The Reason Yoda Exiled Himself To Dagobah

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Lucasfilm introduced Star Wars fans to Master Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back. He was a quirky, seemingly slightly insane Jedi master of great power in self-imposed exile on Dagobah. Why Dagobah? As the movies and television shows progressed, we learned more about Master Yoda. Yet somehow, he is now an even greater mystery.

Swamp Things

As Darth Sidious' Empire rises with the demise of the majority of the Jedi, Bail Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Yoda discuss Luke and Leia's fates. Yoda says, "Until the time is right, disappear, we will." Yoda keeps his plans for self-exile private. He takes himself out of any of the plans for the Rebellion.

There are a few reasons he chooses to stay on Dagobah. No one knows Yoda's full story due to his age and personality. His training to become a Jedi allegedly takes place on a similarly swampy planet. The majority of Jedi are brought to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant as infant foundlings.

Yoda trained differently. In Legends material no longer considered canon, he is taught on another planet. He meets his Jedi Master as an adult when his ship crash-lands on an unidentified planet with a similar climate. The Hysalrian Jedi Master, N'Kata Del Gormo, lived in this world. He trains Yoda and his companion in the ways of the Force. Yoda leaves for the Jedi Temple after their training is complete. Del Gormo does not return to Coruscant with him.

When Master Yoda goes into hiding after the Great Jedi Purge, he goes to Dagobah. The profile of the planet seems to be heavily influenced by Del Gormo. Though not explicitly stated, Del Gormo must have been in a self-imposed exile of his own. It is not clear if Del Gormo takes the Barash Vow, an oath taken by Jedi to refrain from all Jedi Order activities as a form of penitence. They disconnect from everything but the Force itself.

It stands to reason that the Force guids Yoda toward his Master. Similarly, it guides Luke Skywalker toward Yoda hundreds of years later. Just like Yoda, Luke trains with a Jedi Master on a swamp world. Just like Yoda, Skywalker leaves the planet, in this instance to fight Vader, but his Master stays behind.

Return of Swamp Thing

An in-universe reason for choosing Dagobah is the planet's connection to the dark side. Force-sensitive beings can feel each other's presence through the Force. Since Yoda's is such a light in the darkness, he neesd to hide in the darkest of places. Dagobah contains a dark side nexus. It is located in the cave where Luke battles Darth Vader. The dark side nexus makes Dagobah an excellent place to hide.

Other materials lend more color to the reason behind Master Yoda's choice. In the series Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 6, episode 11, "Voices," Master Yoda connects with his deceased student Qui-Gon Jinn via the Force. Jinn teaches Yoda how to maintain one's consciousness after death. We presume that he continues his studies while exiled on Dagobah for all of those long years.

Though there are other reasons for Yoda's exile to Dagobah, the parallels between Yoda and Del Gormo's stories cannot be overlooked. Yoda learns much from his Master and chooses to emulate him in his actions.

Del Gormo's story is a legend within the Legends continuity. It stands to reason that Del Gormo's planet also contains a dark side nexus. Unlike Master Yoda, we do not yet know why Del Gormo chooses to live in exile. If Del Gormo's legend is true, then Yoda's choice makes perfect sense. There are more stories in the works about the times centuries prior to the films. Perhaps something along the way can shed more light on Master Yoda's story. As a Master Yoda cosplayer, I had to fight the urge to compose this entirely in Yoda's speech style. Thankful you must be, that I did not.

Source(s): CBR

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