Cult Movie Essentials: Ewoks – Battle for Endor (1985)
Ewoks: The Battle for Endor is a 1985 made-for-TV movie set in the Star Wars galaxy co-written and directed by Jim and Ken Wheat who wrote the screenplay, with George Lucas writing the story.
A sequel to Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure, it focuses on Cindel Towani, the little girl from the first film, who, after being orphaned, joins the Ewoks in protecting their village and defeating the evil marauders who have taken control of the Endor moon.
PLOT
While preparing to leave the forest moon of Endor, the Towani family (Jeremitt, Catrine, Mace, and Cindel), the Ewok village is attacked by a group of marauders (originally crash landed from Sanyassa) led by Terak and his witch-like sorceress Charal. Many Ewoks are killed. Cindel escapes, but is forced to leave Jeremitt, Catrine and Mace to their probable doom, both parents having already been hit by enemy fire. Their fate is not explicitly told in the film, but Cindel later assumes that they have been killed.
While running away from the carnage, Cindel and Wicket meet Teek, a small fast native of Endor. Teek takes them to the home of Noa Briqualon, a human man who is angered by their uninvited presence and throws them out. Eventually he proves himself to be a kindhearted man, letting Teek steal food for them and inviting the two in when they attempt to build a fire for warmth.
At the marauders’ castle, Charal is ordered by Terak to find Cindel, assuming she knows how to use “the power” in the energy cell stolen from Jaremitt. Meanwhile, Noa, Cindel, and Wicket are becoming friends. It is revealed that Noa is rebuilding his own broken Star Cruiser, only missing the energy cell.
Cindel is awakened one morning by a song her mother used to sing to her. She follows the voice to find a beautiful woman singing. The woman transforms into Charal, who takes her to Terak. He orders her to activate “the power.” When she cannot, she and Charal are both imprisoned with the Ewoks. Outside, Noa, Wicket, and Teek sneak into the castle, making their way to the cellblock, where they free Cindel and the other Ewoks. They escape with the energy cell.
Terak, Charal, and the marauders trace them back to the ship, where Wicket leads the Ewoks in defense of the ship, and Noa installs the energy cell in his ship. The Ewoks put up a valiant effort, and are nearly beaten by the time Noa powers up the ship and uses its laser cannons to fend off the marauders. When Cindel goes to save Wicket, she is captured by Terak, even as the other marauders retreat. Terak and Noa face off, with Wicket finally coming to the rescue, killing Terak and simultaneously leaving Charal trapped in bird form for eternity.
Shortly thereafter, goodbyes are said as Noa and Cindel leave the forest moon of Endor aboard Noa’s starship.
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Brett Summers
Founded Cult Faction in 2014; previously crawled out of the Black Lodge in 1976, only to find himself in the Village.
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