Summary

  • Yoda's decision to train Luke Skywalker was more heroic than it seemed, as his own trip into the Dark Side Cave almost killed him.
  • Yoda's cave vision was much more intense than Luke's, with twisted versions of Count Dooku, Anakin Skywalker, and Darth Sidious pulling him towards death.
  • The Dagobah Cave contains concentrated dark side energy that can have physical impacts on those who enter, as seen with Yoda and another character, Madelin Sun.

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Star Wars: Yoda #10 While it’s hard to imagine a version of Star Wars continuity where Yoda doesn’t train Luke Skywalker, the truth is, that iconic training almost didn’t happen. In fact, one of the latest additions to Star Wars canon confirms that Yoda agreeing to train Luke at all was way more heroic than it initially seemed, as it, in fact, almost killed him.

In Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Force Ghost goes to Luke Skywalker on Hoth and tells Luke to find Master Yoda on Dagobah, who will continue his Jedi training. After nearly freezing to death in Hoth’s icy tundra, then almost getting destroyed/captured by Darth Vader and the Empire, Luke successfully makes it to Dagobah, where a perky (and ittedly downright annoying) Master Yoda is waiting to train him in the ways of the Force. What follows is an extensive training session where Luke is able to hone his abilities beyond simply swinging his lightsaber, but to actually channel the Force, both externally and internally. Luke Skywalker's Jedi training arguably culminates with his trip inside the Dark Side Cave, where he has a vision of battling Darth Vader, only to learn that, if he isn’t careful, he could become just like Vader himself. The cave proved to Luke that he could overcome the darkness within himself, and during an earlier chapter in Yoda’s life, the cave did the exact same thing for him - just, much more intensely.

Yoda’s Cave Vision Nearly Killed Him (& He Isn’t The Only One)

Yoda being tormented by his dark side vision.

In Star Wars: Yoda #10 by Cavan Scott and Ibraim Roberson, Yoda is at perhaps his lowest point in his life. He’s in exile on Dagobah, stewing in the misery and shame of his failure. Yoda blamed himself for the fall of the Jedi and the rise of the Empire, so he decided to take himself out of the equation entirely. However, Obi-Wan Kenobi decided that Yoda wasn’t done quite yet. Before giving Luke the ‘all-clear’ to visit Yoda on Dagobah, Obi-Wan’s Force Ghost visited Yoda and convinced him to take Luke as his student. To do that, Obi-Wan first had to convince Yoda to enter the Dark Side Cave and face the darkest aspects of his nature that clearly reside in his shameful past. And, as shown in this issue, that darkness was extensive - and dangerous.

Star Wars' Madelin Sun corrupted by the Dark Side Cave.

While Luke only saw Vader, and the horrifying possibility that he could end up just like him, Yoda had much more fuel in that proverbial flame. Yoda encountered a twisted, mutilated version of Count Dooku, a flame-engulfed Anakin Skywalker, a lightning-wielding Darth Sidious, and a pile of the dead all pulling him under the earth to them. While it’s easy to chalk up these events as being pure manifestations of Yoda’s own anxieties, another Star Wars comic confirms the very real dangers that cave holds for those who venture inside. In Star Wars: Crimson Reign #3, an academic in both the light and dark sides of the Force named Madelin Sun entered the Dark Side Cave, and the ‘visions’ she encountered led to her permanent mutilation. She survived, but just barely, and was forever changed by the traumatic experience.

The concentrated dark side energy within the Dagobah Cave is strong enough to have a physical impact on those who enter. It was true for Madelin, which means it was true for Luke and Yoda. However, where Yoda stands out is that his Force vision was way more intense than the other two, meaning the threat to his life was far greater as a result. Therefore, it’s clear to see - after the elaboration presented in this Star Wars issue - that Yoda agreeing to train Luke Skywalker was actually way more heroic than it seemed, as it, in fact, almost killed him.

Star Wars: Yoda #10 by Marvel Comics is available now.