Star Wars: George Lucas has Surprising Real-Life Inspirations for the Ewoks

There is little doubt that the Ewoks were some of the most memorable characters in the original Star Wars trilogy. Although they only appeared in Return of the Jedi, they have since become a major part of the franchise's universe. But what inspired George Lucas to introduce these adorable yet savage creatures? Interestingly, the real-life inspirations behind the Ewoks are far from cuddly.

The Ewoks were first introduced in Return of the Jedi when the heroes ended up on the moon in Endor. The furry little critters were first believed to be pint-sized savages but they would later become an important part in the fight against the Empire. The most popular Ewok is Wickett W. Warrick, who became friends with Leia Organa and would later rally his fellow Ewoks to defeat the Empire.

Interestingly, the Ewoks were not supposed to be introduced in Return of the Jedi. According to Screenrant, Lucas' initial plan was to set the final battle on the Wookiee home planet as he wanted to pit a race of primitives against the Empire. However, the Wookiees have since been proven to be more intelligent than mere primitives so the plan was scrapped. This led to Lucas creating the Ewoks and giving them a name that was the reverse of the word "Wookiee".

But what was the inspiration behind the Ewoks' look? Although they look like fluffy teddy bears, Lucas actually modeled them after one of his dogs. Their behavior was then inspired by the Viet Cong guerillas who fought against American soldiers during the Vietnam War.

It's interesting to note that we almost didn't have Ewoks in Return of the Jedi. Nevertheless, we're happy that Lucas decided to introduce them into the Star Wars Universe.

Related: Star Wars: Diego Luna Finally Reveals the Truth About That Jabba the Hutt Obsession

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