A shocking revelation has emerged from the Star Wars archives, challenging everything we thought we knew about the iconic Jedi master, Yoda. Prepare to unlearn what you have learned, because it turns out that Yoda was originally intended to be blue, or even purple!
This surprising fact has been confirmed by a review of archival sources and the testimony of a special effects makeup artist who worked on the early Yoda puppets. It seems that a late decision was made to change Yoda's skin color to green, but why?
The original screenplay for The Empire Strikes Back, written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, describes Yoda as "bluish." The text paints a picture of a mysterious, small creature, no taller than two feet, dressed in rags. This description is a far cry from the green-skinned Yoda we know and love.
And here's where it gets controversial... most other elements from the screenplay made it into the final film, so why was this detail changed? Early concept art from 1978 shows Yoda in various hues, including light blue and pink, but two printed works from 1980, the year the film was released, still describe a blue or purple Yoda.
One such work, a novelization of the film, was published just two months after the film's premiere, yet it describes Yoda as "blue-skinned." Another visual example is found in the comic book adaptations of The Empire Strikes Back, where Yoda is portrayed as purple, smaller, and with long white hair.
But why the sudden change to green? The reason remains a mystery, with attempts to seek comment from Lucasfilm and the Walt Disney Company going unanswered. Many key figures from those early days are no longer with us, including the comic book writer Archie Goodwin and artist Al Williamson. Stuart Freeborn, the genius behind Yoda's creation, passed away in 2013 at the age of 98.
Freeborn is said to have modeled Yoda's face after his own, and the character's looks were also inspired by the legendary Albert Einstein. Nick Maley, a special effects designer who worked on the Star Wars series, recalls that the decision to make Yoda green had already been made by the time he joined the project in 1979.
"By the time I got to work on him, he was green," Maley said. He noted that there was a rushed period in the summer of 1979 when Yoda's look was finalized, leaving the team just seven weeks to create the world's first animatronic superstar.
When asked about the color change in the 1980s comics, Maley suggested that tie-in books were often made independently and may have used outdated source material. He added that green was an obvious choice, given the classic association of green with Martians and aliens in popular culture.
Yoda's character remains one of the most enigmatic in the Star Wars franchise, with his home planet and species name unknown. The little we do know is that they live for centuries, possess strong Force powers, and are always depicted with green skin.
And this is the part most people miss... the release of The Mandalorian on Disney+ sparked renewed interest in Yoda and his kind, with the introduction of Grogu, an infant member of Yoda's species, who is colloquially known as Baby Yoda.
So, what do you think? Was the decision to change Yoda's color a wise one, or should he have remained blue? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! The Star Wars universe is full of mysteries, and this is just one of them.
