THE EMPEROR'S PLAN V

or: Why the Ewoks are vastly, vastly superior to Jar Jar B*st*rd Binks

Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but most of the people I know and read about in SFX have a problem with the Ewoks. Some seem to have gone so far as to say that they ruin Return of the Jedi. I am not particularly fond of the Ewoks myself, but I believe the reasons for this hatred of them bear closer examination. The three main problems people have with the teddies, as far as I am aware, are:
(1) They look like teddies.
(2) They are supposed to be comedic/humorous characters yet aren't funny.
(3) They have stone age weaponry, yet defeat the Emperor's finest.
I have dealt with (3) in The Emperor's Plan, I shall now attempt to justify (1) and (2).

(1) I can only reply to this question with: What would you rather they looked like?
Wookies?
I've heard it said that the Forest Moon was originally intended to be the home planet of Chewbacca, and therefore the rest of the Wookies. This may have made the film more acceptable to the more grown-up audience, but I believe it would have made for a poorer film. After all, you'd expect a screaming, frenzied army of Wookies to make mincemeat out of the Stormtroopers, even if they had only spears, slings, etc. Basically, the Emperor's finest are not going to underestimate them as a threat...

STATUS REPORT:
SUITABLE PLANETS FOR THE SECRET CONSTRUCTION OF ANOTHER VERY LARGE AND SEEMINGLY INDESTRUCTIBLE BATTLESTATION

MOFFS ONLY

We have located two potential worlds where the shield generator can be suitably housed:

(1) The Forest Moon of Endor
ADVANTAGES
Remote
Primitive lifeforms only
Dominant native life of small teddies
DISADVANTAGES
None, unless the Rebel Scum are somehow able to turn the teddies into a savage army, ho ho!

(2) The planet Kashykk
ADVANTAGES
Remote
Primitive lifeforms only
DISADVANTAGES
Dominant native life of WOOKIES!

Reccomendation: Teddy World...

Anyway, the point is that as the Ewoks seem so unthreatening, it is a perfect reason for their world being the best possible place for the shield generator.

(2) Part of George Lucas's defence of Jar Jar B*st*rd Binks was that in every one of the first three films there are humorous characters that people have not liked, yet gotten used to. He cites C3PO in "Star Wars", Yoda in "The Empire Strikes Back" and, of course, the Ewoks. This is just feeble, and seems like a desperate excuse from a man who doesn't need one. The real excuse should be: The "Kids" love Binks".
C3PO and Yoda may have annoying humorous moments, but they are far from humorous characters. Indeed, most of the characters in the trilogy make jokes at some points, for example:
"Who's the more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?"
but naturally no-one claims Kenobi is a humorous character. Yoda is, in many ways, a tragic figure, even in "The Empire Strikes Back", but back to the point:
The Ewoks are no more humorous characters than any other player in the trilogy, we need look no further for proof than the fact that they intend to COOK AND EAT Han Solo (by the way, witness his humorous attempt to blow out the flames). Not what you'd normally expect a cuddly teddy to do.
So now we come to my most important point:

Why the Ewoks are vastly, vastly superior to Jar Jar B*st*rd Binks

The Ewoks are not humorous characters, but they have a fair share of humorous moments. On the other hand, Jar Jar B*st*rd Binks IS a humorous character, with a couple (at most) of serious moments.

The Emperor's Plan VI