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{{performer|Frank Oz}}
 
 
[[Image:Yoda.muppets.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Miss Piggy]] and [[Kermit the Frog]] visit with Yoda and [[Mark Hamill]] on the set of ''The Empire Strikes Back''.]]
 
[[Image:Yoda.muppets.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Miss Piggy]] and [[Kermit the Frog]] visit with Yoda and [[Mark Hamill]] on the set of ''The Empire Strikes Back''.]]
 
[[Image:Empire-oz&henson.jpg|thumb|300px|Freeborn, Oz, and Henson consult over the creation of Yoda.]]
 
[[Image:Empire-oz&henson.jpg|thumb|300px|Freeborn, Oz, and Henson consult over the creation of Yoda.]]
[[Image:MarkHamill-Muppets-Yoda.jpg|thumb|300px]]
 
   
'''Yoda''' is a character from the ''[[Star Wars]]'' franchise. The character debuted as a puppet in the [[1980]] film ''The Empire Strikes Back'', with Oz as voice and lead puppeteer and [[Kathryn Mullen]] assisting. Starting with the 2002 film ''Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones'', the character has been realized using computer animation, based on Oz's pre-recorded tracks.
+
'''Yoda''' is a character from the ''[[Star Wars]]'' franchise, performed by [[Frank Oz]]. The character debuted as a puppet in the [[1980]] film ''The Empire Strikes Back'', with Oz as voice and lead puppeteer and [[Kathryn Mullen]] assisting. Starting with the 2002 film ''Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones'', the character has been realized using computer animation, based on Oz's pre-recorded tracks.
 
__TOC__
 
__TOC__
 
==Background==
 
==Background==
A popular misconception is that Yoda is [[What is a Muppet?|a Muppet]], based on the involvement of Oz, the character's existence as a puppet, vocal similarity to Oz' portrayal of the Muppet [[Grover]], and a false assumption that [[The Jim Henson Company]] (or even [[Jim Henson]] himself) built the character. However, had he been built by Henson, the more realistic Yoda would technically qualify as [[Muppets vs Creatures|a creature rather than a Muppet]]. The Yoda puppet was originally designed and built by [[Stuart Freeborn]] for LucasFilm and Industrial Light & Magic. Henson merely consulted on the building of Yoda.
+
A popular misconception is that Yoda is [[What is a Muppet?|a Muppet]], based on the involvement of Oz, the character's existence as a puppet, vocal similarity to Oz' portrayal of the Muppet [[Grover]], and a false assumption that [[The Jim Henson Company]] (or even [[Jim Henson]] himself) built the character. However, had he been built by Henson, the more realistic Yoda would technically qualify as [[Muppets vs Creatures|a creature rather than a Muppet]]. The Yoda puppet was originally designed and built by [[Stuart Freeborn]] for LucasFilm and Industrial Light & Magic. Henson merely consulted on the building of Yoda. A few other Henson veterans contributed to the character, such as [[Wendy Froud]] who assisted on construction, but their work on Yoda was under LucasFilm's employ.
   
 
The creation of Yoda arose entirely independent of Henson, the only real connections being the loan of Oz and one or two other designers/assistants, and a slightly similar technology. Oz explained the character's creation in detail, during a [[2000]] interview with IGN FilmForce:<ref>[http://movies.ign.com/articles/035/035843p1.html IGN interview]</ref>
 
The creation of Yoda arose entirely independent of Henson, the only real connections being the loan of Oz and one or two other designers/assistants, and a slightly similar technology. Oz explained the character's creation in detail, during a [[2000]] interview with IGN FilmForce:<ref>[http://movies.ign.com/articles/035/035843p1.html IGN interview]</ref>
{{quote|...Jim [Henson] came to me and said [[Gary Kurtz]], who was co-producer of ''The Empire Strikes Back'', had a character and I think they asked Jim first – but with running a company and everything he couldn't do it, so he recommended me....<br><br>From then on, I was the one who kind of put all the elements of Yoda together, and although Jim didn't make Yoda, [[George Lucas|George [Lucas]]] and he had an understanding that they would exchange technology information. George would give to Jim and Jim would give some of his people to George to help. [[Wendy Froud]] helped out a little bit with the character and two other people from Jim's company worked the cables for me.}}
+
{{quote|...Jim [Henson] came to me and said [[Gary Kurtz]], who was co-producer of ''The Empire Strikes Back'', had a character and I think they asked Jim first – but with running a company and everything he couldn't do it, so he recommended me....<br><br>From then on, I was the one who kind of put all the elements of Yoda together, and although Jim didn't make Yoda, [[George Lucas|George [Lucas]]] and he had an understanding that they would exchange technology information. George would give to Jim and Jim would give some of his people to George to help. Wendy Froud helped out a little bit with the character and two other people from Jim's company worked the cables for me.}}
   
[[Warwick Davis]] stood in as a double for the character in scenes where Yoda was walking in ''The Phantom Menace''.
+
[[Warwick Davis]] stood in as a double for the character in scenes where Yoda was walking in ''The Phantom Menace''.
 
<br clear=all/>
 
<br clear=all/>
<gallery orientation=square>
+
<gallery orientation=square widths=210 spacing=small>
 
MarkHamill-Muppets-Yoda.png
Image:Frankoz-yoda.jpg|Oz with Yoda
 
  +
MarkHamill-Muppets-Yoda2.png
Image:Yodafrank.JPG|Frank Oz performing Yoda with assistants Kathy Mullen and Wendy Froud
 
  +
Piggy_Yoda_Kermit.jpg
Image:Oz yoda.jpg|Frank Oz performing Yoda
 
  +
StarWars-Piggy-Yoda-Kermit.jpg
  +
StarWars-Muppets-Group.jpg
 
Frankoz-yoda.jpg|Oz with Yoda
 
Yodafrank.JPG|Frank Oz performing Yoda with assistants Kathy Mullen and Wendy Froud
 
Oz yoda.jpg|Frank Oz performing Yoda
  +
Oz performing Yoda.jpg|Frank Oz watching his performance from a monitor
  +
Frank_oz_yoda_blackwhite.jpg
  +
Frank oz yoda prototype 1.jpg|Oz shows Yoda to director Irvin Kershner and producer George Lucas
  +
Frank oz yoda prototype 2.jpg|
  +
Jim Henson and Yoda.jpg|Jim Henson and Yoda
  +
FrankOzAndYoda.jpg|
  +
Davebarclayyoda.jpg|Puppeteer [[David Barclay]] works on Yoda
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
   
 
==References==
 
==References==
[[File:Character.yodamuppetfront.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Yoda Muppet]].]]
+
[[File:Character.yodamuppetfront.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Yoda Muppet]]]]
   
 
* [[Baby Animal]] appears as Yoda in the ''[[Muppet Babies]]'' episode "[[Episode 701: Muppet Babies: The Next Generation|Muppet Babies: The Next Generation]]."
 
* [[Baby Animal]] appears as Yoda in the ''[[Muppet Babies]]'' episode "[[Episode 701: Muppet Babies: The Next Generation|Muppet Babies: The Next Generation]]."
Line 39: Line 49:
 
* In a November 2011 appearance on ''[[George Stroumboulopoulos]]'', Kermit says he regrets not getting the role of Yoda. "I didn't have the ears for it."
 
* In a November 2011 appearance on ''[[George Stroumboulopoulos]]'', Kermit says he regrets not getting the role of Yoda. "I didn't have the ears for it."
   
  +
* In the January 17, 2014, issue of [[Süddeutsche Zeitung|Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin]], Kermit imitated Yoda for a silent interview photo when asked if it was true that he rejected the alien role back in the day.
<gallery orientation="square">
 
  +
  +
* [[Grover]] portrays "Groda" in the "[[Cookie's Crumby Pictures]]" segment, "Star S'mores."
  +
 
<gallery orientation="square" widths=209 spacing=small>
 
Image:Yoda.animal.jpg|[[Baby Animal]] as Yoda
 
Image:Yoda.animal.jpg|[[Baby Animal]] as Yoda
 
Image:MovieMania-yoda.jpg|[[Fozzie Bear]], a character originally performed Frank Oz, auditions for the role of Yoda
 
Image:MovieMania-yoda.jpg|[[Fozzie Bear]], a character originally performed Frank Oz, auditions for the role of Yoda
 
Image:Yoda-animal.jpg|[[Animal]], another character originated by Oz, tries out for the part
 
Image:Yoda-animal.jpg|[[Animal]], another character originated by Oz, tries out for the part
 
Image:Yoda-bobo.jpg|[[Bobo the Bear|Bobo]]
 
Image:Yoda-bobo.jpg|[[Bobo the Bear|Bobo]]
Image:Yoda-kermit.jpg|[[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]] takes issue with the written dialogue
+
Image:Yoda-kermit.jpg|[[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]] takes issue with the written dialog
 
Image:Yoda-pepe.jpg|[[Pepe]] holds the Yoda ears, as they are too large for his head
 
Image:Yoda-pepe.jpg|[[Pepe]] holds the Yoda ears, as they are too large for his head
  +
Image:SüddeutscheZeitung-Kermit-03-RejectedRoleOfYoda.png|Kermit imitating Yoda for ''[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]'' Magazin
  +
Groda.png|Groda in "Star S'mores"
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
   
 
==Muppet Mentions==
 
==Muppet Mentions==
 
[[Image:Yoda-rizzo.jpg|thumb|300px|Rizzo as Yoda in a 2008 Disney parks [[Star Wars Muppets PVC figures|PVC set]].]]
 
[[Image:Yoda-rizzo.jpg|thumb|300px|Rizzo as Yoda in a 2008 Disney parks [[Star Wars Muppets PVC figures|PVC set]].]]
* Beginning in 2002 with ''Attack of the Clones'', Yoda became a CGI character, the concepts of which Oz was consulted on. The documentary, ''From Puppets to Pixels'' features behind-the-scenes footage of George Lucas providing direction to his team of animators regarding how Yoda should move in a fight scene. Having already referred to Yoda as frog-like, Lucas remarks that Yoda is "actually the illegitimate child of [[Kermit the Frog]] and [[Miss Piggy]]."
+
* Beginning in 2002 with ''Attack of the Clones'', Yoda became a CGI character, the concepts of which Oz was consulted on. The documentary ''From Puppets to Pixels'' features behind-the-scenes footage of George Lucas providing direction to his team of animators regarding how Yoda should move in a fight scene. Having already referred to Yoda as frog-like, Lucas remarks that Yoda is "actually the [[Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy's offspring|illegitimate child]] of [[Kermit the Frog]] and [[Miss Piggy]]."
   
 
* In the ''Empire of Dreams'' documentary, George Lucas had this to say about the creation of the Yoda puppet: "That was like, a real leap. Because if that puppet had not worked, the whole film would have been down the tubes. It just would have been a disaster if it had been this silly little Muppet... if it had been Kermit running around in that movie, the whole movie would have collapsed under the weight of it."
 
* In the ''Empire of Dreams'' documentary, George Lucas had this to say about the creation of the Yoda puppet: "That was like, a real leap. Because if that puppet had not worked, the whole film would have been down the tubes. It just would have been a disaster if it had been this silly little Muppet... if it had been Kermit running around in that movie, the whole movie would have collapsed under the weight of it."
   
* According to the 2010 book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler, a filmed blooper exists of [[Miss Piggy]] interacting with Mark Hamill on the Dagobah set. "When Mark Hamill first met Frank Oz, he asked him to do a brief Miss Piggy cameo during rehearsals on set, as a practical joke — but when the time came much later, it caught even Hamill off-guard. During one scene, Yoda tells Luke to follow his feelings. Luke protests that he has followed his feelings — and suddenly, Frank Oz whips out a Miss Piggy puppet, saying, “Feelings? You want feelings? Get behind the couch and I’ll show you feelings, punk. What is this hole? I’ve been booked into dumps before, but never like this. Get me my agent on the phone!”"<ref>[http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/10/10-things-empire-strikes-back ''Wired'' review of Rinzler's book]</ref>
+
* According to the 2010 book ''The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' by J.W. Rinzler, a filmed blooper exists of [[Miss Piggy]] interacting with Mark Hamill on the Dagobah set. "When Mark Hamill first met Frank Oz, he asked him to do a brief Miss Piggy cameo during rehearsals on set, as a practical joke — but when the time came much later, it caught even Hamill off-guard. During one scene, Yoda tells Luke to follow his feelings. Luke protests that he has followed his feelings — and suddenly, Frank Oz whips out a Miss Piggy puppet, saying, “Feelings? You want feelings? Get behind the couch and I’ll show you feelings, punk. What is this hole? I’ve been booked into dumps before, but never like this. Get me [[Bernie|my agent]] on the phone!”"<ref>[http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/10/10-things-empire-strikes-back ''Wired'' review of Rinzler's book]</ref>
   
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
Line 60: Line 76:
   
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
  +
*[http://netdwellers.com/mz/yodaguys/enter.html ThoseYodaGuys.com]
 
*[http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/035/035843p1.html FilmForce Interview with Frank Oz]
 
*[http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/035/035843p1.html FilmForce Interview with Frank Oz]
 
*[[w:c:starwars:Yoda|Yoda]] on Wookieepedia, the ''Star Wars'' wiki
 
*[[w:c:starwars:Yoda|Yoda]] on Wookieepedia, the ''Star Wars'' wiki

Revision as of 19:53, 5 February 2015

Yoda

Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog visit with Yoda and Mark Hamill on the set of The Empire Strikes Back.

Empire-oz&henson

Freeborn, Oz, and Henson consult over the creation of Yoda.

Yoda is a character from the Star Wars franchise, performed by Frank Oz. The character debuted as a puppet in the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back, with Oz as voice and lead puppeteer and Kathryn Mullen assisting. Starting with the 2002 film Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, the character has been realized using computer animation, based on Oz's pre-recorded tracks.

Quick Answers

Who is Yoda? toggle section
Yoda was a legendary Force-sensitive member of an unnamed sapient alien species, capable of living for centuries. He was a Grand Master of the Jedi Council, served as Jedi Order leader through the time of the High Republic, and was a main character in the Star Wars universe. He was known for his wise and sage-like demeanor, while also being known for his eccentric behavior. He had green skin, was diminutively-sized, and had long, pointy ears and three toes on each foot. Other members of his species include Din Grogu, Yaddle, Vandar Tokare, and more.
Provided by: Fandom
What does "Yoda" mean? toggle section
In Hindi, "Yodha" means 'soldier' and the character in the Star Wars movies is a Samurai master (Jedi) as well as a philosopher and teacher.
Provided by: Fandom
Where is Yoda's race from? toggle section
Little is known about Yoda's species, including where they came from.
Provided by: Fandom
Who was Yoda's Padawan? toggle section
Yoda has had a few Padawans, including Kantam Sy, Lula Talisola, Cin Drallig, and Dooku. Dooku would go on to fall to the Dark Side and face Yoda in the Clone Wars.
Provided by: Fandom
Did Vader know Yoda was alive? toggle section
Yes, Darth Vader knew Yoda was alive. Shortly after Order 66, the Grand Inquisitor showed him a priority target list assigned to the former by Emperor Palpatine, Yoda was listed among the presumed Jedi survivors.
Provided by: Fandom

Background

A popular misconception is that Yoda is a Muppet, based on the involvement of Oz, the character's existence as a puppet, vocal similarity to Oz' portrayal of the Muppet Grover, and a false assumption that The Jim Henson Company (or even Jim Henson himself) built the character. However, had he been built by Henson, the more realistic Yoda would technically qualify as a creature rather than a Muppet. The Yoda puppet was originally designed and built by Stuart Freeborn for LucasFilm and Industrial Light & Magic. Henson merely consulted on the building of Yoda. A few other Henson veterans contributed to the character, such as Wendy Froud who assisted on construction, but their work on Yoda was under LucasFilm's employ.

The creation of Yoda arose entirely independent of Henson, the only real connections being the loan of Oz and one or two other designers/assistants, and a slightly similar technology. Oz explained the character's creation in detail, during a 2000 interview with IGN FilmForce:[1]

...Jim [Henson] came to me and said Gary Kurtz, who was co-producer of The Empire Strikes Back, had a character and I think they asked Jim first – but with running a company and everything he couldn't do it, so he recommended me....

From then on, I was the one who kind of put all the elements of Yoda together, and although Jim didn't make Yoda, George [Lucas] and he had an understanding that they would exchange technology information. George would give to Jim and Jim would give some of his people to George to help. Wendy Froud helped out a little bit with the character and two other people from Jim's company worked the cables for me.

Warwick Davis stood in as a double for the character in scenes where Yoda was walking in The Phantom Menace.

References

Character

Yoda Muppet

  • In a Movie Mania segment, various Muppets audition for the role of Yoda.
  • John Crichton refers to Yoda in the "I, E.T." episode of Farscape. He says the planet that the crew lands on reminds him of Dagobah, Yoda's home planet in The Empire Strikes Back.
  • In the September 14, 2005 episode of From the Balcony, Bobo auditions for the part of Yoda in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.
  • When asked which classic cinema character he'd like to play in an interview hosted on Amazon.com, Kermit answers that he's suited to play Yoda since he's already small and green.
  • In a November 2011 appearance on George Stroumboulopoulos, Kermit says he regrets not getting the role of Yoda. "I didn't have the ears for it."
  • In the January 17, 2014, issue of Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin, Kermit imitated Yoda for a silent interview photo when asked if it was true that he rejected the alien role back in the day.

Muppet Mentions

Yoda-rizzo

Rizzo as Yoda in a 2008 Disney parks PVC set.

  • Beginning in 2002 with Attack of the Clones, Yoda became a CGI character, the concepts of which Oz was consulted on. The documentary From Puppets to Pixels features behind-the-scenes footage of George Lucas providing direction to his team of animators regarding how Yoda should move in a fight scene. Having already referred to Yoda as frog-like, Lucas remarks that Yoda is "actually the illegitimate child of Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy."
  • In the Empire of Dreams documentary, George Lucas had this to say about the creation of the Yoda puppet: "That was like, a real leap. Because if that puppet had not worked, the whole film would have been down the tubes. It just would have been a disaster if it had been this silly little Muppet... if it had been Kermit running around in that movie, the whole movie would have collapsed under the weight of it."
  • According to the 2010 book The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back by J.W. Rinzler, a filmed blooper exists of Miss Piggy interacting with Mark Hamill on the Dagobah set. "When Mark Hamill first met Frank Oz, he asked him to do a brief Miss Piggy cameo during rehearsals on set, as a practical joke — but when the time came much later, it caught even Hamill off-guard. During one scene, Yoda tells Luke to follow his feelings. Luke protests that he has followed his feelings — and suddenly, Frank Oz whips out a Miss Piggy puppet, saying, “Feelings? You want feelings? Get behind the couch and I’ll show you feelings, punk. What is this hole? I’ve been booked into dumps before, but never like this. Get me my agent on the phone!”"[2]

Sources

External Links

Wikipedia has an article related to: