The powerful Jedi Master who taught Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker to learn the ways of the Force and become Jedi Knights. Nearly 900 years old, Yoda possessed uncanny wisdom and patience. He was truly attuned to the Force, able to perform remarkable feats with just a thought. Despite his vast power, Yoda knew that even he was not immortal; during the Jedi purge led by Darth Vader, Yoda retreated to the swampy world of Dagobah. There, he led Luke onto the path of the Jedi before becoming one with the Force a year later.

Like many of the ancient Jedi, Yoda’s past remains a closely guarded secret. According to Yoda’s own words, he trained Jedi for more than 800 years, and it is known that he was about 900 upon his death. Yoda proved a stern instructor and would only teach the most serious and committed students. Among these was Obi-Wan Kenobi, a young and reckless youth who proved incredibly strong in the Force.

While training his students, Yoda demanded that they improve their bodies as well as their minds. Aspiring Jedi endured marathons and learned to balance their bodies in strange ways. They also expanded their abilities to levitate objects and sense the future.

Despite his vast power, Yoda was forced into hiding by Emperor Palpatine’s campaign against the Jedi. Yoda retreated to Dagobah, where he kept careful watch over a sinister tree hollow that served as a link to the dark side of the Force. On Dagobah, he subsisted on a diet of roots, plants, fruits, and fungi, and built a home of mud, sticks, and stones. He also used the Force to monitor the progress of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, the children of the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader.

Eventually, Luke found his way to Dagobah and, after some debate, Yoda agreed to teach the boy. During the arduous training, Yoda lectured Young Skywalker about the Force while Luke performed rigorous physical and mental exercises. As part of his teachings, Yoda warned Luke of the dark side, which had claimed Vader.

As his powers expanded, Luke learned to glimpse the future and discovered that his friends were in great danger. Despite Yoda’s advice, Luke left Dagobah and traveled to Cloud City. There, Luke almost fell victim to Vader, much as Yoda feared.

A year later, Luke returned to Dagobah to continue his training with Yoda. The venerated Jedi Master, however, was near death. He informed Luke that he had to confront Vader once more before he passed away. A short time later, after the Battle of Endor, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker appeared before Luke as luminescent beings at one with the Force.

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