Special effects and make-up wizard Nick Maley—who helped make the actual Yoda for Empire Strikes Back in the late ’70s—has taken some original molds and other materials and used them to create an all-new and improved version of the puppet.
While the exterior of the puppet is for all intents identical to that used in Empire and Return of the Jedi, Maley has made some changes to Yoda’s internal controls, which means it can now be operated by one person instead of the small team required for the original.
Here’s classic Yoda, along with everyone required to get him moving and talking:
While here’s Maley’s new edition:
This new Yoda hasn’t been created to sell or to appear in films; instead it’s been built so that a single person can take it with them on the road for appearances at things like cons, charity events, and children’s hospitals.