Wow! There’s been a huge leak in the Star Wars action figure world that could have major implications for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. As these things usually go, a Walmart listing got accidentally posted months in advance and was quickly taken down—but not before a diehard Star Wars fans snagged a screencap of what appears to be Yoda with a purple mohawk.
This. Is. HUGE.
That alone would be shocking enough, but it appears J.J. Abrams and the gang are really pushing Yoda to the limit, because the figure also comes with a skateboard and a little plastic accessory of a word bubble that makes Yoda look like he’s shouting, “A rad dude, I am!”
This isn’t some dumb kids’ toy that doesn’t need to adhere to established canon. It’s a figure from Hasbro’s gorgeous Black Series line of figures that accurately replicates characters as seen in canonical Star Wars media. This raises all sorts of questions about the role this skateboarding, mohawked version of Yoda plays in the upcoming grand finale of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Of course, we’ve got our theories.
What It Could Mean
As you might remember in The Last Jedi, Yoda burns Luke’s collection of old Jedi texts and tells him to forget the old stuffy Jedi ways. Could this be the newer, radder direction Yoda wants Rey to take the Jedi? Away from a peaceful sect of monastic warriors, and more towards skateparks? Maybe this new Yoda is letting his hair down (or up!) after centuries of following strict Jedi codes. Maybe he’s finally exploring who he’s always wanted to be, and that’s apparently a late-’80s L.A. skater who hops fences to skate in drained pools.
This could be a Yoda who’s going to guide Rey through the difficulties of remaking the Jedi Order into something new, something that’s all about flipping off Stormtroopers trying to stop you from grinding on a handrail. We’ll have to wait to find out exactly what Disney has in store for Yoda’s new rebellious persona, but color us intrigued by this WILD action figure leak that changes all of our expectations for The Rise of Skywalker.
Image: Disney, Amazon/Galactic Toys/Pixabay