Star Wars: 15 Show-Stealing Side Characters Who Shaped The Galaxy
6. Yoda
If there's any character more identifiable than Darth Vader within the Star Wars franchise, it's Yoda. The strongest member of the Jedi council, Yoda's presence carries the most weight. Any scene Yoda occupies in both the prequel and original trilogies are stolen by his solemn words and tantalizing action sequences.
Fans waited a long time to finally see Yoda wield a lightsaber - And it paid off at the climax of Attack of the Clones. His duel with Count Dooku, though short and fast, upped the game from the duel witnessed at the end of The Phantom Menace. The duel between Darth Sidious and Yoda in Revenge of the Sith would take everything from Attack of the Clones and multiple it by ten.
Shaping The Franchise
Yoda is the tent pole Jedi of the entire franchise. That view may change after the release of episodes 8 & 9 with Luke's journey and the potential power he could wield. It's well known the success of the franchise hinged on whether or not Yoda would be a believable character when first introduced in Empire Strikes Back. It's safe to say the gamble paid off.
Whether it's Yoda's size, strength or funny way of speaking, he proves to be a character fans can rally behind. His character dominated the second act of Empire Strikes Back and much of the prequel trilogy. While mystery is sometimes better than clarity, his character is just too bankable to not be explored further.