Yoda is widely regarded as one of the greatest Jedi Masters in the Order, not just because of his power, but because of his discipline and understanding of the Force. Over time, especially through the Clone Wars era, we come to understand Yoda’s personality far better than we ever did in the Original Trilogy alone.
That’s what makes his first meeting with Luke Skywalker on Dagobah stand out. Instead of behaving like the calm and composed Jedi Master we expect, Yoda acts strange, childish, and deliberately unpredictable.
So why does Yoda do this? Why does one of the wisest Jedi in history choose to act this way the first time he meets Luke?
The First Thing Yoda Tested Was Luke’s Patience
The reason Yoda acts strangely when Luke arrives on Dagobah is because he wants to see how Luke behaves before revealing who he is. Luke is the one meant to carry the future of the galaxy, and Yoda needs to understand his temperament first. So instead of presenting himself as a Jedi Master, Yoda appears old, strange, and harmless.
Yoda understands what lies ahead for Luke Skywalker. Luke will eventually be forced to confront Darth Vader and, beyond him, Darth Sidious. Those encounters will test more than strength or skill. They will pressure Luke emotionally, pushing him toward anger, fear, and impatience. Yoda knows that if Luke cannot control those impulses, he will be vulnerable to the dark side long before any lightsaber duel begins.
Throughout their first meeting, Yoda deliberately tries to irritate Luke. He rummages through Luke’s supplies, eats his food without permission, and repeatedly interferes with R2-D2. Each action is meant to provoke a response. Yoda watches how Luke reacts to inconvenience, disrespect, and confusion. Luke, meanwhile, is focused on one thing only: finding a Jedi Master named Yoda. To him, the small alien in front of him seems irrelevant and unhelpful.
The testing does not stop when they reach Yoda’s hut. Yoda continues to push Luke, questioning whether he should be trained at all. He openly tells Luke that he cannot be taught because he lacks patience. This moment is expanded on in The Empire Strikes Back Illustrated Edition novelization.
Inside the hut, when Obi-Wan Kenobi appears as a Force spirit and urges Yoda to train Luke, Yoda refuses. He does not argue about Luke’s strength or his potential. His concern is simpler. Yoda believes Luke is too impatient. He says plainly, “Cannot teach. No patience.”
However, just as in the film, Luke does eventually train under Yoda, though the training takes a different form.
Yoda Used the Same Approach When Training Dooku
It’s easy to assume that Yoda’s strange behavior on Dagobah was something he reserved only for Luke. But that isn’t the case. Yoda used the same approach when he first trained Count Dooku, and the first lesson was patience as well.
In Dooku: Jedi Lost, shortly after Yoda accepts Dooku as his apprentice, Dooku reports to the Temple courtyard ready to begin his training. Yoda is already there, sitting in deep meditation. He does not acknowledge Dooku’s presence or speak to him at all.
Dooku tries to get his new master’s attention. He speaks to Yoda, asks questions, and waits for instruction. Yoda continues to ignore him. Days pass, then weeks. Dooku grows increasingly frustrated. He begins showing off his lightsaber skills, practicing aggressively in front of Yoda. He raises his voice. He demands answers. Yoda does not react.
Eventually, Dooku loses control of his temper. In an attempt to prove his strength, he tries to uproot the Great Tree in the center of the Jedi Temple using the Force. He strains against it for a long time, pushing himself to exhaustion. In the end, he collapses, drained and defeated, forced to admit that he is not strong enough.
Only then does Yoda open his eyes. Only then does he begin Dooku’s lessons.
