Ever since The Mandalorian introduced the impossibly cute baby Yoda into everyone’s lives, the Star Wars fanbase has suddenly grown exponentially in a very short amount of time.
That’s no surprise of course. After all, baby Yoda is easily the cutest thing to come into existence in TV and Star Wars history. Seriously, just look at his widdle cheeks and big eyes:
With the entire internet currently in a state of “awwww” over baby Yoda, now’s perhaps the best time to pull the curtain back a bit on the OG Yoda. Firstly, we actually have no idea what type of species the Jedi master is, though George Lucas has said the Jedi master is the lovechild of Kermit and Miss Piggy so make of that what you will.
Secondly, Yoda’s original design is actually far different than the shrivelled, green skinned guru we all know and love. It turns out that George Lucas and his team of artists original envisioned the Jedi master as something akin to a white-bearded, staff-wielding, pointy hat-wearing dwarf who could’ve been taken straight out of Lord of the Rings.
There was also a second design for Yoda that veered wildly in the other direction. Picture the Jedi master as a tall, aqua-coloured creature with pointy ears and a white beard who wears no clothes and is only rocking a hat.
Now due to various reasons ranging from legal to logistical, we can’t actually show you the concept art of Yoda’s original design so you’ll have to check it out at the official Star Wars website here. To make up for it, here’s more baby Yoda.
Had George Lucas given the thumbs up to Lord of the Rings Yoda, the character would’ve gone in a wildly different direction, which in turn would’ve meant The Mandalorian may well have missed out on getting baby Yoda.
Horrendous, that could’ve been.