Archival sources reveal Yoda was originally intended to be blue

New evidence from archival sources and interviews with special effects artists suggests that Yoda, the iconic Star Wars Jedi Master, was almost given a blue or even purple skin color in ‘The Empire Strikes Back.’ Early screenplay descriptions, as well as novelizations and comic adaptations from 1980, depict Yoda as bluish or purple, indicating that the decision to make him green was made late in production. Concept art from 1978 shows Yoda in multiple colors, including light blue and pink. Stuart Freeborn, the makeup artist behind Yoda’s design, died in 2013, but Nick Maley, who worked on the character’s animatronic skin, confirmed that by the time he joined the project in 1979, Yoda was already green. The change may have been influenced by common associations of aliens with green skin. Maley also noted that tie-in comics often used outdated designs due to miscommunication. Yoda’s species remains mysterious, with green skin and strong Force abilities. The renewed interest in Yoda came with the Disney+ series ‘The Mandalorian,’ which introduced Grogu, popularly known as ‘Baby Yoda,’ further highlighting the cultural impact of the character.