however, and recommended Frank Oz for the role.[19][20] To perform Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back, Oz inserted his hand into the puppet's head to manipulate the mouth and brow. Kathryn Mullen, Wendy Froud and David Barclay operated Yoda's eyes, ears and other body parts using cables, strings, hydraulics and electronic mechanisms.[21] There was also a radio-controlled Yoda puppet that was used when the Jedi Master is riding on Luke's back.[22] For wide shots of Yoda moving around, Deep Roy wore a Yoda costume.[23] Oz provided Yoda's voice in all the films, and was the lead puppeteer for The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace and The Last Jedi.[24][25][26] He also performed vocal cameos as Yoda in The Force Awakens (2015) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019).[27][28]

Other versions

Yoda holding a lightsaber
Yoda is portrayed with CGI in Attack of the Clones

For The Phantom Menace, Yoda was redesigned to look younger. He was created using computer-generated imagery (CGI) for two distant shots in the 1999 release but remained mostly a puppet,[29] with Stuart Freeborn's original design reinterpreted by Nick Dudman. 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. His digital incarnation, overseen by Rob Coleman, was deliberately designed to be consistent with the limitations of the puppet version, including occasional ear movements.[30]

Yoda was recreated in CGI for the 2011 Blu-ray release of The Phantom Menace.[31] A clip of the new CG Yoda from The Phantom Menace was first seen in the featurette The Chosen One, included in the 2005 DVD release of Revenge of the Sith.[32] The 2012 theatrical 3D release of The Phantom Menace matches the 2011 cut featuring the CG version of Yoda.

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.

Appearances

Films

Title Year Portrayal Voice
Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back 1980 Puppet Frank Oz
Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi 1983 Puppet
Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace 1999 Puppet
Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones 2002 CGI
Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith 2005 CGI
Star Wars: Episode VIII—The Last Jedi 2017 Puppet

Animated series

Title Year Voice References
Star Wars: Clone Wars 2003 Tom Kane
Star Wars: The Clone Wars 2008–2020 Tom Kane
Star Wars Rebels 2014 Frank Oz [33][34][35]
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi 2022 —

Other

Title Type Year References
Yoda: Dark Rendezvous Novel 2004
Republic Comic 1998–2006
Dooku: Jedi Lost Audio drama 2019
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Comic 2021 [36]

Other appearances

Yoda was featured in a series of 2012 commercials for Vodafone, which were broadcast in the UK. He was animated by Industrial Light & Magic for the commercials.[37][38][39]

Yoda appears in a television series based on the Lego Star Wars toys, including Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles and The New Yoda Chronicles, of which he is the focus, as well as The Padawan Menace and Droid Tales.[40]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Episodes I–III, V–IX, Star Tours, Star Wars Rebels
  2. ^ The Clone Wars film and series, Star Wars Forces of Destiny and various games
  3. ^ The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi radio dramas
  4. ^ Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
  5. ^ Star Wars: Rebellion [1]
  6. ^ Read-along storybook CDs
  7. ^ Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures [2]
  8. ^ Lead puppeteer, Episodes I, V–VI, VIII
  9. ^ Episodes I–VI
  10. ^ Episodes I–III
  11. ^ Episodes II–III
  12. ^ Yoda has blue skin in some of Johnston's drawings and in the novelization of The Empire Strikes Back.[14][15]

References

Citations

  1. ^ "Yoda Voice - Star Wars: Rebellion (Video Game)". Behind the Voice Actors. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  2. ^ "Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures Will Premiere May the Fourth". Gizmodo. February 9, 2023. Archived from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  3. ^ Newby, Richard (November 15, 2019). "Will 'The Mandalorian' Answer One Question George Lucas Never Did?". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "Yoda". StarWars.com. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope (1977).
  6. ^ Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace (1999).
  7. ^ Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones (2002).
  8. ^ Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2020).
  9. ^ Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith (2005).
  10. ^ Rinzler 2010, pp. 22, 34.
  11. ^ "Unscripted With Hayden Christensen and George Lucas". Moviefone. May 19, 2005. Event occurs at 5:22. Archived from the original on November 25, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Rinzler 2010, p. 241.
  13. ^ Rinzler 2010, p. 165.
  14. ^ Rinzler 2010, p. 218.
  15. ^ Guynes & Hassler-Forest, p. 77.
  16. ^ Rinzler 2010, p. 1677.
  17. ^ "Star Wars make-up artist Stuart Freeborn dies aged 98". BBC News. February 6, 2013. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  18. ^ Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (2004). 20th Century Fox Television. Event occurs at 1 hour and 40 minutes.
  19. ^ Jones, Brian Jay (2015). Jim Henson: The Biography. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 308. ISBN 978-0-345-52612-0. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  20. ^ Rinzler 2010, p. 392.
  21. ^ Rinzler 2010, p. 564, 1159.
  22. ^ Nick Maley (November 29, 2020). Insider story of the creation of Yoda. Event occurs at 38 minutes. Retrieved May 4, 2024 via YouTube.
  23. ^ Rinzler 2010, p. 1229.
  24. ^ McCluskey, Megan (December 15, 2017). "An All-Time Favorite Star Wars Character Makes an Epic Cameo in The Last Jedi". Time. Time Inc. Archived from the original on December 15, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  25. ^ Breznican, Anthony (December 16, 2017). "The Last Jedi spoiler talk: How an old-school Star Wars character made a surprising return". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. p. 2. Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  26. ^ Evans, Nick (January 2018). "Why Star Wars: The Last Jedi Used A Puppet For Yoda". Cinema Blend. Archived from the original on April 12, 2018. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  27. ^ Bryant, Jacob (December 21, 2015). "Obi-Wan, Yoda Secretly in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'". Variety. Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  28. ^ "'Star Wars' fans rejoice: Beloved character Yoda will return". New York Daily News. April 14, 2018. Archived from the original on April 15, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
  29. ^ Desowitz, Bill (June 14, 2002). "Yoda as We've Never Seen Him Before". Animation World Magazine. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2008.
  30. ^ Coleman, Rob (2002). Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones audio commentary (DVD). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. Event occurs at 6.
  31. ^ Logan, Tom (August 25, 2011). "Yoda Goes CGI in 'Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace' on Blu-ray". Hi-Def Digest. Archived from the original on June 11, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
  32. ^ Gould, Chris. "Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith". dvdactive. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved March 4, 2009. 'The Chosen One' is another short documentary [...] [It] also feature[s] a scene from The Phantom Menace in which Yoda is presented as an entirely computer generated 'actor', perhaps warming up for a re-release somewhere down the line.
  33. ^ "Exclusive: Yoda Returns for Star Wars Rebels". tvguide.com. December 15, 2014. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  34. ^ Breznican, Anthony (January 16, 2016). "'Star Wars: Rebels' — A deep dive into the shocking new trailer with creator Dave Filoni". EW.com. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  35. ^ David, Margaret (December 12, 2020). "Why Yoda Looked SO Different on Star Wars Rebels". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  36. ^ Brooks, Dan (September 1, 2020). "Inside Star Wars: The High Republic: Meet Yoda". StarWars.com. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  37. ^ Laughlin, Andrew (January 19, 2012). "Yodafone: Jedi Master signs up for Vodafone TV ad campaign - video". DigitalSpy. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  38. ^ Nissim, Mayer (July 30, 2012). "Yoda Strikes Back: Star Wars returns in new Vodafone ad - video". DigitalSpy. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  39. ^ Lepitak, Stephen (January 19, 2012). "Yoda features in Vodafone campaign to promote RED box transfer service". The Drum. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  40. ^ Lego Group (September 21, 2020). "The LEGO Group Reveals LEGO Star Wars The Child Construction Set". Lego.com. Lego. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.

Works cited

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yoda.
Look up Yoda in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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