Ever since her introduction in The Phantom Menace, Jedi Master Yaddle’s fate has been shrouded in mystery, but the upcoming Tales of the Jedi series can clear up that lingering question from the prequels. At some point before Attack of the Clones, she steps down from her position on the Jedi Council. Given that Yaddle is rarely mentioned ever again in canon Star Wars, no one knew why she left so suddenly. But with her playing a role in Tales of the Jedi, audiences may finally get the answer as to why she later leaves the Jedi Order.
In the recent trailer for Tales of the Jedi, Jedi Master Yaddle is featured dueling Count Dooku in a battle that looks to be reminiscent of Dooku and Yoda’s duel at the end of Attack of the Clones. Those who have seen the prequels will recognize the location in which this duel takes place, as it’s the same building where Dooku meets Sidious at the end of Attack of the Clones. Lying on the outskirts of Coruscant, the Inquisitorius Headquarters—a precursor to Fortress Inquisitorius seen in Obi-Wan Kenobi—served as the personal hideout of Darth Sidious. Given that Yaddle appears to have traveled there to duel Dooku alone, it’s possible that she is one of the first Jedi to put together the pieces of Dooku’s betrayal.
Since Yaddle appears in The Phantom Menace, and Dooku in The Clone Wars—neither character will die in this duel. Nevertheless, whoever “wins” and triumphs over the other could provide the answer to Yaddle’s sudden retirement later on. If Yaddle loses this duel and is unable to stop Dooku from breaking off from the Jedi Order, it could be a major failing point in her career as a Jedi. If this theory proves true, then the ensuing battle between Dooku and Yaddle could be the missing piece to her mysterious retirement.
Is Tales Of The Jedi's Dooku Duel Why Yaddle Leaves The Jedi Council?
It’s clear from the trailer that Dooku’s devoted allegiance to Palpatine is only a part of the coming darkness he’s warned the Jedi about. If Yaddle is one of the first to realize the extent of Dooku’s betrayal, then it also follows that she is one of the first to understand the reasons behind why he leaves the Order. Similarly to how Yoda exiles himself to Dagobah after losing his duel against Sidious, Yaddle’s potential loss at the hand of Dooku could be one of the chief reasons she steps down from the Order.
Yaddle likely ruminated on her dealings with Dooku for years to come. Thankfully, she did not turn against the Jedi Order as Dooku did, but his deceptive arguments must have weighed heavily on her. They were assuredly in her thoughts when she decided to step away from the Jedi. Like Ashoka choosing to leave the Jedi Order because of the corruption she saw, Yaddle chooses to distance herself from the Council and the Jedi as a whole.
Yaddle—along with Yoda and Grogu from The Mandalorian—are the only known members of their species. Some have theorized that Yaddle may have returned to her home world after retiring—a world kept secret by both her and Yoda. Where Yaddle ended up and what became of her after leaving the Jedi are still a mystery. On the other hand, her reasons for leaving are only just becoming clear in the new Tales of the Jedi series.