Ewok FAQ

Ewoks are a fictional species of small, furry, bear-like creatures from the Star Wars universe. They are native to the forest moon of Endor and first appeared in Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983). Despite their primitive technology, they played a crucial role in the Battle of Endor, helping the Rebel Alliance defeat the Galactic Empire.

No — Ewoks are not bears, though they were deliberately designed to look bear-like. George Lucas originally envisioned them as a primitive species that could defeat a technologically superior force. The design was inspired by a mix of teddy bears, dogs, and guinea pigs. The name "Ewok" is widely believed to be a play on "Wookiee" rearranged, though this has never been officially confirmed.

Ewoks stand approximately 1 meter tall (about 3 feet 3 inches). In the films, this was achieved by casting shorter actors and children in the Ewok costumes. Warwick Davis, who played the lead Ewok Wicket W. Warrick, was 11 years old and about 2 feet 11 inches tall during filming.

Ewoks live on the forest moon of Endor, a lush, heavily forested world orbiting the gas giant planet Endor in the Outer Rim Territories. Their homes are elaborate tree-hut villages built high in the towering trees of the forest canopy, connected by wooden bridges, ladders, and platforms. The most well-known settlement is Bright Tree Village, home of Chief Chirpa and the Ewok tribe featured in Return of the Jedi.

Ewoks are generally portrayed as good — they are loyal, brave, and fiercely protective of their home and families. In Return of the Jedi, they ally with the Rebel Alliance against the Empire after befriending Princess Leia and the heroes. However, they are also shown to be potentially dangerous, as they initially planned to cook Han Solo over a fire before C-3PO convinced them otherwise.

Ewoks speak Ewokese, a language created by sound designer Ben Burtt for Return of the Jedi. Burtt based the language on Kalmyk, a real Mongolic language spoken in Russia, as well as Tibetan and Nepali phrases. Common Ewokese words include "Yub nub" (freedom/hurray), "Ee chee wa maa" (greeting), and "Acha" (okay). You can explore the full Ewokese dictionary on Ewoks.com.

Yub Nub roughly translates to "freedom" or "hurray" in Ewokese. It is also the title of the original Ewok celebration song composed by John Williams for the ending of Return of the Jedi (1983). The song was replaced by a new composition called "Victory Celebration" in the 1997 Special Edition re-release, though "Yub Nub" remains a beloved fan favorite.

Ewoks are omnivores who eat a variety of foods found in the forests of Endor. Their diet includes berries, nuts, mushrooms, and other vegetation, as well as small game, fish, and insects. They are also known to keep animals for food. In Return of the Jedi, the Ewoks famously attempted to roast Han Solo, suggesting they are not above eating larger creatures — or at least honored guests.

Yes. Ewoks practice an animistic nature-based spirituality. They worship the trees and the forest itself, and believe that the Great Tree — the enormous ancient tree in which Bright Tree Village is built — has a living spirit. Their shamans, most notably Logray and later Paploo, serve as spiritual leaders, using a mix of herbal medicine, totems, and rituals. They also revered C-3PO as a golden god, which Ewokese lore refers to as "The Golden One."

Wicket W. Warrick is by far the most famous and recognizable Ewok. Played by Warwick Davis in Return of the Jedi, Wicket is the curious young scout who first discovers Princess Leia in the forest and befriends her. He later becomes a key leader in the Battle of Endor. Warwick Davis went on to reprise the role in various Star Wars productions and has become one of the franchise's most beloved actors.

Chief Chirpa is the elderly leader of the Bright Tree Village Ewok tribe in Return of the Jedi. He is the one who makes the decision to ally his tribe with the Rebel Alliance after C-3PO tells the Ewoks the story of the heroes' battle against the Empire. Chirpa is recognizable by his distinctive reptilian-skull headdress and carries a staff symbolizing his authority.

Logray is the medicine man and shaman of Bright Tree Village. He serves as the tribe's spiritual leader and advisor to Chief Chirpa. Logray wears a headdress made from the skull of a churi bird and carries a staff topped with a spine. He is skilled in Ewok magic and herbal remedies, and plays an important role in the tribe's decision-making.

Ewoks have appeared in several Star Wars productions: Return of the Jedi (1983) — their debut and most iconic appearance; Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984) — a TV movie; Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985) — a sequel TV movie; and Star Wars: Ewoks (1985-1986) — an animated Saturday morning cartoon series. They also make brief cameo appearances in the prequel and sequel trilogies and appear in various video games and books.

Yes! Star Wars: Ewoks was an animated TV series that aired for two seasons from 1985 to 1986. The show followed the adventures of Wicket and his friends on the forest moon of Endor, dealing with various threats including the Dulok tribe, Morag the Tulgah witch, and other creatures. The series expanded the lore of Endor significantly and introduced many new Ewok characters.

The Ewoks were created by George Lucas for Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983). Lucas originally planned for the final battle to take place on the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk, but decided that since Chewbacca was shown to be technologically savvy, a more primitive species would better serve the story. The actual Ewok costume designs were created by creature effects artist Stuart Freeborn and his team at Industrial Light & Magic.

The name "Ewok" is never actually spoken in any of the original Star Wars films. The most popular theory is that the name is an anagram-like rearrangement of "Wookiee" — since Ewoks replaced Wookiees in the Endor battle storyline. Another theory connects the name to the Miwok, a real Native American people indigenous to Northern California near Skywalker Ranch, George Lucas's production facility.

Some Star Wars fans feel Ewoks were added primarily to sell toys and appeal to younger audiences, making the final battle of the original trilogy feel less serious. Critics argue that a tribe with stone-age weapons defeating the Empire's best troops strains credibility. However, Ewok defenders point out that this was Lucas's deliberate commentary on asymmetric warfare — a low-tech indigenous force defeating a technologically superior occupier, inspired by the Vietnam War and other guerrilla conflicts.

The Ewok costumes for Return of the Jedi were created by Stuart Freeborn and his team. Each costume was a full-body fur suit with an animatronic face controlled by cables and servos, allowing the performers to blink and move their mouths. Over 80 Ewok suits were built for the large battle scenes. Many Ewoks were played by actors under four feet tall, including Warwick Davis, Kenny Baker, and a number of children.

Ewoks.com is the first social network built specifically for Ewok fans and Star Wars enthusiasts. It features a community feed, villages (themed groups), private messaging, a blog, character profiles, an Ewokese dictionary, a daily trivia quiz, and much more. Membership is completely free and always will be.

Yes! Ewoks.com is 100% free to join and use. There are no premium tiers, paywalls, or hidden fees. All features — posting, messaging, villages, the blog, the Ewokese dictionary, daily quiz, and more — are available to every member. The site is supported by affiliate partnerships, not subscriptions.

Ewoks.com features a gamification system with five ranks: Wokling (new member), Scout, Warrior, Elder, and Shaman. You earn activity points by posting (5 points), commenting (3 points), receiving likes (1 point), and completing the daily quiz (2 points per correct answer). As you accumulate points, you rank up automatically. Badges are earned for specific achievements like your first post, reaching 50 posts, scoring 5/5 on the daily quiz, and maintaining a 7-day quiz streak.