Yoda didn’t appear in the Star Wars IP until he made his big-screen debut in the second movie, The Empire Strikes Back. It’s partly because of this character that this movie is often cited as the best one in the whole franchise. Yoda didn’t only resonate with Star Wars audiences; his words of wisdom are found in daybooks, memes, and calenders and are popular with motivational speakers and self-help books.
This mysterious and reclusive Jedi Master is also had a lasting effect on his young but talented Jedi padewan, Luke Skywalker. The beloved and even venerated character would appear again in comics and TV shows along with the prequel movies, with even more gentle counsel for a chaotic age.
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6 “Try Not. Do, Or Do Not. There Is No Try.”
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Some of the most endearing Yoda quotes are found in the training sequences of The Empire Strikes Back, and this is one of them. Yoda is trying to tell his frustrated student about patience, resolve, and determination in the face of what seems like an impossible task.
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Luke agrees to “give it a try,” and Yoda corrects his pessimistic attitude with this quote. The audience is ready to cut Luke some slack when he fails to lift a whole x-wing out of the thick Degobah swamp but his teacher isn’t impressed.
5 “The Fear Of Loss Is A Path To The Dark Side.”
Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith (2005)
The prequel movies set up Yoda as a powerful Jedi Master and one of the leaders of the Jedi Council. Although he appreciated Anakin’s power, he agreed with his peers in The Phantom Menace when they decided the child should not be trained.
Two movies later Yoda’s worst fears are realized when Anakin, who was trained as a Jedi in defiance of the Council’s wishes by Obi-Wan Kenobi, comes to speak with the esteemed Master about his troubling premonitions. Yoda tries to counsel the unhappy young Jedi by using this quote.
4 “That Is Why You Fail.”
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Back in the Degobah swamp, Luke tries and fails to lift his X-wing out of the water. He’s under a lot of pressure since this humble little ship is his only way off the planet, but he’s unable to retrieve the ship from the murky water and uses the excuse “It’s too big.”
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Yoda then provides an impressive demonstration that proves size doesn’t matter. Luke is amazed to the point of disbelief and says as much. Yoda then replies with this line, which reveals how much of success is predetermined by personal confidence.
3 “Darker The Coming Storm Grows. I Fear The Dark Cloud Of The Sith Shrouds Us All.”
Star Wars: Clone Wars, S2E10 – Chapter 20 (2004)
Genndy Tartakovky’s Clone Wars was made to fill in the events that took place between the live-action movies, specifically the time between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. This was a period when the Jedi and their allied forces were opposing the forces of Count Doku as well as the Sith Lords that were infiltrating the Republic’s politics.
This was one of the last episodes in the series, and although it starts on a positive note with the Jedi winning an important battle, General Grievous deals a terrible blow to the leaders of the Jedi Order. As the Republic and the Jedi Council lose ground on several fronts, Yoda sums up his doubt and misgivings with this quote.
2 “Twilight Is Upon Me, And Soon Night Must Fall.”
Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi (1983)
Yoda was 900 years old when he passed away, but it was still too soon for Luke Skywalker and Star Wars fans everywhere. He lived long enough to tell Luke that his training was complete and that there was another Skywalker that survived Vader’s wrath.
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This quote is one of the more poetic ones that is attributed to Yoda and he is using it as a metaphor to soften the blow his imminent death will have on Luke. However, thanks to the existence of Force-ghosts, Luke isn’t alone for very long.
1 “War Does Not Make One Great.”
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Yoda made an impression with his words of wisdom, and this is one of his more memorable lines. He says it in response to Luke’s declaration that he’s searching for a great warrior, and he intends to explain that being a Jedi isn’t really about fighting.
Luke’s attitude took an angry turn in The Empire Strikes Back, as if blowing up the Death Star made him angry and impulsive. As usual, Yoda takes the proud and often rude young man’s turmoil in stride, and to Luke’s credit, he humbles himself when the Jedi Master is revealed.
