We’ve all seen the duel between Yoda and Darth Sidious in Revenge of the Sith — the fight that decides the fate of the Republic and the Jedi Order. But what many fans don’t realize is that the original CGI cut of the battle was far more intense and impressive than what ended up in the final movie.
The extended version shows smoother choreography, a more dynamic camera flow, and extra layers of emotion between the two most powerful Force users in the galaxy. It wasn’t just a flashy lightsaber fight — it was a full-on clash between the embodiment of light and darkness, with every movement telling the story of Yoda’s desperation and Sidious’s triumph.
The Original Duel Scene
Before we look at the differences between the theatrical and CGI versions of Yoda and Palpatine’s duel in Revenge of the Sith, let’s first go over how the original scene plays out — so we can later spot what was missing.
We see Yoda calmly entering the Chancellor’s office, facing the man who’s just revealed himself as Darth Sidious. With a simple wave of the Force, Yoda instantly knocks out the two Red Royal Guards, clearing the room for the ultimate battle.
Palpatine then strikes first, unleashing a blast of Force lightning that sends Yoda flying across the chamber. But Yoda quickly recovers and counters with a powerful Force push of his own, throwing the Sith Lord backward. From there, the duel escalates — two of the most powerful beings in the galaxy clashing across the Senate chamber in a storm of lightsabers, lightning, and raw power.
You can rewatch the full scene here to refresh your memory before we dive into the unseen CGI cut.
Yoda vs Sidious CGI Cut Was Way Better Than What We Saw in Theaters
The Royal Guards Became A Meet Shield for Yoda
In the CGI version, there are quite a few differences right from the start. Instead of Yoda walking in through the main door as in the movie, he suddenly appears right in front of Palpatine’s desk — interrupting him just as the Sith Lord finishes his hologram conversation with Darth Vader.
The moment the Royal Guards step forward to stop Yoda, Sidious immediately unleashes a surge of Force lightning. But this time, Yoda reacts faster — using the Force to pull the guards in front of him as shields. The lightning tears through them instead of hitting him directly.
After tossing aside the guards, Palpatine fires off a second blast, and this one finally hits Yoda head-on, launching him across the chamber. It’s a small change, but it adds a sharper, more intense start to their duel — one that shows Yoda’s cunning and Sidious’s pure aggression right from the first second.
The Lightsaber Duel Starting When Palpatine Fall on the Floor
After the Force Lightning scene, Yoda was thrown to the ground and briefly lost consciousness. Palpatine then prepared to strike him again with another wave of lightning, but before he could, Yoda suddenly woke up. The Jedi Master leapt onto the wall, dodging as Palpatine’s lightning chased him around the room.
Yoda then made a quick move, jumping into the air and kicking Palpatine straight in the face, sending the Sith Lord crashing to the floor. As Yoda landed, he ignited his lightsaber, ready to strike down the Sith Master.
But before he could land the blow, the camera shifted to Palpatine’s hand lying on the floor — his red lightsaber suddenly igniting as he blocked Yoda’s attack.
The Fight Ended When Palpatine Escape from the Fight
As the CGI cut continues — just like what we’ve seen in the film — Yoda and Sidious land on one of the Chancellor’s central repulsor platforms, which automatically rises into the main Senate Chamber, the enormous circular hall where thousands of senators once gathered.
Once they arrive, the Senate Cam Droids are activated automatically, hovering around and projecting the duel between Palpatine and Yoda onto the massive screens above the chamber. From there, the fight plays out mostly the same as in the movie, but with a few big differences.
Yoda uses a Force Push to send Palpatine flying back. The Sith Lord quickly recovers, grabbing one of the Senate Cam Droids to land on another floating repulsor platform. Yoda chases him, leaping across the droids and platforms.
Palpatine then uses the Force to hurl several of the massive platforms at Yoda. The last one, however, Yoda stops mid-air and throws right back at Sidious. As Yoda closes in, Palpatine unleashes another wave of Force Lightning, but this time, Yoda blocks it with his bare hands — just like we’ve seen in the film. The explosion of energy sends both of them flying apart. But in the CGI version, Yoda cleverly uses one of the nearby Cam Droids as a distraction, circling it behind Palpatine before redirecting the Force Lightning back at him. The blast hits Sidious directly, but it also gives him a chance to escape.
As the smoke clears, clone troopers rush into the chamber and open fire on Yoda, forcing the Jedi Master to retreat and disappear into the shadows — ending the battle once and for all.