Yoda refers to it as "that place", which could possibly signify it was more than a natural part of the planet. It is strange to think that Yoda would purposely go to a planet with a Sith Temple. I am more inclined to think that it was there for Luke. Most of what happened to him in that cave, I believe, happened in his mind and we see on film what took place in his imagination.

Yet later on Yoda also says "Remember your failure in the cave..."

Could it be the ruins of some structure that was partially buried?

Just my opinion....It is the future that Luke sees in the cave. The opening of the cave on Dagobah is framed out in the same way the hallway is, when Luke is at Bespin and is midway through his lightsaber fight on Bespin. Watch the scene right before Luke is walking down the hallway. Its dark. Vader lunges out into the hallway and forces Luke back out of the hallway and onto the platform. It looks like the same opening. The way the beam of the doorway is at an angle.

I was thinking that the doorframe was pyramidical and reminded me of something I'd seen, but I thought it was a Star Destroyer doorway. That's an interesting theory, Hannah!

I think I saw this question in a Q&A somewhere, in Insider probably. Basically, there's no guarantee that the wall is any more real than anything else Luke saw. ie it's part of the vision, too.

I like the "vision of the future" notion, that works nicely.

JawaJoey covered it but yeah, its basically been explained that that wall was part of Luke's "vision" and didnt really exist.


My explanation is, sometimes a film gaff is just a film gaff...

I never could understand why Luke went into the cave in the first place. That part of the movie confuses me.

I took it as meaning that Dagobah had had previous occupants ie the Masassi ruins on Yavin's 4th moon. I think it was basically an asthetic touch to give the planet a little history, a bit of grounding. George's 'used universe' must also include 'used planets'! Illini Jedi had some great ideas about Dagobah in these forums...where have you disappeared to mate? More cadences to come?

I took it as meaning that Dagobah had had previous occupants ie the Masassi ruins on Yavin's 4th moon.
I also. The idea that there may have been people on Dagobah before adds to the mystery of this already mysterious world.

Hey, this is a very cool question. I've wondered about the obviously "finished" walls of the cave too. I really like the thought that this was part of Luke's "vision", after all, this was basically his Jedi Trial and everything got freaky with an attacking image of Darth Vader and the following duel.

I always felt that Luke had already failed the test before he even tried, because Yoda warned him "Your weapons, you will not need them."

Luke didn't listen, and chaos ensued.

I've noticed this, too, and wondered about it for years. My theories have wandered to some of the same places, too.

great observation!

DM out

yes, i agree, in that he wouldnt need them because there was nothing in there, "only what you take with you", which to me means that if you expect violence you will get violence. which in turn will lead to the same place as anakin went, although luke didnt know that at the time. so, the doorway at the other end of the cave wasnt really ther, he imagined it along with vader. the cave probably dead-ended there. what luke was doing was the same as what anakin did in his last trial in the clone wars cartoon, seeing what might happen to him if he wasnt careful. thats what i think, anyway. i suppose it was probably just a goof, but if you can imagine something yourself about why it was there it will add more to the film for you, wont it?

Yeah, I think the fun of the SW universe is all the stuff people bring to it. That, and the ovewhelming amount of peripheral stuff that draws your attention with repeated viewings (like this phantom frame). The first time I got a letterbox VHS copy of the trilogy my friends and I had a blast looking at the guys in the corners...and boy did we freak out when we saw Dengar at Jabba's Palace. Haha.