It is illogical that an old man would need a walking stick when he is as agile as a circus monkey.
Just watch Yoda fight Count Dooku. Why does he need a walking stick?
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19Perhaps the old man is his natural state and the agile circus monkey state is only possible by extensive force use. Perhaps he can't or does not wan't to keep it up the whole day. Perhaps it's to exhaustive or the permanent strong force use would have negative side effects on him or his surrounding.– HothieCommented Dec 18, 2015 at 15:02
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34My gut instinct is that he's gonna pay for that in the morning.– ValorumCommented Dec 18, 2015 at 15:10
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6Related to how Yoda talks, comments I expected. And none was found.– AleOtero93Commented Dec 18, 2015 at 19:00
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Maybe he just liked it. Could be amusing to him, knowing he can do without.– MeghaCommented Dec 19, 2015 at 14:11
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Well, if you look closer you'll see that episodes 1 - 3 never existed and all that made up trash is the ego-centric ramblings of an over confident maniac. Equal to the illusions of a dream. Everything you need to know about Yoda happened in Empire and RotJ.– Kai QingCommented Apr 14, 2017 at 0:51
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4 Answers
Essentially, it's because he is an "old man" by nature. His speed and agility during combat are the result of using the force. Ataru, Form IV and the lightsaber form that Yoda canonically used in Legends canon, uses the force to power that speed and athleticism.
By allowing the Force to flow throughout their body, they could overcome their physical limitations—including old age, as was the case with Master Yoda—and perform amazing feats of acrobatics, such as somersaults and backflips, not only for attack, but also to evade the slashes and strikes of their opponents.
Disney canon has not, to my knowledge, explained it, but the fact that Yoda seems frail and leans on his walking stick both times he finishes combat suggests that his ability to power that athleticism is limited, and likely takes a toll on his body.
answered Dec 18, 2015 at 15:01
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35Yoda is also very humble; e.g., accepting death without struggle. He may feel that using the Force to support his aging body - when not necessary to save a life, as when fighting Count Dooku - would be a misuse of the Force. The dark side, that path leads.– user1786Commented Dec 18, 2015 at 16:09
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Yoda became one with the force before he died, so I'd agree that it is honing the force that allows him to be such a skillful combatant. Commented Dec 18, 2015 at 16:43
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@JonofAllTrades I would actually consider that comment to be "the" answer, and should probably be a part of this answer or its own! This is the same Yoda who advised Anakin to "let go" of personal desires. Desiring a healthy body is probably something Yoda gave up long ago, so while he won't do it for himself, he would still do it to maintain "balance in the force" (otherwise known as: for the good side) Commented Dec 18, 2015 at 22:03
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4I'm reminded heavily of a quote from a Special Ops guy on why they don't run their dune buggies to the max on the way in. "We don't want to use up the vehicle when we don't need it. We want to have as much vehicle as we can when the time actually matters." Yoda's behavior seems similar. Why spend so much effort using the force to appear young when there's no advantage. Spend the effort to do so when the advantage is present (such as needing to stop a Sith) Commented Dec 19, 2015 at 3:04
Yoda's cane is not merely a walking stick. It is a Gimer Stick that has purpose beyond a simple mobility aid.
Gimer Juice may be sucked or chewed from the bark of the stick, providing Yoda with nutrients and a form of anaesthetic. The juice can be used as a substitute for food and the anaesthetic calms the senses, aiding in meditation as well as numbing pain.
Yoda isn't hobbling around, leaning on a stick because he's old and in pain. He's hobbling around, leaning on a stick because the stick gets him high and he can't walk straight without it.
This information comes from Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, a book considered part of the Expanded Universe by Disney and is therefore only Legends canon. Having said that, information from the book that is consistent with the canon universe is considered canon as far as the Holocron Continuity Database is concerned.
answered Apr 13, 2017 at 9:04
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2"information from the book that is consistent with the canon universe is considered canon" I don't believe that is an accurate characterization of what is considered canon. Commented Apr 13, 2017 at 17:35
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Interesting the gimer stick is; but I do not think it applies to how Yoda can go from old man walk to parkour at a moments notice. As far as canon, whatever has been released by an official source and/or recognized by the creator indicates what is canon. Amazon does show an unfocused page of the acknowledgments in preview. From what I can make out there is only a copyright from Lucasfilm present a little more than halfway down the page; but Disney bought rights 3 years before the book came out. I do not see any Disney copyright present to show that they consulted on this work so...– Odin1806Commented Apr 13, 2017 at 18:36
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Did he actually take advantage of the stick's additional properties in any of its appearances? Commented Apr 13, 2017 at 22:51
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He's not seen sucking on the stick at any point on-screen, but that doesn't mean he doesn't do it off-screen. Ever consider that the "Old Man" walk is an act and he actually doesn't need the stick at all? It is, at the very least, Legends Canon, though maybe not Disney Canon. Commented Apr 15, 2017 at 10:40
I am no expert but I believe it is because he is using the force to extend his physical capability. Just like how Darth Vader uses the Force to numb his constant intense pain, or how Palpatine used it to alter his appearance until he was struck by his own Force Lightning.
How he walked was psychology most of it is for show. Strategic like a magicians distraction. He could as easily float as walk anyway. Additionally, in true sage fashion, its also an appreciation of the moment. slowing down to be completely present.
The character is based off a Bushido type sage or warrior
Taoist look at life like a poem. intentionally sideways.
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1Hi, welcome to SF&F. What you suggest is not impossible, but do you have any evidence that it is true? A good answer is more than a theory, it provides support for the theory as well.– DavidWCommented Aug 13, 2021 at 16:20
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IIRC "From A Certain Point of View" has a story that supports this and could be quoted to improve this answer but I am not sure of its cannon status. Commented Aug 16, 2021 at 17:06