Baby Yoda, Ewoks, and the Hypocrisy of Star Wars Fans
As a wise green alien once (sort of) said, “Begun, the Cute Wars have.”
In anticipation for The Rise of Skywalker, I’ve been rewatching the original trilogy of Star Wars films. Despite having seen them multiple times, they still manage to impress me with their state of the art FX, a compelling hero’s journey storyline, and inventive world building. There has never been a better space battle put to celluloid than that in the third act of Return of the Jedi. And yet, most Star Wars fans criticize this third act for the necessary inclusion of Ewoks, while championing the admittedly cute but inessential MacGuffin of The Mandalorian, Baby Yoda.
Yes, that’s right, internet. I’m gunning for Baby Yoda. The character has been inconsequential since Chapter 3 of The Mandalorian. When he popped up halfway through Chapter 6, I was surprised to see him. I had gotten so lost in the episode, that I forgot he was even in the show. Baby Yoda doesn’t carry The Mandalorian. In fact, he’s been sidelined for the last three episodes while Mando has gone out on his own to do Mando stuff. Let’s just call it like it is: Baby Yoda is on screen to be cute, not to move the plot forward. See also: Porgs.
On the other hand, the Ewoks have an integral role to play in Return of the Jedi. Without them, the Death Star shields remain up, and the last thing Lando sees from the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon is a giant laser coming straight for him. Makes the ending of Jedi a lot less exciting, right? The Ewoks are an unexpected threat to the Empire, a group that the Stormtroopers on the Forest Moon of Endor failed to recognize. Sure, they were ready and able to take on Han, Leia, and the rebel strike team. But when the Ewoks join the battle, the Stormtroopers are hopelessly outnumbered.
Furthermore, the cute and cuddly creatures are primitive in nature, seemingly no help against the Empire’s technological prowess. That is, until you realize that even the most advanced weapons can be crushed by swinging logs and massive numbers. In the end, the Empire’s countless resources and advanced warfare were undone by inventiveness and determination. And it was all due to the Ewoks.
What has Baby Yoda done? Sure, in Chapter 2, he saved Mando from the Mudhorn, clearly allowing the bounty hunter’s story to continue, but the fact remains that his primary function is adding a dose of cuteness to the show. The “case of the week” format the show has taken has made Baby Yoda’s impact on the plot nonexistent. So am I just supposed to praise his role in The Mandalorian simply because he’s adorable?
The Ewoks are criticized in Return of the Jedi for the same reason — they’re adorable and adorable doesn’t fit with the tone the third film in the trilogy should take. It’s “tonally jarring” to have a fuzzy, cute aliens help our heroes in war. Still, The Mandalorian is a show about the criminal underworld, filled with killers and criminals. Isn’t it “tonally jarring” to be suddenly reminded of a cute baby on board a professional killers ship every episode? At least the Ewoks served the story.
You could change Baby Yoda out for anything or anyone else, and the show would essentially be the same. The little green guy is nothing more than a MacGuffin, designed to make the audience fall in love with it. It’s become an internet phenomenon, a generator of memes, a talking point that every Star Wars fan can agree is adorable. But Baby Yoda isn’t the show. The repercussions that Mando faces are because he chose to protect the small child, but if Mando would have left him with the village in Chapter 4, would the next two episodes have suffered one bit? No.
But take the Ewoks and their unassuming way of life out of Return of the Jedi, and the entire third act plays out differently. Not only are the Ewoks cute enough to sell merchandise and attract small children, they are characters. Each one has personality, and their primitive way of life factors into the Empire underestimating them. The Ewoks, contrary to popular belief, are one of the best parts of Jedi.
This isn’t to say that The Mandalorian is a poorly written show, or that I wouldn’t lay my life on the line for Baby Yoda. I’m only saying that Ewoks are every bit — if not more — deserving of the love that the Star Wars fanbase has shown to Baby Yoda. If you’re going to laud one as a cute and welcome addition to the Star Wars canon, you damn well better appreciate the other. Especially when the other played an integral role in the fall of the Galactic Empire. I’m forever grateful for Ewoks, and their contributions to the wellbeing of a galaxy far, far away.
