Why Did Yoda Refuse to Use a Lightsaber After Order 66?
The fall of the Jedi Order was a burden Grand Master Yoda carried with deep sorrow and regret. Following Order 66, with the Sith in control and the Jedi nearly extinct, Yoda chose to go into exile on Dagobah, believing solitude was the only way he could truly atone.
A Symbol of Failure
In the comic Age of Rebellion Special #1, Yoda comes across a herd of creatures with the best meat on the planet. With his immense power, he could have easily hunted one using the Force or his lightsaber—but he didn’t.
Years before, Yoda had already made a personal vow to never wield a lightsaber again. For him, the weapon had become a symbol of the Jedi Order’s overreliance on combat and militarization. The Jedi, once guardians of peace, had become generals in a galactic war—and were ultimately outmaneuvered by the Sith.
Choosing Humility and Penitence
As part of his self-imposed penance, Yoda abandoned his lightsaber and instead relied on primitive tools, such as a bow and arrow, to survive. This choice reflected his desire to live simply, in harmony with the Living Force, rather than through domination or strength.
Yoda’s refusal to use a lightsaber was not just a rejection of violence—it was a repudiation of the Jedi’s greatest mistakes. Until the day he passed into the Force, he honored that vow, a quiet testament to the weight of his failure and the hope that future generations would not repeat it.
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