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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

CT Why did Yoda play dumb when Luke first arrived?

Discussion in 'Classic Trilogy' started by Keycube, Jan 13, 2016.

  1. Keycube

    Keycube Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2009
    Sorry if this has been covered a gazillion times...

    This is one of those things I never really questioned until the internet age of breaking everything down, but upon reflection - was Yoda just trying to gauge Luke's "first impression" skills when he's asking him "why are you here?" and all that? Surely Obi-Wan and Yoda had discussed this meeting at length, and you would think OWK would have given Yoda some warning - hell, Yoda likely sensed Luke's impending arrival anyway - so did Yoda just want to get Luke talking to get a "vibe" off of him..?

    Presumably, Yoda has been observing Luke from afar all this time as well, eh? So he likely already knows Luke's limitations; is he just setting Luke up to show his worst side - immaturity & impatience - so that it will give him a reason to not train him?

    I haven't cared about delving into things like this for 30+ years; it's amazing how much TFA has "awakened". :)
     
  2. DARTHLINK

    DARTHLINK Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 24, 2005
    I guess he was just testing to see if Luke was just as irritable and impatient as his father was, gauging how long the training would have to be, how much of Anakin is in Luke, etc.

    A true Jedi would've just been patient with this funny little creature. Luke yells at him, then screams, "I don't even know what we're doing here, we're wasting our time!"
     
  3. CT1138

    CT1138 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 4, 2013
    Indeed. Yoda wanted to see how a Jedi would treat a complete stranger, since like 99% of a Jedi Knight's life involves interacting with complete strangers.
     
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  4. Evening Star

    Evening Star Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 18, 2015
    I think so too. He was testing Luke's patience. But I like his introduction even though we later learn that he's actually a serious and wise master.
     
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  5. Sarge

    Sarge Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 1998
    It was test and Luke failed; that's obvious.

    I'm wondering if Yoda knew Luke would fail and was hoping he'd learn a lesson. Was it supposed to be a "teaching moment?"
     
  6. Unit51

    Unit51 Jedi Padawan star 1

    Registered:
    Dec 29, 2015
    It wasn't a test, it was lesson number one. Expect the unexpected, or basically, not to judge a book by it's cover.
    Had Luke learned that lesson better, he may have handled a certain bit of news he received on Bespin shortly thereafter.
     
  7. MauiMisfit

    MauiMisfit Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Dec 29, 2015
    I saw it as a two-fold thing -
    1) A test which Luke failed; and
    2) An excuse not to train another Jedi.

    I feel like Yoda really was against training another and was grasping at straws not to train him.
    - too old
    - too headstrong
    - not in the moment
    - etc

    I think he felt that it is exhausting to teach a Jedi pupil and teaching someone who could so easily fall to the dark side wasn't a good idea.
     
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  8. DARTHLINK

    DARTHLINK Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 24, 2005
    And he may have been having flashbacks to the last time he trained a headstrong, impatient Skywalker who was too old by Jedi standards.

    Hint: Galaxy plunged into Hell, and the Jedi were all basically wiped out. He was probably thinking, “Noo! This again, not!!”
     
  9. Bob Effette

    Bob Effette Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 20, 2015
    Because Yoda missed dicking around with those younglings, and decided to have some fun with Luke instead.
     
  10. Brando_Calrissian

    Brando_Calrissian Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Oct 31, 2015
    Yoda could have simply been having fun with Luke since it's the first time in a long time that he has interacted with another individual.
     
  11. IamZam

    IamZam Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 19, 2002
    My guess is he wanted to test the waters, and make sure Luke wasn't going to be Anakin Jr. He was also probably having a little fun with him.
     
  12. SateleNovelist11

    SateleNovelist11 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jan 10, 2015

    Good point. A Jedi must strive to be compassionate to everyone. Luke was rude, impatient, and self-centered. Definitely didn't work. I'm glad he learned from his mistakes.
     
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  13. enigmaticjedi

    enigmaticjedi Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Nov 2, 2011
    He wanted to test Luke's patience.

    Yoda: "I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience."

    By the way, the vast majority of people in the 21st century, likely including me too, would probably fail that test thanks to our instant gratification technological society. Though I am probably okay with that.
     
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  14. Bossk74

    Bossk74 Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 15, 2016
    The characters in the Original Trilogy were based off of archetype characters found in the teachings of Joseph Campbell. The wizard, the adventurer, the comic relief characters...etc. This is one of the reasons the original resonated with so many people. Yoda was created to be the innocuous character that you initially assume to be harmless...when in fact he is much more powerful than he seems. Also I think it's possible Yoda may have went a little bonkers in exile. That much time alone without other people will drive someone insane.
    :yoda:
     
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  15. Storm_Cloud

    Storm_Cloud Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 13, 2016
    I lean more towards a lesson than a test. Yoda already knew how Luke was before he arrived on Dagobah - he said as much in the argument with Obi-Wan:

    "A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph! Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless!"

     
  16. Darth Vader's Chest Plate

    Darth Vader's Chest Plate Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2013
    20 years of isolation probably does that to one's mind. At least Obi-Wan interacted with some people on Tatooine.
    Don't forget Yoda was still in hiding and not quite sure who the bloke was that had just landed in his front garden.