Yoda is one of the most iconic characters from the movies of Star Wars. He and other representatives of his species play an important role in the story – yet surprisingly little is known about them. Why is that?
Why is Yoda so famous? The small, green-skinned Jedi Master is one of the hallmarks of Star Wars. Even those who haven’t seen the films recognize Yoda at least visually.
His role in the story is very important: In the prequel trilogy, he is part of the Jedi Council, gives wise advice, and also fights against powerful opponents like Count Dooku or Darth Sidious himself.
Later in the classic trilogy, he helps Luke Skywalker with his training as a Jedi before Yoda dies at the age of 900. Thus, he is a central figure, which, surprisingly, almost didn’t come to exist.
Strangely, the Jedi Master belongs to a species about which we know surprisingly little. Not even the official name is known. However, some information has leaked over the years.
Yoda’s first appearance was in Episode 5 – see the trailer here:
We know very few representatives of the species
What do we know about the species? Because there is still no proper name for the species in the Star Wars canon, it is often simply referred to as “Yoda’s species”.
These creatures are small, have green skin, and are characterized by their ability to use the Force very well in most cases. They live very long, just like Yoda, who lived to be 900 years old.
Particularly striking are the hands, which consist of three fingers, and the feet, which have three toes. For this reason, the species has also received the nickname “Tridactyl” – meaning “three-fingered”.
In Episode 5, Yoda is seen curiously searching through Luke’s supplies for food. In fact, the species primarily feeds on meat, with smaller animals like frogs commonly on the menu, as well as eggs and sweet treats like cookies.
Unfortunately, it is not known where the species comes from, how it originated, and what special traditions are practiced. George Lucas deliberately withheld details about Yoda’s species. Over time, this has created a great mystery that makes the species even more enigmatic.
How many representatives of the species are there? George Lucas limited the number of known representatives to a minimum. To this day, only three members are known in the Star Wars canon:
- Yoda himself
- Yaddle, a Jedi Master who is part of the council and appears in Episode 1
- Grogu, a child aged 50 who appears in the series The Mandalorian – a movie is set to follow in 2026
Grogu is simply called “Baby Yoda” by many fans, precisely because no official name for the species exists to this day.
Over the years, several more representatives have emerged outside the canon. Nevertheless, Yoda’s species remains very mysterious and a subject of speculation. Thus, one of the most famous characters from Star Wars is also one of the most enigmatic. Did you already know: Yoda is based on 2 real people – one of them is a famous scientist that everyone knows
