There are so many Star Wars stories that have been told across a variety of mediums that even background characters from the films have histories fleshed out, but there’s one Jedi fans still don’t know much about. In Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Yarael Poof is one of the Jedi Council members. While he doesn’t speak in the film, he left a memorable impression on audiences due to his distinct design. Most viewers probably recognize him as the Jedi with the long neck. Yarael Poof’s fate was revealed in Legends continuity, as a comic showcased his death on a mission tracking down the Infant of Shaa on Coruscant. Canonically, Yarael Poof died prior to the Clone Wars, but how remains a mystery.
It’s a topic Star Wars fans are discussing amongst themselves in a popular Reddit thread, offering their own theories and takes for what might have happened. Some are making the obvious decapitation jokes, implying Poof’s head was sliced off with a lightsaber. Others consider Poof’s appearance on Robot Chicken (where he’s working in the Death Star cafeteria) to be canon — in jest, of course — until Lucasfilm provides an official explanation.
After The Phantom Menace, Yarael Poof was replaced on the Jedi Council by new character Coleman Trebor. Trebor fights in the Battle of Geonosis at the end of Attack of the Clones but is killed by Jango Fett. The character was named after Attack of the Clones animation director Rob Coleman, who shared that George Lucas decided to replace Yarael Poof out of concern audiences would confuse him with the Kaminoans.
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In the Disney era, Yarael Poof has made additional canon appearances, though most of those were in High Republic publications — stories that take place long before the events of the Skywalker Saga. There isn’t anything set between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones that provides some sort of explanation for what happened to him, creating an information gap fans would like to see resolved at some point.
When Lucas created Poof for The Phantom Menace, he probably didn’t intend for fans to become all that invested in the character. In the film, Poof is merely a silent background presence used to fill out the Council seats and illustrate the wide range of species that have become Jedi in the galaxy. However, Star Wars fans are a passionate bunch, and when something piques their interest, they want answers to their questions. In fairness to viewers, Poof is easily noticeable on Phantom Menace rewatches. His design is so unique it’s hard not to wonder what became of him before the rest of the prequel trilogy.
Lucasfilm has shown a willingness to incorporate Poof into canon stories via the High Republic initiative, so perhaps the company will take the time to show fans how the Jedi Master ultimately perished one day. It seems highly unlikely Poof will ever appear on screen again, but his death could be featured in a novel, comic, or even an animated short. An episode of Tales of the Jedi shows how Yaddle died, so there’s precedent.
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