‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Director Addresses Porg Backlash

While many fans are freaking out about the addition of the adorable Porgs to the Star Wars galaxy, others are a little concerned that the creatures will be a different version of Ewoks or Gungans.

Not everyone feels the same about Ewoks or Gungans – some people love them, while some people hate them – but that hasn’t stopped people from criticizing the inclusion of another adorable alien race. And director Rian Johnson is aware of those concerns.

While speaking with Yahoo! about the impending release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Johnson asked, “Are you sick of them yet?”

Johnson previously stated that he was inspired to include the creatures while scouting the islands of Skellig Michael in Ireland, where he encountered puffins that inhabit the area.

“I was like, ‘Oh, this is part of the island; we need to find the Star Wars version of this,” said Johnson. “And then just story-wise — not that they play a big part in the story — but I knew I wanted to find any source of comic relief I could on the island. And so they were very useful in terms of that.”

Johnson added that he was aware of the potential backlash the cute creatures could illicit while filming The Last Jedi.

“It wasn’t until we got the actual puppets on set and the whole crew reacted with ‘Oh my God, they’re adorable!’ and also then a few people in the crew were giving them that suspicious side-eye of ‘These are cute, but are they too cute?’” Johnson said. “But the overwhelming reaction on set was everybody loved the Porgs. And I love ’em, so you know what? I get it if people are a little wary of cuteness in the Star Wars universe, but I personally love them, and I think they have their place in the movie.”

While there are fans who think Star Wars shouldn’t include “cute” creatures like Ewoks or Porgs, it’s also good to remember that these are fictional stories with laser swords, explosions in space, giant cow-like tanks that walk in snow and are destroyed by tow cables, and kissing cousins.

Plus there’s the fact that Ewoks murdered thousands of Stormtroopers and played their severed heads like they were bongos in the victory celebration, but that’s another point entirely…

Not to mention there might be an entirely sinister purpose for the creatures’ presence on the island. After all, everyone has to eat!

Star Wars: The Last Jedi premieres in theaters on December 15.