A Warrior and a Lurdo

"A Warrior and a Lurdo" is the twelfth episode of the second season of Ewoks. Written by Michael Dubil and directed by Dale Schott, the episode originally aired on ABC on October 25, 1986.
==Plot summary==
===Hunting the grounger===
The episode opens with two critters fleeing a menacing grounger. Chief Chirpa is waiting on a tree branch and uses a rope to jump and ambush the creature from behind. He restrains the grounger and binds its legs with a rope. Chirpa tells a group of adolescent Ewok warriors this is how they subdue a grounger.
An impressed Kneesaa watches her dad while Latara's younger brother Wiley and Nippet laugh. Wicket wishes that Chirpa will give him a chance. Chirpa tells the older Ewok youths that a true warrior must teach what they know to others. Overhearing the conversation, Wicket believes that if he can teach another Ewok to be warrior in order to move up the Ewok hierarchy.
When Latara laughs at his idea, he asks her to bet on that. Before they can bet, Wiley and Nippet play a prank on Latara by swinging down on a rope, causing her to fall into a muddy bond. Latara is annoyed with her younger siblings. Latara makes a bet that if she wins, Wicket will have to babysit her brother and sister for the next 20 moons.
In return, Wicket says that if he wins, Latara will have to sweep his hut for the next thirty moons. Latara and Wicket agree to the deal. Before leaving, Latara tells him to bring Teebo before the end of the day. Wicket protests that Teebo is a wizard's apprentice but Latara reminds him that he said any Ewok. Wicket reluctantly agrees.
===Training Teebo===
Wicket proceeds to teach Teebo how to operate a catapult. Teebo suggests using magic to carry a rock but Wicket responds that warriors don't use magic. While daydreaming about Latara, Teebo accidentally leans on the catapult's lever, which then hurtles him into a nearby river. Wicket swims towards him and tells him to grab onto a rock.
Teebo swims to the rock only to discover that it is a giant water creature called a Blog. The Blog pursues the two Ewoks, who managed to swim to a dam structure. The two almost fall but managed to find a vine which they proceed to climb down. However, the Blog breaks the vine, causing them to land on the bush. They startle some small creatures.
Teebo notices that the dam has dried up this section of the river. Wicket deduces that the Blog has created the dam to keep all the water for himself, dismissing him as a bully. Wicket boasts that he can use his warrior training to teach Teebo how to defeat the Blog.
Shortly later, Wicket teaches him how to turn a vine into an improvised lasso and leap across a canyon. Wicket demonstrates successfully. Teebo follows but latches his lasso around the behind of a large bird-like creature which flies away, dragging Teebo with it. Teebo manages to land on top of Wicket before the bird can fly away.
===The Tambles' plea===
Wicket is frustrated that his teaching is not working and decides he must buy more time from Latara, suggesting a year. Teebo is worried that Wicket is mad at him and that Latara will laugh at him. While lamenting that he will never become a warrior, Teebo accidentally walks into a tiny Tambles child, which flees to its parents. The Tambles introduce themselves to Teebo and tell him they need the help of a mighty Ewok warrior.
Teebo thinks he is unworthy but the Tambles are desperate because the Blog in the lake up there has dammed all the water. The Tambles fear they will die. After the younger Tamble hugs his foot, Teebo has a change of heart and decides to help.
Meanwhile, Wicket tries to change the terms of the deal but Latara insists that a deal is a deal. Returning to the Tambles' village, Latara and Kneesaa asks where is Teebo. The Mother Tamble tells the Ewoks that Teebo left to fight the Blog who built the dam. Wicket is determined to save Teebo while Kneesaa says this is terrible. Latara agrees and fears that she will have to sweep Wicket's hut for 30 moons if she loses.
===Confronting the Blog===
At the lake, Teebo pleads with the Blog to leave the lake. However, this only angers the Blog who spits a volley of water at Teebo and the Tamble. Teebo then uses a lasso to charge at the Blog but the large water creature breaks the vine before sucking him in and snorting him out through his blowhole. Teebo pleads for help.
Elsewhere, Wicket gets Latara and Kneesaa to shoot him across on the catapult. He rescues Teebo from the Blog's blowhole. After landing on a nearby bush, Teebo thanks Wicket for his help. Wicket proposes breaking that dam in order to wash the Blog away. Teebo supports his plan. Wicket runs to the dam and attempts to goad the Blog into charging at the dam. Before he can escape, the Blog knocks him into the water and throws him with his tendril.
Before Wicket can swim to shore, the Blog dives underwater and grabs him with his tendril. Kneesaa throws her lasso to reach Wicket but he is out of reach. The Blog grabs Wicket and swims around. Teebo is frustrated that his warrior training is not working. Kneesaa tells him to fight like a wizard rather than a warrior.
===Magic and Wicket's humbling===
Teebo retrieves his magic pouch and casts a spell that destroys the dam, washing the Blog away downriver. Wicket manages to cling to a trunk from the dam. Kneesaa is relieved that Wicket is safe while Teebo is glad that his is friend alive. A tamble celebrates by jumping into the lake, causing his body to balloon. His wife and child also enjoy the water. The mother tamble tells Teebo that he is a warrior. Teebo thanks her and explains that he is a wizard's apprentice.
Since Teebo ends up using magic, and not his 'warrior training', Latara declares Wicket lost the bet and he must babysit her younger brother and sister for the next twenty moons beginning tonight. Wicket protests but Latara is having none of it and briefs him about the rules. Kneesaa and Teebo find this most amusing.
==Credits==
==Appearances==
==Behind the scenes==
In Ewokese, "lurdo" means "loser".
A coloring blooper occurs early in the episode: Paploo makes a brief appearance with the other warriors, but in later shot, he is recolored, appearing to be a completely different Ewok.
==Sources==
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==Notes and references==
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