Star Wars has just revealed how powerful Master High Republic Era, the golden age of the Jedi Order. These stories have been set 200 years before the Skywalker saga, at a time when the balance of the Force was skewed towards the light, meaning Jedi were at their most powerful. Remarkably, though, Yoda still stood above them all.

EW has just published an exclusive excerpt for Charles Soule's Trials of the Jedi, the final book in the High Republic saga. The galaxy is wracked by a terrifying force known as the Blight, which consumes the Force itself and destroys entire worlds. Worse still, the Blight has taken root on Coruscant, in the ancient Sith shrine beneath the Jedi Temple. Jedi Masters work relentlessly to stave the Blight off using the Force. In the excerpt, a youngling goes to fetch Yoda for a meeting with the Jedi Council:

"The Jedi glanced at each other. They both stood, and each tapped an­other resting Jedi on the shoulder. These two nodded as well, seeming tired, so tired.

“Yoda’s needed above,” Master Byre said. “We need to pull him out.”

Neither of the other Jedi answered, just accepted the reality of the situation, and all four moved toward the circle of meditating Jedi...

One of the other Jedi who had been resting moved toward the circle, toward a small figure, smaller than any of the others. Pale-green skin, head bald but for a few shocks of white hair, big pointy ears. Bree knew him—every Jedi did. This was Yoda. Like every youngling in the Order, Bree had learned important lessons from the ancient Grand Master. Hundreds of years old yet he made time for every child brought into the Order’s care.

Yoda was smiling. His eyes were closed, and his face radiated peace. As the other Jedi touched him lightly on the shoulder, the smile faded away like smoke from a blown-out candle. Yoda got slowly to his feet, assisted by the other Jedi, and Bree heard a groan wash across the other Knights and masters in the circle. Their bodies shifted, they sat more heavily, and Bree understood what had happened.

It took four of them to replace Yoda, she thought.

Yoda shook his head slightly, as if clearing it after waking from a dream. He looked up toward Bree and began making his slow way over to her, favoring one leg, moving with a limp. She didn’t want to get any closer to the Blight, but she walked toward him, and so when he stum­bled, she was there to catch him."

It Takes Four Jedi To Replace Master Yoda

This is the golden age of the Jedi, a time when the Jedi performed unparalleled feats and wielded Force powers beyond anything we've seen in the Skywalker saga. Even at this point, though, Master Yoda was beyond anything else seen in the Order; the Jedi protecting against the Blight were all skilled and powerful, but it took four of them to replace him. It's testament to just how powerful Yoda really is.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace strongly implied that Yoda was the most powerful of the Jedi, introducing midi-chlorians as a measure of Force potential. But there's so much more to Yoda than his midi-chlorian count, because he has also cultivated a familiarity with the Force like nobody else. He's been helped by his unusual longevity; it's currently unknown whether all of Yoda's species live for as long as he did, or if his ageing was slowed due to his Force connection.

Anakin Had The Potential To Be Even Greater

Yoda may have been powerful, but Anakin Skywalker - the Chosen One - had the potential to be even greater. Anakin was conceived by the Force itself, and his midi-chlorian count was even greater than Yoda's. He did not, however, go on to fulfil that potential; Anakin never became as closely connected to the Force as Yoda, and his limbs were ultimately sliced off by Obi-Wan, leaving him permanently weakened. Yoda easily remains one of the most powerful Jedi in Star Wars.

Source: EW