Why Does Yoda Not Mourn The Dead?

Unfortunately, death is arguably the most natural thing in life. Just as easily as someone can come into the world, they can be taken out. 

Given how much war occurs daily within George Lucas’ Star Wars universe, death is an integral part of the galaxy. 

Naturally, every person deals with grief in their own way. Whether they choose to sit in mourning for weeks, months, or even years, is completely up to them. 

But what exactly is mourning? Well, by definition, mourning is the process by which sorrow is expressed for the passing of someone. 

This raises an important question about the Force-users in Star Wars, particularly the Jedi. Are they allowed to mourn? What does Jedi Grand Master Yoda say about death? 

Not to worry, these questions and more will be answered throughout this article. 

What Does Yoda Say About Death?

Having lived for nine hundred years has made Master Yoda one of the wisest individuals in galactic history. He was around to see the rise and fall of the Galactic Republic. 

He trained many young people in the ways of the Jedi and the light side of the Force. What’s more, Yoda saw the massacre of the old Jedi Order and lived to tell the tale. 

Needless to say, having been through all of this, Yoda had an amalgamation of teachings that guided upcoming Jedi through their journey in life. 

One of Master Yoda’s most notorious sayings speaks about death. And it says, “Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those who have transformed into the Force around you. Do not weep for them. Miss them, do not. ”

What this is saying is that death is inevitable. Instead of being depressed, one should be happy for the person because they are progressing to bigger and better things.

They have officially become one with the Force, and that is something that should be celebrated. 

This is a beautiful message that can be applied to our lives outside of the Star Wars universe. At its core, Yoda’s message is saying that even though someone has died, only their physical bodies have been removed. 

They will continue to live on through their work and the impression they left on others. Their lives should be celebrated. 

Are Jedi Allowed to Mourn?

Mourning involves a large outpouring of emotions, whether they are voluntary or involuntary. This poses the major question of whether or not the Jedi are allowed to mourn? 

As we know, the Jedi have a strict set of rules that govern their lives in the Order. These rules are compacted into one convenient list known as the Jedi Code. 

Two of the rules perfectly tie into the question of the Jedi’s ability to mourn. They are that Jedi are not permitted to form attachments and are not permitted to harbor emotions.

So, does this mean they are not allowed to mourn the loss of their comrades? 

No, it does not. 

If we take a look at when Jedi meditate, they are to acknowledge the emotions they feel and then release them to clear their minds. It’s the same when dealing with loss. 

The Jedi are encouraged to not shy away from their feelings. They are to embrace the emotions that emerge from the loss and figure out what it means to them. 

Then, just as they do with every other emotion they feel, they meditate to clear their minds. Hence, it became a fitting vessel for the Force. 

Why Does Yoda Not Mourn the Dead?

Master Yoda, with his philosophy on death, is one who did not grieve the death of a loved one. He did not mourn the passing of his brothers in arms or his students. In his words, “Mourn them not. Miss them, do not. ” 

Still, it is theoretically normal for Yoda to react to a loss. In his case, what he feels would most likely be a disturbance in the force. After all, the Force resides within all living beings. 

As a result, a force-sensitive being may experience strange feelings when someone dies. Especially if it’s another force-sensitive who died. 

How Did Yoda Feel About Order 66?

Firstly, here is a quick recap of Order 66.

Order 66, accurately nicknamed the Great Jedi Purge, occurred when the Clone Troopers’ minds were tampered with. This corruption led to the clones’ seeing all Jedi as enemies who must be annihilated.

This led to the massacre of ninety-nine percent of the Jedi Order, which equated to nine thousand, nine hundred Jedi. Moreover, the Jedi temple was almost completely destroyed by Darth Vader and his team during this time. 

Many of the survivors went into exile for their own protection, still, they were hunted and slaughtered like prey. 

Among the Jedi who survived was Master Yoda, and his reaction to this carnage was interesting. In the aftermath of the Purge, Yoda also went into exile, but his reasoning was twofold. 

Apart from hiding from the Inquisitors who were tasked with killing the surviving Jedi, Yoda’s exile also served as self-punishment. Why did he need to be punished? 

Well, as per the Jedi Code, all life must be protected, and as the Jedi Grand Master, Yoda had the task of being responsible for all Jedi. Therefore, because he failed to protect them from their premature deaths, he went into exile as punishment. 

There, he would meditate and try to reconnect with the Force. 

Conclusion 

One of the only things that are certain in life is the unavoidable nature of death. We have no control over when it comes, how it happens, or whether it comes for us. 

What we can control is the way we deal with it. This is something that Yoda, in his own backward-speaking, no-emotion-having way, wanted to teach the Jedi. 

While saying to not mourn and miss your fallen colleague would not win Yoda any awards for grief counseling, there is a method to his madness.

The reason Yoda didn’t mourn and didn’t encourage others to do so was that he accepted that death was a natural thing that happens whether we want it to or not. 

What’s more, Yoda believed that the fallen would achieve the highest connection to the Force there is, once they passed. And to him, this was something worth celebrating, not crying over.