Yoda, the legendary Jedi Master, had at least two lightsabers during his long life. In this article, we will explore who Yoda is and then look at these two lightsabers covering their design and history. Finally, we will explain Yoda’s combat style with his lightsaber.
Who is Master Yoda?
Yoda was a famous Jedi Master who led the Jedi Order during the High Republic period and the years before it was destroyed by the Sith. Even though he was small, he was respected for his wisdom and strength. Yoda trained many Jedi and was the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, he played important roles in protecting the Republic during the Clone Wars, survived Order 66 and lived to teach Luke Skywalker and discover the secret to immortality.
Yoda was born in 896 BBY and served the Jedi Order for hundreds of years becoming the Grand Master and teaching many young Jedi. In 382 BBY, during the High Republic Era, he helped end a big fight between the Jedi and the anti-Jedi Path of the Open Hand. After this battle, known as the Night of Sorrow, Yoda decided to keep the dangerous weapons used by the Path called “the Nameless” out of the Jedi Archives to protect the Order.
Over a hundred years later, in 232 BBY, Yoda took a break from the Jedi High Council to train Padawans on a ship called the Star Hopper, he led them and other Jedi in battles against the Nihil pirates. After being gone for over a year, Yoda showed up in 230 BBY on Corellia where he helped his former Padawan Kantam Sy and other Jedi fight the Nihil, he was joined by Azlin Rell, a former Jedi who fought in the Night of Sorrow. Yoda hoped Rell’s knowledge about the Nameless creatures would help the Jedi find a way to defeat them.
In the final days of the Republic, Yoda was nearly nine hundred years old and a key member of the Jedi High Council, he served alongside other famous Jedi like Mace Windu and Ki-Adi-Mundi. In 32 BBY, during the Invasion of Naboo, Qui-Gon Jinn brought Anakin Skywalker to the Council, convinced that Anakin was the Chosen One. The Jedi Council felt that Anakin was too old and full of fear and anger, so they initially refused to train him. After Qui-Gon Jinn’s death, the Council changed their minds and decided to train Anakin, despite Yoda’s worries about the dangers of his training. Around this time, the Jedi also found out that the Sith, their old enemies, had returned. Yoda believed there was still another Sith Lord out there after Obi-Wan Kenobi defeated Darth Maul.
Over the next ten years, the galaxy was on the brink of civil war. Many star systems, led by Count Dooku who was once Yoda’s Padawan, wanted to leave the Republic by 22 BBY. The Jedi couldn’t protect the whole Republic by themselves so they took charge of the new Grand Army of the Republic. Yoda led an army of clone troopers against the Separatist Droid Army in the first battle of the Clone Wars saving the Jedi and a Senator from execution. For three years, Yoda led the Republic’s military as a Jedi General aiming to quickly end the war. During this time, he was visited by the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn who taught Yoda how to become a spirit after death. Yoda’s efforts were sabotaged by Darth Sidious “the Dark Lord of the Sith” who wanted to destroy the Jedi and bring the Sith back to power. In 19 BBY, the Great Jedi Purge began by killing thousands of Jedi across the galaxy. Yoda tried to stop the new Galactic Emperor but failed, he went into hiding while the Sith Master with his new apprentice Anakin Skywalker (now known as Darth Vader) took control.
Yoda spent his final years living alone on the remote planet Dagobah. After Obi-Wan Kenobi died, his spirit communicated with Yoda asking him to train Anakin’s son Luke Skywalker. Yoda was hesitant at first and even thought the galaxy might be better off without him refusing Kenobi’s request. However, Kenobi convinced Yoda to enter the Cave of Evil where Yoda faced figures from his past and came to terms with his failures. This changed his mind and he agreed to train Luke who soon came looking for the legendary Grand Master to become a Jedi Knight.
Yoda trained Luke for a while but Luke left before finishing his training to save his friends driven by a vision that they were in danger. A year later, in 4 ABY, Yoda’s health worsened and he died of old age just as Luke returned to see him. Yoda became one with the Force, moments before Luke redeemed his father Anakin who fulfilled his destiny as the Chosen One by defeating Sidious.
Years later, Luke Skywalker tried to rebuild the Jedi Order but his plan failed when his nephew Ben Solo turned to the dark side and destroyed the Jedi Temple. Thinking the galaxy was better off without him and the Jedi, Luke went into hiding just like Yoda had done. When Rey, a scavenger he had reluctantly trained, left her training, Yoda’s ghost appeared to Luke and helped him understand that he needed to learn from his mistakes and forgive himself.
Master Yoda’s First Lightsaber
The Design
Master Yoda’s first lightsaber had a green blade and was smaller than usual since it has a shorter handle and blade, the lightsaber had a simple design with a studded chrome handle, black trim and an emitter shroud. Inside, a kyber crystal created the bright green blade.
The Story Behind The First Lightsaber
Like many Jedi for hundreds of years, Yoda built his lightsaber under the guidance of Professor Huyang, a droid who had been with the Jedi Order since its early days, he got a kyber crystal from the icy caves of Ilum which was an eventful mission.
Yoda used his lightsaber well on Geonosis, when he had to confront his former student Count Dooku while the first battle of the Clone Wars was happening outside.
During the years of the Clone Wars, the green bladed lightsaber served its master Yoda well on many occasions. However, Yoda lost his weapon when he dueled the Sith Lord Darth Sidious in the Senate Building, when Sidious released energy bolts to disarm him, Yoda lost his lightsaber which fell down below.
After the rise of the new Galactic Empire, a leader named Mas Amedda spoke about the end of the Jedi Order, he had a collection of fallen Jedi’s lightsabers including Yoda’s, these lightsabers were burned in a public event and their kyber crystals caused a big explosion of energy.
After this event, Yoda didn’t want to use another lightsaber but he kept a second lightsaber in a box in his hut years later.
Behind The Scenes
Yoda’s lightsaber was originally made for Star Wars Legends book written in 1999 “Star Wars: Episode I The Visual Dictionary”, it was then shown in the movie “Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones” in 2002.
The book “Star Wars: Complete Locations” wrriten in 2016 showed that the lightsaber was kept in a box in Yoda’s Hut. However, the comic Darth Vader (2017) showed that it was destroyed during a celebration of the Jedi Order’s eradication, writer Charles Soule suggested Yoda might have had more than one lightsaber or made a new one, Matt Martin from Lucasfilm said they knew about this difference thinking Yoda had several lightsabers.
in 2022, the comic “Crimson Reign” said one of Yoda’s lightsabers was destroyed hinting that a second one was shown in “The Book of Boba Fett” when Luke Skywalker offered it to Grogu.
However, the short story “Masters” said that Sidious wanted to keep Yoda’s first lightsaber as a trophy suggesting it wasn’t destroyed as shown in the “Darth Vader” comic, it’s unclear if Yoda had a second lightsaber in this version of the story.
Master Yoda’s Second Lightsaber
The Design
Master Yoda’s Second Lightsaber was a single bladed shoto, it had a short blade, a straight handle, an emitter shroud and it contained a green kyber crystal.
The Story Behind the second Lightsaber
Yoda kept a second lightsaber in his hut on Dagobah in 3 ABY after he lost his first one but he decided not to use lightsabers anymore, After his death in 4 ABY, his last Jedi apprentice Luke Skywalker ended up with the lightsaber. Five years later, he offered it to Grogu who was a young member of Yoda’s species being trained at Luke’s Jedi academy on the planet Ossus, Grogu faced a choice, he could either continue on the Jedi path by taking the lightsaber or choose to stay with his Mandalorian mentor Din Djarin who had made him a beskar armor, this decision represented a conflict between Grogu’s Jedi training and his bond with Din Djarinn but he made a final decision to stay with Din Djarin and returned the lightsaber to Luke Skywalker who sent him back to Din Djarin with the armor.
Behind The Scenes
Yoda’s second lightsaber was mentioned for the first time in the “Star Wars: Complete Locations” reference book in 2016, after that in 2022, the lightsaber was shown in an episode “Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger” of the TV Show “The Book of Boba Fett” which was directed by Dave Filoni. In the film “Disney Gallery: The Book of Boba Fett” they showed Mark Hamill (the actor who played Luke Skywalker) and Graham Hamilton with the lightsaber while they were making “Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger”.
Combat Style and Usage
The style Master Yoda uses suggests a vulnerability to the dark side, the history and parctices of the Jedi Order are very complex so it is not surprising they have many styles for using lightsabers, these combat styles can signify many things about the Jedi who use them. In Yoda’s case, his fighting style may show a weakness in his strong moral beliefs.
There are seven different lightsaber combat forms in Star Wars, they focus on different things like offense, defense, using the Force and other aspects. For example, Obi-Wan Kenobi uses Form III which is purely defensive and looks for openings in the enemy, Ahsoka Tano uses Form V which switches between defense and fierce attacks including reverse grip.
Yoda uses Form IV called Ataru, this form relies heavily on aggressive attacks, acrobatics and using the Force to enhance movements, strikes and agility. It is interesting that Yoda as the highest Jedi Master uses this aggressive form, as it reveals he had the potential to fall to the dark side of the Force.
In addition, Yoda’s agility in combat was extraordinary which allowed him to outmaneuver larger opponents.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yoda’s lightsaber is single-bladed.
Yoda’s lightsaber is shorter than others because a shorter lightsaber suits his size and fighting style.
Yoda’s lightsaber is not more powerful than others, but Yoda’s skill makes it extremely effective.
