Star Wars Reveals Why Master Yoda Is The Greatest Jedi Teacher – & Why Count Dooku’s Fall Broke Him

Star Wars confirms why Jedi Master Yoda is such a good teacher, though it’s also why Count Dooku’s fall to the dark side must have broken the grandmaster. Although Yoda trained countless younglings across his 900 years of life, Dooku was one of the few who became one of his official Jedi apprentices. However, the subsequent corruption to the dark side makes Dooku even more of an exception among Yoda’s many students in the Star Wars timeline.

One of Yoda’s newest appearances can be seen in the hit kids’ show Young Jedi Adventures. Set 200 years before the events of The Phantom Menace during the High Republic Era, the Jedi Order was in a period of great peace and prosperity with Yoda himself dedicating his time to the training and instructions of several Jedi younglings. This includes the new Star Wars show and its leading trio of younglings Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay, and Nubs, and a new episode entitled “An Adventure with Yoda” which shows more of the grandmaster’s unique training style.

Yoda’s Teaching Was Based On Seeing The Potential Of His Students

“You Are More Capable Than You Realize”

As seen in this episode of Young Jedi Adventures, the younglings receive a special day of training with Yoda himself during his visit to their Jedi Temple outpost on Tenoo. Facing actual dangers from a pair of Nihil marauders who make their Star Wars TV debut, Yoda’s training and encouragement of the younglings (and their pilot friend Nash) occurs in the field with a fascinating approach. While Yoda could have easily dispatched both of the Nihil, he instead allowed his students to realize their own capabilities. His focus is on encouraging them to see the potential he sees within each of them, and then to act on it with confidence.

Keeping this in mind, it’s not hard to see that the Yoda seen during the High Republic is notably different from the one featured 200 years later in the prequel trilogy. This includes the Jedi Grandmaster’s appearances in the canonical High Republic books and comics as well. As such, it’s possible that the fall of his future apprentice might have created some issues for Yoda and this particular teaching style.

Count Dooku’s Fall Would Have Damaged Yoda’s Faith In This Approach

Dooku Wasted His Potential By Turning To The Dark Side

Yoda must have seen great potential within Dooku, hence his rare decision to take him on as his personal Jedi apprentice in the years before The Phantom Menace. However, Dooku still fell to the dark side after being seduced and corrupted by Palpatine aka Darth Sidious. As such, it’s easy to see why Count Dooku’s fall would have damaged Yoda, as he likely saw the potential for so much good in Dooku. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the betrayal shook Yoda to his core at this point in the Star Wars timeline, perhaps even enough to introduce more caution in any training he did going forward.