Star Wars: The Clone Wars Created Huyang To Solve A Looming Yoda Problem
In the animated series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," we were introduced to the character of Professor Huyang, an architect and lightsaber designer droid who has been instructing younglings studying to be Jedi for, as he says in the series, "over a thousand generations." Visually designed with inspiration from concept artist Ralph McQuarrie's original art for C-3PO, Huyang's database has all the information about every lightsaber ever made and the Jedi who wielded it. He's got drawers full of lightsaber parts (which was based on creator Dave Filoni's grandfather's basement draws full of tools and parts), and he's always ready to help guide the young padawan in the creation of their first weapon. Plus, as we saw in the live-action Disney+ series "Ahsoka," he helps with Sabine's (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) lightsaber training. Huyang is voiced in both projects by David Tennant, aka the Tenth Doctor from "Doctor Who," who was a "Star Wars" fan before he got the role.
It sounds like Huyang was planned to be a part of the "Star Wars" universe from the beginning. However, according to a 2013 interview with IGN, Filoni said he was actually created to solve a Yoda (voice of Tom Kane in the animated series) problem.
'If Yoda's on the ship, [an attack] is not going to be a problem'
In the interview, Filoni revealed that the writer for the younglings story arc, Christian Taylor, came up with a solution for their issue. Filoni said:
"We knew that there was going to be a Jedi lightsaber master on board the ship, and we're very strapped for assets when we build these things. The one problem we kept having — because initially, Yoda was going to be on the ship, and he was gonna be going back with them. I was like, 'Wait a minute, I don't care who's attacking that ship. If Yoda's on the ship, this is not going to be a problem.'"
That's the issue with making your characters so powerful. You have to find bigger and bigger things for them to take on. By this point, Yoda is a badass. He's a great teacher, but he's also a great fighter. How do you find someone to take him down? They then discussed having another Jedi master on board. However, Filoni mentioned that they have Ahsoka there, and it just wasn't going to work against the pirates because adding another Jedi meant they'd win handily. The balance would be off.
'Actually, it makes a ton of sense if you think that this droid could have been around for a thousand years'
Taylor then came up with the kicker that made Huyang who he is. He suggested they make him a droid. Filoni explained:
"So Christian said, 'Well, what if it's a droid?' At first I was like, 'Ugh, a droid?' [Laughs] I was actually kind of against the idea, but he pitched me on it, and I thought, 'Actually, it makes a ton of sense if you think that this droid could have been around for a thousand years. Maybe this is all this guy has done.' So I just thought it was a wonderful idea, at the end of the day, that Christian had."
What do you mean, "Ugh, a droid?" Droids are the best! They're loyal and they're funny (R2-D2), full of facts (C-3PO), sometimes sarcastic (L3-37, Chopper), and just all-around awesome (mouse droid — don't argue because I will fight you). That aside, the logic is sound. Having someone who has been around all this time works for the Yoda problem as well. He's not as old as Huyang, but he does have amassed wisdom from centuries of study and practice, so he can answer things and give a backstory that we couldn't get from shorter-lived characters. Huyang has that in spades. And he's got a great design. Though he's not one of the original trilogy characters, the similarity to C-3PO gives that nod to history in our minds, whether we realize it or not. Plus, he could keep going through the series and into the future, and as we know, Yoda is a Force ghost not too far in the future of this timeline.
"Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Ahsoka" are currently streaming on Disney+.