Teek

Teeks possessed a coat of dense, white fur and typically stood at a height of just under one meter. Their fur often appeared unkempt and tangled, although some Teeks exhibited finer hair below their necks. They were characterized by two prominent front teeth, accompanied by smaller teeth extending along each end of their jaw, and a pair of small, closely positioned eyes, typically dark brown or black in hue. While some Teeks had diminutive heads that tapered into slender snouts, the majority lacked such snouts. These other Teeks featured a standard mouth, with a small nose situated several inches above it, and whiskers protruding from both cheeks. Typically, this type lacked visible necks, whereas the smaller Teeks possessed elongated, slender necks. Both varieties of Teeks had two large ears, which curved upward into a fur-covered point, although certain Teeks had significantly longer ears adorned with tufts of white fur. They also commonly adorned their ears with bronzed rings. Variations in fur color were also observed among some Teeks; at least one Teek had light-colored hair on its head and dark gray hair covering the rest of its body. Additionally, some Teeks were known to tie the hair at the top of their heads into a knot, although this practice was not widespread. Beneath their thick fur, they possessed peach-colored skin.

Teeks were a bipedal species, characterized by short, furry arms and legs. They had small, five-fingered hands devoid of fur, with colors ranging from pink to yellow. The smaller variant of Teeks had significantly longer, thinner legs, covered by only a sparse layer of fur. Their incredibly rapid metabolism enabled them to run at speeds far exceeding those of nearly all other species in the galaxy. When moving at full speed, Teeks appeared as nothing more than a blur, capable of completing tasks in mere seconds.

Teeks had a widespread reputation for being skilled scavengers. They were fond of trinkets and frequently scavenged and pilfered various items from animal nests on the moon, and occasionally from Ewok villages as well, which they would then hoard, concealed from outsiders. However, Teeks did not consider themselves to be thieves; they consistently left behind a trinket or token that they believed to be of similar or equal value to the item they had taken. Nevertheless, the original owners of the stolen items were rarely satisfied with the exchange, as Teeks valued certain items that others may not have. However, they did not intend to cause dissatisfaction. Despite their relative harmlessness, Teeks were regarded as pests on Endor. The Ewoks considered them a nuisance and believed that even the mere sight of a Teek was a sign of bad luck. As a result, Teeks were generally avoided and tended to keep to themselves. They typically wore tattered clothing, almost entirely composed of pockets, in which they would conceal any stolen items.

Due to their exceptional speed, which they utilized both to evade predators and to escape from the enraged victims of their thievery, Teeks were never considered prey in the jungles. They generally exhibited fear of outsiders and often concealed themselves from them. However, after a period of initial contact, Teeks typically managed to overcome their fear. They communicated using a language of the same name, which was understood by very few other beings. To overcome this barrier, they frequently relied on sign language and facial expressions.

Teeks are known for being mischievous, thieves, and, like the majority of species on Endor, primitive. Although they tend to be afraid of outsiders, Teeks do not harbor hatred towards them. They demonstrate their friendly nature to outsiders once they have established trust. While they may be regarded as pests, Teeks remain loyal to their friends. They engage in mischief, but never intentionally seek to cause harm to anyone.

Limited information exists regarding the Teek species. They were classified as rodents and were considered sentient, although their sentience was a subject of debate. The Teeks' remarkable speed allowed them to evade detection by the early explorers who arrived on Endor. Another consequence of their extraordinary speed was the difficulty in properly observing them, resulting in sentientologists gaining limited knowledge during their attempts to study the Teek species.

The Teeks were not originally native to the forest moon of Endor, but were accidentally introduced to the world when a Starhunter menagerie ark crashed there around 800 BBY. Along with the Gupins and choreamnos also aboard the ship, the Teeks managed to escape into the moon's wilderness and establish a colony. After residing on the moon for centuries, it was widely assumed to be the species' original homeworld.

For centuries after their arrival on Endor, Teeks remained undiscovered by offworld scouts and anthropologists, although the Ewoks and other intelligent species native to Endor were well aware of their presence. Following the establishment of the first Galactic Empire by Emperor Palpatine 19 years prior to the Battle of Yavin, an Imperial research survey was dispatched to Endor, but it failed to detect these creatures. Palpatine expressed dissatisfaction with the report he received, which lacked information on numerous prominent species of Endor, including the Teeks, Yuzzums, and Sanyassan marauders residing on the planet.

The Emperor subsequently sent Sergeant Pfilbee Jhorn of the Imperial Navy on a subsequent expedition to the forest moon, accompanied by a team of at least a dozen other scouts. During their expedition, the group finally discovered the Teek species. The team, particularly the humanocentric Jhorn, developed an intense dislike for the Teeks and, like the Ewoks and many other inhabitants of Endor, found them extremely irritating. The Imperial team witnessed the Teeks' peculiar sense of value when the creatures replaced some of their high-tech, sophisticated tools with dried seedpods and polished beetle shells. The expedition attempted to shoot a Teek specimen for inclusion in the extensive collection of dead creatures they intended to bring back to Coruscant upon completion of their report. However, the Teeks proved too swift even for Imperial weaponry and managed to evade the outsiders' attacks, utilizing their speed to escape.

Yeep, a gray-furred Teek, was among the select few of his species to explore the wider galaxy. He had somehow managed to evade detection and stow away on a starship owned by Tuner Ryna, although the spacer eventually discovered the rodent on his ship. Upon realizing Yeep's remarkable speed, Ryna entered him in the prestigious bipedal race at the 22 BBY Mobquet Presents: Fastest Land Beings. Yeep surpassed all other competitors with his incredible speed. However, doubts arose regarding his eligibility, as entrants were required to be sentient to participate, and Yeep's species was unknown, making it uncertain whether he met the sentience requirement. Despite significant protests, Yeep was ultimately deemed "adequately sentient" and allowed to retain the medal, which he gnawed on with his oversized front teeth.

One of the most well-known Teeks was an individual named after his species, Teek. He served as a companion to Noa Briqualon, a Human scout who had been shipwrecked. Briqualon and Teek resided in a small cabin deep within the Endor forest, with minimal interaction with other sentient beings. The elderly scout was highly cautious of outsiders, while Teek yearned for companionship and frequently sought out strangers while Briqualon repaired his damaged ship near their forest dwelling. Teek lived with Noa Briqualon for several years until he befriended Wicket W. Warrick, a young Ewok, and Cindel Towani, a Human child who had become lost in the woods. Initially, Briqualon refused to offer the children refuge in his home, but he eventually allowed them to stay for several evenings. However, Towani was later abducted by Terak, a Sanyassan warlord, and taken to his stronghold. Warrick, Teek, and Briqualon rescued Towani, and Teek subsequently assisted in defeating Terak and his men in the woods surrounding Noa's ship. However, Teek was left behind when his old friend and Cindel Towani departed from the moon on Noa's ship, which had finally been repaired. Following the departure of his friend, Teek went to live with the Ewoks of Bright Tree Village, some of whom he had rescued from Terak's keep. He was the only Teek ever known to have integrated into Ewok society.

George Lucas created the character of "Teek" for Jim and Ken Wheat's 1985 made-for-television movie, Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. The character was initially conceived as a puppet, but Wilford Brimley strongly opposed the idea and frequently requested that Niki Botelho, a crewmember, stand in his line of sight while he spoke with the Teek puppet during filming. When the decision was made to have Teek portrayed by an actor in a suit, Botelho, a diminutive sixteen-year-old, was summoned to the film's creature shop and fitted with a full-body costume. The costume included both a stationary head and an articulated one; the latter contained mechanisms to animate Teek's eyes and face and was operated by off-camera puppeteers. During the filming of one scene, when Botelho tumbled down a hill and into a creek, the weight of her costume nearly caused her to drown before crewmembers rescued her and removed her mask.

The Teek character's species was not identified until later sources, which also assigned it the name "Teek." Teek later appeared in the Star Tours safety video, and a different Teek named Yeep was featured in an article in the online HoloNet News Vol. 531 52.

Several sources, including the StarWars.com Databank, establish the Teek species as native to Endor. However, the article Castaways of Endor, originally intended for publication in Star Wars Gamer but later published online at Hyperspace in 2008 following the cancellation of Gamer, asserts that they were brought to Endor by a menagerie ship.