Star Wars Hints How Long Yoda Was On The Jedi Council

Star Wars has hinted just how long Master Yoda sat on the Jedi Council. When Luke Skywalker traveled to Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back, he was expecting a mighty warrior. Instead he found a diminutive alien being who insisted wars do not make one great – but Yoda turned out to be just the mentor Luke needed. According to Yoda, he had been training Jedi Knights for 800 years before his death in Return of the Jedi.

The prequel trilogy revealed Master Yoda had been a key figure in the Jedi Order in the years before the Clone Wars. He was Grand Master of the Jedi Order, considered the wisest Jedi of the age. Unfortunately for all his wisdom, Yoda was masterfully manipulated by Palpatine; Darth Sidious was able to operate under his eye, to orchestrate the Clone Wars, and ultimately to eliminate the Jedi through Order 66. But just how long had Yoda held such an esteemed position?

Charles Soule’s new Star Wars novel, Light of the Jedi, is set at the peak of the High Republic Era, some 200 years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. A number of scenes feature the Jedi Council of the time, which included legendary Jedi such as Jora Malli, Yarael Poof, Rano Kant, Oppo Rancisis, Keaton Murag, and Ada-Li Carro. Yoda was apparently already considered one of three Jedi Grandmasters, but at the time of Light of the Jedi he had chosen to go on a sabbatical and train a group of Younglings. He had appointed the Mon Calamari Ephru Shinn to occupy his seat during his sabbatical.

Fans may recognize the names Yarael Poof and Oppo Rancisis, who were still sitting on the Jedi Council during the prequel trilogy, but were both killed during the Clone Wars. It seems that, like Yoda himself, these two Masters are more long-lived than human norm. They may also come from races who typically have high midi-chlorian counts.

Unfortunately there is a sense in which Yoda’s dominance in the Council seems to have actually caused problems for the Jedi. The Jedi of the High Republic Era had a much greater understanding of the Force, because they encouraged every Jedi to relate to the Force in a different way. By the time of the prequels, Yoda’s perspective of the Force had become dominant, choking out other interpretations. Yoda’s definition of the Force was the one presented by Obi-Wan Kenobi in the very first Star Wars film, when he described the Force as “an energy field created by all living things.” This is likely one reason the Force needed Anakin Skywalker to bring it back into balance in the main Star Wars saga.

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Thomas Bacon
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Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

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