Paploo/Legends

"I'm afraid our furry companion has gone and done something rather rash."

- C-3PO to Leia Organa

Paploo was an Ewok from the forest moon of Endor. He was the son of Bozzie, the nephew of Chief Chirpa, and a close friend of Wicket W. Warrick. He had cinnamon-colored fur and wore a smooth stone in the center of his hood. He was a boisterous, sometimes foolhardy, Ewok, especially in his youth.

Biography


When he was a younger warrior in Bright Tree Village, Paploo often got into mischief with Wicket, Teebo, Latara and his cousin, Kneesaa. Some of his adventures include protecting the Soul Trees from a forest fire, playing the forbidden game, "Drop the Sack" and helping rescue Latara from the clutches of the Duloks. Paploo was somewhat arrogant and boastful, but brave and courageous nonetheless. He often carried and played a horn.

Paploo also played an instrumental role in the Battle of Endor; while the Rebel strike team was trying to work out a plan to infiltrate the bunker which housed the shield generator protecting the second Death Star, Paploo stole one of the guards' speeder bikes, thus creating a diversion and giving the Rebel forces an opportunity to strike (although the Rebels initially grew concerned with Paploo's actions, fearing that this would end up exposing their presence to the Imperials).

After the battle, when Logray was ousted as Bright Tree Village's medicine man, Paploo was appointed as his replacement by Chief Chirpa. When the angry old shaman placed a curse on the village, Paploo enlisted "The Golden One" (C-3PO) for a cleansing ritual which ended the curse.

Behind the scenes
In Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Paploo was played by Kenny Baker, who had also played R2-D2. Baker's character was originally supposed to be Wicket, but Warwick Davis, an 11 year old boy who had charmed the staff, took the role instead. Paploo was voiced by Don McManus in Star Wars: Ewoks.

It seems that Nelvana, when producing Star Wars: Ewoks, may have received misinterpreted biographies, or had names switched for Teebo and Paploo, as the two characters apparently have each other's personalities and physical appearances from Return of the Jedi. If true, this is understandable as the show was created in the early days of Return of the Jedi's characters' backstory writing.

When LEGO sold a Paploo in 2009, it was depicted on the box being chased by a Scout Trooper on a Speeder bike, accurately depicting his actions in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.