master yoda

=== Character overview ===
Yoda is portrayed as a wise and powerful [[Jedi|Jedi Master]] in the ''Star Wars'' universe. Series creator [[George Lucas]] originally wished Yoda to follow his other characters in having a full name: ''Yoda Minch'', but instead opted to have many details of the character's life history remain unknown. Yoda's [[List of Star Wars races|race]] has never been stated in any media, [[Star Wars canon|canonical]] or otherwise, and he is merely stated to be of a "mysterious species" by the [[Star Wars Databank]].

Early in the development of ''Episode IV'', Lucas included a [[species]] called the [[Whill]]s, a mysterious, omnipresent race who were to take the story-teller perspective. It has been postulated by fans that Yoda, and characters [[Yaddle]] and [[Vandar Tokare]] are Whills; recently, there has been passing reference to a [[Shaman]] of the Order of the Whills in the [[Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (novel)|novelization]] of ''[[Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith]]'', confirming their continued [[Star Wars canon|canonical]] existence in the ''Star Wars'' universe. However, Lucas has firmly denied that Yoda's species is in fact that of the Whills. In fact, very little is reported of Yoda's life before the events of ''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]''.

The films and [[Expanded Universe]] reveal that he had trained several notable Jedi, including [[Count Dooku]], who is identified in ''[[Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones]]'' as Yoda's old [[Jedi#Jedi ranks|Padawan Learner]]; [[Mace Windu]]; [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] (partially, before [[Qui-Gon Jinn]] takes over as Obi-Wan's master); [[Ki-Adi-Mundi]], [[Kit Fisto]] and eventually [[Luke Skywalker]]. (During the animated series ''[[Star Wars: Clone Wars (TV Series)|Star Wars: Clone Wars]]'', set between ''Attack of the Clones'' and ''Revenge of the Sith'', he mentions that he trained another one of the leaders on the Jedi Council, Master Oppo Rancisis.) In the [[Star Wars prequel trilogy|''Star Wars'' prequel]] it is shown that he instructs all [[Jedi#Jedi ranks|younglings]] in the [[Jedi Temple]] before they are assigned to a master. This was displayed in a scene in ''Attack Of the Clones''.