Summary

• Yoda's cryptic statement in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back makes no sense after the events of projects like Revenge of the Sith and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
• Obi-Wan should have been well aware that Leia Organa could take her brother's place if he failed, making it odd that Yoda had to remind him.
• The Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series may secretly hint at the reason Yoda had to remind Obi-Wan about Leia's heritage as a Skywalker.

When Luke Skywalker flew off to save his friends and face Darth Vader in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Obi-Wan Kenobi noted that he was their last hope. Yoda cryptically responded, "No, there is another." While some fans would make careers out of writing possible futures for these characters years later, many sitting in the theaters at that time had no idea what that quote implied.

Now, fans know that Yoda was referring to Leia Organa. However, with the prequel films and countless more stories coming to life, the quote "there is another" makes even less sense for a host of completely new reasons. Yoda replying to Obi-Wan as if he didn't know who the other "hope" was implies that neither were there to see the twins' birth in Revenge of the Sith, except that he and Yoda were in the delivery room.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on February 12, 2024: The Star Wars universe continues to grow with new spinoff series like Obi-Wan Kenobi, which follows the titular Jedi Master in his exile following the events of Revenge of the Sith. This Disney+ series makes Yoda's comments in The Empire Strikes Back even more surprising, especially since Obi-Wan was well-acquainted with Princess Leia. Even so, the series may secretly reveal the real reason that Obi-Wan ignored Leia's heritage as a Skywalker.

What Did Yoda Mean By 'There Is Another'?

Luke may have been young and new to training as a Jedi, but that didn't mean Yoda lacked faith in him. His needlessly cryptic response to Obi-Wan makes it seem like Yoda had his own plans set in motion. Perhaps his response was because he wanted Luke to fail to learn the importance of training. But even that holds little water because, if he died, Yoda would be seen as a careless teacher.

Yoda has always been known to play games with his fellow Jedi. Occasionally, he would send them out on thought exercises to help them reach a self-evident conclusion. The best example of this was when he first trained Luke on Dagobah. At first, the various exercises and drills that he put Luke through seemed like a waste of time, but Yoda was actually trying to teach his young apprentice about patience and how to truly connect with the Force.

However, Luke Skywalker knew Princess Leia at this time, and Yoda knew they were siblings. He wouldn't tell Luke until the next film that there was another Skywalker, but why wait when he had the potential to train two at once? If Luke failed and Leia began training afterward, she may not have had enough time to be strong enough to face Vader since she was closed off from the Force for so long.

But if the "other" Jedi in question wasn't Leia, that would mean it was someone from one of the more recent stories. We know now that there were still a few Jedi active in the galaxy at this time. But those Jedi had already faced Vader and barely escaped with their lives, emphasizing how strong he was.

Was Yoda Referring to Anakin When He Said 'There Is Another'?

Another theory is that Anakin was always the Chosen One, even as Vader, and still had the strength to bring balance to the Force. At this time in the comics, he was already losing faith in the dark side, thanks to learning about his son. However, this would be hard to accomplish if he was the one who might have killed him in the first place. As Star Wars continues to grow and expand its lore, more and more lines from its past become subject to confusion. While it was easy to lay the bricks that were the films back then, the cement comes from other forms of media, and it's a lot harder to make sure that the cement between those bricks is ideally spread.

Yoda was a wise Jedi with many faults. It will be hard to tell if he was being cryptic for a reason or just wanted to remind Obi-Wan of what he already knew. Realistically, the reason why this line makes no sense anymore has more to do with how fast the Star Wars universe has exploded following the sequel trilogy. As each corner of the galaxy is getting more content, it has become harder to make sure everything counts for something. While this doesn't hinder the franchise as a whole, Yoda's claim that "there is another" may, in retrospect, end up as the ramblings of an old Jedi.

Does The Obi-Wan Kenobi Series Explain Yoda's Line?

The surprising connection between Leia Organa and Obi-Wan Kenobi could explain why the Jedi Master considered Luke to be the galaxy's last hope in The Empire Strikes Back. Leia and Obi-Wan bonded in Obi-Wan Kenobi, marking the first and only time that the characters interacted face-to-face since the twins' birth in Revenge of the Sith. Although he knew that Leia was the daughter of Anakin Skywalker and therefore a potential threat herself, Obi-Wan grew to care very deeply for the little girl, developing a close bond with her. He would have never forgotten about her, even by the events of The Empire Strikes Back. Rather, he may have been deliberately trying to leave her out of the action in a vain attempt to protect her from being thrown into harm's way, as Luke was. It would also be a way for Obi-Wan to atone for his own mistakes.

Though Leia is the daughter of Anakin and Padmé, she clearly reminded Obi-Wan more of her mother, whom he watched die broken and alone. Luke, on the other hand, reminded Obi-Wan more of his father, with all the potential for good and evil that Anakin once showed. Filling the role of his father, Luke was Obi-Wan's last hope of redeeming himself for failing as Anakin's master. Leia, on the other hand, was Obi-Wan's chance to make up for Padmé's tragic death. Keeping Leia safe and out of harm's way would be Obi-Wan's top priority, even if it meant sending Luke into dangerous situations.

Ultimately, Luke wasn't the galaxy's last hope, but Obi-Wan's. He was Obi-Wan's second chance at correcting his own failures, which included protecting Leia at all costs. Detecting this weakness in his old friend, Yoda gently but firmly reminded Obi-Wan that there was, in fact, another Skywalker.