I Just Found Out Yoda Was Almost A Different Color In Star Wars

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The *Star Wars* movies have a huge amount of background information, and as a big fan, I thought I knew it all. But it turns out one of the most famous characters, Yoda, was almost a different color! Apparently, the creators didn’t originally plan for him to be green, which is pretty shocking to learn.

According to a report in The Guardian, recently discovered early materials from the original *Star Wars* films – including the screenplay, novel, and comic book adaptation of *The Empire Strikes Back* – reveal that filmmakers initially envisioned Yoda looking different. The original script described Luke’s first meeting with Yoda on Dagobah in a way that implied a different skin color for the Jedi Master.

A peculiar, blue creature, barely two feet tall, suddenly appeared before Luke. It was small and old, and wore worn, ragged clothing.

The blue color detail didn’t appear in the finished movie, but it was still mentioned in other formats. The novelization of *The Empire Strikes Back*, released in 1980, described Yoda as having blue skin, even after the film came out. The Marvel comic book adaptation, however, showed Yoda as purple, shorter in stature, and almost elfish with long white hair. These variations indicate that the decision to make Yoda green likely happened late in the filmmaking process, possibly while they were rushing to finalize the designs of the creatures.

Nick Maley, a special effects artist involved in creating Yoda, explained to *The Guardian* that he isn’t sure who ultimately decided Yoda’s color. However, when he started working on the project in 1979, the color had already been determined.

I recall a specific drawing of him being green, and this was before we even began developing the character. It seems I remember him being that color in that early sketch.

Still, Maley admitted the decision could have been practical or simply instinctual. He continued:

I always pictured Martians as those classic little green creatures – I think most people do, right? I never really thought about *why* they were green, though. When we were making the costume, we actually mixed green dye right into the material itself, so we wouldn’t have to spend so much time painting it.

The reason for the color shift isn’t officially known, as Lucasfilm hasn’t commented. However, it’s likely green was chosen to make Yoda more visible against the foggy swamps of Dagobah and to emphasize his natural, wise connection to the Force.

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As a lifelong Star Wars fan, it’s crazy to think Yoda could have looked totally different! His green skin is *so* iconic now, even little Grogu carries that same look. But apparently, in an alternate version of *The Empire Strikes Back*, Luke Skywalker would have been trained by a *blue* Jedi Master instead of the green Yoda we all know and love. It’s wild to imagine that movie looking so different, especially with the upcoming *The Mandalorian & Grogu* film building on that same visual legacy!

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2025-10-20 20:22