Murgoob, also known by the epithets the Great Murgoob and Murgoob the Cranky, functioned as the oracle for the tribe of Duloks ruled by King Gorneesh on the Forest Moon of Endor. By the time of 3 ABY, Murgoob's lifespan had exceeded 600 seasons. His appearance reflected his age, as he walked with a prominent hunch, relying heavily on a gnarled staff crafted from wood. He sported an unkempt, gray beard extending to his abdomen and long, gray hair on his head, secured with a cord. The oracle chose to live in seclusion within his lair, residing in a decaying tree stump situated far from the village of his tribe in the Dulok Swamp.
Several decades prior to the Battle of Yavin, Murgoob was a participant in the Ewok–Dulok War, a conflict waged between his tribe and the Ewoks residing in Bright Tree Village for territorial dominance over the forest. In a battle that would continue to haunt him in the years to come, Murgoob witnessed the Duloks' retreat back to their swamps, driven by a powerful Ewok battle wagon. When Murgoob's nephew, the shaman Umwak, informed him in 3 ABY about the wagon's reconstruction, they conceived a plan to seize it and employ it against the Ewoks' Soul Trees. Murgoob took part in the attack; however, an Ewok saboteur neutralized the war machine before it could inflict significant damage. Murgoob and his fellow tribesmen retreated once more to their marshy homeland.
Murgoob's birth occurred within a tribe of Duloks dwelling on the Forest Moon of Endor, several decades before the Battle of Yavin. By the time King Gorneesh assumed leadership over his group, rumors circulated that Murgoob had lived through hundreds of seasons. Approximately 600 seasons prior to 0 BBY, Murgoob established his residence within a large tree stump located on the outskirts of the Dulok Swamp. In this location, he lived as a recluse, abstaining from interactions with his people. At some point, he was designated as the oracle of his tribe.
Centuries before 3 ABY, Murgoob's tribe engaged in the Ewok–Dulok War against the Ewoks of Bright Tree Village. In an attempt to achieve total victory over the enemy and seize their territory, Dulok warriors wielding axes advanced upon the Ewoks' Soul Trees with the intention of felling them and shattering the enemy's morale. However, an Ewok battle wagon, constructed by Erpham Warrick, effectively thwarted the attack. Capitalizing on their advantage, the Ewoks forced the Duloks to retreat back to their swampland home. This defeat continued to trouble Murgoob for many years afterward.
Murgoob spent many years in isolation within his tree stump dwelling. However, in 3 ABY, his solitude was disrupted. The tribe's queen, Urgah, and Murgoob's nephew, Umwak—whom Murgoob had never favored, and who now made the unbelievable claim of being named the tribe's shaman—brought unwelcome news: a Dulok scout had reported the restoration of the Ewok battle wagon. The oracle became alarmed; his initial impulse was to seek refuge, but Umwak pressed him for information. Murgoob recounted the story of the battle he had witnessed long ago. His nephew then proposed an intriguing idea, suggesting that the Duloks could potentially seize the battle wagon and utilize it against the Ewoks. Murgoob was intrigued, declaring that with such a weapon, the Duloks could conquer the Ewoks' forests once and for all. The queen and the shaman departed, leaving Murgoob to his solitude.
Shortly after, Murgoob's nephew returned with the information that the Duloks had successfully stolen Erpham Warrick's war machine, but needed guidance on how to best utilize it. Murgoob knew the perfect strategy: destroying the Ewoks' Soul Trees would inflict a significant psychological blow against the enemy, a plan to which Umwak agreed. He requested that his uncle join the campaign, but the oracle chose instead to rest.
A resounding splash awakened Murgoob from his slumber, prompting him to investigate. To his dismay, the oracle discovered that someone had brazenly impersonated him and had even commanded the tribe to launch an "attack"—resulting in the battle wagon ending up in a river. Murgoob exposed the imposter using his clawed hands. His worst fears were realized: it was an Ewok, Wicket W. Warrick. The tribe confined the intruder in a cage aboard the battle wagon and prepared for the actual assault. Murgoob positioned himself at the front of the contraption, alongside the battering ram.
With its direction corrected, the battle wagon advanced with Murgoob aboard. King Gorneesh ordered a halt near Bright Tree Village, where he mocked his Ewok adversaries and threatened to obliterate the Soul Trees. The Ewok leader, Chief Chirpa, vowed that the Ewoks would defend the trees at all costs.
The assault commenced in earnest. The battle wagon smashed through the Ewok defenses, deflecting arrows as Dulok warriors hurled spears. As the Soul Trees drew closer, Erpham Warrick's tree stood prominently in the center. Suddenly, Duloks began falling from the wagon in rapid succession. Murgoob turned to identify the source of the commotion and discovered that the young Ewok had escaped from his cage, accompanied by a wokling companion named Malani. Murgoob barely had time to utter a curse before the Ewoks released the battering ram, sending his frail body flying. A bush cushioned his fall, but Murgoob's involvement in the battle had come to an end.
The remainder of the attack fared no better. Somehow, the Ewoks managed to repel Gorneesh himself and destroy the battle wagon before it could reach its intended target. Defeated once more, Murgoob and the Duloks retreated back to their swamp.
By the year 3 ABY, Murgoob represented a truly ancient specimen of his species. Displaying the common traits of Duloks, he had green body fur and pink eyes, but his advanced age manifested in facial wrinkles, a missing lower tooth, and a lengthy, gray beard and head hair. His eyebrows and mustache were a light green hue, and his nose was gray. Murgoob kept his head hair bound into a tuft and wore no clothing aside from a cord around his waist. He walked with a stooped posture, using a gnarled wooden staff for support.
Murgoob elicited a mix of emotions from other Duloks within his tribe. On one hand, he was considered a wise sage; after all, he was known as "Murgoob the Great." When he made an appearance, the Duloks readily followed his instructions, as demonstrated by the Ewok Wicket W. Warrick when he impersonated the oracle. Murgoob was also believed to bring good fortune, and Umwak was eager to have his uncle join the assault on the Ewoks' Soul Trees to ensure its success. In 3 ABY, rumors suggested that Murgoob had remained secluded for 600 seasons. Even the Dulok king, queen, or shaman had no knowledge of Murgoob's appearance, which allowed the Ewok Wicket W. Warrick to impersonate the oracle undetected. The fact that he had remained unseen for generations surrounded Murgoob in an aura of mystery; Urgah decided to accompany Umwak on a visit purely out of curiosity. Nevertheless, the shaman Umwak dreaded visits with his uncle. Murgoob's tribe held him in such high regard that when Gorneesh encountered the Ewok in disguise, the king felt compelled to showcase his leadership abilities before what he believed to be the wizened oracle himself.
Murgoob resided within an old, dilapidated, hollow tree stump located on the fringes of the Dulok Swamp. The oracle rarely ventured from his home, and he made it difficult for others to find him: those seeking his counsel could only reach his dwelling via a perilous path of mossy stones that traversed a pond to his short front door. The Dulok oracle addressed visitors from within the structure in a resounding, ominous voice. The presence of Murgoob inside was only revealed by a few fire-lit windows that emitted puffs of smoke as he spoke. Visitors rarely received a warm welcome. Murgoob was known for his preference for solitude and his unfriendly disposition, which had earned him the unflattering nickname, "Murgoob the Cranky." Some visitors were only met with the oracle's instruction to turn around and leave.
Murgoob held a dislike for his nephew, Umwak. Even after the younger Dulok had reached adulthood, his uncle regarded him as little more than a child. Murgoob greeted the news of Umwak's appointment as shaman of the tribe with derisive disbelief. Murgoob also harbored a particular animosity toward Ewoks. He maintained a grudge for decades after Erpham Warrick's battle wagon had prevented the Dulok conquest of Bright Tree Village. Furthermore, he recalled the war machine with fear. The ancient Dulok eagerly participated in the renewed campaign to accomplish the task that had been left unfinished years before.
Murgoob made his debut in "Wicket's Wagon," an episode of the Ewoks animated series that was first broadcast in 1985, with his voice being provided by the voice actor Eric Peterson.