Why Does Yoda Speak Backwards? George Lucas Finally Answers

Why Does Yoda Speak Backwards? George Lucas Finally Answers

Yoda has a very unique way of speaking that has become iconic to the character. George Lucas has now revealed why he made Yoda speak in such a way.

By ChandlerMcniel - Apr 29, 2025 01:04 PM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars
Source: SFFGazette.com

Yoda is one of the most recognizable characters in all of Star Wars. In fact, he might be the most recognizable character. As he is a very small but still agile green alien with big pointy ears that walks with a cane, his appearance is very unique. However, the most memorable part of Yoda’s character is the way he talks. Yoda starts his sentences with what most people would end them with and ends them with what most people would start them with. Some of Yoda’s quotes include, “The best teacher, failure is,” and “Always in motion is the future.”

Now, after many years of leaving fans wondering, George Lucas has revealed why he chose to have Yoda speak in such a unique way. 

At the 45th anniversary screening of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, George Lucas was in attendance. He was asked quite a few questions that night, but, via Variety, Lucas had this to say about Yoda’s dialect.

“Because if you speak regular English, people won’t listen that much But if he had an accent, or it’s really hard to understand what he’s saying, they focus on what he’s saying.”

“He was basically the philosopher of the movie,” Lucas continued. “I had to figure out a way to get people to actually listen — especially 12-year-olds.”

It’s a genius tactic that has gone down as legendary for the character. Clearly, Lucas was focused on making Star Wars for everybody long before the first movie ever released. 

On a separate note, Lucas talked about the writing process for the original trilogy and how he writes in general, saying, “I write like a blueprint. It’s not got a lot of detail on it. And when I got the script [for ‘Star Wars’] done, there was a 130 to 180 pages. So I cut it into three parts and said, ‘I’ll focus on the first one, because we’ll never get enough money to make the whole thing.”

This fun piece of information about Yoda comes as Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith is being rereleased. Without a doubt, Revenge of the Sith is the most popular among the prequel trilogy, and fans have shown up to show their support for the film. This weekend, the rerelease brought in $42.2 million at the box office which is massively impressive for a film that has already come out. 

In recent years, the prequel trilogy has been shown a lot more love by fans. While much of it was initially panned by critics and fans, a sense of nostalgia and recognition for the good parts of the trilogy, and a wide disliking of the modern Star Wars movies, have sent the fandom back to the prequels. 

What are your thoughts on Yoda’s peculiar dialect? Are you seeing Revenge of the Sith soon? Let us know in the comments!

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0bstreperous
0bstreperous - 4/29/2025, 1:16 PM
I read this in an EU novel
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 4/29/2025, 1:34 PM
@0bstreperous -

Did Yoda explain this idea to someone?

Or did a real person explain this outside of the story?
0bstreperous
0bstreperous - 4/29/2025, 2:10 PM
@MakeAmericaGrea - If I remember it was Luke explaining it to his son Ben
WhatIfRickJames
WhatIfRickJames - 4/29/2025, 1:19 PM
Because he had an aneurysm
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 4/29/2025, 1:20 PM
Because he's retarded?
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 4/29/2025, 1:30 PM
Hey, it's not nice to say retarded.

At least that's what some people say.
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 4/29/2025, 1:21 PM
Ace venture done it better

User Comment Image
UncleHarm1
UncleHarm1 - 4/29/2025, 1:21 PM
He spoke much more normal English in the OT, also they fundamentally misunderstood the character by making him a full time goofball in the new movies. He was just pretending to be a weird goblin to mess with Luke that's not his actual personality...
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 4/29/2025, 1:25 PM
@UncleHarm1 -

Jar Jar Abrams is a hackfraud, true.

For awhile I also thought Yoda didn't "speak backwards" much after he told Luke he is Yoda.

But he does.
ClintthaManster
ClintthaManster - 4/29/2025, 1:45 PM
@MakeAmericaGrea - JJ Abrams didn't make a movie with Yoda in it.
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 4/29/2025, 2:04 PM
@ClintthaManster -

What do you mean?
ClintthaManster
ClintthaManster - 4/29/2025, 2:29 PM
@MakeAmericaGrea - You responded to a post about how Yoda had been mischaracterized in Star Wars post-OT by saying "Jar Jar Abrams is a hackfraud."
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 4/29/2025, 1:23 PM
He didn't speak backwards.

Unless we want to say all kinds of real people speak backwards.

In my head canon, he talks that way because millions of other people talked that way, in a more civilized age some time between 300 and 900+ years before the original trilogy's setting.
JobinJ
JobinJ - 4/29/2025, 1:23 PM
I thought it was because he is retarded.
BrainySleep
BrainySleep - 4/29/2025, 1:24 PM
Feisty one you are
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 4/29/2025, 1:24 PM
The answer would’ve been funnier had he just said because my original voice actor was dyslexic and read it that way.
MaximusTheMad
MaximusTheMad - 4/29/2025, 1:40 PM
This is actually genius.

I'll try this when I want people to listen to me.

MrKayDeeBee
MrKayDeeBee - 4/29/2025, 2:17 PM
@MaximusTheMad - Genius...this actually is, lol
Wahhvacado
Wahhvacado - 4/29/2025, 1:43 PM
User Comment Image
SATW42
SATW42 - 4/29/2025, 2:02 PM
I heard this on the radio the other day too. I thought this was known and didn't realize it was "news"
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 4/29/2025, 2:42 PM
That’s pretty cool and makes sense imo.
dragon316
dragon316 - 4/29/2025, 4:34 PM
If yoda talked normal I still listen remember what he said come come , and no mine what I remember juggernaught spoke normal perfect English I still remember this line movie character speaks memorial line it will stay with fans regardless how they speak

?si=MHPWN-s8hJ5U6yia

Take blue pill or red pill, man of steel I am your son , water world there is dry land , hears Johnny , do not go in there , much more

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