Warning: contains a preview of Star Wars: Yoda #3!Jedi Master Yoda was originally introduced to Star Wars during his self-imposed exile on Dagobah, but one new comic reveals that this wasn’t his first exile from the wider galaxy. This story of Yoda’s past failure has the potential to deepen readers’ understanding of the wise and wizened Jedi, and reveal exactly how he became the character fans know and love.

Yoda’s role within the Jedi Order started long before his first major chronological appearances in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. His journey stretches from far before Episode One to after his self-imposed exile on swampy Dagobah in the original trilogy. In his most recent comics adventure, Yoda travels to the newly revealed planet Turrak, intent on helping the local population, the Scalvi, fight off the raiders known as the Crulkon. The first issue ends with Yoda’s declaration to the Jedi council that he will remain on Turrak for as long as he is needed. However, it turns out that's a lot longer than fans may think.

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Solicit information for Cavan Scott and Nico Leon’s Star Wars: Yoda #3 shared by League of Comic Geeks reveals that Yoda’s stay on Turrak was seemingly a first exile, lasting an entire generation! The issue summary suggests that Yoda’s protection of Turrak itself became an exile from the Jedi Order, which redefines exactly how fans should view his culpability for the Order’s larger problems. Enjoy the issue's summary and cover (from Phil Noto) below:

YODA HAS FAILED! Yoda’s experiment with the Scalvi has ended in disaster, the situation on Turrak worse than ever. A new generation has risen up since the Jedi Master first came to the planet, a generation that still hasn’t learned the most important lesson of all. Will Yoda abandon those who need him most in their hour of need?

Yoda's Lost Generation

star wars yoda 3

Due to his survival and senior position in the Order, many fans have blamed Yoda for the Jedi's eventual corruption and destruction. However, with the seeming reveal of his first ‘exile,' fans are being given a different view. It's implied Yoda spent an entire generation on Turrak, suggesting immense change in the Jedi Order could have taken place without his personal involvement. All of this was to help guide and protect the Scalvi, but if even this fails, Yoda will have dedicated years to a crushing failure. Ironically, this story might in fact explain the hesitancy and seeming indecision that characterizes the Prequel-era Jedi. If, as the solicit suggests, Yoda fails in his intervention on Turrak, then reader’s understanding of the Jedi’s later attitudes under his leadership as Grand Master would change significantly - did Yoda doubt himself because of this failure?

This story also has the potential to redefine Yoda's later exile to Dagobah, which could now echo this first sabbatical from the Jedi Order. If Yoda spent his first exile training others only to be met with failure, and his second totally alone until Luke arrived as his final student, this would thematically turn the young Skywalker into Yoda's redemption for a whole new element of his past - the person he could teach true Jedi values after failing on Turrak.

This solicit highlights one of the key strengths of stories featuring such long-lived characters. By having so many years to explore, writers have ample room to continually add new stories without the risk of overcrowding a characters’ life. For a character defined so prominently by his wisdom, having Yoda fail in such a major way is the perfect way to enhance his Star Wars story, and lend new meaning to his story.

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Star Wars: Yoda #3 is coming from Marvel Comics January 25, 2023!

Source: League of Comic Geeks