A new Star Wars: Episode IX rumor suggests Yoda will once again return to the saga in order to be a mentor to Rey. The 900-year old Jedi Master made a much celebrated comeback in The Last Jedi, where he gave Luke Skywalker one final lesson and helped his pupil accept his failure. It’s no secret Episode VIII was one of the more divisive blockbusters in recent memory, but most are in agreement the Yoda scene is one of the movie’s strongest. Many fans were also thrilled to see puppet Yoda on the big screen, with Frank Oz operating the character like old times.

While there have been rumors Yoda could be the subject of his own spinoff film at some point in time, it was easy to assume his appearance in Last Jedi would be his final in the mainline Skywalker saga. Luke, of course, is now one with the Force, and the prevailing thought was that if J.J. Abrams used a Force ghost in Episode IX, it would be Luke paying a visit to his apprentice to share some wisdom. However, according to a new report, the filmmakers may have something else in mind.


Per the New York Daily News, Lucasfilm is preparing to have Yoda show up in Episode IX as they gear up for production to start this July. Citing a “source familiar” with the upcoming sequel, the outlet shared some details:

“The success of the scenes featuring Yoda in The Last Jedi were huge. Yoda will again appear as a ghost as he acknowledges Rey’s success and growth as a Jedi. The scenes are due to be put together later this year.”


It’s very important for readers to take this information with a healthy grain of salt, since even some of the stars of Episode IX haven’t read a script yet. While it would be great to see Yoda again, him showing up to guide Rey does sound a bit puzzling. As noted in his conversation with Luke, Yoda is aware of Rey’s existence and her importance to the sequel trilogy’s central conflict, but the two characters never met face-to-face. In all likelihood, Rey would be a little confused if Yoda’s spirit manifested, given she has no connection to him. Of course, Yoda could appear alongside Luke, who will certainly be keeping tabs on Rey from the afterlife. Mark Hamill has admitted he’s content to not reprise Luke, but is fully aware that’s Abrams’ decision to make. Since Hamill is the only member of the original trilogy’s big three who can be in Episode IX, the creative team would probably like to find a spot for him.


Fans will recall there were numerous rumors about Yoda in The Last Jedi, and Lucasfilm never made an official comment on the matter prior to the film’s release. The studio is renowned for the secrecy, so it’s highly plausible any Force ghost cameos in Star Wars 9 will be held back as a surprise for the premiere. It would be nice if Lucasfilm cleared this up during the promotional campaign, but they largely stay out of fan theorizing and rumor mongering. It’ll be interesting to see what happens. If Abrams can find a way to elevate something like this beyond fan service, it would be a fun inclusion. The key, as with anything, is making it organic to the narrative.