One of the Star Wars universe’s most long-lived characters, Master Yoda, finally becomes one with the Force in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. So, how old is Yoda when he dies in Return of the Jedi?
Related: Star Wars: How Old Is Count Dooku in Attack of the Clones?
Yoda’s Age in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Explained
Yoda is 900 in Star Wars ā Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. We know this because ā in a rare case of Star Wars creator George Lucas referencing a character’s exact age on-screen ā Yoda says how old he is in the movie itself. Noticing Luke’s dismay at his ailing health, the ancient Jedi Master quips, “When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not.”
And lest anyone think Yoda is speaking in general terms, the wider franchise canon confirms the little green guy was being specific about his age. 2023 reference text Star Wars: Timelines states that Yoda was born in 896 BBY ā or 896 years before Star Wars ā Episode IV: A New Hope. It (along with several other sources) also positions the events of Return of the Jedi in 4 ABY, which equates to four years after A New Hope. Combine these two numbers and you get 900.
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Interestingly, Yoda also reveals another notable age-related tidbit in Return of the Jedi‘s direct predecessor, Star Wars ā Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Here, the Jedi Master flexes his teaching credentials, declaring that he’s trained Jedi for no less than 800 years. This means that Yoda was a fully qualified Jedi Knight incredibly early in his eight-century lifespan.
It’s an impressive achievement, especially now that The Mandalorian has revealed (through adorable critter Grogu) that members of Yoda’s species are still toddlers in their 50s!
How Old is Yoda in Other Star Wars Media?
So, Yoda is 900 in Return of the Jedi ā but what about in other Star Wars tales? Here’s the age of everyone’s favorite syntax-challenged Jedi Master in all his canonical film and TV appearances to date:
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures Season 1 ā 664
- Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi Episode 3 ā Between 846 and 854
- Star Wars ā Episode I: The Phantom Menace ā 864
- Star Wars ā Episode II: Attack of the Clones ā 874
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars Seasons 1-7 ā 874-877
- Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi Episode 5 ā Between 875 and 877
- Star Wars ā Episode III: Revenge of the Sith ā 877
- Star Wars Rebels Season 2, Episode 18 ā 893
- Star Wars ā Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back ā 899
- Star Wars ā Episode VI: Return of the Jedi ā 900
- Star Wars ā Episode VIII: The Last Jedi ā 900
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A few notes on the above age listings. First, the age ranges given for the two Tales of the Jedi installments relate to their uncertain position on the wider timeline; this is as close as anyone can narrow their date (and by extension, Yoda’s age at the time) to. Second, we’ve listed Yoda as 900 in The Last Jedi because he appears as a Force Ghost. Unless we’re talking about Anakin Skywalker, Force Ghosts don’t manifest older or younger, so if Yoda’s spectral form does have an age, it’s 900.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi is currently streaming on Disney+, as part of the platformās Star Wars collection.
