The Star Wars saga is chock full of incredible Jedi characters, from the Skywalker bloodline of Luke and Anakin to the adoptive Skywalker Rey to the brilliance of Obi-Wan and Kanan Jarrus. To many fans though, there is no better Jedi than Yoda. He has some of the franchise's best quotes, many of which act as proof that he is an amazing Jedi.
From lines showcasing his knowledge of the Force to those that highlight his kindness and wisdom, Yoda is a treasure trove of incredible quotes that point to him as being Star Wars' best Jedi.
When He Doubts The Jedi Role In The Clone Wars
"To Answer Power With Power The Jedi Way, This Is Not. In This War, A Danger There Is Of Losing Who We Are."
Throughout The Clone Wars, Yoda vocalizes his worries about what the Jedi involvement in the war means for their Order, for who they are. This is one of Yoda's best quotes in the show related to the war, as he delves into what a Jedi is.
Jedi are not supposed to want power or use it against anyone, but being in a war forces their hand. Being self-aware enough to notice it showcases how brilliant of a Jedi Yoda is, even if he could not change much before it was too late.
His Warning Of The Power Of Fear
"Fear Is The The Path To The Dark Side. Fear Leads To Anger. Anger Leads To Hate. Hate Leads To Suffering."
Yoda has some awesome quotes in the prequel trilogy, and this may be his most iconic. This line to Anakin is all about not indulging in fears, not allowing them to have power lest the dark side take over.
This quote demonstrates a fantastic understanding of the dark side and the tools it uses to lure Force-users over to it, something all great Jedi should have. While Anakin did not heed Yoda's advice to let go of his fears, the warning itself was valid.
When He Points Out The Unimportance Of Physical Prowess
"Size Matters Not, Look At Me, Judge Me By My Size, Do You?"
Despite his size, Yoda is still a mighty Force user and lightsaber duelist. As he both proves and points out, physical size does not matter, nor should it.
This is an important message for a Jedi to convey. Not only is it wildly impressive for Yoda to be as powerful as he is, but it also puts across that anyone in the Galaxy could be a Jedi should the Force will it; no superficial physical factors will impact that. The best Jedi inspire, which is what Yoda does here.
When He Inspires His Clones
"Deceive You, Eyes Can. In The Force Very Different, Each One Of You Are."
Yoda seems to understand better than most Jedi that the Force flows through every living thing and gives them a unique, distinct place in the Galaxy, including each individual clone whom he is speaking to hear.
Following this line, he gives individual pieces of wisdom to each clone he sits with. While the clones believe they are all one and the same, Yoda knows them all to be different in the Force, and he knows that eyes are not the only way to see. He shows himself to be once again inspiring and a great leader on top of his brilliance as a Jedi.
His Most Iconic Piece Of Motivation
"Do, Or Do Not, There Is No Try."
Yoda has some of the most memorable and most serially quoted lines in Star Wars, and this may be the absolute pick of the bunch. It is an amazing message and is meant in the best of ways.
It is another piece of dialogue between Yoda and Luke on Dagobah that cuts through Luke and is used to teach him valuable lessons of being more present and focused, to trust in the Force. Luke is too caught up in trying rather than doing. No other Jedi could teach a lesson like this as brilliantly as Yoda does here.
The Importance Of Failure
"The Greatest Teacher Failure Is."
Yoda's appearance in The Last Jedi was one of the highlights of the sequel trilogy. He returned to the screen with the same brilliance that he brought to every scene in The Empire Strikes Back and delivered some valuable and much-needed lessons to Luke.
This is one of the greatest quotes in all of Star Wars and a crucial lesson that all should learn. For as great as success is and for as much as it can teach people, it does not have the same potential for learning as failure does. Yoda gives this lesson to a hardened, powerful, experienced Luke, proving that his role as a teacher is never truly over and proving that he may well be the best Jedi.
When He Defies His Dark Side
"Part Of Me You Are, Yes. But Power Over Me, You Have Not. Through Patience & Training, It Is I Who Control You. Control Over Me You Have Not. My Dark Side You Are, Reject You I Do."
One of the best arcs of The Clone Wars sees Yoda go on a journey in the Force, a journey that takes him face to face with his own dark side shadow, an incredible moment that showcases vulnerability followed by awesomeness from Yoda.
In this quote, the vital part is not that he defeated his dark side but that he accepted it. Yoda acknowledges the existence of his own inner darkness, but he controls it, keeps it so locked down and buried that it cannot take over; he will not allow it to do so. Only the best Jedi can show such willpower.
His Iconic Monologue Regarding The Force
"Luminous Beings Are We, Not This Crude Matter."
This entire iconic speech by Yoda is, quite simply, the most extraordinary monologue in Star Wars and a sequence of dialogue that has and will continue to induce goosebumps in generations of fans. The whole speech also showcases how phenomenal a Jedi Yoda is.
This is just one line from the speech in which Yoda tells Luke about the Force, explaining as best he can the mystical way in which it binds the Galaxy together. Yoda's understanding of the Force is second to no Jedi in Star Wars. He has such a respect for it and is consistently willing to learn more from it despite having a more extensive range of knowledge than any other Jedi regarding it, shown in this perspective.
The Rules A Jedi Live By
"A Jedi Uses The Force For Knowledge And Defense, Never For Attack."
For decades, fans have known lots about how a Jedi operates in the Galaxy and how they utilize not just lightsabers but the Force, which gets succinctly explained by Yoda here.
The Jedi were never meant to be warriors. They are not built to fight wars and battles as a military. They are peacekeepers who use their weapons - the Force included - to help those who need helping, to defend themselves and others, and to become closer to the Force. Despite having unreal skills with a lightsaber, arguably better than anyone, Yoda lives like this, as all Jedi should.
The Role Of The Jedi Master
"We Are What They Grow Beyond, That Is the Burden Of All Masters."
The typical journey of a Jedi is that they will be a youngling, a Padawan, a Knight, and then a Master. Eventually, they get tasked with passing on their knowledge and wisdom as a teacher, then they are surpassed, and the cycle continues.
It does not sound too great, but it is how the Galaxy works. It is up to the Jedi Masters to teach those up and coming through the Force so that they can make the Galaxy a better place. It may be a burden, but it is a necessity. This is one of Yoda's best and wisest quotes, showcasing a deep understanding of the importance of teaching and helping others, the true purpose of a Jedi.