In 1997, the edgy science fiction magazine, Sci-Fi Universe, ran a cover story with the headline: “Fifty Reasons We Hate Return of the Jedi.” And yes, the Ewoks were pretty high on this list. The point is, even 14 years after the release of Jedi, it was fairly common in geek circles to dismiss the Ewoks. Even Dune director and hardcore Star Wars fan Denis Villeneuve still feels that the Ewoks ruined everything. “It turned out to be a comedy for kids,” Villeneuve said of his dislike of the Ewoks as recently as 2024. The basic complaint, whether in 1983, 1997, or today, is that the Ewoks are cutesy, silly, and overall, undercut the weight and importance of what was initially the final chapter in the Star Wars saga. George Lucas was seemingly even a bit embarrassed about the Ewoks, because in 1997, the infamous ending “Yub Nub” jam was replaced by a new orchestral, classier, less Ewok-ish composition from John Williams.
And yet, the Ewoks abide. Despite not appearing in any other live-action Star Wars movies outside of Return of the Jedi (really!), the memory of the Ewoks is very near and dear to a huge swath of the fandom, which is why the return of the Ewoks in the new Star Wars: Visions episode “The Duel: Payback” will, for many, feel like a long-awaited redemption.
