As Obi-Wan Kenobi gets closer to debuting on Disney+ later this month, fans are hoping that they'll get to see some of their favorite characters from the franchise return in the show. Other than Obi-Wan Kenobi himself, Yoda is considered to be one of the best of the Jedi Masters.
Yoda has been loved for decades and is easily one of the most well-known characters in the entire Star Wars franchise. While he is adored by many, there are lots of unpopular Reddit opinions about his character throughout the movies and shows.
Original Trilogy Yoda Wasn't That Wise
Whether it's because he's old, the Grand Master, or a well-respected Jedi Master, Yoda has always been perceived to be exceptionally wise. Yoda got a huge story arc since he showed up in both the movies and the animated shows, but there have been arguments among fans on just how wise he actually is.
Mrsunrider claims, "Well, classic trilogy Yoda wasn't that wise". Not only did he almost not train Luke, but he also exiled himself, and believed that defeating Darth Vader was the only way to save the galaxy. Luke showed him otherwise. He was also depicted to be a little crazy on Dagobah, but some fans believe that that was only a ruse.
Yoda Shouldn't Be Using A Lightsaber
Lightsabers are the choice weapon of Jedis. With a combination of various skills and the use of the Force, it is a versatile weapon that is almost seen as an extension of a Jedi. Yoda has one, although he isn't seen using it nearly as often as others, and is one of the Jedi that lost their lightsaber.
His use of a lightsaber is frowned upon by some. NinjaJackal says, "At his age, full of wisdom and knowledge of the Force, he would be above using a laser sword". Fans like NinjaJackal believe that Yoda, and even Count Dooku, should have been strong enough with the Force that that would be the primary weapon they use to fight since the Force is much stronger. While that might be draining, it would also lose some of the flare that comes with the iconic lightsaber duels in the franchise.
Yoda Was The Worst Grand Master
Grandmaster Jedi aren't talked about too much in the movies, but they come up a lot in canon. While there were surely worse Grandmasters than Yoda, some fans, like franzman86 believed that "Yoda was the worst Grandmaster there was in a very long time".
Not only was one of the most powerful Sith Lords able to rise up the ranks under his nose, but Yoda never seemed to sense him. Yoda also was in charge of the Jedi council when Jedi were wiped from existence. Some fans believe that had someone else been in charge, this never would have happened. Yoda's age and ways of life lead him to lead the Jedi to failure.
Yoda Sucks In Star Wars: Rebels
As one of the oldest and best characters in the Star Wars franchise, Yoda is seen frequently throughout all parts of the franchise. Fans only see him in his older stages of life, in both the shows and the movies. While he looks basically the same despite some aging around the eyes and his overall demeanor changing slightly.
Many fans, including seansjf, can't make sense of what went wrong in Rebels. Seansjf said, "We are making a show for kids so therefore we must have terrible animation?" Fans couldn't make sense of what happened to make Yoda look so terrible in Rebels. While the show got some hate for the animation style being different than Clone Wars, Yoda's animation in particular was extremely bad.
Yoda Caused Anakin's Downfall
Any Star Wars fan knows that Yoda's sensing the Dark Side in young Anakin Skywalker was a pivotal scene in the movies. He didn't want Skywalker to be trained but ended up being swayed after it became Qui-Gon's dying wish, and Obi-Wan went on to train him.
Amonhensul said, "He pretty much caused Anakin's downfall himself and he was never a great example to follow". If he could sense the Dark Side in him, as a strong Force user and Jedi Master, there is no doubt more that Yoda could've done for Anakin. There are many times that Anakin got closer to the Dark Side, and Yoda more than once could've helped him resist.
Yoda Should've Sensed Palpatine
As Grandmaster, and as one of the most powerful Jedi in the universe, it's sort of hard to understand how Yoda didn't sense Palpatine. There were lots of other disturbances in the Force that he was able to sense, so why he couldn't sense Palpatine is a mystery fans continue to debate.
MoriahAndKellysGuy said he "should have honed in on Palpatine way before Revenge of the Sith." For fans that have also seen the animated show Clone Wars, there were plenty of scenes that prove this statement to be true. If he couldn't sense him, he should've at least sensed the sway that he was having on Anakin making his Dark Side tendencies grow stronger.
Yoda Was Overrated In The Prequels
Yoda's involvement in the prequels made him even more popular than he had been in the original trilogy. While his actions, battle sequences, and wisdom was loved by some, plenty of fans, like MoriahAndKellysGuy thought, "He was kind of an overrated jerk in the prequels." Prequel Yoda was definitely different than the Yoda from the original trilogy, but it makes sense due to what he'd been through and his growth.
His leadership is what is often questioned in the prequels. Yoda is supposed to be wise and knowledgable yet he gives verdicts without backing up why he made that decision and just expects everyone to trust and believe in him.
Yoda's Exile Doesn't Make Sense
After Order 66 was executed, any remaining Jedi went into hiding. Yoda is seen to be exiled on Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back. Besides the fact that this movie came out before the prequels and the shows, there are fans that don't think his exile there makes much sense.
Yoda seemed to hide on a deserted planet so he could learn to become a Force ghost. IcePhoenix295 said, "I don't see what he was accomplishing. ... It just doesn't look as there is anything keeping him there, beyond the constraints of other movies". Yoda was incredibly strong and is one of the bravest characters in Star Wars, and while he may have needed some time to reflect, and collect himself after the tragedy of Order 66, he was definitely smart enough to survive and train wherever he wanted.
Yoda's Age Affected His Outlook
While his exact age is up in the air, there is no argument that Yoda is old. Many believe him to be in his upper 800's if not 900-years-old in the original trilogy. Age can help make someone wise, insightful, and mindful of things, but some fans believe that that may not be the case when it comes to Yoda.
Some Yoda fans saw Yoda's flaws, like Prodigal_Knight2 who said, "He is powerful and wise, but he is flawed and not to mention he's 900-years-old". With all those years behind him, he should've known how to prevent the Clone Wars, and how to save the Jedi. Instead, he lead them all to their demise. His old age surrounded him with outdated methods causing his leadership to fail.
Yoda's Fighting Style In The Prequel Trilogy Didn't Make Sense
Yoda's introduction when he met Luke and started to train him on Dagobah never would have prepared fans for his fighting style that was shown in the prequels. His calm, but tough, training style in The Empire Strikes Back made sense for the old Jedi Master. In both the prequels and in Clone Wars, fans were floored to see his fighting style not match that.
His fighting style before Order 66 was much more chaotic and as MPMorePower said, "Yoda's fighting style "was exactly the opposite of the way Yoda would fight". It was so spastic, wild and chaotic. It did not match his normal calm and collected manner at all, and fans were not happy about it.