Star Wars Rewrites Return Of The Jedi, Fixing One Of George Lucas' Biggest Mistakes

The four-part LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy series has fixed one of the biggest mistakes in Return of the Jedi with a single joke that riffs on a consequential change George Lucas made. Easily the most controversial aspect of Return of the Jedi at the time of its release was the Ewoks, whose adorableness seemed to undermine the movie’s high-stakes climax. These tiny furry creatures were able to take down the Galactic Empire’s forces, which felt for many viewers like a large stretch. In an otherwise serious story, the Ewoks certainly stood out.

In LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, the nerf herder Sig Greebling misremembers this aspect of Return of the Jedi when recounting the story, accidentally referring to the Ewoks as the Wookiees. Though Sig goes on to correct himself, his initial thoughts are not too far from what could have been true. Sig’s retelling reflects what was originally destined for Return of the Jedi, before Lucas made the change that would later go on to be considered a mistake by many.

George Lucas Originally Meant To Use Wookiees In Return Of The Jedi

Plans Changed, and the Movie Paid the Price

The truth is that Lucas actually did have plans originally to use Wookiees in place of the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi, but ultimately opted to go for introducing the Ewoks instead. This is more than likely why the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk is very similar to the forest moon of Endor itself; this was a vision Lucas didn’t want to let go of. Unfortunately, Lucas has paid the price for this swap. Rather than taking advantage of the Wookiees’ natural strength and size in the fight against the Empire, Lucas elected to use his Star Wars teddy bears.

The Ewoks Were Always One Of The Most Frustrating Aspects Of RotJ

But Their Story Does Have an Impact

The Ewoks were not only a controversial addition to Return of the Jedi, but also a frustrating one. It would have been so much easier to believe that a group of Wookiees could put up a formidable fight against the Empire than the Ewoks, the latter of whom were typically no taller than a human’s boots. Stormtroopers may not be anything super impressive, but it’s still difficult to believe that they had so much trouble going up against the Ewoks, especially with their AT-ATs and other weapons that should have been more challenging for the Ewoks.

On the other hand, that’s exactly the point of using the Ewoks: showing that strength comes in all sizes. The pride of the Empire becomes glaringly clear when they’re humbled by a group like the Ewoks, who the Empire no doubt looked down upon as lesser or incapable. Wookiees fighting the Empire with the Rebel Alliance would have made for a more epic story, but it wouldn’t have had that same meaning attached to it. Nevertheless, it’s still funny to hear this behind-the-scenes lore from Return of the Jedi referenced in modern Star Wars, despite its canon status.