Yoda may be a centerpiece of the “Star Wars” saga, but he is unique to the franchise because his origin story is a guarded mystery: George Lucas opted to keep his species and home world unnamed and unexplored. Just as important as his look is Yoda’s distinctive voice and personality: these were developed and portrayed by puppeteer Frank Oz, a prominent talent from the Jim Henson Company known for Muppet characters like Miss Piggy, Cookie Monster and Grover. Interestingly, Freeborn’s final design merged aspects of his own face with elements of Albert Einstein’s. After a long creation process marked by countless redesigns, Yoda slowly but surely became the two-foot tall creature we know and love today, complete with his green skin, long elfin ears, claws, reptilian tridactyl feet, and foam rubber skin. Though the idea for this memorable character came from George Lucas himself, his look was imagined and developed by legendary film make-up artist Stuart Freeborn. But soon, he passes away and becomes one with the force. Eventually, Yoda succeeds in training Luke to become a Jedi. It is there that Yoda immediately begins using his small stature and whimsical demeanor to teach the young Skywalker about making assumptions, that size isn’t everything, and about purging himself of anger and hatred. This iconic “Star Wars” character is arguably the oldest and wisest Jedi master in the franchise, and he made his on-screen debut in 1980’s “The Empire Strikes Back.”Īt the insistence of his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker seeks out the old and reclusive Yoda at his home in the swamps of Dagobah. Welcome to, and today we’ll be taking a look at the origins of Yoda.