Star Wars' most iconic Jedi might not have existed if the franchise had followed George Lucas' original plan

Despite his small size, gentle appearance, and distinctive speech, the legendary Jedi Master Yoda is one of the more powerful characters in the Star Wars universe. Yoda trained Jedi for about 800 years and would also train Luke Skywalker during his final years. Despite the importance the character would come to hold, the original draft by creator George Lucas did not include Yoda.

In an interview while promoting Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas shared:

“The truth about Yoda is that in the original movie, Obi-Wan went to the very end of the film and Yoda didn’t exist.”

Yoda led the Jedi Order during the time of the Galactic Republic. While his background is still a mystery, Yoda is known for his wisdom and strong connection with the Force. He was born in 896 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope) and is one of the oldest Jedi in Star Wars.

Yoda did not exist in the original Star Wars script

As per the original script, Obi-Wan Kenobi would have been the only Jedi Master Luke Skywalker would have known. Lucas wanted to add more drama to the storytelling process. In A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi meets his end at the hands of Darth Vader. Lucas created Yoda to take over from Obi-Wan Kenobi. He belonged to a mysterious species with the ultimate wisdom of the Force. Lucas shared:

“…I realized that when I came to the end battle, that Obi-Wan had nothing to do, but still be around and watch the battle like Princess Leia. And then in the next film, he basically sat around and taught Luke how to use the force and things. I felt that his character had become so strong, the way Alec Guinness had presented it, that I really couldn’t do that. He was too noble, so I had to kill him off.”

It was important that Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda be presented as completely different characters. Lucas never created a backstory for Yoda, keeping the mystery around him. Yoda’s appearance, backward speech pattern, and anonymity made the character more fascinating. Lucas said:

“…I had to replace him, when I got to the second movie. And I could do certain things by having him come back as a ghost from the force. Because I had decided to kill him off in a metaphysical way rather than a physical way…But I couldn’t do everything. I needed a physical body there to do things and so I needed something, and I created Yoda, who was two feet tall, large with green ears, but to be very honest, I never really figured out, where he came from, and what his species is called, doesn’t even have a name... So he’s a mystery character. He’s a magical character. He has no background; he comes and goes.”

Yoda’s role in the Star Wars universe

Yoda is one of the more knowledgeable and philosophical Jedi, with a strong connection to the Force. The audience first meets Yoda in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, where we find the mystical being on the planet Dagobah during his exile after the Jedi Order is destroyed by the Galactic Empire. He trains Luke Skywalker, who wishes to become a Jedi Knight.

In Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, when Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn introduces Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader) as the Chosen One to the High Council, Yoda and the other Jedi elders decline to train him, sensing fear and anger in him. As a Jedi General, Yoda goes on to stand with the Republic in the Clone Wars. After Darth Sidious destroys the Jedi Order during the rise of the Galactic Empire, Yoda decides to live in isolation on Dagobah.

After communicating with Obi-Wan Kenobi’s spirit, Yoda reluctantly agrees to train Luke Skywalker. One of his famous lines from the moment reflects Yoda’s deep knowledge of the Force:

“Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is.”

Yoda's appearances in Star Wars include The Phantom Menace (Episode I), Attack of the Clones (Episode II), Revenge of the Sith (Episode III), The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V), Return of the Jedi (Episode VI), the animated film The Clone Wars, and the animated series Star Wars Rebels.

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