Page 62 - Star Wars Insider #194

PATHS OF DESTINY
BEARING WITNESS
The Story of Two Droids and a Galaxy
Star Wars creator George Lucas envisioned C-3PO and Akira Kurosawa’s medieval Japanese adventure fi lm, The
R2-D2 as a connecting thread running through the Skywalker Hidden Fortress (1958). Lucas liked the irony of the humble
saga. The two were inspired in part by the pair of complaining
servants who bumble their way through Japanese director witness the entire story.
C-3PO
Protocol droid C-3PO served
high-level political leaders and
found himself at the center of
galactic affairs, but his origins
could not have been humbler.
1. Reanimated
Assembled from spare parts
scavenged from the scrapyard
of junk dealer Watto, Anakin
Skywalker reconstructed
C-3PO as a companion and
helper for his mother, Shmi.
2. The Moisture Farm
After Anakin left Tatooine to train as a
Jedi, C-3PO remained with Shmi. When
she married Cliegg Lars, the droid labored
on his moisture farm, tending vaporators.
It was during this period that C-3PO was
fi tted with secondhand plating.
3. Serving the Senator
Anakin inherited C-3PO following his mother’s
death, and the droid was assigned to serve his
secret wife, Padmé, during the Clone Wars.
C-3PO was fitted with polished golden plating
more appropriate for his role as a senator’s
protocol droid. In this new role, the droid
witnessed the political schisms at the heart
of the Republic.
4. Rebellion and Resistance
C-3PO entered the diplomatic service of Senator Bail
Organa following the death of Padmé and became the
offi cial counterpart of R2-D2 aboard Leia Organa’s ship, the
Tantive IV. He followed R2-D2 on the astromech’s quest to
fi nd Obi-Wan Kenobi, when they both became the property
of Luke Skywalker. After Skywalker disappeared years later,
C-3PO continued to be a loyal servant to General Organa,
considering her—along with cohorts Chewbacca, BB-8, Rey,
Finn, Poe, and of course R2-D2—to be his friends.
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characters being the only ones who were in a position to
R2-D2
R2-D2 racked up a lot of mileage
in the Skywalker saga, but four
major periods in the droid’s
eventful service life can be
distinguished by his alignments
to his principal masters.
1. The
Astromech
Posted aboard Queen
Padmé Amidala’s Royal
Starship, R2 became a
faithful and useful member
of her entourage, continuing
to serve Padmé when she
became a Republic Senator.
2. Into Battle
After helping Anakin Skywalker
pilot a starfi ghter during the
Battle of Naboo, the Jedi Padawan
became the astromech’s sometimes
master during the Clone Wars,
although R2’s primary allegiance
remained with Padmé.
3. A New Mission
Upon Padmé’s tragic death, R2-D2 was
inherited by her infant daughter Leia
Organa, and posted to the service of the
Royal House of Alderaan. Leia trusted the
doughty droid to deliver her desperate plea
for help to Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine.
4. Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker became R2-D2’s master
after the droid was legally sold to his
family by Jawas. The droid joined Luke on
numerous adventures until the Jedi went
into self-imposed exile on Ahch-To. R2-D2
went into hibernation mode until being
reunited with his counterpart C-3PO, and
former masters Leia and Luke, as the First
Order gained dominance in the galaxy.