Summary
Star Warsis home to many known-unknowns, and Jedi Master Yaddle is among the most obscure characters onscreen. Yaddle is a member of the same unknown alien species as Yoda and Grogu, who were all trained in the ways of the Jedi. Yaddle’s story onscreen is brutish and short, but it’s worth exploring more.
These Force-sensitive aliens are capable of living extremely long lives and seem relatively peaceful as a species, judging by the aforementioned three characters. They also each have enigmatic backgrounds that continue to elude fans of vital information. However, Yaddle is the most unknown figure. Her time onscreen inStar Wars, across live-action and animation projects, has been more limited compared to Yoda and Grogu. Fortunately, Yaddle fans can indulge themselves in the various stories of the Jedi Master inStar Wars Legends.
Yaddle On The Jedi High Council
Yaddle was a scholarly Jedi who spent much of her time studying in the Jedi Archives. She was very kind, which may have ultimately led to her downfall. In addition to exceptional skills withthe lightsaber inStar Wars, Yaddle has other remarkable powers. Her empathy and reverence for life are illustrated through her Force abilities. She could perceive pain and death through the Force, just as Master Yoda could. The difference is that Yaddle may have had a deeper empathic connection with the Force, judging by her ability to perceive said pain and death shortly before it happened.
This Force ability is how Yaddle determined where she was needed most. In her mission to fight to save lives, she often allowed the Force to guide her to where there was violence and suffering. Her actions and Force abilities were purposefully aligned. She even had the ability to ease pain, something that possibly could have helped save Padme from dying in labor. Yaddle adored children and taught many of the young Jedi. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn were among her students at one point.
The High Republic Era is still a potential entry point for futureStar Warsprequels. This could be an opportunity forStar Warsto showcase other underserved Jedi, such as Yaddle, while maintaining fans’ interests with a younger Yoda, Count Dooku, or teenageQui-Gon Jinn and Mace Winduin supporting roles. Exploring in depth how younglings are taught about the Jedi’s philosophy of the Force, and how they are prepared to fight in the ways of the Jedi, would be firsts in the franchise. It would also effectively be aStar Warsversion of a coming-of-age high school drama. Knowing how Yaddle’s teachings affected the development of the more popular Jedi inStar Warscould be insightful regarding their character development and future choices.
Yaddle’s battles sometimes involved taking younglings, which is not protocol. The story of her mission with a youngling named Tarko, and the ensuing battle with a cult that hated Force-users, is a story worth adapting. It isn’t Sith or Empire related, and it presents a fresh tale about discrimination against Force-sensitives.
Yaddle in Tales of the Jedi
As a Jedi Master, Yaddlewas seen serving on the Jedi High Council inStar Wars Episode I. She retired some time afterward, for unknown reasons. Being younger than Yoda, it’s unlikely that age was the reason for her retirement. In the animated seriesTales Of the Jedi, she appears to be a good friend of Count Dooku in her retirement. After Dooku refused to attend the funeral of a colleague, Yaddle grew suspicious of him. She followed him to find that he was on the brink of falling to the Dark Side, as he convened with Darth Sidious. She urged Dooku to bring Sidious to justice. The Sith Lord then ordered his soon-to-be apprentice, Dooku, to kill Yaddle. The brief battle unfortunately claimed Jedi Master Yaddle’s life.
After a few otherStar Wars Legends’ tales of Yaddle’s non-canonical demise,Tales of the Jedimay be the closest canonical explanation of Yaddle’s disappearance afterThe Phantom Menace. This isn’t the last time Yaddle is seen or heard inStar Wars, however. She appears a few more times in visions of other Force-sensitives. Master Yoda is one such person who was able to see the death of Yaddle duringYoda’s time on Dagobahin the Cave of Evil.
Jedi Master Yaddle is an intriguing character inStar Warswhose presence was cut short in the live-action film. The animated series provides more insight into Yaddle’s last days as a Jedi belonging to one ofStar Wars’ most mysterious and famous species. She is distinctly different from Yoda in many ways beyond her proper use of English syntax. But her hesitation to act when encountering threats from the Dark Side is not unlike Yoda’s hesitation when dealing with Count Dooku and Anakin Skywalker.
These could be traits unique to these alien Jedi Masters, or it could be the nature of the species’ culture. UntilStar Warsreveals more about Yaddle’s species and home planet, they will remain a mystery. That is a disappointing disservice, considering Yaddle’s importance in the lives of many Jedi. Her prowess with the Force, which earned her the highest rank of Jedi Master, is unique and has never truly been visualized onscreen inStar Wars— at least not yet.
