Rebelscum.com: Force Facts

Posted by Liam on July 30, 2022 at 08:40 AM CST

Hey there, Rebelscum fans! There are few scenes in the Star Wars franchise that are quite as iconic as Luke’s first encounter with his future Jedi mentor, Grand Master Yoda. The characterization of Yoda is one of the many reasons that some fans would cite The Empire Strikes Back as the best film in the series. Stay tuned throughout the week for more articles, insights, profiles, and videos about Yoda and his murky home.

When you think about the history of the Star Wars franchise, there are many scenes that fans would cite as the defining moment of the saga. There are a lot of popular choices; Luke watching the setting of the Twin Suns, “I love you, I know,” Darth Vader’s redemption, the “Darth Plagueis” monologue, and Kylo Ren’s duel with Luke are all popular choices. However, we’d humbly suggest that Yoda raising Luke’s X-Wing out of the swamp is our choice. There’s not a more simple personification of the power of the Force in the entire saga.

As you contemplate your favorite Star Wars scenes, check out our Force Facts on Dagobah and Yoda!

Lucas has been tight-lipped about Yoda’s species, but once jokingly referred to him as the “illegitimate son” of The Muppet Show characters Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy.
Apparently, the “Yoda Santa Claus” character that appeared on Lucasfilm Christmas Cards is part of the Legends universe in the Knights of the Old Republic timeline.
The “Santa Yoda” character appears in a non-canon appearance in the 1980 holiday album Christmas in the Stars. He was also available as a minifig in the 2011 Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar set.
In the third season of the original 2-D animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker has a vision of Dagobah and his mentor, Qui-Gon Jinn. Anakin and Qui-Gon's dialogue is virtually identical to the same scene between Luke and Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back.
Part of the scenes in The Empire Strikes Back on Dagobah were shot in Lucas’ unfinished swimming pool, which was under construction.
An internet rumor spread that Yoda was a “Whill,” in reference to the “Journal of the Whills.” Lucasfilm confirmed that this was not true. Little is known about the “Journal of the Whills” other than that it is a record of the galaxy’s events that was recorded by a mysterious order of powerful Force users.
The Whills were originally set to play a larger role in Revenge of the Sith, but were removed from the final version. Lucas’ original concepts for the sequel trilogy would have dealt with the Whills more directly.
Director Irvin Kershner turned down the opportunity to direct Return of the Jedi, but he later joined two other major franchises. Kershner helmed the James Bond sequel Never Say Never Again and the action film Robocop 2.
The original 1977 Star Wars won several Academy Awards. The Empire Strikes Back won Oscars for Best Sound and a Special Achievement Academy Award for Sound Effects Editing.
Lucasfilm launched an awards campaign to recognize Frank Oz for Best Supporting Actor, but was unsuccessful. The studio would make similar campaigns for Ian McDiarmid (Best Supporting Actor, Revenge of the Sith) and Mark Hamill (Best Actor, The Last Jedi).