Star Wars: How Old Is Yoda?

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Among George Lucas’ cherished works, the enigmatic character of Jedi master Yoda embodies the essence of the quirky yet sage elderly warrior. Being an alien of unidentified origin, he pushes the boundaries of what “old” means to a level no human could ever approach. So, exactly how old is this ancient figure? In the film “Return of the Jedi,” just before his demise, Yoda reveals his age to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) by saying, “When you reach 900 years old, you won’t look as good as I do.

According to the chronology of the “Star Wars” saga, Yoda was 864 years old in “The Phantom Menace,” increasing to 874 years old in “Attack of the Clones,” and further to 877 years old in “Revenge of the Sith.” By the time of “The Empire Strikes Back,” his age had reached 899 years. In his brief appearance in the series finale of “Star Wars: The Acolyte” (if it had been produced), he would have been 764 years old. Unfortunately, due to its cancelation on Disney+, we may never learn what part Yoda might have played in Season 2. When Yoda appears as a Force ghost in “The Last Jedi,” his appearance is similar to that at the time of his death, with the exception of Anakin Skywalker, whose form often varies.

How does Yoda’s species age?

George Lucas intentionally left Yoda’s species background hidden, and this secrecy has been upheld by Lucasfilm. To this day, the species of Yoda remains unnamed. In the Star Wars canon, only two other individuals from his species have appeared: Grogu, a popular character from “The Mandalorian” often called “baby Yoda” by fans, and Yaddle, a female member of the Jedi Council who debuted in “The Phantom Menace.” These characters raise questions about how members of Yoda’s species age.

In the series “The Mandalorian,” Grogu is initially portrayed as a fifty-year-old character but resembles an infant. His species, it appears, have a unique ability to grow and develop at a slower pace due to their proficiency with The Force. This allows them to manipulate large creatures effortlessly with mere hand gestures. Although Grogu is mute, he seems capable of telepathically communicating with Ahsoka (played by Rosario Dawson). Some viewers have speculated that Grogu’s growth may be delayed as a result of the emotional trauma inflicted by Order 66. Contrastingly, Yoda began training other Jedi at the ripe age of 100, suggesting that despite their infant-like state at fifty, members of his species might mature quite quickly.

In “The Phantom Menace,” the character Yaddle was 477 years old, while at her death, she was 387 years younger than Yoda. According to the novel “The High Republic: Cataclysm” by Lydia Kang, this suggests that Yaddle died in her middle age, but to human observers, she seemed just as ancient as Yoda at his oldest. Yaddle’s full head of hair could indicate her relative youthfulness compared to Yoda or simply be a difference in their species’ physical characteristics when it comes to sexual distinctions. Essentially, we are still uncertain about what a young adult Yoda would look like.

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2025-06-04 20:30