So, Palpatine actually had a pretty interesting take on what would’ve happened if Yoda had gone after Vader instead of Obi-Wan. And let’s just say, he wasn’t exactly confident in his apprentice’s ability to win.
What Palpatine Really Thought Would Happen If Yoda Faced Vader
In Dark Lord - The Rise of Darth Vader, we get a glimpse into Palpatine’s thoughts on this hypothetical fight, and it’s pretty revealing. At one point, he directly confronts Vader about it, saying, “Just imagine what Yoda might have done to you.” That wasn’t just Palpatine mocking his apprentice – he genuinely believed that if Yoda had been the one to confront him on Mustafar, Vader wouldn’t have stood a chance.
Palpatine understood exactly why Obi-Wan won: his intent was clear – he went to kill Vader. If the Jedi had been as decisive as Obi-Wan from the start, things could have played out very differently. Instead, fear of the dark side had made the Jedi hesitant, easier to wipe out. But Yoda? He was different. He wasn’t just another Jedi; he was their greatest warrior, the last symbol of the old Order. And if Yoda had taken out Vader, it wouldn’t have been just a loss – it could have shaken the entire foundation of the Empire.
Palpatine built his rule on fear, on the idea that the Sith were all-powerful and the Jedi were gone for good. But if the last great Jedi Master had taken down Palpatine’s own apprentice, it would have proved otherwise. The illusion of Sith dominance would have cracked, and that was something Palpatine couldn’t afford.
What If That Fight Actually Happened? The Dagobah Showdown That Could’ve Changed Everything
While that confrontation never happened in Canon, there’s a non-canon storyline (Star Wars Infinities Epic Collection) where Vader actually finds Yoda on Dagobah—and we get to see what it could’ve looked like.
In Star Wars Infinities, everything changes when Luke dies early during the events of The Empire Strikes Back. Before he passes, he manages to send a message to Han, telling him to find Yoda on Dagobah. That message becomes Leia’s turning point.
Leia ends up traveling to Dagobah with Han and Chewbacca, and instead of Luke, she’s the one Yoda trains as a Jedi. Yoda senses her potential right away—not just as a leader, but as someone with the same connection to the Force that Luke had. And yes, she learns that she’s Darth Vader’s daughter.
Meanwhile, Vader is still searching for Luke, not knowing that Luke is already gone. On Tatooine, while dealing with Jabba the Hutt, he finds C-3PO and pulls critical data from the droid’s memory, finally learning where Yoda is hiding.
And that leads to one of the wildest alternate duels ever: Vader vs. Yoda on Dagobah.
This isn’t just a lightsaber fight. It turns into a full-on spiritual and psychological battle. Yoda reaches deep into Vader’s mind, confronting the last fragments of Anakin Skywalker and showing him visions of Jedi like Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, and Qui-Gon Jinn—all urging him to return to the light.
Vader is shaken. Especially when he learns from Yoda that Luke is dead.
For a moment, there’s real doubt. You can feel Anakin struggling underneath the mask. But in the end, Vader strikes Yoda down, severing the last tie to his former self. That’s the tragedy. Anakin was right there—he almost came back—but couldn’t finish the journey.
Leia returns from her crystal-gathering trial just in time to face Vader herself. He offers her the same thing he once offered Luke—a chance to rule the galaxy together. She refuses. They duel. And just before Vader kills her, Han and Chewie arrive with the Falcon, saving her and mortally wounding Vader in the process.
Yoda dies too, but not before passing his wisdom to Leia and telling her to continue the Jedi legacy.
In this alternate path, Leia becomes the Jedi Luke never got to be. Vader dies fully consumed by the dark side, never redeemed. The whole galaxy shifts—same key players, but a completely different outcome.