Minch Yoda

This article details a subject that falls under the Legends brand.The subject of this article appeared in the Old Republic era.The subject of this article appeared in the Rise of the Empire era.The subject of this article appeared in the Rebellion era.

Minch Yoda
Biographical information
Homeworld	Dagobah
Born	896 BBY
Died	4 ABY
Physical description
Species	Groglyn
Gender	Male
Height	2'1
Hair Color	Brown, later White
Eye Color	Hazel
Skin Color	Green
Family information
Family	Minch Kermit (father) Minch Yaddle (wife) Minch Yoder (son)
Political information
Known Masters	N'Kata Del Gormo (according to legend)
Known Apprentices	Ikrit Tyvokka Oppo Rancisis Minch Yoder Ben Kenobi Empatojayos Brand Qu Rahn Luke Skywalker Denin (post-mortem) Vila (post-mortem)
Affiliation	Minch family Jedi Order Galactic Republic Yoda's Jedi

[Source]

"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is."

―Yoda, to Luke Skywalker

Minch Yoda, known by most as simply just Yoda, was a legendary Groglyn male who was regarded as one of the most renowned and powerful Jedi Masters in the history of the Jedi.

Born in 896 BBY on Dagobah, and according to legend, Yoda eventually left his village with a Human friend but spent a few days lost before being found by a strange being, Jedi Master N'Kata Del Gormo, who revealed to them both that he sensed that they had a very strong connection to the Force. Master Gormo took them to his home where he trained them in the ways of the Force and, not long after their training was complete, a Galactic Republic starship en route to the Core Worlds picked up the two friends, who were now Jedi themselves.

In his centuries of service to the Galaxy and the Force, Master Yoda participated in the Ruusan campaign, where he helped to defeat the Brotherhood of Darkness. Later, on a return visit to his homeworld, Yoda met his future fellow Jedi and wife Yaddle. Over time, Minch had an impact on many students including such luminaries as Tyvokka, Ikrit and Ben Kenobi. Around 380 BBY, Minch retired from active service and returned to his swampy homeworld with Yaddle and eventually had a son called Yoder, whom he would teach the Jedi way.

Centuries later, during the Galactic Civil War, a Bpfasshi Dark Jedi landed on the planet with his hostage Jeorge Cardas. Shortly thereafter, Minch engaged the dark warrior in a frenzied battle that lasted over a day, which horrified Cardas. Eventually, Yoda was able to defeat the Dark Jedi, though Cardas was left badly injured by his experiences with the darksider. Yoda took it upon himself to nurse the Human back to health with the Force, until Cardas was eventually able to repair his ship and leave the planet. At the site of the Dark Jedi's death, a dark side nexus was formed, becoming the Dark Side Cave.

Later, before dying and becoming one with the Force in 4 ABY, the Jedi Master was responsible for the instruction of Luke Skywalker who would use Yoda's training as a basis for the creation of a New Jedi Order. Following his death, Master Yoda retained his identity within the Force and was revered as among the most legendary Jedi Masters of all time by Skywalker's reconstituted Order.

Biography

Early life

Minch Yoda was born on the remote planet Dagobah in 896 BBY. Very little was known of Yoda's early life, but he was said to have had a large family in the close-knit Groglyn village community.

In his youth, Yoda left his home with a Human friend, but eventually found themselves in the middle of nowhere and spent a few days lost before being found by a strange being, Hysalrian Jedi Master N'Kata Del Gormo, who revealed to them both that he sensed that they had a very strong connection to the Force. Master Gormo took them to his home where he trained them in the ways of the Force and, not long after their training was complete, a Galactic Republic starship en route to the Core Worlds picked up the two friends, who were now Jedi themselves.

Jedi Master

"A warrior who cannot dance is clumsy in both war and peace."

―Yoda

By 657 BBY, Yoda had been granted the title and rank of Jedi Master and had begun the training of his first student, who would be one of the many Jedi apprentices Yoda would train over the long centuries of his life. Yoda would also participate in several wars most importantly including the Light and Darkness War. Around 512 BBY, Yoda encountered a fellow Groglyn Force-user called Yaddle, whom had been captured for over ten years. After her rescue, Yoda determined that she had achieved unity with the Force and that she did not need any additional training, forming a life long romantic bond in the process.

Later, Minch became one of the Jedi Masters who led the Jedi against the Dark Lords in the Ruusan campaign, participating in the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Battle of Ruusan, circa 500 BBY. Ten years later, Yoda and other Jedi crash-landed on the planet of Dathomir, and fought with the famed Witches of Dathomir. Coming to a stalemate, he agreed to leave the ship's data tapes although left no means of reading them. The tapes were bestowed to Rell of the Singing Mountain Clan for safekeeping.

In 482 BBY, Yoda traveled to Kushibah in search of a new apprentice. There among the diminutive Kushiban, the Jedi Master discovered young Ikrit, who proved strong in the Force, and took him to be trained as a Jedi. Yoda, along with other Jedi Masters of that time, discovered that the shape of the Force had begun to flux, becoming murky and uncertain. Studying the perplexing mystery in silent meditation, the Jedi High Council, of which Yoda was now a senior member, was unanimous; the power of the dark side was growing. The Council and the other Jedi believed this indicated the growing power of dark-siders. By 400 BBY, Yoda traveled to Ord Cestus and saved the native X'Ting from disaster. They honored Yoda by building a giant statue of him, at least 70 meters tall, inside the X'Ting Hall Of Heroes.

Return to Dagobah

"Slimy? My home this is."

―Yoda

Around 380 BBY, Minch retired from active service and returned to his swampy homeworld with his wife where they built a home not far from a village of his people. By the time Yoda left the Jedi Order, he was considered one of the greatest Masters in Jedi history, comparable with Nomi Sunrider or Thon, both of whom had lived years earlier. Around 134 BBY, Yaddle gave birth to their first and only child, Yoder. It was during these years that the diminutive being developed a taste for rootleaf stew.

At some point, he encountered the Children, a group of cannibals whose parents had been part of a Republic survey team that became stranded on the planet decades earlier. For some reason, the Children became extremely afraid of him and called him the "Imp".

The Dark Side Cave

"Your minions have fallen. You must surrender. For you have failed."
"I think not. There are always more to be turned. Perhaps you."

―Yoda confronts the Dark Jedi Master on Dagobah

During the Galactic Civil War, a group of Bpfasshi Dark Jedi were responsible for a rampage of terror and destruction throughout the Sluis sector. One of those Dark Jedi managed to flee the system with a hostage, Jeorge Cardas, and the two later unknowingly landed on Dagobah. Upon their arrival, Minch immediately sensed the dark presence of the Bpfasshi Master. He began to survey the area, and it was not long before he came upon the Dark Jedi, who fled capture as Yoda approached. The diminutive Jedi lost sight of the Bpfasshi, but his insight eventually guided him to a dark cave overgrown with brush. Upon entering the cave, he demanded that the Dark Jedi surrender in the face of defeat.

Scorning Yoda, the Bpfasshi Master stated that there would always be those who would be willing to embrace the dark side of the Force and that perhaps Yoda was one of them. Minch affirmed his status as a Jedi and he engaged the dark warrior in a frenzied battle that lasted over a day, which horrified Cardas. Eventually, Yoda was able to defeat the Dark Jedi, though he was mocked again by the Dark Jedi, who proclaimed himself the victor, dying with the belief that he had successfully driven Yoda into using the dark side of the Force to achieve his goal. The shedding of the Bpfasshi's blood and subsequent death at the hands of Minch within the cave on Dagobah tainted that location with the dark side, and over time, transformed it into a focal point of malevolent energy. Cardas was left badly injured by his experiences with the darksider, leaving Yoda to take it upon himself to nurse the Human back to health with the Force, until Cardas was eventually able to repair his ship and leave the planet.

Personality and traits

Yoda

"No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try."

―Yoda

To his students, the elfin luminary Yoda Minch could appear as either very strict or like a grandfatherly figure, testing them to mental and physical extremes one moment and showing warmth the next. Students often strongly disagreed with him at first, but gradually came to understand his attitudes.

Among his colleagues and close friends, he was known to have a penchant for mischief and practical jokes. He would also sneak candies into young Jedi's tunics when they were unaware. To all of them, he was the humble Yoda, who offered enlightened leadership and epitomized the ideals of the Jedi and was widely known as a sage instructor.

Yoda was largely of the belief that a Jedi who was seduced by the dark side of the Force would be forever condemned to walk in darkness. During his younger days, however, he originally believed that no Jedi was beyond redemption and forgiveness. Later on in life, however, the tyranny of the Empire and it's hunt for the Jedi during the Great Jedi Purge embittered Yoda to the point where he lost all faith in redemption. Before his death, he warned Darth Vader's son, Luke Skywalker, that "when a person falls to the dark side, their destiny would forever be dominated by darkness."

Yoda was referred to as an "old flirt" by Rell, a Witch of Dathomir, who reminisced about their time together. He was also romantically involved with his fellow Groglyn Yaddle for the majority of his life. Their love would prove far reaching as the two became joined and had a son, Yoder, whom would have a profound effect on the young Jedi Jacen Solo.

Yoda walked with the aid of a cane later in life, although he was capable of throwing it aside and moving nimbly while using the Force. His rare gimer stick cane contained nutrients that could sustain him were he to chew on it. Another item unique to Master Yoda was a blissl, an instrument similar to a pan flute, which he wore around his neck.

Powers and abilities

"It's energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we... not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you. Here, between you... me... the tree... the rock... everywhere! Yes, even between this land and that ship!"

―Yoda Minch

Yoda Minch served as a member of the Jedi Order for centuries, eventually gaining a seat on the Jedi High Council, before resigning. In his younger days, he had exceptional skills in lightsaber combat, most commonly employing whirling and acrobatic techniques.

Considered by many to be the greatest Jedi Master of his era, Yoda's powers awestruck even the Dark Jedi Beldorion, who grouped him among three elite Jedi Masters, along with Thon and Nomi Sunrider who had lived several millennia earlier than him. Beldorion considered the trio to be truly great as they were prodigiously talented in the Force, specifically in the directing of pure energies. Despite his small stature, Yoda was capable of extreme telekinetic feats, such as lifting enormous objects with the Force, such as an X-Wing.

Though regarded as a skilled warrior, Yoda believed most firmly in the importance of nonviolence and the instructing of younger generations to ensure that the students learn from their experiences. At heart, the diminutive Jedi Master was a teacher and was where he felt most comfortable.

Appearances

• Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back (First appearance)
• Star Wars: Return of the Jedi