Overview

• George Lucas disclosed that Yoda’s backwards speech was a deliberate choice to capture the attention of viewers, particularly 12-year-olds, during his philosophical lines.
• The explanation came during the 45th anniversary screening of The Empire Strikes Back at the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival on April 24.
• Frank Oz, who voiced and puppeteered Yoda, suggested making the character’s speech consistently unconventional after noticing odd syntax in the original script.
• Lucas initially feared the Yoda puppet would fail on screen but later described its performance as 'magic' once it was filmed.
• The event highlighted Yoda’s enduring legacy as a mentor figure, while the Star Wars franchise continues to expand under Disney’s stewardship.