Rumour has it Star Wars creator and director, George Lucas based the Star Wars character Yoda,  Luke Skywalker’s mentor, off an Asian primate called the tarsier. This is due to the uncanny resemblance between the fictional character and the tarsier. Most recently, when Grogu, nicknamed ‘Baby Yoda’ appeared in the 2019 TV series, The Mandalorian, the questions of Yoda’s species ignited fan discussions once again. However, Lucas has dispelled the fan theory; and revealed that the Jedi master was not modelled after tarsiers.  

Myron Shekelle an anthropologist at Western Washington University, in an interview, noted how the long ears and bulging eyes of Yoda’s species are very similar to that of those in the tarsier family that dwell in the tropical rainforest in the Southeast Asian islands of the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. Shekelle believes that even if Lucas denies the rumours, there is the possibility that he was “subconsciously influenced somehow” or simply wants to maintain some sense of suspense around the character.

Yoda’s species wasn’t identified when the character first appeared in the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back. Yoda lives on the swamp planet of Dagobah: although his home world is never revealed. The green alien trains the protagonist, Luke Skywalker in the Jedi arts, so he can defeat the Galactic Empire and restore balance to the Force. Over 40 years since Master Yoda’s debut, Star Wars Databank lists Yoda’s species as ‘unknown’. 

Yoda’s origin and backstory itself are shrouded in mystery. The other characters of the same race are Grogu and a female named Yaddle. Yoda and Yaddle don’t have last names; Grogu acquires the clan name Din when Mandalorian bounty hunter, Din Djarin formally adopts him.

 Tarsiers are prosimians and more closely related to lemurs than they are to monkeys and humans. These are the only entirely carnivorous primates and consume bugs, small mammals and lizards. Yoda is seen making rootleaf stew - which is vegetarian. However, Baby Yoda, created by Director Jon Favreau eats frogs, spiders, tentacle chowder and bone broth on screen.  

Given the possibility of ‘artistic license’, and Grogu’s more carnivorous diet than the elder Jedi Master, Shekelle said “After decades of speculation about Yoda’s connection with tarsiers, it is quite possible that newcomers to directing the franchise look to tarsiers for inspiration about Yoda’s habits.”  

Sharon Gursky, a tarsier expert at Texas A&M University said “It is possible but very unlikely that Lucas knew what a tarsier was back in the 1960s and 70s.” Like Yoda, the earthly critters are also very mysterious and Gursky recounted when she first conducted field research in the 1990s in Indonesia, superstitious locals wore charms made of garlic around their necks as they feared that the primate was a “bad omen.” Gursky’s spectral tarsier from the Sulawesi island is named after her.  

Recently, thanks to advances in science including innovations in DNA testing and identifying their vocalisations, new tarsier species have been ‘discovered’.

Tarsiers are avid leapers as they scale treetops. Likewise, Yoda and Grogu’s fighting style involves jumping around acrobatically. Shekelle also noted that the trees on Dagobah resemble strangler figs - where tarsiers of Sulawesi nest.  

Both also possess a diminutive stature. Philippine tarsiers are the second smallest primate, with a maximum length of around 6 inches. Yoda stands at a little over 2 feet. But they both can definitely punch (or force-choke) leagues above their weight class!  The alien species have long lifespans and age slowly - the Senior Jedi master died at 900 years of age and at 50, Grogu is still described as a “child”.  

All three known members are also strong with the Force.  Shekelle stated that one tarsier in particular, the Horsfield or Bornean tarsier specifically could have been the inspiration, given both its closest resemblance and the fact that it was “easily the most well-studied species or subspecies to science” by 1980, when the Empire Strikes Back was released.  

“I know the ears of tarsiers pretty well and Yoda’s ears look closest to that of the Bornean tarsier specifically.” He had similar thoughts about Yoda’s eye shape. “Pretty big coincidence in my opinion” Two new species of tarsier were revealed on Star Wars Day (May 4) in 2017, only further fuelling the rumours that Lucas has put to rest. 

Apart from tarsier attributes, some have suggested that Yoda may have been modelled after either Albert Einstein or Stuart Freeborn, who designed the character’s animatronic puppet. Shekelle added “I favour taking Lucas’ word in this case. It is possible that he is being the unreliable narrator but I would never wish  aspersion to be cast upon any honest person and therefore do not encourage that speculation.”  

“Yoda is a fictional character and a mysterious one. So, maybe it’s nice if some mystery remains about his origin.”

By Avi Kumar