Speaking to Hayden Christensen, George Lucas states that he created Yoda after deciding that Luke needed a physical, embodied mentor after the death of Obi-Wan.

Date
Sep 16, 2012
Type
Audio/Video Media
Source
George Lucas
Non-LDS
Hearsay
Direct
Reference

"Unscripted with Hayden Christensen and George Lucas," MovieFoneVideo, September 16, 2012, 6:00-7:14

Scribe/Publisher
MovieFoneVideo
People
Hayden Christensen, George Lucas
Audience
Internet Public
Transcription

So when I killed him off, I had to replace him, when I got to the second movie, and I could do certain things by having him come back as a ghost, from the Force, because I had decided to kill him off, in a metaphysical way rather than a physical way, but he couldn't do everything. I needed a physical body to be there to do things, and so I needed something, and I created Yoda, who is two feet tall, large, with green ears, but to be really honest with you, I never really figured out where he came from, what his species is called. It doesn't even have a name. Maybe it's somewhere, but I don't know what it is. So he's a mystery character. He's a magical character. He has no background. He comes and he goes. He's the subversive, secret, mysterious stranger that enters the film and then exits at the end.

Citations in Mormonr Qnas
Copyright © B. H. Roberts Foundation
The B. H. Roberts Foundation is not owned by, operated by, or affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.