[Magee]

Since I found this site a couple of months ago I have been reading all the haters ripping into the Ewoks and referring to their suckiness as though it was a foregone conclusion. Because I firmly believe that I hate the PT more than most I have kept an uneasy silence about the attacks on the Ewoks. Well, no more.

I have always thought that the Ewoks were a subtle enforcement of the overarching political lesson of STAR WARS and its moral lessons on the human condition. The belief that a technologically and numerically superior power is susceptible to defeat at the hands of a more dedicated and inspired enemy IS the very idea of the Rebel Alliance and analogous to the light side's ultimate superiority to the dark side of the Force. The Ewok plot is the fulfillment of Princess Leia's Episode IV prediction that the Empire's ruthlessness will hasten its destruction rather than ensure its survival. I always thought that this all was the purpose of 3PO's sumary of the Trilogy prior to the Battle of Endor.

Now the choice of making the Ewoks teddy bears instead of simply a technologically backward race or people is a dubious one. And although I am sure Lucas was primarily interested in the financial bonuses of Ewok stuffed animals, the choice is not wholly without value. That the Ewoks are teddy bears makes them their effectiveness against the Empire more powerful as a moral lesson than it would be were they adults. There is a line however where their cuteness runs the risk of seeming silly, and there is no doubt that Lucas crosses that line many times during the Battle. For instance the Ewoks render the Alliance ground forces totally unnecessary, the individual Ewoks seem almost entirely invincible, and the storm troopers armor is entirely ineffective. This makes from some pretty horrible scenes, but to compare these scenes to the complete absurdity of whole PT plotlines is unfair and incorrect.

[floppydisk]

It still makes no sense that the ewoks could beat Stormtroopers. You try throwing rocks at invaders next time and see how well you do.

And besides, a smaller and weaker force can win, but not if they have technology that's outdated by 3000 years. I can't remember what battle it was, but Alexander the great was invading the middle east (like everyone else in history), and was outnumbered something like 3 to 1. He won, but he had the same weapons and technology as hte opposing force.

[SithAvenger]

I like Ewoks but I hate the fact that they beat the empire with ROCKS and ARROWS. My god, why the hell do Stormtroopers use armor?

[floppydisk]

To make them scary looking, I suppose. I never really hated or loved the ewoks. It's just like.... they're there.

[Michel Orla]

It still makes no sense that the ewoks could beat Stormtroopers. You try throwing rocks at invaders next time and see how well you do.

And besides, a smaller and weaker force can win, but not if they have technology that's outdated by 3000 years. I can't remember what battle it was, but Alexander the great was invading the middle east (like everyone else in history), and was outnumbered something like 3 to 1. He won, but he had the same weapons and technology as hte opposing force.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly. Many of the great Empires usually found they were outnumbered 2-1 or even 3-1 in lands they were trying to conquer. They were able to keep up with the enemy because they usually had better tactics, and weapons on level or better than the peoples they were fighting.

So its not so much the Ewoks couldn't win, but at least make them more savage (cute and cuddly doesn't work in war) and have better weapons at their disposal, especially considering they were up against the best army in the galaxy

[barend]

the ewoks trivialized the threat of the stormtrooper army.
they spawned to terrible spin-offs.
they robbed the movie of kashyyyk.
and their lame ass battle kept interupting the most anticipated duel of all time...

[Despondent]

Oh, come on. We just Saw the most anticipated duel of all time. And I believe YOU saw if first, so we anticipated it More.

Remember the scenes in First Blood where Stallone was making stakes in the woods and really hurting people?
That kicked ass. Incidentally, was anyone impressed with the Wookiee's battle tactics, either?

Know how to cut to an Ewok battle scene? To properly prepare you for the letdown, the sound guys have to play that stupid "EEEEEEE" crap.

[xenduck]

ok, first of all, the movie is PG. so there is not going to be any blood or guts. a battle without that is as probable as teddybears wompn the crap out of marines. you have to fill in the gaps yourself. the clubs and rocks were effective, try putting on your jason mask and taking a mace to the face by a pissed-off midget and see how effective it is.

plus, i got the impression that the ewoks drastically outnumbered the stormtroopers, i mean, there are a bunch of those little guys runnin around; with the rebels to boot. i agree that the triumph of underdogs is an important theme in ROTJ, but its not about numerical supremacy, its about the emperor not even considering the ewoks a threat; which is what you bashers are doing.

the ewoks had boobie traps already set up. and the ewoks are a rustic race, there not fluffy, stuffy, buffy watchers. they struggle for survival on a daily basis. can you imagine the stormtroopers trying to shoot a dwarf in a monkey suite hiding in the underbrush while they stand out like steve martin on soul train?

the empire frightens, the rebellion inspires. yes, after all that, it is definitely unlikely that the ewoks would win. but thats the friggin point.

[barend]

i get the point...

but it would have worked better with wookies as was the original intention.

i don't mind overall the ewoks winning the battle... but the shear physics of one of those little creatures being able to generate significant force behind a tiny little bow and arrow to peirc high-tech polyceramic armour is bullshit!!!

all that happened here is that they changed 'wookie' to 'ewok' in the script at the last minute without adjusting the actual events to fit...

the traps they set up were implausable, and their physical precence a joke...

wicket steeling the speederbike and creating a diversion, THAT was plausable...

[diligent_d]

I love the early concept drawings of what the Ewoks were originally supposed to look like. They were savage-looking little creatures!

[barend]

yeah, from memory i think i liked some of those drawings more than what we got...

which is rare...

[SithAvenger]

The artwork is always better than what appears on screen.

[xenduck]

hey, a hand-full of ewoks brought down the gorax. they are viscious killing-machines. BEWARE!

[SithAvenger]

*dreaming that Ewoks never existed and that Kashyyyk appeared on ROTJ but suddenly wakes up and realizes that Ewoks exist*

GAWD DAMN IT!

[xenduck]

how about this? the ewoks won becuase the force was with them.