The Star Wars Timelines reference guide confirmed that Yoda was born in 896 BBY and that he began training Jedi 100 years later. This means that Yoda was an active and high-ranking member of the Jedi Order throughout the entire High Republic era. The High Republic’s novels confirmed that Yoda was a Grand Master in 232 BBY, two centuries before the first chronological Star Wars movie. Given the emerging threat of the dark side in The Acolyte, it would certainly make sense for him to be present in the show, but his role isn’t as clear.
Yoda Makes A Cameo Appearance In The Acolyte
Vernestra Rwoh Sought Yoda’s Guidance In The Acolyte’s Finale
During the finale of The Acolyte, Yoda made a short appearance in the show’s final moments. After Vernestra Rwoh framed Sol for the murders of Indara, Kelnacca, and Torbin, she sought out Yoda’s advice. While Yoda does appear in The Acolyte, it is only for a few seconds, only the back of his head is shown, and he does not have any lines. It’s not clear where Yoda was during the events of The Acolyte, but based on the fact that Vernestra told him “we need to talk,” it seems he was unaware of the Jedi murders.
It’s also not clear where Yoda physically was during The Acolyte. He did travel quite frequently during the High Republic era, but the final scene of the show revealed that he was in some type of chamber in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Yoda may have been there the entire time, taking a leave of absence to meditate, or he may have simply returned in light of the news of Master Sol. The Acolyte simply didn’t have the time to answer this question, instead leaving it up to future Star Wars stories to explore.
Yoda had a much bigger impact on The Acolyte‘s themes and messages than he did its plot. Yoda is essentially a symbol for the Jedi Order as a whole: he’s one of its oldest members, one of its longest-serving leaders, and a benchmark for the wisdom Jedi should strive for. The fact that Vernestra went to Yoda with information about her coverup is a big part of The Acolyte‘s message: that the flaws that would lead to the destruction of the Jedi Order were systemic and went all the way to the top.
The Acolyte Features Other Jedi Taking On Yoda’s Roles
Yoda’s High Republic Activity Moved Him Away From The Coruscant Jedi Temple
Yoda’s absence for the majority of The Acolyte wasn’t entirely noticable because other Jedi took on many of the responsibilities he was known for. Lee Jung-jae’s Jedi Master Sol, for instance, acted as a teacher at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, which is normally one of Yoda’s primary duties. In some of The High Republic’s stories, Yoda is often said to be traveling the galaxy, either on his own or sometimes with small groups of younglings and Padawans, opting to take a break from the Jedi Council and train more inexperienced Jedi in the field.
It is likely for the best that Yoda only had a short cameo in The Acolyte, as his presence would have risked shifting focus away from the new characters in the show. Because Yoda wasn’t directly involved in many of his more traditional duties, The Acolyte was able to explore other characters. Vernestra got a chance to show how she handled leading the Jedi Council and managing the Senate, an opportunity that wouldn’t have been possible if Yoda was active. Yoda’s wisdom also would have prevented many of the mistakes the Jedi made in the show, though, like Sol’s obsession with Osha.
The Acolyte’s Cancelation Means Yoda Won’t Respond To The Jedi’s Murders
It May Be A Long Time Before Yoda’s Response To Vernestra’s Coverup Is Revealed
Unfortunately, The Acolyte season 2 was canceled, which means many of the show’s loose threads will likely not be tied up. One such loose thread was what exactly Vern told Yoda, and how much he knew about her coverup. What makes that unanswered question so bothersome is the fact that it could completely redefine The Phantom Menace, and a big chunk of Yoda’s character, based on how much he knew. Yoda was known to indulge in his own share of coverups – he hid the Nameless from the Jedi Archives for centuries – but they were never directly connected to the Sith like The Acolyte was.
If Vern did tell Yoda the full scope of the Stranger’s existence, his ties to the Sith, and Osha’s fall to the dark side, it would have put Yoda in a very precarious place. The Acolyte season 2 would likely have addressed the Stranger’s existence and the Jedi’s knowledge of the Sith’s return, but even still, Yoda should have known better in The Phantom Menace. The Acolyte likely would have had a way to explain why Yoda doubted Qui-Gon Jinn about the Sith’s return, but the cancelation means viewers may never hear that explanation, which leaves a big plot hole in the prequels.
There’s still plenty of room for additional off-screen Star Wars stories to explore the aftermath of The Acolyte.
While The Acolyte seems to be done, there’s still a very good chance its story will continue in other ways. There are already several planned tie-ins for The Acolyte, including novels and comics. Currently, they seem to all be prequels, but there’s still plenty of room for additional off-screen Star Wars stories to explore the aftermath of the show. That could be a way to finally answer what Vern told Yoda, and how he reconciled his knowledge of the Sith’s return with his doubt of Qui-Gon’s claims just 100 years later. Until those stories are announced, however, Yoda’s role in The Acolyte will remain mired in mystery.
