Yoda, a beloved extraterrestrial character, is notable for his unique speech style, exemplified by phrases like, “The greatest teacher, failure is.” Frank Oz’s portrayal adds charm to Yoda’s disjointed dialogue. George Lucas, during a recent anniversary screening of “Empire Strikes Back,” explained that this unconventional speech ensures audiences pay attention to Yoda’s profound messages. Lucas aimed to make Yoda resonate particularly with younger viewers, emphasizing his role as the movie’s philosopher. Additionally, clips of Yoda’s bloopers, featuring Oz’s voice and puppeteering, were shared by Disney+, Star Wars, and LucasFilm, celebrating Yoda’s enduring legacy.
CNN
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Yoda ranks among the most beloved extraterrestrial figures in cinematic history, largely due to his distinctive speech patterns.
Quotes such as “The greatest teacher, failure is,” “Much to learn, you still have,” and “When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not” exemplify the iconic Jedi master’s unique sentence structure, brought to life by the legendary Frank Oz – delightfully jumbled and out of order.
George Lucas, the creator of “Star Wars,” addressed this aspect of Yoda’s character during an anniversary screening of 1980’s “Empire Strikes Back,” explaining that it was designed to help the little alien’s often profound messages resonate more with viewers.
“Because if you speak regular English, people won’t listen that much,” Lucas explained at the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival, as reported by Variety. “But if he had an accent, or it’s really hard to understand what he’s saying, they focus on what he’s saying.”
“He was essentially the philosopher of the movie,” the filmmaker stated. “I needed a way to grab their attention — especially 12-year-olds.”
Additionally, this week, the official Instagram accounts for Disney+, Star Wars, and LucasFilm – Lucas’ production company – shared clips of Yoda’s bloopers from the “Star Wars” set, showcasing Oz performing the voice and manipulating the large Yoda puppet even during unusable takes.
Suffice it to say: Yoda is truly one for the ages.