In today's world, Ewoks (TV series) is a topic of great relevance and interest to a wide variety of people. Whether due to its impact on society, its historical relevance or its importance today, Ewoks (TV series) has become a topic that leaves no one indifferent. From its origins to its influence today, Ewoks (TV series) has been the subject of in-depth analysis by experts in different disciplines, who seek to better understand its nature and its impact in various areas. In this article, we will explore some of the most relevant facets of Ewoks (TV series) and its importance in today's world.
Ewoks | |
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![]() Season 1 title card | |
Based on | Star Wars by George Lucas |
Developed by |
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Directed by | Raymond Jafelice (season 1) Ken Stephenson Dale Schott (season 2) |
Voices of |
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Country of origin | |
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 26 (35 segments) |
Production | |
Executive producers | |
Producers | Michael Hirsh Patrick Loubert Clive Smith |
Running time | 22 minutes |
Production companies | |
Original release | |
Network | ABC |
Release | September 7, 1985 December 13, 1986 | –
Related | |
Star Wars: Droids |
Ewoks, also known as Star Wars: Ewoks, is an Taiwan-Canadian animated series featuring the Ewok characters introduced in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) and further discovered in Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984) and its sequel Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985). The series was produced by Canada-based Nelvana on behalf of Lucasfilm and broadcast on ABC, originally with its sister series Droids (as part of The Ewoks and Droids Adventure Hour), and then by itself, as The All-New Ewoks.
The series centers on the adventures of Wicket W. Warrick and his friends on the forest moon of Endor before the events of the original Star Wars film and Caravan of Courage. 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.
The penultimate episode, "Battle for the Sunstar", which was reaired as the series finale, shows the Ewok heroes leaving the forest moon's surface when they go aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer that has traveled to their system. An Imperial scientist attempts to destroy the Emperor, whose shuttle makes an appearance. The episode has been noted as forming a link with Return of the Jedi, which features the Empire using Endor as its base of operations for the second Death Star.
Warrick family
Kintaka family
Teebo's family
Latara's family
Various
The series is a follow-up (later stated to be a prequel) to the two Ewok films: Caravan of Courage (1984) and The Battle for Endor (1985), which were themselves spin-offs (and prequels) of Return of the Jedi. The first season of the series was somewhat sophisticated, but in the second, the writing and visual style were both simplified.
The theme song for the first season was written and performed by Taj and Inshirah Mahal.
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
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1 | 1 | "The Cries of the Trees" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Paul Dini | September 7, 1985 | |
2 | 2 | "The Haunted Village" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Paul Dini | September 14, 1985 | |
Master Logray has developed invisibility soap to hide the Sunberry Trees from the destructive Mantigrue. The Ewoks manage to save the trees, despite the Duloks' interference. | ||||||
3 | 3 | "Rampage of the Phlogs" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Paul Dini | September 21, 1985 | |
Morag prompts a family of Phlogs to rampage the Ewok village. Wicket and his friends rescue and return to the Phlogs their baby from the Duloks. | ||||||
4 | 4 | "To Save Deej" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Bob Carrau | September 28, 1985 | |
The Warrick brothers are tasked to find ingredients for Master Logray to brew a poison cure for Deej. A creature called Mring-Mring ensures their quest is a success. | ||||||
5 | 5 | "The Traveling Jindas" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Bob Carrau | October 5, 1985 | |
Lacking appreciation for her flute-playing, Latara joins the Travelling Jindas. Wicket and his friends rescue Latara from becoming lost and the Duloks. | ||||||
6 | 6 | "The Tree of Light" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Bob Carrau | October 12, 1985 | |
Wicket, Princess Kneesaa and Latara follow uninvited an expedition on a quest to restore the tree of life, the Duloks intent on destroying the tree. | ||||||
7 | 7 | "The Curse of the Jindas" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Bob Carrau | October 19, 1985 | |
Master Logray stops the curse that affects the Jindas after they rescue Wicket and his friends from the Skandits. This angers the Rock Wizard, but Princess Kneesaa has the stone tooth to cure the wizard's pain. | ||||||
8 | 8 | "The Land of the Gupins" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Bob Carrau | October 26, 1985 | |
After rescuing Mring-Mring's brother, Oobel, Wicket and his friends journey with them to save the Gupins' homeland from the Grass Trekkers. | ||||||
9 | 9 | "Sunstar vs. Shadowstone" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Paul Dini | November 2, 1985 | |
Morag captures Teebo and his friends as ransom for the Sunstar. Morag utilizes the full power of the combined Sunstar-Shadowstone, but Master Logray destroys her for good. | ||||||
10 | 10 | "Wicket's Wagon" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Paul Dini | November 9, 1985 | |
Inspired by his ancestor, Wicket rebuilds an old battle wagon. The Duloks steal it, but Wicket and Malani jump aboard and collapse the wagon. | ||||||
11 | 11 | "The Three Lessons" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Bob Carrau | November 16, 1985 | |
Princess Kneesaa goes with Wicket to gather ingredients to shrink a Stranglethorn she accidentally overgrew. With the help of some Tromes, Wicket gets the required potion. | ||||||
12 | 12 | "Blue Harvest" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Paul Dini & Sam Wilson | November 23, 1985 | |
In a plot to steal the Ewoks' harvest, Umwak unwittingly causes a Phlog named Hoona to romance with Wicket. The Duloks take advantage of this, but Wicket turns Hoona against them. | ||||||
13 | 13 | "Asha" | Ken Stephenson & Raymond Jafelice | Paul Dini | November 30, 1985 | |
Kneesaa and Wicket find Kneesaa's long-lost sister, Asha, and help her to repel the Duloks hunting defenseless creatures, before reuniting her with Chief Chirpa. |
With this season, advertised as The All-New Ewoks, episodes are now shorted the 11-minute format meaning two segments per half-hour (with the exceptions of "The Raich", "Night of the Stranger", "The Season Scepter" and "Battle for the Sunstar"). This season introduced a new theme song, "Friends Together, Friends Forever", written and performed by Patrick Gleeson.
Ewoks was broadcast on ABC, originally with its sister series Droids (as part of The Ewoks and Droids Adventure Hour), and then by itself, as The All-New Ewoks. The series ran for two seasons of 13 half-hour episodes between 1985 and 1986 and was later shown in reruns on Sci-Fi Channel's Cartoon Quest.
Almost all of the episodes (except for "The Three Lessons" and "Prow Beaten / Baga's Rival") were released on VHS in the 1980s and 1990s, most notably the UK PAL releases over six cassettes (Ewoks 1–6), which had the opening sequences and credits edited out. On April 2, 2021, the entire series was released on Disney+.
During the making of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, its producer, Rick McCallum, oversaw two direct-to-video compilation films, each compiled from four episodes of the series. The first, The Haunted Village, was released on VHS in 1997. The second, Tales from the Endor Woods, was released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment in 2004 on a DVD titled Star Wars: Animated Adventures – Ewoks (which also features The Haunted Village). The newer film includes narration from "Adult Wicket" (voiced by Alex Lindsay).
Title | Content | Format |
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Ewoks 1: Morag's Revenge | "The Haunted Village", "The Cries of the Trees", "Rampage of the Phlogs", "Sunstar vs. Shadowstone" | VHS |
Ewoks 2: The Gupins and the Jindas | "To Save Deej", "The Land of the Gupins", "The Traveling Jindas", "The Curse of the Jindas" | |
Ewoks 3: Wicket the Hero | "Wicket's Wagon", "The Tree of Light", "Asha", "Blue Harvest" | |
Ewoks 4: Wicket's Adventurers as He Becomes a Warrior | "The Crystal Cloak / The Wish Plant", "The Totem Master / A Gift for Shodu", "Horville's Hut of Horrors / The Tragic Flute", "Just My Luck / Bringing Up Norky" | |
Ewoks 5: Wickett's Adventurers | "Home Is Where the Shrieks Are / Princess Latara", "Gone with the Mimphs / The First Apprentice", "Party Ewok / Malani the Warrior", "Hard Sell / A Warrior and a Lurdo" | |
Ewoks 6: Battle for the Planet Endor | "Battle for the Sunstar", "The Season Scepter", "The Raich", "Night of the Stranger" | |
The Haunted Village | "The Haunted Village", "The Cries of the Trees", "Rampage of the Phlogs", "Sunstar vs. Shadowstone" | VHS / DVD |
Tales from the Endor Woods | "Wicket's Wagon", "The Traveling Jindas", "To Save Deej", "Asha" | DVD |
According to David Perlmutter, Ewoks was "unremarkable both technically and creatively." Screen Rant says the series was made at a time when "television executives had no idea what constituted good children's animated television", comparing it to series like The Smurfs, Snorks, or Care Bears. SyFy Wire calls the series "more a marketing ploy for Lucasfilm than a worthwhile extension of the franchise ... designed to sell toys, cereals, and action figures", though mentions that it "featured a few surprisingly entertaining installments that appealed to both parents and kids, particularly the penultimate episode, 'Battle for the Sunstar.'"
Elements from the series are featured in Star Wars reference media, such as A Guide to the Star Wars Universe and the Star Wars Encyclopedia. A Dulok was shown on Coruscant in Chapter 21 of the 2D animated Clone Wars (2003). Ewoks was excluded from canon status in 2014, but some elements appear in the canon Ultimate Star Wars (2015) and later reference books, as well as the canon web series Star Wars Forces of Destiny (2018).
The series' opening titles are briefly featured in an episode of Stranger Things' fourth season (2022).
In 1985, Kenner Products produced a series of action figures based on the series. A second wave of figures were prototyped but ultimately cancelled due to poor sales of the initial wave. Several previously released Ewok themed vehicles, play sets, and accessories were advertised on the card backs of the figures but were curiously never offered in Ewoks Cartoon branded packaging.
In 1985, Star Comics, an imprint of Marvel, published a bi-monthly Ewoks comic based on the animated series. It ran for two years, with a total of 14 issues. Like the TV series, it was aimed towards a younger audience and produced parallel to a comic spun off from Droids. Issue #10 of Ewoks continued the "Lost in Time" crossover story from Droids #4. Additionally, Spanish comics publisher Editorial Gepsa produced two-page Ewoks comics as part of an anthology series.
Footnotes
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