45 Years Later, George Lucas Finally Answers a Major Star Wars Question (And Why He Thought The Empire Strikes Back Would Be “A Disaster”)

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At the TCM Classic Film Festival 2025, George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, stepped out in public for a special occasion – the opening night gala screening of Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back from 1980. This film continued the storyline initiated by Lucas’ groundbreaking 1977 release. Directed by Irvin Kershner, this sequel unveiled new corners of the galaxy, introducing characters such as the Emperor (Ian McDiarmid), Darth Vader’s dark master (David Prowse and James Earl Jones), the roguish Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), and the mysterious Jedi Master Yoda (Frank Oz).

As I met Luke Skywalker in the murky depths of Dagobah, I gently set aside my staff and asked, “Could you please do me a favor and lay down your weapon?” I was curious, so I inquired, “Might I ask, what brings you here?” When the young Jedi-in-training explained he was searching for someone, I mused, “It seems you’ve found someone, don’t you? Let me tell you, I can provide assistance.

Unbeknownst to all, the scruffy, stick-carrying swamp dweller I was, no one could have guessed that I was the formidable warrior Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) had sent Luke Skywalker on a quest to discover in the Dagobah system for training. When Luke approached me, Yoda, with a test of his patience, I replied, “I will take you to him.

In May, as “The Empire Strikes Back” marks its 45th anniversary, George Lucas shares the reason behind Yoda’s mainly reversed speech:

To mark its 45th anniversary in May, George Lucas reveals why Yoda primarily spoke in reverse in “The Empire Strikes Back”:

Or even more casually:

This May, “The Empire Strikes Back” turns 45 and George Lucas spills the beans on why Yoda talked mostly backwards.

George Lucas explained that Yoda’s unique speaking style was intentional. He noted that if Yoda spoke in standard English, people wouldn’t pay much attention. However, by using a reverse speech pattern or an unclear accent, Yoda managed to capture the audience’s focus and attention, as they became more engaged in trying to understand what he was saying.

In Lucas’s words, “Yoda was essentially the movie’s philosopher.” This means that Yoda was discussing profound ideas about the Jedi and the Force in lengthy dialogue scenes. To keep viewers engaged, particularly young audiences, Lucas had to find a way to make these conversations appealing.

In an early version of the screenplay, Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan (under the guidance of Lucas) initially conceived Yoda as a character named “Minch”. However, by the time the final script was written, this diminutive Jedi Master was portrayed as a peculiar, blue-skinned creature barely reaching two feet tall, clad in tattered clothing.

During a 25-minute discussion with moderator Ben Mankiewicz, topics other than “The Empire Strikes Back” were predominantly discussed, with George Lucas’ friendship and collaborations with Francis Ford Coppola taking center stage. However, towards the end of the chat, Lucas was asked to pick his favorite among the film’s new characters: Yoda or Lando.

Lucas posed a question similar to picking favorites among children, ‘If you have twelve children, which one do you favor the most?'”

or simply,

“Lucas asked, ‘If you had twelve kids, which one would you say is your favorite?’

George Lucas Thought Yoda Was Going to Be “A Disaster” in The Empire Strikes Back

Back in 1983, while reminiscing for the documentary titled “From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga,” George Lucas shared an intriguing detail about the creation of Yoda. He confided that Yoda was crafted as a replacement for Luke’s original mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, who tragically perished while dueling Darth Vader within the Death Star in “A New Hope.

Speaking about the second movie, ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, Lucas mentioned that initially, much of the information and training were intended for Ben. However, since Ben was killed off in the first film, it left a gap as I no longer had anyone to perform the expositions and training scenes. To fill this void, I created a new Jedi Master character who was more powerful than Ben, and someone intriguing to watch.

This resulted in the creation of Yoda, a puppet that was designed by Stuart Freeborn and Wendy Froud, with Frank Oz from The Muppets being responsible for animating it.

Lucas expressed his concerns about how well the Yoda puppet would perform in “The Making of a Saga”. He questioned if it was feasible to use a rubber puppet for a main character in a movie, fearing it might turn into a catastrophe. Even as small positive comments were made on set, like ‘it looks good’, or ‘Frank can do some funny things’, he remained uncertain. However, when Yoda appeared on screen and started talking, it was nothing short of enchantment. The puppet’s performance seemed like magic.

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2025-04-28 04:10