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I found a quote whilst researching my previous question about Force Ghosts, about how Obi-Wan was trained by Yoda:

Yoda: [Looking away from Luke] I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience.

Obi-Wan: [voice-over] He will learn patience.

Yoda: Much anger in him... like his father.

Obi-Wan: [voice] Was I any different when you taught me?

But from Episode I it's clear that Obi-Wan is apprenticed to Qui-Gon Jin. Is obligatory training with Yoda part of becoming a padawan? Is this training ever seen on screen or in the extended universe?

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    Additionally, on Hoth he says to Luke something along the lines "You will go to the Dagobah system to find Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me" (from memory).
    – bitmask
    Mar 29, 2012 at 23:37

5 Answers 5

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We saw the Jedi version of boot camp for little kids in Attack of the Clones. Yoda was instructing a dozen or so children who were wielding lightsabers and wearing helmets over their eyes. If Yoda was indeed centuries old, he could have taught Obi-Wan in such a boot camp when Obi-Wan was a boy.

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    +1. Obi-Wan's bio on Wookiepedia states that he trained under Yoda as a Youngling before becoming apprenticed to Qui-Gon as a Padawan. This is a bit of a retcon as the character of Qui-Gon Jinn is a relatively late addition to canon; Lucas originally planned Obi-Wan to be Yoda's padawan, but as Yoda's 800-year tenure and advancing age (and the lack of a satisfactory computer model as of TPM) had him relegated primarily to duties in the Temple, a younger Jedi Master was created to bring Obi-Wan out to Naboo.
    – KeithS
    Mar 29, 2012 at 23:12
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    @KeithS Yes, this should be the answer!
    – Secko
    Mar 30, 2012 at 0:03
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    In addition after Qui-Gon was killed Yoda took on the mentor role for Obi-wan. While he was no longer an apprentice a jedi continues to learn and train in the ways of the force throughout their lifetime.
    – Chad
    Jul 11, 2012 at 13:10
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As bitmask pointed out in his comment, there is indeed a direct canon answer.

In Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Obi-Wan tells Luke "You will go to the Dagobah system. There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me."

Moving beyond the films, Obi-Wan began training with Qui-Gon as his apprentice just before age 13, as documented in the Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice series. Prior to this point, as a youngling, he "trained under Grand Master Yoda alongside other Jedi hopefuls of his age" according to the Wookieepedia.

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  • I believe the question was more when was Obi-Wan trained by Yoda, as opposed to Qui-Gon, in the new movies. That's why I only left a comment that there is further evidence in the old movies that he was.
    – bitmask
    Mar 30, 2012 at 0:47
  • @bitmask Good point, added information to more accurately answer the posted question. I'm new here; thanks for the advice!
    – BinaryMage
    Mar 30, 2012 at 0:58
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Yoda trains younglings. Obi-Wan was Padawan of Qui-Gon, but before it he (like every Jedi) was trained by Yoda as youngling.

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well at the end of Episode III Yoda clearly says he will teach/train Obi-Wan on how to communicate with his old Master Qui-Gon

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As stated above, everyone that has gone through the Jedi Training was first initially taught by Yoda.

Here is another fact:

As Jedi Grand Master, Yoda carries a great deal of weight as far as voting and point of view with the Council. Although the Council itself did not see eye to eye with Master Jinn and his belief of a "Living Force" binding the galaxy together, Yoda could see a perfect fit for a Padawan with a Master that needed an apprentice.

Now, why the Council would allow Master Jinn to teach Obi-Wan when they did not agree with his view of the Force and how it applies to the Jedi is something that still makes me go "Hmmmm." But honestly, the Force itself could have shown Yoda a vision and influenced this choice.

The only hard and fast fact that we have is that Master Jinn would have merited a place on the Council himself and was well respected even if not always agreed with.

Yoda did in fact train Obi-Wan for several years. The Masters seated in the Council chamber were also once students of his. Going all the way back to when Yoda himself was initially taught and gained his title of Master.

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  • There's a lot of speculation in here, and speculation should be reserved for comments. And the factual parts should be sourced. Please take a look at how to answer.
    – Null
    Nov 25, 2014 at 19:41
  • A doo doo answer with no facts and lots of speculation, as stated above. Jan 18, 2016 at 18:38

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