Yoda is one of the most iconic and beloved characters from the Star Wars universe. As a wise and powerful Jedi Master, he trained Luke Skywalker and played a pivotal role in the fate of the galaxy. Though he lived for centuries, many fans are curious about exactly how old Yoda was when he finally passed away. Determining his age at death requires piecing together details from both Star Wars Legends and the current Star Wars canon.
Yoda’s Species and Longevity
As a member of a mysterious species, Yoda had an exceptionally long lifespan compared to humans and other common species. Yoda’s species has never been given a formal name or homeworld in Star Wars lore. However, we do know that his kind are rare and have natural affinity with the Force. Their long lifespans allowed them to spend centuries accumulating knowledge and honing their Force abilities.
According to Star Wars Legends, Yoda’s species could live around 700-900 years on average. Individuals like Yoda who had strong a connection to the Force could extend their lifespan even further to nearly 1,000 years. This extraordinary longevity allowed Yoda to serve on the Jedi Council for hundreds of years, playing a key role in galactic events for over eight centuries.
In current Star Wars canon, less concrete information is available about Yoda’s species. However, canon reference books again emphasize their rarity and unusually long lifespans. We can safely assume Yoda’s species lives significantly longer than humans, with several centuries being common. Yoda himself was known to be exceptionally old and wise even among his similarly long-lived peers.
Yoda’s Age in Star Wars Canon
In current Star Wars canon, Yoda’s exact age is left intentionally vague. Some supplementary guidebooks give estimates between 450-900 years old by the time of his death. Exact numbers are avoided, with his species’ prolonged lifespan making it difficult to track Yoda’s equivalent age in human years. What we know for certain within canon is that Yoda was already an elder Jedi by the time he trained Count Dooku, who himself was over 80 in Attack of the Clones. This firmly puts Yoda as several centuries old at minimum by the time of the Star Wars prequel films.
Major Canon Milestones
Here are some of the major confirmed details about Yoda’s age from Star Wars canon:
- Over 200 years before Phantom Menace – Yoda is already an established Jedi Master on the Council.
- At least 80 years before Phantom Menace – Yoda begins training Dooku as a Padawan learner.
- 32 years before A New Hope – Yoda goes into exile on Dagobah after fighting Emperor Palpatine.
- 4 years before A New Hope – Yoda passes away of old age on Dagobah at about 900 years old.
This timeline firmly establishes that Yoda was alive for almost the entirety of the Galactic Republic, spanning centuries of galactic history. By the time of his death shortly before A New Hope, he was approximately 900 years old.
Yoda’s Age in Star Wars Legends
Within the Star Wars Legends continuity, Yoda’s full lifespan and age are explicitly confirmed:
- 896 BBY – Yoda is born on an unknown planet.
- Around 700 BBY – Yoda begins Jedi training as a youngling.
- 500-400 BBY – Yoda becomes a Jedi Master and joins the Jedi High Council.
- 200 BBY – Yoda takes on Count Dooku as his Padawan learner.
- 4 ABY – Yoda dies of old age on Dagobah at the age of 900 years old.
According to Legends, Yoda was 896 years old when he died. He trained Jedi for over 800 years, played a pivotal role in the Clone Wars, and lived through almost the entire existence of the Galactic Republic.
Early Life on an Unknown Planet
Very little is known about Yoda’s species or his homeworld according to Legends. He was born in 896 BBY but the name and location of his home planet remain unrevealed. As a toddler, he was discovered to be Force-sensitive and brought to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant to begin training. This would place Yoda becoming a Jedi initiate around 700 BBY at the approximate age of 200.
Rise to Jedi Master
After progressing through the Jedi ranks as a Youngling and Padawan, Yoda passed his Jedi trials and achieved the rank of Jedi Knight. Through additional experience and wisdom, he gradually earned a seat on the Jedi High Council as a Jedi Master. By 500 BBY, Yoda had become one of the most respected and senior members of the Jedi Order.
He took on Padawan learners like Dooku and eventually the responsibility of leading the Jedi Council as Grandmaster. His leadership guided the Jedi Order through several tense conflicts such as the Stark Hyperspace War.
Training Generations of Jedi
As the Order’s Grandmaster, Yoda trained countless Younglings and Padawans over his tenure. In addition to Dooku, some of Yoda’s other known apprentices included:
- Cin Drallig – Served as battlemaster of the Jedi Temple during the Clone Wars.
- Ikrit – Participated in several conflicts and survived past the Galactic Civil War.
- Koft Koda – Served as a general during the Stark Hyperspace War.
- Oppo Rancisis – Jedi Master who sat on the Council during the prequel era.
- Tyvokka – Wookiee Jedi who fought in the Stark Hyperspace War.
Yoda directly taught these Padawans the ways of the Force and certain lightsaber styles. He also oversaw the training of thousands of other Jedi Initiates as Grandmaster, influencing generations of students.
Yoda’s Final Decades and Death
In his final decades, Yoda went into hiding on Dagobah after failing to defeat Darth Sidious. There he awaited the day new hope would emerge to defeat the Sith. He briefly came out of exile in order to train Luke Skywalker but soon after died and become one with the Force at 900 years old in 4 ABY. For over 800 years, Yoda had been an indispensable part of the Jedi Order and helped guide the fate of the entire galaxy. His centuries of knowledge and experience made him one of the wisest and most skilled Jedi Masters of all time.
Conclusion
By triangulating details from both Legends and canon, we gain great insight into Yoda’s exceptionally long life. He trained Jedi for over 700 years and his wisdom and guidance shaped galactic history for centuries on end. In Legends he definitively lived to be 900 years old, while in canon he is estimated to have still lived almost that long. For over eight centuries, Yoda devoted himself to the Jedi Order, playing a pivotal role from before the dawn of the Republic through its final days many generations later. His nearly 1,000-year lifespan is a testament to his species’ astonishing longevity and connection to the Force. Yoda stands as the ultimate symbol of patience, wisdom and selfless devotion – principles that guided him for nearly a millennium until finally becoming one with the Force.