If you've been in the Star Wars fandom as long as I have than you know that it can have a real dark side (but seriously, the toxicity within this one fandom are a real problem). Star Wars fans can be merciless when it comes to the things that they don't like within the canon. However, no part of the "mythos" has been criticized for as long as it has like the Ewoks.

The Ewoks are an alien race that were introduced in "Return of the Jedi" and helped the Rebels fight the Imperials on their home planet of Endor. The Ewoks are a relatively primitive species that resemble teddy bears and were able to defeat the Imperials with spears and rocks. That last aspect has often been criticized for being unrealistic. How can a civilization with such primitive weapons destroy the all powerful Empire that has blasters and spaceships?

The Ewoks have been blasted by people for being to "kiddie" and just existing to become merchandise. However, I have always been a strict defender of the Ewoks and I hope to prove their worth to anyone who's reading this. Lets discuss the problems people seem to have with them and why I feel they are wrong.

People have a hard time believing that a primitive civilization could even have a chance against the Empire. Setting aside the fact that we have proof of technologically inferior civilizations beating more advanced ones throughout history (Zulu beating the Britain, America beating the Britain, Vietnam beating America), the Ewoks are meant to embody those small outmatched fighters throughout history. They represent that spirit, that will to fight for good no matter how impossibly powerful your enemy may seem. In a way they embody the rebellion itself.

Some people also dislike the Ewoks because they are too cute and "kiddie". They say that they were only created to be merchandised and that they were the first step in turning Star Wars into a "kids movies". First, "Star Wars" has always been a series of "kids movies" (even George Lucas admits this). That's not an insult or criticizing you for liking them, that's just a statement of fact. It also feels weird to criticize the Ewoks for being merchandisable while the franchise has pretty much made toys out of every lightsaber, spaceship, and character within the series.

The hatred towards the Ewoks has always felt like an attempt to remove some of the child like and fun aspects of the franchise to make it more "serious". However, removing the fun from Star Wars would be like removing the chocolate chips from a cookie or removing the water from a swimming pool. If you remove the aspects that children find fun you have removed the very life giving blood within the franchise. Star Wars has creatures of all shapes and sizes (there's even a species that's literally just an anthropomorphic horse) and the Ewoks have an adorable place within it. They are friendly creatures who are willing to fight bigger and badder foes for their friends and who wouldn't love that.