Ewoks are the lovable teddy bears on the moon of Endor introduced in Return of the Jedi (1983). They seem to be the dominant species, sentient, and hunters. So it is an assumption that they are cannibals from C-3PO’s translation of the Ewoks, “I'm rather embarrassed, General Solo, but it appears that you are to be the main course at a banquet in my honor.” I’ll get into that later, but also that the Ewoks have helmets of the Imperials, again assuming that they ate them! First, you don’t have them actually eating meat. They don’t look at Han as a meal. Also, Luke doesn’t sense cooking Han is a true threat. There is the trap of the meat-like creature, but that’s a trap, most likely not meant to catch a humanoid, more like a capture of a large creature. Let’s first deal with the helmets, the Rebels who are also at the celebration, would not allow the Ewoks to eat the defeated Imperials even those that died. The point is that you shouldn’t assume anything especially if it is all implications.
So let’s go to that Han Solo offering. This does not indicate that eating humans are a normal meal item. Note: there are no humans on the moon until the arrival of the Imperials and later the Rebels. If you take into account the Ewok films, which are non-canon, then the Ewoks would have seen friendly humans even earlier. Also, they would see the humanoid Marauders as hostile. Why would humanoids be a part of their diet? I attribute the actions of the Ewoks to the appearance of C-3PO as a god figure. They may attempt the cooking as a means to honor C-3PO, but they may have been confused. It may have been the strangeness of the Rebels appearance on the moon or even fear of the Imperial presence. There is suddenly another moon object in the sky and also at the same time humanoids in skull-like shells appear. Don't you think this would terrify every Ewok? The Rebels attempt to convince the Ewoks that they are friends of C-3PO.
I think the Ewoks may be confused that C-3PO was bringing along humans as an offering, confusing them from friends and companions. This strange theory I attribute to fans who have tried to find a dark side to the Ewoks. The only look we have seen of Ewok life is seen in the Ewok films; The Ewok Adventure 1984) now with the sub-title, Caravan of Courage, and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985). These of course are non-canon, but both stories are by George Lucas. We do not see the Ewoks actually eating, just berries, but in their family hut there is greens in a basket, a melon-type fruit, and other fruits. Walking around are chickens which could be used for eggs or even meat. They may seem like livestock, but they may also be pets. What we see in the Wicket family hut is baskets of fruits, but not any hanging or storing of meat or places to cook meat. Again, I see meat as a supplement for Ewoks, Ewoks are primary vegetarians and are possibly omnivores. We will have to see how the canon material depicts the Ewok diet. Maybe there will be a Wicket’s How to Prepare Imperials cook book.
#EwokDiet, #ReturnoftheJedi, #TheEwokAdventure, #EwoksTheBattleforEndor
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