Category R2-D2

R2-D2 has had a significant role throughout the Skywalker Saga of the Star Wars movies.

Artoo served Padmé Amidala, Anakin Skywalker, and Luke Skywalker in turn, helping sway the outcome of their various battles and adventures.

Often teamed up with the protocol droid C-3PO, R2-D2 has been trusted to complete important missions that helped change the course of Star Wars history.

Who is R2-D2

R2-D2 was an R2-series astromech droid built by Industrial Automaton prior to 32 BBY in the official Star Wars timeline.

Like all droids of this type, R2-D2’s cylindrical frame contained a variety of sensors and tools along with a number of extendable arms useful for a range of tasks. This model could also walk on two legs or deploy a third one to roll across the ground.

The droid itself often referred to simply as R2, developed an adventurous and resourceful personality over its century-long operational lifetime.

Joined by a protocol droid, C-3PO, R2-D2 found itself directly involved in some of the most pivotal events in galactic history.

Star Wars Gifts

What does R2-D2 stand for?

As explained in the Star War Encyclopedia published after the release of the first Star Wars film in 1977, R2-D2 is the abbreviated name of the Second Generation Robotic Droid Series 2.

The designation itself is the result of a happy accident that occurred while Star Wars creator George Lucas was directing his first big hit, American Graffiti.

As the film’s sound editor, Walter March, tells it, he gave the director the idea when he shortened Reel 2, Dialogue Track 2 down, calling out, “R-2-D-2”.

Lucas was in the room but had dozed off while working on the script for his science fiction film. He quickly woke upon hearing the request and, after asking March to repeat it, told him it was a “great name” before going back to his writing.

Where did R2-D2 come from?

R2-D2, who was made on the planet Naboo, was one of several nearly identical astromech droids stationed on Queen Padme Amidala’s royal starship. Nonetheless, the droid had a unique personality and stood out from its peers.

As shown during the prequel trilogy, R2 distinguished itself when the starship was fired upon during a blockade by the Trade Federation. While the Jedi, Qui-Go Jinn, and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi were helping the Queen escape, the droid played a major role after the ship was fired upon.

R2 and other astromechs exited the ship to repair it from outside. While the other droids were destroyed by Trade Federation fire, R2 survived and made the repairs, allowing the royal starship to escape.

For its efforts, the droid was personally thanked by the Queen and went on to serve her more directly.

What Was R2-D2’s role in Stopping the Empire?

R2-D2 accompanied by C-3PO were also at the Rebel Alliance base on Yavin IV before the Battle of Scarif, where a group of rebels enabled the Alliance to obtain the schematics to the Death Star.

The Death Star plans ended up on the Tantive IV with Princess Leia Organa fleeing from Scarif to Tatooine. R2 and 3PO were also aboard the Tantive IV when Darth Vader’s forces attacked and boarded the ship.

The droids were sent Princess Leia in an escape pod to the surface of Tatooine. Unbeknown to C-3PO, the Death Star schematics had been stored within R2’s memory banks.

R2-D2 set out to fulfil his mission for Princess Leia by finding the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and delivering her message.

The droids accompanied Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan onboard Han Solo’s ship, the Millennium Falcon as they escaped Tatooine.

After rescuing Leia, the rebels launched an attack on the Death Star. When Luke volunteered to fly an X-Wing fighter, R2-D2 was used as an interface to help fly the ship.

Which actor plays R2-D2?

The English actor and musician, Kenneth George Baker (August 24, 1934 – August 13, 2016), besides acting in Time Bandits, Willow, Amadeus and Labyrinth, portrayed R2-D2 in the three original Star Wars films and received billing credit in the prequel trilogy.

The reason for his lower billing in the later films was a reduced role, as R2 was mostly portrayed using radio controlled props and CGI models.

As a quick reference, here is a list of the films crediting Baker in the role of R2-D2 in the order in which they were released:

• Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
• Star Wars Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi
• Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
• Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Who plays R2-D2 now?

After learning the ropes from the original R2-D2 Kenneth Baker, Scottish actor Jimmy Vee, 57 took the role of R2-D2.

Baker, with previous appearances in the films Pan and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, took on the role, first co-performing with the Baker in some scenes during The Force Awakens.

In the final film of the most recent trilogy, The Rise of Skywalker, Jimmy Vee was replaced by puppeteers Hassan Taj and Lee Towersey. Sound designer Ben Burtt provided the sounds and vocal effects for R2-D2 in this most recent film.

Did R2-D2 know Anakin was Vader?

As we might expect from a franchise that has been produced over so many years, the Star Wars saga has many plot holes.

One that has bothered fans for years is the fact that R2-D2 never told Luke Skywalker that Darth Vader was his father. However, it’s possible that the droid didn’t know that Anakin had become the feared Sith lord.

While R2’s memory was never erased at the end of the prequel trilogy like his golden companion, the protocol droid C-3PO, and he accompanied Anakin to the planet Mustafar, where Skywalker finalized his transformation from Jedi to Sith, R2 was ordered to stay with the ship and couldn’t have witnessed the future Darth Vader’s battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi.

When the fight ended, Obi-Wan, who thought Anakin was dead, returned to the ship and there’s no reason to believe that the droid knew about the elder Skywalker’s transformation.

He did, however, know that Luke was Anakin’s son as he was present when Padme gave birth to him and his sister Leia.

Why did R2 not recognize Yoda?

Why doesn’t R2-D2 seem to recognize Yoda in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back after he’d known him during the Clone Wars and the fall of the Jedi?

R2 accompanied Luke Skywalker to Dagobah, a swamp world, as the young Jedi sought out Yoda to continue his training.

The droid and his human companion set up camp but soon found themselves confronted and annoyed by a strange alien creature who rummaged through Luke’s belongings and attacked the droid with his walking stick.

An in-canon novel, From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back, which was published to celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary, helped clear up this seeming omission in a chapter told from Yoda’s perspective.

In the chapter, which details Luke and R2’s arrival on Dagobah, Yoda recognizes that the young Skywalker is travelling with a familiar friend.

“Even though the droid was caked with algae, dirt and stomach fluid, its appearance and familiar blips and bleeps were still quite recognizable: R2-D2,” the Jedi master explains.

Unfortunately, because the chapter is only told from Yoda’s perspective, we still don’t know if the droid also recognized the Jedi master.

Follow this link to find out more about Star Wars and the range of characters in the Star Wars galaxy.

Star Wars Gifts