What Would Happen If Yoda Turned To The Dark Side?

Jedi Grand Master Yoda is arguably one of the best, most powerful characters in the Star Wars universe.

Clocking over 900 years in age, Yoda has had centuries to accumulate a broad array of skills and wisdom that no one else in the Jedi Order could say that they had.

This lengthy lifespan meant that Yoda bore witness to many changes through our galactic history. One of which is the rise and fall of the Galactic Republic.

On top of that, Yoda lived through one of the worst events the Jedi has ever faced. That is the Great Jedi Purge.

Of course, as a devout Jedi, Yoda believed that his failure to defeat Darth Sidious is what led to the near-extinction of his students and comrades. Therefore he decided to enter into exile as penance and as a way to reconnect with the Force.

Given how loyal Yoda is to the light side of the Force, was he ever tempted by the dark side?

Both are important questions that will be answered throughout this article. 

Was Yoda Ever Tempted by the Dark Side of the Force?

With how inherently good Yoda was, this question isn’t as black and white as it may seem.

Yoda has always been incredibly solid on the light side of the Force. Even so, with great power comes even greater risk, and just like most powerful Jedi, Yoda was susceptible to temptation.

In Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series, there is an arc that depicts Yoda as he was trying to master Force Ghost. This Force Power allows a Force user to keep their spirit’s presence after they die.

Certainly, this power requires an intense amount of the Force and a connection to oneself. Thus, while working on this skill, Yoda was tempted by his dark internal side.

Granted, this didn’t even phase him as he is strong on the light side, but it still showed he did have dark potential had he been much weaker-minded.

 Yoda did momentarily open himself to the dark side of the Force to give Count Dooku a glimpse of what a Jedi of his caliber would be like if they switched to the dark side. 

What Would Happen if Yoda Turned to the Dark Side?

If Yoda is insanely powerful while restricting himself on the light side of the Force, imagine how much more intense he would be if he gave in to his dark side?

Well, we don’t have to imagine because he showed Count Dooku exactly what would happen in this scenario.

As mentioned before, the Jedi Master showed Dooku what would happen if he gave in to his dark side.

This vision desolated that galaxy would fall into absolute carnage. The Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, himself would be obliterated. As for the rest of the universe, it was filled with fear as Dark Side Yoda had the potential to wipe the entire thing out. 

Is the Dark Side Yoda a More Powerful Yoda?

Even though the dark side of Yoda is more dangerous, he isn’t exactly more powerful than the current Yoda. Mainly because the dark side of the force isn’t more powerful than the light.

The Jedi Master himself made this abundantly clear. When Luke Skywalker asked if the dark side was stronger, Yoda assured him that it wasn’t, further stating, “Quicker, easier, more seductive.”

What makes the dark side appear as though it’s more powerful is the fact that, on the dark side, there are no moral inhibitors. As a result, when compared to the light side, dark side Force users seem far stronger than those on the light side.

Since Yoda was already the most powerful Jedi of his time, then he would be the same should he shift his focus to the dark side.

What makes him more dangerous on the dark side is the lack of the Jedi Code. This means that Yoda would now be fueled by rage, hatred, and other negative emotions.

Add to the absence of a moral compass and the ability to freely disregard life, and here we have a perfect cocktail for complete Armageddon at the hands of what would be a former Jedi Grand Master. 

Would the Dark Side Yoda be More Powerful than Palpatine?

Grand Master Yoda was the most powerful Jedi of his time. With his centuries’ worth of wisdom and his unmatchable swordsmanship, Yoda was a Force to be reckoned with.

This is seen in his ability to hold his own against Darth Sidious, Palpatine. The only thing that put him at a disadvantage was his dedication to the Jedi Code.

To paraphrase, there is a rule in the Jedi Code that particularly states that a Jedi must respect and protect all life. This Rule prevents the killing of anyone regardless of their affiliation with the Force.

Of course, this is unless extenuating circumstances come into play, and even then, there are repercussions for taking a life. The dark side has no such rule, and Force users are pretty much free to do as they please.

Granted that Yoda’s strength already eclipses most in the galaxy, then once his moral restrictions are stripped away, he would become an unstoppable Force of nature.

This would allow his true, unadulterated talent to show, which will completely overshadow the dark Emperor, Palpatine.

Even the vision he showed to Dooku displayed Palpatine’s demise at the hands of Yoda should he ever turn to the dark side of the Force.

Conclusion

Simply speaking, the wisdom imparting, lightsaber finessing, Jedi Grand Master Yoda was able to maintain his status as the most powerful of his time, well into his old age.

Until the day of his unfortunate end, Yoda stood firmly on the light side of the Force and, by extension, the Jedi way.

However, just like most people, there is some form of darkness within everyone, even Yoda. The difference is that he never gave in to the darkness within.

Naturally, this is apart from the momentary step he took into the dark side to show Dooku what would happen if he fully gave way to the dark side.

From this, even the Dooku realized how stupid he had been in trying to convert Yoda to the dark side of the Force.