There are very few Jedi more powerful in theStar Warscanon thanYoda, and some of his best moments can only be found in the comics. Having served as the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order for hundreds of years, Yoda played a critical role in the Jedi’s survival after Order 66, having trained Luke Skywalker to become the galaxy’s new hope and bring back the Jedi. He also trained countless Jedi Knights before the Jedi Purge that marked the dawn of Palpatine’s Empire. That said, some of his most important moments have only ever been seen on the page, rather than on-screen.
While he hasn’t had as much time as otherStar Warscharacters, Yoda has appeared many times in the official canonStar Warscomics. His stories also take place across the wide range of his centuries-long life span, from his days traveling the galaxy during theHigh Republic Erato his final days in exile on Dagobah. However, some of his best moments have come from outside the canon as well.To that end, here are 10 of Yoda’s bestStar Warsmoments that fans can only get from the comics.
12Yoda’s Last Jedi Dagobah Trial
Right Before Luke’s Arrival
As seen in Marvel’s canonicalAge of Rebellionspecial, Yoda is featured alone on Dagobah, hunting for food while dwelling on his existence as the last known Jedi in the galaxy. Falling prey to a rockslide that temporarily buries him, Yoda thinks about all of his weaknesses and failures in years past, specifically the pride and hubris he held during the days of the Republic with the Jedi Order. However, Yoda chooses to embrace and forgive his failings, reminding himself that failure can be a Jedi’s greatest teacher.
With his newfound strength in the Force, Yoda was able to free himself from the rocks that had threatened to trap him indefinitely, mere moments before Luke Skywalker landed his X-Wing on the swamp world as seen inThe Empire Strikes Back.As such,Yoda’s renewed strength as a Jedi was quickly rewarded as he was provided with the hope that he wouldn’t become the last Jedi after all. It’s a deeply introspective yet powerful moment for the Jedi Grandmaster, one that serves as a dynamic prelude to Luke’s training in Episode V (and even Yoda’s teachings to Luke in the sequels’The Last Jedi).
11Yoda Destroys The Death Star And Palpatine
Star Wars Infinities - A New Hope
Released in 2001, Dark Horse’sStar Wars Infinities: A New Hopewas a four-part series imagining what the original trilogy would have been like had Luke’s torpedoes failed to destroy the first Death Star. While Leia is captured by the Empire and becomes apprenticed to Darth Vader, Luke and Han escape and are instructed by Ben’s Force Ghost to visit Yoda on Dagobah. After five years where both Luke and Leia grow in the Force, Han discovers that Leia is still alive. This prompts a daring mission to the Imperial core world of Coruscant, and Yoda himself joins in the final reckoning with the Sith.
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Much like Ben Kenobi, Yoda departs from the other heroes and infiltrates the Death Star on his own, using the Force to bend the mind of Tarkin to give him control of the battle station. Not only doesYoda use the Death Star to attack the Imperial Fleet, but he also crashes it into the Imperial Palace, ending both himself and Palpatinewhile leaving just enough time for the Rebels to escape (following a major duel between Luke and Leia before Vader saves his children from Palpatine’s wrath). Despite its non-canon status as a “What If?” story, it’s undoubtedly one of Yoda’s most amazing feats of all time.
10Yoda vs General Grievous
An Epic Clone Wars Showdown
In Marvel’s canonicalYodaseries,it’s revealed that the Grandmaster once dueled none other than General Grievous himselfduring the Clone Wars. While Yoda never faced Grievous directly on-screen, their comic duel is quite impressive as Yoda easily handles the villainous cyborg, despite the general’s greater height and multiple lightsabers. Eventually, Yoda proved to be far too powerful for Grievous, who naturally called in his droid reinforcements to gain the upper hand. Nevertheless,Yoda manages to best Grievous, taking back one of the general’s stolen lightsabers he’d taken from a fallen Jedi.
Defeating The Megadroid
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This same mission that featured the encounter with Grievous also included Yoda joining forces with Anakin Skywalker, another rare pairing that was hardly seen inThe Clone Warsanimated series, and certainly not on the battlefield.As such, the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order fighting side by side with the Chosen One in Marvel’sYodais a sight to behold.This is especially true considering that together they were able to destroy a deadly Separatist factory that had been working on an incredibly powerful prototype droid, one that could have quickly turned the tide of the Clone Wars.
Ending A Major Civil War
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During the High Republic Era,Marvel’sYodaseries revealed the true benefits of Yoda’s impressive age and lifespan. Discovering a remote village in the galaxy that had been at war with a rival tribe, Yoda spent years defending this village while also guiding it toward greater peace and understanding. He was even able to mentor a young boy named Bree who eventually grew into an adult leader of his village.
With Yoda’s help and frequent visits, the village was able to gain new levels of compassion and understanding with the rival tribe that had long been viewed as nothing more than violent raiders.By the arc’s end in Marvel’sYoda, both groups have learned to live together in peace thanks to Yoda’s impressive years of patience and teachings. However, the arc also had a truly dynamic beginning with Yoda putting a swift end to the initial violence as a true guardian of peace and justice.
5Yoda’s Secret War
“Size Matters Not”
In Marvel’sStar Warsseries back in 2015, Luke Skywalker was able to learn about one of Yoda’s most impressive adventures beforeThe Phantom Menace, which had been written down in journals Ben Kenobi had left behind on Tatooine. Having been mysteriously called to a remote world, Yoda learned about rival tribes of children who wielded what they called “stonepower”. Meanwhile, all their parents had been exiled within a massive blue mountain, the source of the unique rocks the children were able to wield as if they were Force-users.
Discovering the truth that the rocks were parts of massive living stone creatures,Yoda is given the epic chance to truly prove that “size matters not”. Not only does he face many of these mountain creatures on his own, but he also brings an end to the violence between the warring tribes that had long plagued the planet. Likewise, Yoda’s adventures also have some intriguing repercussions for both Obi-Wan during his Tatooine exile and Luke in the aftermath ofA New Hope,as both end up encountering Garro, the man who’d taught Yoda how to wield the stonepower as a child.
4Yoda Leads High Republic Younglings
During The Great Hyperspace Disaster
AlthoughYoda was often absent from the Jedi Temple during the High Republic Era, this was because he was often traveling the galaxy to help where he was needed. He also spent much of his time training Jedi younglings. This includes the younglings he was with during the Great Hyperspace Disaster, the major High Republic event where a ship was destroyed in hyperspace, resulting in multiple pieces being shot out at light speed, threatening a collection of various planets.
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Springing into action, Yoda rallied these younglings together to help those in need on Trymant IV. He also battled the Nihil marauders who were responsible for the galaxy-wide tragedy. Serving as the opening issues of Dark Horse’sHigh Republic Adventures, there was no better way to show what Yoda was up to during this newStar Warsera than by teaching and leading the next generation of Jedi with real-world experience.
3Yoda’s Greatest High Republic Failure
Working With Azlin Rell
In the High Republic’s third phase of storytelling and in the wake of Starlight Beacon’s fall at the hands of the Nihil, Yoda came up with what he believed was a solution to the Nameless. Also known as Shrii-Ka-Rai, The Nameless were Force-predators the Nihil had under their control that could paralyze and kill Jedi with ease. Having found theDark Jedi Azlin Rell, Yoda believed he could rehabilitate the former Jedi who’d been corrupted by the dark side in his mission to end the Nameless threat when he first discovered them years prior.
On the one hand,Yoda’s belief that a path can be walked in both directions is quite admirable. He believed Rell could be helped and that in turn, Rell could help the Jedi defeat the Nameless despite his past darkness. However, Yoda was blinded by the fact that Rell was willing to do anything to end the Nameless, even if it meant embracing the dark side and killing an entire city to keep the secrets of the Nameless hidden from the rest of the galaxy. It’s one of Yoda’s biggest failures, despite his truly admirable intentions during this earlyStar Warsperiod.
