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How Old Was Yoda When He Died?

How Old Was Yoda When He Died?

This guide will be covering everything you need to know about Yoda from who he was to when he died and how that came about. Find out more about Yoda right here. 

Yoda died on the swamp planet of Dagobah in 2 ABY in his hut, he was believed to be around 900 years old.

Who Was Yoda?

Yoda

Yoda, the legendary Jedi master who was stronger than most others in his connection with the force.  He was known widely as the wisest member of the Jedi council. 

Yoda trained the Jedi for over 800 years, he played a vital role in the infamous clone wars, unlocking the path to immortality and the instruction of Luke Skywalker

At What Age Did Yoda Begin Training Jedi?

Given Yoda’s own admission that he trained Jedi for over 800 years and was about 900 years old when we meet him in the original trilogy, it’s safe to deduce he started guiding young Padawans at around age 100. Even for a creature of his species, that’s quite the impressive career start!

Yoda was a fan favorite for many people and for many reasons. One of those reasons being his immense strength within the Jedi order which he was widely known for. Another main reason was his old age. 

Yoda resembled the stereotypical little green alien mixed with the appearance of an elf. Fans rarely saw Yoda without his classic trusty walking stick. 

On the rare occasion fans did see Yoda without his walking stick he would have swapped it for his green bladed lightsaber to challenge the dark side.  

When he was forced to do this, Yoda battled just as well as a force junior 100 years his junior. 

Infact, his fighting ability and youthful acrobatics enabled him to defeat Sith Lords in light saber battles and take on dangerous battle droids all by himself.  

Yoda was a fictional character that first appeared in the Star Wars film “The Empire Strikes Back” in 1980. 

Yoda’s Origins and Mysterious Species

One thing that has always added to Yoda’s legendary mystique is the sheer mystery surrounding his origins. To this day, the name of Yoda’s homeworld remains a tightly guarded secret within the Star Wars universe—never revealed in any canon film or series. Even the species Yoda belongs to is shrouded in secrecy, with no official designation ever given by George Lucas or any subsequent storytellers.

Over the decades, fans have only caught fleeting glimpses of others like him. Among the few are Yaddle, who appeared on the Jedi Council in The Phantom Menace, and more recently, Grogu—a young Force-sensitive introduced in The Mandalorian who has quickly become a pop culture icon.

What is clear, however, is that members of Yoda’s mysterious kind enjoy astoundingly long lifespans, with Yoda himself reaching nearly 900 years old. This enigmatic background only deepens the reverence and fascination fans hold for the little green Jedi master.

Other Members of Yoda’s Mysterious Species

You might wonder if there are more little green, wise, and mysterious beings like Yoda in the Star Wars universe. Interestingly, only a couple of other characters from his elusive species have appeared on screen.

First, there’s Yaddle, who served on the Jedi Council during the time of the prequel trilogy. She shares Yoda’s distinct look, but with her own unique flair.

More recently, the internet fell head over heels for Grogu—affectionately dubbed “The Child” or “Baby Yoda”—who stole the show in The Mandalorian series. That’s it: just Yoda, Yaddle, and Grogu. For a species so legendary, they really know how to keep a low profile!

Where Did Yoda Die?

Yoda passed away on the swamp planet Dagobah.

Yoda passed away in 4 ABY during the movie “The Return of The Jedi“. Before Yoda died, he passed on some words of wisdom to Luke Skywalker.  It is believed by many that Yoda passed away from old age as he could not cope with the darkness plaguing the galaxy.

However, it has been said that he actually died as a lesson to Luke Skywalker that death is not the end, but actually just the beginning. This is because whilst he truly died he retained a lot of his true, living self. 

Following Order 66, Yoda was involved in the infamous and unforgettable battle with Darth Sidious.

He won this lightsaber duel, but then Darth Sidious forced Yoda to retreat and leave with the help of Senator Bail Organa.

Yoda, Obi-wan, Bail heading to Jedi Temple

After this Yoda stated he must go into exile as he felt he had failed the Jedi. Yoda then went into exile in Dagobah. This is the same planet where he trained Luke Skywalker in “The empire strikes back.” 

Yoda made the decision to go into exile on this planet because the former Jedi master’s voice guided him to the desolate world towards the end of the clone wars. 

It was here where he showed Yoda how to effectively communicate with the cosmic force after he had passed away. This meant he could still communicate with the living. 

This was a skill that would not only be useful but vital when Yoda eventually passed away during the Return of the Jedi

Having failed to complete his Jedi training, meaning he was unable to save his friends, Luke Skywalker returned to Dagobah where found Yoda on his deathbed. 

Minutes after Luke Skywalker arrived on the swampy planet Dagobah, Yoda passed away. 

How Did Yoda Die?

Yoda passed away in 4 ABY at a very old age. Due to this many fans automatically assumed that he died from old age.

However, although old likely played a part in Yoda’s death, something much deeper and much more enlightening was the true reason for his death. 

Star Wars fans refer to Yoda as “The purest avatar of the light side of the force.” In 19 BBY the Sith took over, they continued their reign of terror and the events of a new terror and The empire strikes back , then the galaxy plunged into a deeper state of darkness. 

Many fans came to the conclusion that the state of the galaxy actually killed Yoda. They came to this conclusion because they thought this caused Yoda to deteriorate and age quicker than normal. 

However, it is extremely vital to remember when coming to these conclusions that Yoda was in fact hobbling around with his walking stick through the Jedi Temple on levitating pods during the prequel trilogy. 

This is not to say that the dark side did not play a part in Yoda’s death but it did not solely kill him. Yoda was far too powerful to be ended by the dark side. 

Yoda was aware that Anakin had two things that led to the dark side. The first being emotional attachment and the second being fear. 

From previous situations Yoda was also very aware that his failure to correctly deal with Anakin’s emotions was a huge contribution to the rise of the galactic empire and there was no way he was going to make the same mistake twice. 

When Luke Skywalker attempted to rescue his friends before completing his Jedi training due to the fact that he eared death not only for himself but for his friends.

Yoda needed Luke Skywalker to not fear death but to actually embrace it. 

Yoda needed Luke Skywalker to understand that death is not the end but in fact just beginning of a whole new chapter. 

To get this message across Yoda had returned as a force ghost. 

What Was Yoda’s Age When He Died?

During the return of the Jedi, Yoda revealed to Luke Skywalker his exact age of 900 years old and this shortly before he died. Earlier in the saga, Yoda makes several references to his remarkable longevity. In The Empire Strikes Back, he tells Luke that he has been training Jedi for 800 years, hinting at the vast wealth of wisdom he’s gathered over centuries. Then, in Return of the Jedi, Yoda famously quips to Luke: “When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not.” These moments highlight not just his age, but the depth of his experience and the unique perspective he brings to the Jedi Order.

This is the best estimate of Yoda’s age however his exact age to the year is not 100% confirmed. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Did Yoda Age So Slow?

This is a popular question asked by many Star Wars fans. Yoda’s species is known to naturally live until a much older age than others.

His ability to engage in Force healing also elongated his already long lifespan, this allowed him to live until the great age of 900.

But of course, we don’t know how Yoda’s species ages, and we don’t have enough comparisons to know if Yoda himself is an especially gifted member of his species or not. With so few members of Yoda’s kind introduced in Star Wars lore, the mysteries around their aging process and natural abilities only deepen. For now, we can only marvel at both Yoda’s longevity and the secrets his species continues to keep.

How Old Would Yoda Be In Human Years? 

Yoda was exceptionally old, even for his species which are known to have a very long lifespan, at about 95 years old in human years it makes sense that the child is around 6 in human years. 

How Does Grogu’s Age Compare to Yoda’s When He Began Jedi Training?

While Grogu is said to be around 50 years old, it’s worth noting this is still considered quite young for his mysterious species. Yoda famously began his own Jedi training when he was about 100 years old—a spry youngster by his people’s standards.

Grogu, at half that age, is really just in the earliest stages of his development, much like a toddler compared to human years. By the time Yoda was teaching others to use the Force, he’d only just begun to master it himself a full half-century after reaching Grogu’s current age.

So, while Grogu may seem old next to a human child, in terms of Jedi readiness (at least by Yoda’s timeline), he still has a galactic journey ahead before reaching the age when training typically begins for his kind.

Final Thoughts 

We hope this article helps expand your knowledge of one of the most accomplished Jedi masters ever known. Yoda passed away to demonstrate to Luke Skywalker that death is not the end but in fact just the beginning of a new adventure.

Yoda’s final words to Luke Skywalker were a warning to him about the dark side, keeping up his words of wisdom.

Yoda died on the swamp planet of Dagobah in 2 ABY in his hut, he was believed to be around 900 years old.

Even when Yoda died and became a force ghost he still use his Jedi powers at will and retained a great deal of his living self into his next life. 

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