One of Star Wars' oldest and most powerful Jedi Masters, Yoda, was exiled to Dagobah and remained there for unknown reasons. Dagobah is a planet brimming with the living Force in its swampy jungle, caves, and creatures. Why Yoda remained there after Order 66 may have to do either with his failure to stop Palpatine or his determination to protect the future of the Jedi at all costs.
Whatever insight the wise Jedi gained from his time on Dagobah, it was enough for him to abstain from the many failed attempts of rebels against the Empire. With Yoda's powerful psychometry and connection to the Force, which may have been enhanced on Dagobah, it is unlikely he couldn't feel the imbalance in the Force due to the many lives lost. For Yoda to ignore these tragic events could have several meanings that ultimately point to a tale of two Yodas.
Did Yoda's Failure As A Jedi Wound His Fighting Spirit?
Dagobah is home to small indigenous cultures, but no advanced civilization. Yoda had no one to protect, no peace to negotiate, and no Empire to overthrow. It's as if Yoda ran away or retired from being a Jedi to live a quiet life in meditation on Dagobah. His failure to defeat Palpatine and prevent the fall of Anakin Skywalker was great. However, Yoda was deeply empathetic. His sense of justice would have steered him to continue fighting as a Jedi, to defend whoever needed his aid.
It is possible that Yoda's fighting spirit was wounded, if not completely defeated, in Revenge of the Sith. Dagobah could have served as either his refuge from the shame, or a place to collect himself until he was ready to strike back. Unfortunately, that day never came.
Qi'ra's attempt to take down the Empire's horrific reign involved locating the exiled Yoda. She sent Sava Madelin Sun to find the Jedi Master and ask for his aid in the rebellion. Sava Sun tracked Yoda to Dagobah, only to realize he had guided her there. He led her via the Force to enter a cave. In the cave, she recalled seeing visions, similar to Luke Skywalker's training experience years later. These visions deterred her from further seeking Yoda's assistance, and she lied to Qi'ra about her inability to find Yoda.
On Dagobah, Yoda made his home near a cave that possessed Dark Side energy. Sava Sun's and Luke's experiences in said cave may provide some insight into why Yoda remained on Dagobah. Perhaps Yoda determined that he was no longer physically capable of wielding his lightsaber in combat against powerful, younger Force-users. This created an opportunity for him to meditate on the Force to ascertain some other way to fight the Dark Side. Relocating near the Dark Side cave may have given him insight on the matter. However, that doesn't explain why he never left Dagobah.
What Was Yoda's Purpose After Order 66?
Another reason Yoda remained hidden could be linked to him redefining himself as a Light Side Force-sensitive. With the Jedi Order and Republic dismantled, Yoda may have considered it impossible to continue fighting as a lone Jedi. Perhaps Yoda's exile on Dagobah was not an attempt to escape his responsibilities, but rather to reassess his strategy. Dagobah's immense Force energy allows Yoda to remain hidden while engaging with the Force. Sith lords can sense powerful Force interactions across the galaxy. Dagobah could have been an effective smokescreen, and perfect training ground, for Yoda to practice Force techniques unnoticed.
However, in The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda did not appear too keen on fighting anyone. This could be due to another possible failure of Yoda to develop or master any psychic Force techniques. That is, unless Yoda was not searching for new techniques. Yoda's green lightsaber indicates a contemplative and peace-loving nature. Yoda could have been seeking a vision or connection to a Force-sensitive whom he could train to defeat the Sith and restore a new Jedi Order. It's plausible to conclude that Yoda remained on Dagobah to await for Luke Skywalker.
Yet, Yoda could have done more to help rebels or civilians in their resistance against the Empire. Yoda could have saved lives and remained hidden by traveling to and from Dagobah. Instead, the "Do or do not," Jedi Master confined himself to Dagobah for a more unsettling reason.
Should Yoda Have Helped The Rebels Or Citizens?
It seems Yoda relied on the dwindling Jedi and rebels to defend themselves from the Empire. While this may seem an apathetic tightrope for Yoda to walk, it is also the responsible decision of a defunct leader. Despite the Empire ruling the galaxy, it would have been an act of civil disobedience to rebel. Arguments for civil disobedience for the sake of justice and respect of human rights are valid, and are indeed moral obligations. But for Yoda, rebellion would have made him little different from Sith lords. The Jedi Master felt it would be a grasp for power, or a self-serving act of vengeance to restore the Jedi Order.
Yoda rebelling against the Empire would have likely led to even more people unnecessarily losing their lives. His status as an outlaw would have brought harm to anyone involved. Thus, not assisting rebels or civilians could have been a life-saving act of kindness.
Furthermore, Yoda's exile allowed rebels and civilians to see how powerful they were without the Jedi. Like a parent watching their child learn their way, Yoda's wisdom may have led him to the conclusion that to restore balance in the galaxy, people needed to fight and protect themselves. Star Wars is not just a battle of Jedi versus Sith exclusively. It is a battle of peace versus threat, hope versus hatred, Light versus Darkness. Rebels and civilians learned that they have the power to bring peace and justice to the world. It's a lesson no Jedi should impede, no matter how painful it is to watch.
Why Yoda Remained Hidden On Dagobah
Star Wars prequels and sequels have yet to explicitly reveal why Yoda remained on Dagobah. Any of the hypothetical reasons above could be valid. There is the assumption that regardless of the reason, surely Yoda's decision not to assist rebellions or civilians is ultimately justifiable. If he remained hidden on the auspice of training Luke to defeat Darth Vader and thus, restoring the Jedi Order, one may argue the means justifies the ends. But Ahsoka proves why Yoda would be wrong with such justification.
Ahsoka understands that when the world is shrouded in darkness, one must become the light. She insists on saving lives despite being exiled and hunted as a gray Jedi. She does not abide by the Jedi Code at the expense of a life hanging in the balance. She acts to save people. Yoda, on the other hand, intentionally chose a path that aligns with his green lightsaber's nature of harmony. Though the galaxy fell under the rule and threat of the Dark Side, he deemed it better to learn to live within the darkness than to try to rebel against it.
“Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
This philosophy is the origin of Yoda's story and way of living on Dagobah. Yoda learned to live without suffering under the Empire, to become detached from the atrocities. He had no hatred or ill-will towards the Sith or the Empire. Just as the moon waxes and wanes, so too does the rule of the Light Side of the Force. However, that should not have precluded the Jedi Master from taking action for the sake of justice.
Yoda's apparent willingness to let innocent people die is an unsettling choice. It seems to convey that Yoda lost faith in the Jedi, the Light Side of the Force, or the people to prevail against the Empire. It's difficult to determine whether Yoda's actions to remain hidden on Dagobah were the right choice. There are some benefits to his uninvolvement. "Pass on what you have learned," Yoda tells Luke. Perhaps he was indeed waiting for someone to pass on his teachings to. His patience may have cost lives, but in the end, it may have also saved many more.
The stark contrast between the empathetic Yoda in Revenge of the Sith and the detached Yoda that trained Luke is evident of an inner shift in his connection to the Force and obligation to the people. It's not necessarily a good or bad shift in itself. However, when weighed against the numerous deaths in Star Wars, Yoda's patience and inaction feels too heartless to be praiseworthy.