What is the meaning or significance to Yoda's robe falling...

I agree, it is about the end of the Jedi order.

IMHO, I always thought that Palpatine didn't care that Yoda, Obi-Wan or any other Jedi survived. He was arrogant enough to assume that with his power along with the army that he had amassed, any remaining Jedi would be insignificant. I mean, he still had Vader hunt down the ones that showed themselves but that was more to show that those who opposed him would be killed but I don't personally think he was concerned where Yoda or Obi-Wan were hiding.

Remember, even Luke noticed that and told him "your over confidence is your weakness"

Vader didn't know Obi wan was on the Death Star until he started to use the force on the shields. Idk, just a guess

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I really didn't think of this, but I think this is totally the case. Very good point.

1) Yeah, the robe falling signaled the end of the Jedi. The significance of it in particular is that the removal of the robe signifies the removal of any favor or acceptance of Jedi: they were now hunted and had no "covering" by the republic or any other governing body.

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I think this is the best explanation I've read so far. Very well put!

2) Yoda hid on Dagobah because of the abundance of life there: his method was to hide his life essence amongst so much life that it would be like trying to find a needle in a mountain of needles. Life creates the Force and makes it grow, hence it would mask his presence. Obi-Wan, on the other hand, hid on a distant desert planet (Tatooine). Since the Emperor probably thought him killed in Order 66, it wasn't so important to try to locate him.

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Excellent point. Now I remember Luke even making a couple comments on all the life form on the planet. This explains it as far as I'm concerned

Another question, since I also remember Luke making another comment I have always been curious about. He says "Something familiar about this place....like something out of a dream"

I heard at one point that maybe Luke was on Dagobah as a youth? Anyone else remember reading that small back story?

-Ss

I can't recall off hand, but didn't yoda's body just fade out / disappear when he kicked the bucket? If so there wouldn't be a body to find.

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Gui-Gon taught Yoda and Kenobi this. It doesn't happen to all Jedi.(Actually, it's another inconsistency in the overall saga.)

Another question, since I also remember Luke making another comment I have always been curious about. He says "Something familiar about this place....like something out of a dream"

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That's The Force showing him things but he doesn't know it yet.

SVTStingRay said:

i was always puzzled about that whole scene in general. exactly how does yoda lose? how does the emperor win? cause one is laughing and the other one is grief-stricken (more like in pain from a nasty fall).

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Lucas has said the Force is out of balance if the Sith are in power. In ROTS the Sith have complete power in the galaxy. Now I don't know if that's why it's unbalanced or if it's because the majority of the Dark Side is concentrated in two Sith, while the Jedi have thousands. So if Yoda is that weak and the Emperor is that powerful, the Emperor would win easily. I say that because Yoda should be more powerful and more skilled just because of his age and experience. There should be no way the Emperor (60-70 years old?) has more skill or experience unless he's got an edge. Yoda should have tricks the Emperor has never even heard of. I just wonder why Yoda didn't absorb the Emperor's lightning attack the same way he did with Dooku, again unless the Emperor just because super powerful because of what I said above.


Forgot... As for why the Emperor didn't search for Yoda or Obi Wan, he was. We know in ANH that Vader was hunting the Jedi in between ROTS and ANH. Overall though I think the Emperor was happy enough to have them running for their lives. They were insignificant now. It was just a special treat if one was found that he could turn or torment.

I always wondered why people like Han and the Imperial officers didn't put much faith in the force. They should have been old enough (or their parent's/older friends) to have known about the Jedi first hand. I'm sure there was a lot of negative stuff out there about the Jedi, but their powers should have at least been known to the general population!

Jodo said:

I always wondered why people like Han and the Imperial officers didn't put much faith in the force. They should have been old enough (or their parent's/older friends) to have known about the Jedi first hand. I'm sure there was a lot of negative stuff out there about the Jedi, but their powers should have at least been known to the general population!

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I always chalked it up to the fact that every knew about the Jedi, but also knew they failed to maintain their power/control. Despise all their wisdom, experience, honor and positivity...they failed. I imagine it would be like an eye roller :facepalm to think that they deserve any respect, seeing as how they let the Empire take control.

-Ss

The significance of Yoda's robe falling is that GL doesn't understand timelines in his own story. He forgets that when you retro-actively create a pre-existence, you can't have scenes that take their cues from scenes that haven't happened yet. Plus, it really ruins some emotional surprises - like finding out that Vader is Luke's father in ESB. Now everyone knows by episode III, so when it's revealed in Ep. V, no one gives a damn.



But anyway, I took the robe falling as a nod to the scene in ROTJ when Yoda dies, and his robe collapses on the bed. It makes sense to those of us who saw the movies in the order in which they were produced. It's supposed to be an emotional tie-back.

But if you're young enough to have actually watched the movies for the first time, in their episodic listing (I - VI), the significance of the falling robe, really isn't all that significant. It just looks like his clothes fell off.

-Fred

Jodo said:

I always wondered why people like Han and the Imperial officers didn't put much faith in the force. They should have been old enough (or their parent's/older friends) to have known about the Jedi first hand. I'm sure there was a lot of negative stuff out there about the Jedi, but their powers should have at least been known to the general population!

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Well for one you get a visit from a nice Imperial fellow if you talk about Jedi or the Force. My guess, and the EU touched a little on this, is that the Emperor made a big PR effort to smear the Jedi. That way you'd have everyone thinking they were just charlatans who were doing fancy tricks.

The digital effects artists touched on this in one of the "behind the scenes" features. They said that if you watch the robe closely though the whole fight you can see it moving with Yoda when he is winning and then "fighting" him or moving out of sync when Palpatine is winning. The loss of the robe entirely is the symbol that the fight is truly over and Yoda cannot defeat Palpatine. So I believe that might be as official as we might get to a "real" answer unless George decided to chime in at some point!

Gigatron said:

The significance of Yoda's robe falling is that GL doesn't understand timelines in his own story. He forgets that when you retro-actively create a pre-existence, you can't have scenes that take their cues from scenes that haven't happened yet. Plus, it really ruins some emotional surprises - like finding out that Vader is Luke's father in ESB. Now everyone knows by episode III, so when it's revealed in Ep. V, no one gives a damn.



But anyway, I took the robe falling as a nod to the scene in ROTJ when Yoda dies, and his robe collapses on the bed. It makes sense to those of us who saw the movies in the order in which they were produced. It's supposed to be an emotional tie-back.

But if you're young enough to have actually watched the movies for the first time, in their episodic listing (I - VI), the significance of the falling robe, really isn't all that significant. It just looks like his clothes fell off.

-Fred

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I like the so-called "Machete order." (Worth a Google and a read.)

It suggests the following order: IV, V, II, III, VI.

Andy

A bit off topic, but some have touched on the Episode order and how it was ruined. About a month back, I was discussing this very thing with a pal of mine. He said that he decided to let his kids watch in numerical order and the movie was completely different for them. For those of us who saw the Saga in true time, we see the movies in two trilogies; one dealing with Luke's discovery of himself and his family, the second Anakin's discovery and his trading his soul for power. My pals kids saw the Saga as a movie about Anakin and his fall away from grace and truth for absolute power and his subsequent redemption by sacrificing himself for the love of his son. Rather interesting perspective; so I thought I'd share.