Star Wars: The High Republic is a new publishing initiative from Lucasfilm which promises to deliver a series of new stories by delving into this Galaxy around 200 years before the events of The Phantom Menace. Now, StarWars.com has shared a new sneak peek, revealing what the legendary Yoda looked like as a (slightly) younger being.
As you can see, the changes aren't too significant, but the Jedi Master will be the focus of Daniel José Older’s Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures comic book which is set to be released by IDW Publishing next year. Despite only being slightly younger, though, he will have a different attitude.
"It’s especially exciting to be able to introduce him in the era of the High Republic," the writer tells the site. "The High Republic Yoda is a journeyman out in the galaxy. While he’s already a respected member of the Jedi Council at this point, we meet Yoda in IDW’s The High Republic Adventures series doing what he loves best: looking out for the young folks - in this case, a group of Padawans travelling around the galaxy to learn the ways of the Jedi with a hands-on approach."
Troy Alders, Lucasfilm art director, credits concept artist Iain McCaig, Disney Publishing illustration manager Jeff R. Thomas, and Star Wars: Dark Legends artist Grant Griffin with creating Yoda's new look, explaining: "Well, Yoda is not that much younger — around 700 years old instead of about 900. But we thought that with it being hundreds of years earlier, he would definitely have a different outfit, maybe even more than one. His age, as far as the way that his hair and face look, is maybe just slightly younger, but fairly close to his look in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace."
Again, the changes made to Yoda's appearance aren't all that drastic, but it will certainly be interesting to see how much he differs here, and what he was like before he became embroiled in The Clone Wars.