What was Yoda's plan?
Posted: 2009-01-09 04:49pm
When Yoda went into hiding at the end of ROTS what was his plan? We dont see him arriving at Degobah so we dont know if he took a ship there or had the Senator drop him off there. So we do not know if Yoda had a means to get off the planet. I assume the overal plan was for Obiwan to watchover Luke in person and Leia through the media and when they grew to the right age he would collect them and the three of them would go to Degobach for training.
But in ANH its mentioned that Obiwan wanted to give Luke the lightsaber years earlier but backed down just from Uncle Owens ranting. Which does not make sense. Giving a kid a lightsaber would draw way too much attention to him, or he might get himself killed playing with it. But if Obiwan wanted to give it to him to begin Luke's training then I dont see the mere complaints of Uncle Owen stopping him. He could just take Luke and leave with him.
Then there is the training on Degobah by Luke under Yoda. We know more from the novelization that Yoda trained him heavily in the use of his lightsaber, and added better control to his telekinetic abilities. The telekinetic I am assuming Luke taught to himself. We never see Obiwan show him or even demonstrate in Luke's presence how to move things with the Force. Yet in the beginning of ESB we see Luke display a basic telekinetic ability.
But we do not see or get the impression that Luke is trained to deal with Force Lightning. In fact it appears that there is no mention of Palpatine being a sith lord or the power that title represents. When Luke defeats Vader in ROTJ he then throws aside his saber and tells Palpatine that "you have lost" to me this suggests that Luke felt that Vader was the muscle and Palpatine was the brains. Further when Palpatine released Lukes cuffs there is a look of surprise on Luke's face that sys he had no idea that Palpatine had any force abilities at all.
One could suggest that Yoda's training was cut short, but when Luke returned at the beginning of ROTJ he is told by Yoda that his training is done. That is a great pat on the back for Luke but I bet at the end of the movie he was wishing that Yoda had mentioned the whole throwing lightning out of your fingertips trick so Luke could be ready to defend against it.
All of this suggests to me that Obiwan opened the door for Luke and gave him the most basic lightsaber knowledge. Yoda expanded that knowledge, expanded Luke's self-taught telekinetic ability, and taught him the ability to enhance his muscles, force jump, etc. Oh and Yoda taught him how to see the past and future through the force which seems like a big mistake. If he had not taught that they Luke wouldnt have run off early.
Luke then self-trained on how to telekinetic a bit, force choke (I just dont see Yoda teaching this), and under stress self-tech how to deflect force lightning using the force alone (ROTJ novelization) though under the stress of attack he is not able to deflect it enough and Palpatine just ramped up the power.
Which goes back to my main question. What was Yoda's plan? No attempt was ever made to bring Leia, which would have been easy for Luke to do if he was just told by Obiwan's ghost. Worse none of the important information on how dangerous Palpatine was given to Luke. If Luke had chopped off Vaders leg instead of hand then Luke would have died to Palpatine. The DS2 would have probably still been destroyed but no Jedi would have seriously screwed the New Republic.
But in ANH its mentioned that Obiwan wanted to give Luke the lightsaber years earlier but backed down just from Uncle Owens ranting. Which does not make sense. Giving a kid a lightsaber would draw way too much attention to him, or he might get himself killed playing with it. But if Obiwan wanted to give it to him to begin Luke's training then I dont see the mere complaints of Uncle Owen stopping him. He could just take Luke and leave with him.
Then there is the training on Degobah by Luke under Yoda. We know more from the novelization that Yoda trained him heavily in the use of his lightsaber, and added better control to his telekinetic abilities. The telekinetic I am assuming Luke taught to himself. We never see Obiwan show him or even demonstrate in Luke's presence how to move things with the Force. Yet in the beginning of ESB we see Luke display a basic telekinetic ability.
But we do not see or get the impression that Luke is trained to deal with Force Lightning. In fact it appears that there is no mention of Palpatine being a sith lord or the power that title represents. When Luke defeats Vader in ROTJ he then throws aside his saber and tells Palpatine that "you have lost" to me this suggests that Luke felt that Vader was the muscle and Palpatine was the brains. Further when Palpatine released Lukes cuffs there is a look of surprise on Luke's face that sys he had no idea that Palpatine had any force abilities at all.
One could suggest that Yoda's training was cut short, but when Luke returned at the beginning of ROTJ he is told by Yoda that his training is done. That is a great pat on the back for Luke but I bet at the end of the movie he was wishing that Yoda had mentioned the whole throwing lightning out of your fingertips trick so Luke could be ready to defend against it.
All of this suggests to me that Obiwan opened the door for Luke and gave him the most basic lightsaber knowledge. Yoda expanded that knowledge, expanded Luke's self-taught telekinetic ability, and taught him the ability to enhance his muscles, force jump, etc. Oh and Yoda taught him how to see the past and future through the force which seems like a big mistake. If he had not taught that they Luke wouldnt have run off early.
Luke then self-trained on how to telekinetic a bit, force choke (I just dont see Yoda teaching this), and under stress self-tech how to deflect force lightning using the force alone (ROTJ novelization) though under the stress of attack he is not able to deflect it enough and Palpatine just ramped up the power.
Which goes back to my main question. What was Yoda's plan? No attempt was ever made to bring Leia, which would have been easy for Luke to do if he was just told by Obiwan's ghost. Worse none of the important information on how dangerous Palpatine was given to Luke. If Luke had chopped off Vaders leg instead of hand then Luke would have died to Palpatine. The DS2 would have probably still been destroyed but no Jedi would have seriously screwed the New Republic.