Yoda’s species is among the galaxy’s most mysterious. We don’t even know where their home planet is located and Star Wars Creator George Lucas remains silent on the species’ details.
But has he given us enough information regarding whether the species has a tail?
While little is known about Yoda’s species, descriptions of their anatomy neither confirm nor deny the presence of a tail for the Jedi Grand Master. We know of their green skin and blood, exceptional ability with the Force, and their trademark pointy ears.
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About Yoda’s Species
Yoda’s species is so mysterious they have no name. The Star Wars Official Databank labeled the species as unknown, so the name “Yoda’s species” has become the prevailing way of referring to these alien beings.
George Lucas only described Yoda as mysterious and magical, further claiming the character has no background.
There is also no known name for Yoda’s species’ homeworld. However, both the world and the species are ancient. Some even speculated the species appeared in the galaxy before any other, or that they’re the galaxy’s oldest surviving intelligent beings.
They are also among the galaxy’s rarest species, with just three known characters appearing in Star Wars Canon: Yoda, Yaddle, and Baby Yoda (Grogu).
The species also ages slower than most in the galaxy. Yoda lived to be 900 while Yaddle was 477 during The Phantom Menace. Grogu was 50 during The Mandalorian’s first two seasons yet was still a young child.
They are often green-skinned, featuring pointed ears, three fingers and tridecyl toes, along with being short in stature.
Some state the species resemble elves. They also have a primary and a sub-brain, allowing them to experience vivid Force visions. This gave them a strong connection to the Force.
Yoda’s Species in Star Wars Legends
Star Wars Canon tells us little about Yoda’s species, but Legends elaborates.
Every member of the species in Legends was Force-sensitive and embraced the light side.
The species also had nutritional habits that others shied from. However, despite others labeling their habits as “disgusting,” neither Yoda nor anyone in his species saw it as such.
Most in the species spoke a unique dialect, featuring backwards sentences, as Yoda showed in Star Wars Canon. However, this was not the case with every member of the species, as a few more appeared in Legends and spoke normally.
Implied in Canon and confirmed in Legends, neither Yoda nor anyone in his species revealed their home world’s location. Their species was peaceful, and given the instability in the galaxy, Yoda didn’t feel it was right to bring them into the galaxy’s fold.
Especially with the potential for war and political corruption that plagued the Galactic Republic during its waning years.
Does Yoda Have a Tail?
Just as we know little about Yoda’s species in Canon and Legends, we also know little about their anatomy next to their small size and long lifespans.
Every known member of the species belonged to the Jedi Order, and therefore, were never seen without wearing their Jedi robes except for a brief moment in Revenge of the Sith where Yoda loses his white robes before his retreat.
However, it’s inconclusive given the screenshots following Yoda’s climactic duel with Sidious.
Popular Star Wars fansite Wookieepedia has also come up empty, instead characterizing the species as possessing leathery green skin and blood, ridges on the forehead, and sharp teeth, neither confirming nor denying the presence of a tail.
So, while neither Wookieepedia nor anywhere in Canon and Legends mentions a tail for the species, we also cannot rule it out.
About Yoda
Born in 896 BBY, Yoda is the oldest known member of his species, dying at 900 of natural causes.
Yoda spent eight centuries training Jedi Padawans and Younglings, and he sat on the Jedi Council before eventually achieving the rank of Grand Master.
Yoda survived Order 66 and later confronted Darth Sidious, defeating him in a lightsaber duel, before battling him to a stalemate with Force lightning. However, Yoda “lost” the duel when he retreated after sensing incoming clone troopers.
Exiled on Dagobah, Yoda awaited the arrival of the new hope that turned out to be Luke Skywalker. Yoda taught Luke the ways of the Force in The Empire Strikes Back. However, Luke did not complete his training before seeking to rescue his friends.
Upon Luke’s return, a dying Yoda confirmed Darth Vader was Luke’s father and that there was another Skywalker. Yoda later returned as a Force ghost in The Last Jedi, burning down the Force tree after Luke had second thoughts.
About Yaddle
Yaddle served on the Jedi High Council with Yoda during The Phantom Menace before she stepped down.
Yaddle also trained her share of Padawans and Initiates, with the legendary Vernestra Rwoh serving as her most prominent Initiate. A scholar, Yaddle studied the Jedi Archives religiously.
Her fate was unknown following Order 66. However, Greez Dritus implied Yaddle survived the onslaught when he told Cere Junda about tales he heard regarding a “green, pointy-eared, legendary Jedi Master.”
About Baby Yoda (Grogu)
Baby Yoda, also known as Grogu or the Child, was born in 41 BBY and raised in the Jedi Temple. Upon meeting Ahsoka Tano, Grogu proved capable of communicating with the former Jedi Padawan through the Force.
During their conversation, Grogu revealed his real name. He also revealed that he was present in the Jedi Temple when Anakin Skywalker led the 501st Legion into the premises, witnessing the slaughter of his fellow Jedi younglings.
Someone took Grogu and hid him, and he concealed his Force-sensitivity before he was caught and held captive by a group of Imperials in 5 ABY. Finally, Din Djarin rescued Grogu and the two shared a bond.
Grogu eventually met and trained with Luke Skywalker to become a Jedi. However, he had second thoughts and opted to return to Djarin.
Conclusion
Yoda’s species is among the most unique and ancient in the galaxy, with many believing they were the galaxy’s first or oldest surviving inhabitants.
The species was small, had green skin and blood, and sharp teeth. The latter of which supposedly supported their “disgusting” nutritional habits.
While we cannot confirm a tail, we also can’t rule it out given the lack of description from both online sources and George Lucas.
Only few of the species were seen in both Star Wars Canon and Legends, with Yoda, Yaddle, and Grogu serving as the prominent. Other known members of the species included Vandar Tokare, Oteg, and Minch.
Sion Fawkes has been covering Star Wars since January 2022, expanding his expertise in both Star Wars Canon and Legends. When not writing, you can find Sion in the gym or running trails. He also likes watching sports and listening to audiobooks.