Is Yoda in Star Wars: The Acolyte?

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 8, “The Acolyte.”

Disney+ Star Wars series The Acolyte is set long before many of the franchise’s most iconic characters were born. But that doesn’t include Yoda – so, is the legendary Jedi Master in The Acolyte?

Related: Star Wars: The Acolyte Season 1’s Ending, Explained

Does Yoda Appear in Star Wars: The Acolyte?

Yes, Yoda makes a blink-and-you’ll-miss it cameo in The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 8. He doesn’t have any lines of dialogue, nor do we even see his face. However, the back of the diminutive Jedi Master’s green-skinned, pointy-eared head is so distinctive, it’s impossible to mistake him for anyone else. What role does Yoda play in proceedings? Again, he’s barely on-screen, so don’t expect much. Vernestra Rwoh enters Yoda’s chambers to discuss at least some of what transpires in The Acolyte Season 1, and then the end credits roll. It’s effectively a post-credits teaser for The Acolyte Season 2, without the post-credits bit.

Related: The Acolyte: Who Is Rebecca Henderson’s Character, Vernestra Rwoh?

Even so, Yoda’s inclusion in The Acolyte Season 1 is a big deal, which explains why Lucasfilm worked hard to keep it under wraps. Indeed, as recently as March 2024, showrunner Leslye Headland downplayed the possibility of major callbacks to wider Star Wars canon. “You see a lot of cameos of alien species […] but they aren’t necessarily like, ‘Oh, it’s that guy from that movie. Oh, it’s that character from Return of the Jedi: Special Edition,'” Headland told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s more like references to Star Wars that I think will excite fans, but they aren’t specifically named characters that exist there.”

Are Any Other Established Star Wars Characters in The Acolyte?

Yes, The Acolyte Season 1 features several other high-profile Star Wars heroes and villains, aside from Yoda. Vernestra Rwoh is a pre-existing character, who factors prominently in the High Republic sub-franchise. Season 1 also includes a cameo by Ki-Adi-Mundi, a Jedi Master who sits on the Jedi Council in the Star Wars prequels. Then there’s Darth Plagueis – a Sith Lord first mentioned in Revenge of the Sith who makes his live-action debut in The Acolyte‘s first season.

Related: Is Star Wars: The Acolyte Cancelled?

And Headland has plans for even more established Star Wars characters to appear in The Acolyte Season 2. The showrunner recently told Empire she’s already met with Lucasfilm’s resident Star Wars lore consultant, Pablo Hidalgo, to discuss who could show up next. Lucasfilm hasn’t officially approved additional seasons of The Acolyte, however.

All eight episodes of The Acolyte Season 1 are currently streaming on Disney+.

The above article was updated on 7/17/2024 by the original author to include information revealed in The Acolyte’s finale.