Ewoks (TV series)

Star Wars: Ewoks is an animated television series set in the Star Wars galaxy. It features the Ewok characters introduced in the sixth Star Wars film, Return of the Jedi.

The series was produced by Nelvana on behalf of Lucasfilm and broadcast on ABC, both by itself and later, as part of The Ewoks and Droids Adventure Hour. The first season was advertised as simply Ewoks, but the second season was advertised as The All New Ewoks. The series lasted 35 episodes, divided into two seasons.

Setting
The series is set, beginning in the year 3.5 ABY, on the forest moon of Endor, mainly in an Ewok village. On the final episode, however, some scenes were set briefly in a Star Destroyer in space.

Plot
The series focuses on the adventures of Wicket W. Warrick and his friends on the forest moon of Endor shortly (3.5 ABY) before the Battle of Endor, and thus, before Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. The primary recurring villains are Morag the Tulgah Witch who had a personal grudge against the tribe's shaman, Master Logray, and the Duloks, a rival species that is related to the Ewoks.

Characters
NB: Some of these individuals are actually Ewok deities rather than corporeal beings.
 * 3PO protocol droid
 * Arrows
 * Asha
 * Baga
 * Balloon vendor
 * Batcheela
 * Big Bert
 * Bobog
 * Bondo
 * Bothel
 * Bozzie
 * Brute
 * Chirita
 * Chief Chirpa
 * Chituhr
 * Chukha-Trok
 * Dancing Dibbles
 * Darling
 * Prince Delby
 * Dobah
 * Dragon Riders of Poolok
 * Dudes
 * King Elbo
 * Flower Queen
 * Giant insect friend of the Gupins
 * King Gorneesh
 * Gorneesh and Urgah's three children
 * Gorphs
 * Gracca
 * Hoom
 * Hoona
 * Horville
 * Imperial droids
 * Queen Izrina
 * Jadru
 * Jinda (tribe)
 * Jinda Dancers
 * Kagles
 * Kaink
 * Admiral Kazz
 * Princess Kneesaa
 * Larry
 * Latara
 * Leaf Queen
 * Leeni
 * Life of the Party
 * Light Spirit
 * Logray
 * Lumat
 * Malani
 * Melmar the mystic
 * Messek
 * Mookiee
 * Mooth
 * Mooth's helpers
 * Morag
 * Mouse droid
 * Murgoob, Dulok oracle
 * Nahkee
 * Night Spirit
 * Nippet
 * Norky
 * Norky's father
 * Norky's mother
 * O
 * Odra, Duchess of Sleet
 * Oobel
 * Orbo
 * Emperor Palpatine
 * Paploo
 * PD-28
 * Pilot droid
 * Poob
 * Princess of the Mudgub tribe
 * Princess of the Tinderbonks
 * The Pugs
 * King Punt
 * Dr. Raygar
 * The Raich
 * Ra-Lee
 * King Rin-Rin
 * Rock Wizard
 * Ropna
 * Silky
 * Queen Slugga
 * Smasher
 * The Snake Eater
 * Snow King
 * Stormtroopers
 * The Stranger
 * Sun King
 * Tak
 * The Tambles
 * Teebo
 * Teebo's fish friend
 * The Totem Master
 * Totem Slaves
 * The Amazing Trebla
 * Trud
 * Tumblebunny trainer
 * The Two-headed Gonster
 * Umwak, the Dulok shaman
 * Umwak's nephew
 * Queen Urgah
 * Prince Vork
 * Vorshak
 * Deej Warrick
 * Erpham Warrick
 * Shodu Warrick
 * Weechee Warrick
 * Wicket W. Warrick
 * Willy Warrick
 * Winda Warrick
 * Wiley
 * Wizards of the Night Spirit
 * X
 * Yuzzum Warriors
 * Zarrak
 * Zephee
 * Zut

Species
''NB: Some of these species may actually be spirits from Ewok belief. For example, the Iceheads serve an Ewok deity known as the Snow King and thus may be figures of Ewok mythology themselves.''
 * Alligator-like creature
 * Armadillo-like creature
 * Bagpipe ceature
 * Bantha
 * Bat-like creatures
 * Bee-like creature
 * Various birds
 * Birds with horns for bills
 * Blase tree goats
 * Blog
 * Bobber bird
 * Bordoks
 * Butterfly-like creatures
 * Corrinas
 * Dandelion Warriors
 * Dark fly
 * Dragon-like creatures
 * Duloks
 * Eodons
 * Ewoks
 * Ferret-like creatures
 * Fircle
 * Firefolk
 * Fish
 * Flower-like creature
 * Flying flowers
 * Fox-like creatures
 * Frog-like creatures
 * Froschs
 * Frost Sprites
 * Giant spider-like creature
 * Glop monster
 * Gonma
 * Gorphs
 * Grass Trekkers
 * Gubas
 * Gupins
 * Hanadaks
 * Hippopatamus-like creatures
 * Humans
 * Humming beavers
 * Hummingbird-like creatures
 * Iceheads
 * Various insect creatures
 * Jinda beasts of burden
 * Jinda menagerie creatures
 * Jitterbugs
 * Keets
 * Lantern birds
 * Lizard-like creatures
 * Lizard Warriors
 * Long-necked grasslands beasts
 * Luck Sprite
 * Makants
 * Mantigrue
 * Maramoos
 * Marimals
 * Mimphs
 * Mole-like creature
 * Moosha
 * Morag's spider
 * Moss monster
 * Mudgubs
 * Munyips
 * Octopus-like creature
 * Phlogs
 * Porcupine-like creatures
 * Rakazzak beasts
 * Raichlings
 * Rat-like creatures
 * Ray-like creature
 * Reek worm
 * Reeps
 * Scuss
 * Shellfish-like creature
 * Shriek
 * Six-limbed creature
 * Skandits
 * Skibs
 * Slug-like creature
 * Snake-like creature
 * Snow monster
 * Sponge creature
 * Squid-like creature
 * Squirrel-like creatures
 * Strutters
 * Talking Tree
 * Tambles
 * Three-eared rabbit-like creature
 * Three-headed snake-like creature
 * Tinderbonk
 * Thunderbats
 * Tromes
 * Tulgah
 * Tumblebunnies
 * Turtle-like creature
 * Two-headed bird
 * Two-headed rat-like creatures
 * Umbrella-like creatures
 * Vrooms
 * Water creature
 * Whale-like creature
 * Wild grounder
 * Winged serpent creature
 * Woodpecker-like creature
 * Worms
 * Yuzzums
 * Zakool

Locations

 * Aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer
 * Command center
 * Docking bay
 * Raygar's quarters
 * Recycling center
 * Arbo Maze
 * The blog's dam
 * The Bobog's lair
 * Bordok stables
 * Bright Tree Village
 * Bright Tree Village observatory
 * Cavern of Broken Dreams
 * Caves
 * Caves of Thunder
 * Cliffs
 * Coral Castle
 * Corrinas' cave
 * Dead Forest
 * Desert
 * Dulok village
 * Endorian Grasslands
 * Floating Mountain
 * Forest Moon of Endor
 * Froschs' den
 * Glop Pits
 * Gorphs' grotto
 * Grass Trekkers' shrine
 * Gupin stronghold
 * Happy Grove
 * Hive of the insect creatures
 * Horville's Hut of Horrors
 * Imperial Star Destroyer
 * Jadru's lair
 * Larry's tree
 * Lightning Forest
 * Lost temple
 * Mimph village
 * Molten Mountains
 * Moon to which the Wizards of the Night Spirit were banished
 * Moot's trading post
 * Mount Thunderstone
 * Mountain of Light
 * Obstacle course
 * Outer space
 * Palace of the insect creatures
 * The Raich's cave
 * Snow Palace
 * Strutter village
 * Sun Palace
 * Swamp
 * Thorn Forest
 * Tree fort
 * Twin Hills
 * Vacant Valley
 * Valley of Floating Trees
 * Valley of the Lizard Warriors
 * Waterfall
 * Zarrak's lair

Ships/vehicles

 * Canoes
 * Carts
 * Dulok battleship
 * Escape capsule
 * Escape pod
 * Ewok battle wagon
 * Ewok catapult
 * Ewok hang gliders
 * Flying leaf
 * Kazz's Imperial I-class Star Destroyer
 * Palanquin
 * Palpatine's Lambda-class T-4a shuttle
 * Raygar's freighter
 * Raygar's repulsorcraft
 * Rafts
 * TIE Fighters
 * Vending cart
 * Zarrak's hang glider

Other items

 * Acorns
 * Acorn paste
 * Aura blossom
 * Aura leaves
 * Beads of Bravery
 * Beauty potion
 * Belts of Honor
 * Blase trees
 * Blumfruit
 * Blumfruit tart
 * Bows and arrows
 * Bubble potion
 * Clubs
 * Cookies
 * Crocks
 * Crystal Cloak
 * Dangleberries
 * Dangleberry juice
 * Denga fat
 * Dorg ear
 * Dream flower potion
 * Dried wank's hide
 * Drop the sack
 * Drum
 * Ewok Warrior Games
 * Fall Festival
 * Festival of Hoods
 * Fishing Festival
 * Floating trees
 * Fludge
 * Fungus of the rootna tree
 * Ganga root
 * Giant mushrooms
 * Gin-jang berries
 * Grappling hook
 * Great War between Ewoks and Duloks
 * Hanadak repellant
 * Harvest Festival
 * Hate potion
 * Ice-on-a-stick
 * Imperial trap
 * Itching powder
 * Jadru's crystal ball
 * Juniper Chest
 * Paploo's horn
 * Kagle family cold cure
 * Keet nectar
 * Kneesaa's magic potion
 * Lantern of Sacred Light
 * Latara's flute
 * Light Dust
 * Light Festival
 * Loca spore
 * Logray's ceremonial wand
 * Logray's crystal ball
 * Logray's globe
 * Logray's magic top
 * Logray's plant-growth formula
 * Love potion
 * Magic cap
 * Magic foam
 * Magic lantern
 * Magic seed
 * Magic shoes
 * Monmon seeds
 * Morag's bug bite cure
 * Pearl of Patience
 * Poisonous mushroom-like plant
 * Prism pebbles
 * Prow carvings
 * Raygar's blaster
 * Ramba melon
 * Renewal Ceremony
 * Rootna tree
 * Season Scepter
 * Shadow Night Festival
 * Shadowroot plant
 * Shadowroot soap
 * Shadowstone
 * Shampoo
 * Shrinkroot potion
 * Shrog bush
 * Silver Feathers of Bravery
 * Skills Test
 * Slingshots
 * Soul Trees
 * Sparkle seeds
 * Spears
 * Spirit Tree
 * Star urchin
 * Stranglethorn
 * Sunberries
 * Sunberry dust
 * Sunberry trees
 * Sunstar
 * Swamp pickles
 * Tala oats
 * Telescope
 * Three Lessons
 * Tibbet plant
 * Tree of Light
 * Trome sap
 * Umwak's hunting magic
 * Umwak's special glasses
 * Warrior Council
 * Wish plant

Notable series details

 * For viewer ease, the dialogue is in English, rather than Ewokese, which was the native language of the Ewoks.
 * The first season of the show aimed for a more sophisticated style, but in the second, the writing style was geared toward a much younger audience, with less sophisticated characters.
 * In the series' final episode, the Imperials had discovered Endor, and several of the Ewoks stowed away on a Star Destroyer, but were returned to Endor safely after an evil Imperial attempted to steal the magical Ewok Sunstar stone and even dared to attack the Emperor with it. This event suggests that this led to The Empire choosing Endor to build the Second Death Star around.
 * The series is a follow up to the two Ewok films: Caravan of Courage (1984) and The Battle for Endor (1985), which were themselves spin-offs of Return of the Jedi.
 * Unlike the rest of the series, the last three episodes were originally aired out of story order. The correct order was "Party Ewok", "Malani the Warrior", and "Battle for the Sunstar", respectively. However, the episodes were originally aired in the order of "Battle for the Sunstar", "Party Ewok", and "Malani the Warrior". Storywise, the series ends with "Battle for the Sunstar", which depicts the Empire discovering the Endor moon, where it would later construct the second Death Star.
 * The episode "Battle for the Sunstar" re-aired separately on January 10, 1987, and that marked the official end of the series.
 * Most episodes of the second season were aired together in pairs.
 * According to series animator Brian Lemay, after working on a few episodes, the animators at Nelvana grew a hatred for the Ewoks&mdash;particularly Wicket. As a result, a wall in the studio was devoted to drawings of Wicket being killed and mutilated in ways similar to that of the animated shorts of Happy Tree Friends. The wall, as called by one of the staff members, was called "the Wicket Wall".

Comic book series
In 1986, Star Comics, an imprint of Marvel Comics published a bi-monthly Ewoks comic, which was based on the animated series. The comic ran for two years, ending with issue #14. Like the TV series, this was aimed towards a younger audience. It was produced along with the Droids comic, which was based on the Droids animated series. Issue #10 of Marvel Ewoks was a cross-over with Star Wars Droids 4: Lost in Time.

DVD release

 * Ewoks was released on November 23, 2004 as an edited compilation DVD with the title Star Wars Animated Adventures: Ewoks. The DVD contains eight episodes in total, edited together as two full length movies (Episodes 2, 1, 3, and 9; Episodes 10, 5, 4, and 13).
 * Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only), Region 2 encoding (Europe)
 * Language: English
 * Release Date: November 23, 2004
 * The entire original series has yet to be released, either on DVD or VHS. Some of the original episodes were released in the eighties and nineties, however, on VHS. Star Wars Prequel Trilogy and DVD producer Rick McCallum, along with Lucasfilm head of fan relations, Steve Sansweet, have reportedly stated that a future release of the series in its entirety on DVD is possible.

Notes and references

 * Star Wars: Ewoks 1985, George Lucas
 * Star Wars Insider 27
 * Star Wars Insider 73
 * A Guide to the Star Wars Universe
 * The Star Wars Encyclopedia by Stephen J. Sansweet, ISBN 0-345-40227-8 Del Rey; first edition (June 30, 1998)
 * Star Wars Chronicles
 * Star Wars: Behind the Magic
 * Leland Chee confirms the date that the series is set. He elaborates here.
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (junior novelization)
 * Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide
 * Star Wars Magazine UK 53
 * From Pencil to Pixel: The Art of Star Wars Galaxies

Official sites
- Initial DVD announcment at StarWars.com
 * A Closer Look at the Ewoks & Droids DVDs - Article at StarWars.com


 * Star Wars Animation Collectibles - Article at StarWars.com
 * The official Star Wars site details the "Creatures of Endor" from the series.
 * Ewoks Layouts and Posing - Original artwork by a Brian Lemay, a crewmember of the show

Fan sites

 * An informative fan site
 * Ewoks Opening Theme
 * A history of home video releases of Star Wars: Ewoks
 * A guide to an unproduced toy line for the series

Reviews

 * Star Wars: Ewoks at the Big Cartoon DataBase
 * "Ewoks Episode Guide" At TV Tome

Interviews

 * An interview with series animator Paul Dini
 * "An Animated Discussion with Brian Lemay" - Article at Rebelscum.com
 * Lucafan.com interview with Denny Delk
 * An article from the Star Wars Insider on the series
 * "Star Wars: An Animated Galaxy Far, Far Away" - Article at Digitalmediafx.com