I'll get this out of the way first. I don't care about the Ewoks at all. I don't hate them (or dislike them) and I don't love them (or particularly like them either.) I don't understand how people feel so strongly about their inclusion in either direction.
That said, I do think it was necessary for Yoda to die because otherwise 1) There would be someone who else to solve the problem for Luke and 2) it is extremely unlikely that a mere puppet could have been successfully presented as an active warrior in an action movie.
Yoda's death means that either Luke has to kill Darth Vader (while the films were always comfortable with its heroes engaging in lethal violence, it's doubtful that a PG movie would have allowed its protagonist to commit patricide) or have someone else defeat Vader. With Yoda out of the picture, there were two possible ways that could have happened. 1) The Emperor killing Vader and 2) Vader redeeming himself.
This film chose the latter (with Vader dying to kill the Emperor and thus save his son) and I find that it did it well (even if this plot point were poorly imitated by the later sequels.)
Beyond that, I like the Emperor as a villain, I like the relationship between Han and Leia and I like how Mark Hamill has finally come into the role and does a good job acting as Luke throughout the film. Beyond that, the good guys win and I like that.
My main problem with this film is that it reuses the Death Star plot from the first film which was never a good plot device even if it were handled better in this movie (which it was.)
Despite that flaw, this film is a satisfying conclusion to the Star Wars Trilogy.
That said, I do think it was necessary for Yoda to die because otherwise 1) There would be someone who else to solve the problem for Luke and 2) it is extremely unlikely that a mere puppet could have been successfully presented as an active warrior in an action movie.
Yoda's death means that either Luke has to kill Darth Vader (while the films were always comfortable with its heroes engaging in lethal violence, it's doubtful that a PG movie would have allowed its protagonist to commit patricide) or have someone else defeat Vader. With Yoda out of the picture, there were two possible ways that could have happened. 1) The Emperor killing Vader and 2) Vader redeeming himself.
This film chose the latter (with Vader dying to kill the Emperor and thus save his son) and I find that it did it well (even if this plot point were poorly imitated by the later sequels.)
Beyond that, I like the Emperor as a villain, I like the relationship between Han and Leia and I like how Mark Hamill has finally come into the role and does a good job acting as Luke throughout the film. Beyond that, the good guys win and I like that.
My main problem with this film is that it reuses the Death Star plot from the first film which was never a good plot device even if it were handled better in this movie (which it was.)
Despite that flaw, this film is a satisfying conclusion to the Star Wars Trilogy.