Battle for the Sunstar

Raygar, a scientist in the service of Emperor Palpatine, schemes to seize control of the Galactic Empire. To this end, he journeys to Endor's Forest Moon aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer with the goal of acquiring the powerful Sunstar from the Ewoks residing in Bright Tree Village. Admiral Kazz expresses doubt that the remote "planet" holds anything of value to the Empire. Raygar dismisses Kazz's opinion, stating that the Emperor himself authorized the expedition. Kazz scoffs at the "primitive" Ewoks, considering the mission a foolish endeavor. Undeterred, Raygar is determined to secure the Sunstar. Raygar instructs the pilot droid PD-28 to accompany him to his freighter, which then departs from the Star Destroyer's hangar.

In a parallel sequence, Wicket, Kneesaa, Latara, and Teebo are tasked with delivering jinjang berries to the nest of the guba bird. Latara voices her displeasure, but Kneesaa points out the lack of rainfall on the hill, emphasizing the necessity of feeding the baby gubas to prevent starvation. Wicket complains about the time wasted, hindering his pursuit of a trophy for his belt of honor. Meanwhile, Teebo accidentally spills some berries and stumbles on the hill. Kneesaa reminds Wicket that acts of kindness are often reciprocated.

Upon reaching the nest, Kneesaa offers the guba chicks some berries. Two of the gubas then seize her with their beaks and lift her into the air. They release her back onto the nest, causing her and the other Ewoks to tumble down the hill. Fortunately, the Ewoks land safely in a bush. Wicket and Latara mock Kneesaa's philosophy of altruism. Kneesaa inquires about everyone's well-being. Subsequently, the four Ewoks hear an animal's cry.

They discover a small perkle confined within a dome-shaped trap. The four Ewoks attempt to free the creature but are unable to lift the dome-like trap. Latara is then drawn into the dome by the machine's vacuum funnel. Teebo attempts to use his potion, but the bottle is sucked into the trap, shattering and ejecting Latara and the perkle. Kneesaa begrudgingly expresses gratitude to Teebo. The Ewoks examine the damaged trap, curious about its origin.

An Imperial Reconnaissance Droid seizes Teebo. Observing from above, Doctor Raygar laughs from within his Battlefield Subjugation Floatie. As the Ewoks react in shock, Kneesaa finds herself trapped in an energy beam emitted by Dr. Raygar's repulsorcraft. As more droids approach, Wicket attempts to fend them off with his club, but Raygar vaporizes it. Dr. Raygar descends towards Wicket and Latara, revealing that his trap, though failing to capture Ewoks directly, has led him to them.

When Wicket inquires about his identity, Dr. Raygar introduces himself. He demands the location of their tribe's village in exchange for the release of Wicket's companions. Kneesaa implores Wicket not to yield, warning of Raygar's evil nature. Raygar threatens to harm Wicket's friends and intensifies the pressure on Kneesaa. The droid constricts Teebo. To safeguard his friends, Wicket directs Raygar to travel over the hill and follow the river until reaching the great trees. Latara vows that the Ewok warriors will thwart his advance into the village.

Raygar spares the Ewoks but commands his droids to imprison them aboard his ship. The droids transport the Ewoks onto Raygar's freighter, where they are confined within a cell reinforced by a force field. Dr. Raygar assures the Ewoks that the force field will contain them until he acquires the Sunstar. He orders two reconnaissance droids to accompany him and a third to guard the Ewoks' cell. Wicket asserts the need to escape and alert the village. Latara complains that the guba birds are not being helpful.

Shortly thereafter, PD-28 enters the cell carrying a bowl of food. However, the recon droid guarding the cell intercepts him, declaring that no one is permitted to enter the cell. PD-28 explains that he is merely delivering food, but the recon droid insists that Dr. Raygar has forbidden feeding the prisoners. He shoves PD-28 aside, causing the bowl of fruit to spill onto him. Witnessing the incident, the Ewoks, particularly Teebo and Kneesaa, feel sympathy for PD-28.

Undaunted, PD-28 offers the Ewoks food through a slot in the back of the cell. Wicket asks if he could release them. PD-28 expresses sympathy but fears Lord Raygar's wrath if he aids their escape. Wicket persuades PD-28 to escape with them, and the small droid assists them in escaping their cell through the food hatch.

While attempting to navigate the ship, Teebo leads them into the escape pod. Latara expresses distrust of PD-28, but Kneesaa argues that he would not have helped them if he were not a friend. PD-28 explains that the pod serves as a means of transportation. Latara inadvertently activates the controls, causing the cockpit to detach from the rest of the freighter and fly away. The droid sentry realizes they have escaped. Guided by PD-28, Wicket pilots the craft, evading obstacles such as trees and sentient mushrooms. Wicket struggles initially but eventually masters piloting the ship.

Meanwhile, Raygar attacks Bright Tree Village with his Battlefield Subjugation Floatie, terrorizing several Ewoks including Shodu Warrick. Chief Chirpa leads the defense of the village. The Ewok warriors rally and some use a catapult to launch rocks at Raygar's floatie. However, Raygar uses his Floatie to destroy the catapult. Several Ewok warriors including Asha jump on his droids but they hurl them away easily.

Shaman Logray manages to destroy one of the recon droids with the Sunstar and urges the warriors to protect the woklings. Three woklings including Malani run into the path of the second recon droid but Logray uses the Sunstar to disable it, causing it to fall over a bridge. Raygar resolves to get the Sunstar and fires a laser blast at Logray's balcony, causing the shaman to drop the artifact. Chief Chirpa and his warriors attempt to reclaim the Sunstar but Doctor Raygar uses his floatie's grappling arm to steal it. He then flies away. Chief Chirpa resolves to stop him.

Shortly later, Kneesaa lands with Raygar's freighter's pod in the heart of the village. She tells her father that Raygar is after the Sunstar. As Raygar's freighter flies away, Chirpa laments that the Sunstar is gone forever. Logray fears that Raygar could use the Sunstar for evil purposes. Wicket suggest there may be a way to retrieve the Sunstar and asks PD-38 if they could use his "canoe" to retrieve the artifact. PD-38 says this is possible.

When Chief Chirpa asks what is the ship, Wicket explains that it is a flying canoe and that they used it to escape from the "evil one." Shodu thinks the "canoe" is unsafe but Latara attempts to show everyone by jumping onto the controls. This causes the ship to rise into the air. Wicket, Teebo, Kneesaa and PD-38 managed to climb aboard but not the adults. Shodu and Chirpa watch from below with concern.

In the cockpit, Kneesaa tells Wicket that they should return to fetch the warriors. PD-38 warns the Ewoks that they have to follow Doctor Raygar's ship since it is fleeing into space fast. Wicket and Teebo agree they need to move fast. Kneesaa says that she is grateful that PD-28 helped them. PD-28 says that his first master taught him to always help others. Kneesaa finds a kindred spirit in the droid. Teebo asks where is his master. PD-28 says that he was stolen from his first master by the Empire but hopes to find him one day.

Latara notices that the console is beeping. PD-28 explains that they are heading into deep space and tells them to hang on. Soon, the Ewoks find themselves in space. Due to the zero gravity environment, they float through the cockpit. Wicket asks if this normal and the droid engages the gravity stabilizer.

Meanwhile, Dr Raygar returns to his Star Destroyer. Admiral Kazz asks if his mission was successful. Raygar says it was successful but tells the Admiral that he will only present the Sunstar to the Emperor. Admiral Kazz tells Dr Raygar that the Emperor is on his way but warns him that his trinket must be as powerful as he says. Dr Raygar is confident and vows to unleash the Sunstar's power on the galaxy.

As the computer beeps, PD-28 explains that they are approaching Dr Raygar's Star Destroyer. The Ewoks are awe struck by the vast size of the warship. Admiral Kazz contacts PD-28 over the intercom. PD-28 reports that he is reporting to serve Dr Raygar. Kazz tells him to approach the landing bay. PD-28 tells the Ewoks to hide and reassures them that everything will be alright.

After landing, PD-28 is captured by a recon droid and questioned by Admiral Kazz, who is skeptical of his story that he escaped the Ewoks and fled in the pod. Dismissing PD-28 as a failure for allowing himself to be captured, Kazz orders that the droid be recycled.

The recon droid takes PD-28. Watching his plight, Teebo and Kneesaa resolve to rescue him. Wicket propose that he and Kneesaa rescue PD-28 while Latara and Teebo search for Dr Raygar. They agree to meet at the pod. At the suggestion of Latara, the Ewoks disguise themselves as droids. Wicket is skeptical of her plan's chances of success but Latara says that this is the fastest plan she could come up with.

Latara avoids the notice of two stormtroopers but a friendly MSE-series droid takes an interest in Teebo. Latara grows jealous and the droid runs away. The two Ewoks enter Raygar's laboratory where the scientist is impressed with the Sunstar's power. Having studied the gem, Raygar realizes that by harnessing its power, he could remove Palpatine and install himself as Emperor.

When he notices Latara and Teebo, the two pose as buckethead droids but Raygar realizes they are intruders and uses the Sunstar to trap them in a pocket of energy. Raygar tells the Ewoks that he intends to create the mightiest weapon that the universe has ever seen. He then uses the Sunstar's power to create a dangerous cannon, which he intends to test on the Ewoks.

Meanwhile, PD-28 is loaded onto a conveyer belt by the recon droid, which laughs. However, Kneesaa and Wicket use a lasso to knock the recon droid onto the conveyer belt. The bullish droid is crushed into scrap metal by the machine. The two Ewoks then rescue PD-28 from being recycled. He then offers to lead them to Raygar's laboratory.

Back in Raygar's laboratory, Raygar tells Latara and Teebo that he intends to test the Sunstar–powered cannon on them before using it to destroy the Emperor. Raygar desires to use the Sunstar to make himself Emperor. Before Wicket and Kneesaa can stop him, Raygar fires Latara and Teebo into space inside a projectile. Raygar scatters Wicket and Kneesaa with a laser cannon. PD-28 tries to intervene but is hit by the laser and crashes against a wall.

Getting to his feet, Wicket charges at Raygar and lands on the Imperial scientist. As the two fight, Wicket triggers the cannon's controls, causing the weapon to power up and fire a blast. The blast damages one of the wings of the Emperor's shuttle but fails to destroy the craft. A bridge officer informs Admiral Kazz that someone on their ship fired upon the Emperor. The Admiral orders three stormtroopers to find the culprits.

Raygar grabs Wicket and vows to destroy him for ruining his plot to assassinate the Emperor. Kneesaa grabs the Sunstar and fires a blast at Raygar. Raygar fires at them but misses. Wicket destroys his blaster with the Sunstar's power. The Ewoks and PD-28 escape with the Sunstar to the landing bay to save Teebo and Latara. Before Raygar can stop them, he is confronted by three stormtroopers who hold him at gunpoint. Kneesaa flies the ship out and they rescue Latara and Teebo.

Meanwhile, Admiral Kazz arrests Raygar, charging him with high treason due to the attack on the Emperor's shuttle. Raygar wishes he had the Sunstar but Kazz does not believe him, claiming that his trip to Endor was a ruse for his treacherous plot. Raygar asks the Admiral what he will do with him. Kazz says that the Emperor is going to punish Raygar himself. After the Emperor's shuttle lands, two stormtroopers drag a frightened Raygar aboard the shuttle to meet the Emperor.

With PD-28's help, the Ewoks return safely to Bright Tree Village where the Ewoks celebrate the return of the Sunstar. PD-28 is happy that he could help the Ewoks get their Sunstar back. Wicket presents his belt of honor which is laden with several new enemy droid parts. Kneesaa is sad that PD-28 has to leave while Latara tells him that he will always have a home with them. PD-28 is grateful but says that his true place is with his master. PD-28 says he misses them, prompting Kneesaa and Latar to kiss him.

After PD-28 leaves in the escape pod to search for his old master, Latara accepts Kneesaa's lesson that if she helps others, they will help them in return. Kneesaa concurs.

When Latara and Teebo infiltrated Dr. Raygar's lab, they claimed to be "Buckethead droids" before Dr. Raygar says, "I no longer have any need for droids, especially when they're only... Ewoks in disguise!". This is the earliest on-screen use of a term that would become a common slang term for stormtroopers in Star Wars Canon.