The ONLY Time Yoda Turned to the Dark Side - Star Wars Explained

I love how if Yoda ever turned to the Dark Side for more than a few seconds, he could casually overpower the culmination of a 1000 years of the Rule of Two.

Yoda turns to grey side

so, the dark side is more powerful

I need to read the books, this creates conflict within me. It makes me sure that not only does he have knowledge of the dark side of the force, I believe that he once (maybe like 700 years ago or something) was consumed by the emotions that he now says to avoid and he had to learn the hard way to let go, by experiencing loss and heartbreak himself and a lot of it. I think it took decades or maybe even longer for him to realise that the dark side of the force wasn't the answer.

Yoda understood Balance(The Ying and the Yang). You can't understand the Lightside without understanding the Darkside, it's absurd. Only a cynically delusional person would only aim to understand the light. That's like having a car you only intend to drive half of or a house you only use one side of. The Grey Jedi also knew this, which is why they didn't take or commit to either side; they remained neutral being able to see both the valid points each raised as well as the absurd one sidedness of each side.

"Battle not with Monsters lest ye Becomes a Monster; and if you shall gaze into the Abyss, the Abyss with them Gas into You"- Friedrich Nietzsche. In other words, know thyself. Yoda knew himself, and understood there's a time and place for everything.

Well that was surprising... I've heard this story before, but not from Star Wars. I had no idea this narrative even existed outside Indian culture, but I love that it's been given a new jacket so to speak. The Vedas actually have many more encapsulated philosophy milestones like this, but good luck trying to get someone under 40 to so much as look at it. 😮‍💨

Yes, Yoda might've saved many Jedi (and possibly save them from extinction), but even he may reach a point of no return when using the dark side for too long. If that happens, all of his work, his teachings, philosophy, and even the Jedi he saved, would all be in vain. As Obi Wan wans said: "now you've become the very thing you swore to destroy".

It's insane, that even just embracing the power of the dark side for moments made him more powerful than the Emperor. Imagine what he could do if he trained in it

Well I'm not yet familiar with Star War lore. However let me tell ya about my power and a cost.
In a childhood we were a normal kids we used to make clashes street again street with wooden sword or just sticks whatever. And we saw ourself as a night or mighty conquers. And I always have wanted be like a MC from the Wanted film. Well now I'm kinda like him. I one day I had a stand one against 20 or so foes. The thing is I was only surviver. So my power and skills cost me home, friends and ... Been to benevolent make you broken and being to selfish just burned you inside. There no shadow without light, however what does light mean for the worm that doesn't had eyes? More over if Universe stop we all done for. There are not ideal median point in a real word. And anyone has a dark side, however only in the dark time good pll can shine. For instance the basic good meaner. When all is "good" almost non of human is gonna notice you "Good morning ", please , would you kind etc. however when there is a war and cashier force to overwork just to get by she or he can be moved just by simple "thanks for you job, have a good day".

Or maybe Yoda just have enough light force in him to compensate for the darkness of hundred Siths.

Yoda gone to the dark side would have been 100% unstoppable

For me, it seems that incorporating both sides is the best formula. That would provide true balance and no conflict. As a bonus, you would be free of both jedi and sith influence.

would love to see a dark side yoda vs darth sidious, imagine if Yoda did turn to the dark side when fighting against Sidious in Episode 3 after losing the jedi and getting beat. Yoda gives in to Sidious tauntings then yoda snaps and goes all dark side no holding back.

Yoda didn't sample the dark side. His knowledge and wisdom in the force allowed him to transmute the dark side into an even more powerful permutation of the light

In my opinion it is Yoda's knowledge and the acceptance of his true innermost self and limitations while knowing the reality of the galaxy and the lives it holds that protects him from the dark side of the force while being able to tap into it powers if he so desires. The problem the dark side faces with Yoda is that there is no weakness in his heart that can act as catalyst for the dark side to gain any kind of foothold in Yoda and thus the only time Yoda can be affected by the dark side is when he desires to be.
That has been my head cannon for years and this video just supports my opinion.

What did yoda say about the dark side as a whole? I missed that part, or does he just mean about how the dark side is seductive and easier?

I think the difference is that, Yoda had already done what Dooku was asking. He had embraced his dark side.
The other Jedi lived in fear of it, so they were basically suppressing a half of themselves. Dooku tried and failed, because ultimately his pride and ego overcome his compassion and humility.

But Yoda had done precisely what the Jedi are meant to: to bring balance to the force, not worship the light side or be consumed by the dark side. He had already made peace with his desires, his emotions and his fears. He had already united both sides of the force within himself. He did not need to 'use' the dark side because he'd already embraced it. Not fully, of course, but he would do that later on, after Ep III events

Just like the example with the rose, what would using the Dark Side have gained Yoda in his fight with Sidious? If he couldn't beat him with Light Side, why would we believe he could win with Dark Side?

This is further illustration of how Jedi ideology is Buddhism. Yoda points out the CORRECT view on attachment: we need very little, and do not need obsessive attachment. The stated view that Jedi have to reject love is a bastardization of Buddhism. To love with attachment is jealousy and obsession, that's what should be avoided, not love itself.

While I love this idea, I have one issue with this.
Yoda and Palpatine were reasonably well matched, but if Dark Yoda is more powerful than Palpatine, then that means the dark side IS more powerful. Yoda says that the dark side is simply easier, not more powerful, but since Yoda could be reasonably said to have mastered the light side and Dark Yoda is stronger, that implies the dark side is in fact more powerful. This feels fundamentally incorrect to me, from a story telling and universe building perspective.

Yoda tapping into the Dark Side for just a few seconds had Dooku fully convinced that the entire Universe was in danger…

More people need to understand how terrifyingly powerful yoda was

Goddamn this is briliant.

Give me my rose

You literally use the same material to make content infinitely. You are no better than a snake oil salesman 200 years ago.

Its a cool moment. Yoda gives in, easily almost kills him but spares his life because the dark side basically bored him. He's seen almost all there is to know of the light and doesn't need its power

I don't like the idea of Yoda TURNING to the dark side. Dooku wasn't talking about holding on to one side, but embracing both.
It's way too polarized, but that's because the concept of jedi vs sith already IS way too polarized.
A master of both sides of the force would ideologically always strive for their version of a good galaxy, but still somehow never being unfair. Just poetic in justice, but still brutal.
A master of both sides of the force would be like that of a beast, wrecking holy retribution throughout a universe of sinners that deserve no mercy.

Because perfect justice is fair, but for it to be fair it has to also be poetically brutal. A master of both sides of the force would basically just BECOME the force but made beast.

The Dark Side would give Yoda immense speed. He'd be a Gremlin.

The question of « Yoda becoming Sith to save the Jedi » is nonsensical… The dark side strives for domination, total destruction of opposition.
Therefore, if fully « turned » Yoda would have annihilated said Jedi, who in turn also strived for the complete eradication of their nemesis. Only balance can mediate the 2 opposing views of the Force.
And for all his powers, Yoda was just as mystified as the other Jedi by Sidious’s ability to cloak himself in plain sight… Yoda’s wisdom therefore seems overrated.

Yoda understands that powers of the dark side is based on weaker emotions because they have a high rise but quick fall because they are easier emotions to come by but lightside emotions take more time to build

Yoda is the man he showed dooku how powerful yoda truly is

tl;dr yoda can't respond properly to even the first argument xD

Now give me my rose

But if Yoda had turned to the dark side to save the Jedi wouldn't he have then become a Sith lord and want the Jedi destroyed? It seems to me to be paradoxical. But it also makes me wonder why one must chose one or the other? As the light can not exist without the dark why is it not possible for a force user to use elements of both the dark and the light and balance in the middle? As the chosen one will bring balance to the force. 🤷‍♂😈☠

Yoda would floor Palpatine if he walked the path of Revan and was willing to use both sides of the force.

He would be able to not only absorb any lightning like he did but turn it back on Palps and he could probably duel with multiple sabers using the force like Darth Treya 😅

He would have smoked Palpatine and Vader at the same time and I can see him telling Obi-wan to kill him afterwards.

I've always felt Yoda was way stronger than he ever actually displays.

The author of this novel must have been a master in the ways of dialogue

What if Yoda was sith lord and Palpatine was grandmaster

mace used darkside and was fine vaapad

Just saying, but if you go deep into lore, this IS NOT the first time he's dipped his toes into the dark side. During the clone wars he actually ended up on degobah, where he not only used it, but met a dark copy of himself in the same forest Luke did.

exposure *to the dark side, not "with"

I had to make an acct to say this.. dooku stayed on the path of the dark side hoping to match what he saw in Yoda. It both terrified and inspired him to be better thinking the dark side grants that power to just anyone....what you think of that

Yoda's rebuttals to Dooku's enticements are very philosophical. Not just Buddahism (it is not the "not having" that pains you, but the desiring), but also Stoicism (death is unavoidable--accept reality and live the best life you can until it is over). The Dark side just seems so juvenile sometimes...

Maybe Yodas species is immune to corruption of the force. So they can master "balance by nature" and ignore either side, but Yoda went the path to choose and teach light.

When Dooku thought it was a good idea to argue with a 900 year old dude. Multiple lifetimes, can't even fathom how many imaginary shower arguments Yoda had with himself.

Did Sidious sense this in the force? When it happened?

It's the fact that even under the dark side for the very first time and being someone who at the moment can destroy the Universe he only aggressively demands for a rose instead of humbly asking. To control the dark side like that without even knowing how to is actually insane. Even the chosen one fell to it within seconds.

Win... hmmm how jedi choose to win that question is

So yoda tryed reverse psychology

Yoda turning to the darkside to save the jedi order would of ended up being the destruction of the order and Yoda knew this

Want power (domination over others)
Want wealth (that you cannot take with you as you pass into being a force ghost)

Want safety? Hate that you arent safe? Hell ive done these things for 55 years i still aint dark lol