| R2-D2 | |
|---|---|
| Star Wars character | |
 | |
| First appearance | Star Wars (1977) |
| Created by | George Lucas |
| Portrayed by | |
| In-universe information | |
| Class | Astromech droid |
| Affiliation | |
| Homeworld | Naboo |
R2-D2 (/ˌɑːr.tuːˈdiːtuː/) orArtoo-Detoo[1] is a fictional robot character in theStar Wars franchise created byGeorge Lucas. He has appeared in ten of the eleven theatricalStar Wars films to date, including every film in the "Skywalker Saga", which includes the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy.[f] At various points throughout the course of the films, R2, anastromech droid, is a friend toC-3PO,Padmé Amidala,Anakin Skywalker,Leia Organa,Luke Skywalker, andObi-Wan Kenobi. R2-D2 and his companion C-3PO are the only characters to appear in every theatricalStar Wars film, with the exception ofSolo: A Star Wars Story (2018).
English actorKenny Baker played R2-D2 in all three originalStar Wars films and receivedbilling credit for the character in theprequel trilogy, where Baker's role was reduced as R2-D2 was portrayed mainly byradio controlled props andCGI models. In thesequel trilogy, Baker was credited as consultant forThe Force Awakens; however,Jimmy Vee also co-performed the character in some scenes. Vee later took over the role beginning inThe Last Jedi.[2] InThe Rise of Skywalker, puppeteers Hassan Taj and Lee Towersey perform the role of R2-D2, replacing Jimmy Vee, who had played the role in the previous two films. His sounds and vocal effects were created bysound designerBen Burtt.
R2-D2 was designed in artwork byRalph McQuarrie, co-developed byJohn Stears and built by Peteric Engineering. The revisedEmpire Strikes Back droids had fibreglass shells built byTony Dyson and his White Horse Toy Company.
George Lucas's creation of R2-D2 was influenced by the peasant Matashichi fromAkira Kurosawa's 1958 filmThe Hidden Fortress.[citation needed] Lucas and artistRalph McQuarrie also drew inspiration from the robots Huey, Dewey, and Louie fromDouglas Trumbull's 1972 filmSilent Running.[citation needed]
The name derives from when Lucas was making one of his earlier films,American Graffiti. Sound editorWalter Murch states that he is responsible for the utterance which sparked the name for the droid. Murch asked for Reel 2, Dialog Track 2, in the abbreviated form "R-2-D-2". Lucas, who was in the room and had dozed off while working on the script forStar Wars, momentarily woke when he heard the request and, after asking for clarification, stated that it was a "great name" before going back to writing his script.[3][4]
R2-D2 stands for Second Generation Robotic Droid Series-2, according to aStar Wars encyclopedia published after the release of the filmStar Wars.[5][g]Tony Dyson, owner of the special effects studio The White Horse Toy Company, was commissioned by special effects supervisor Brian Johnson to fabricate the revised mechanical design forThe Empire Strikes Back, making several units operated by remote control. A number were used by Baker, and two were stunt double models made for the scene where the droid was shot from the swamp onto the shore onDagobah.
InStar Wars, R2-D2 andC-3PO (Anthony Daniels) are both introduced on board theTantive IV, along withPrincess Leia (Carrie Fisher) ofAlderaan, when they are being pursued upon byDarth Vader (portrayed byDavid Prowse, voiced byJames Earl Jones) aboard anImperialStar Destroyer. Leia inserts into R2-D2 an information disc containing the plans for theDeath Star battle station, and encodes a distress message on the droid's holographic projector. The droids then escape in a pod that crashes onTatooine nearJedi MasterObi-Wan Kenobi's (Alec Guinness) desert abode.
R2-D2 and C-3PO are then abducted byJawas and bought byOwen (Phil Brown) andBeru Lars (Shelagh Fraser), uncle and aunt ofLuke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). While Luke cleans the sand out of R2-D2's gears, he discovers a fragment of Leia's message, and removes the droid's restraining bolt to see more; once free of the bolt, R2 claims to have no knowledge of the message. That night, R2-D2 leaves the farm to seek out Obi-Wan. When Owen and Beru are killed byImperial stormtroopers, Luke is forced to leave Tatooine with Obi-Wan,Han Solo (Harrison Ford), andChewbacca (Peter Mayhew) on board theMillennium Falcon to deliver R2-D2 to theRebel Alliance. On their arrival at Alderaan's co-ordinates, they are pulled in by the Death Star'stractor beam and are forced to land, but eventually rescue Princess Leia. After Vader kills Obi-Wan, the rest of the group escapes and delivers the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance. R2 later serves as Luke's droid during theattack on the station. R2-D2 is severely damaged during the battle, but is repaired before the ceremony at the end of the film.
InThe Empire Strikes Back, R2-D2 accompanies Luke toDagobah, and later toCloud City, where he helps to rescue and repair a heavily damaged C-3PO and to override city security computers. He also manages to reactivate theMillennium Falcon's hyperdrive, resulting in a last-minute escape from Imperial forces.
InReturn of the Jedi, R2-D2 plays a critical role in rescuing Luke, Leia, and Han fromJabba the Hutt. He later joins the Rebel strike team onEndor. He is badly damaged during the battle between the Imperial troops and the Rebels, but is repaired in time for the celebration marking the second Death Star's destruction and the fall of the Empire.
InThe Phantom Menace, set 32 years beforeA New Hope, R2-D2 is portrayed as belonging to theNaboo defense forces, one of three astromech droids deployed for repair duty onboard QueenPadmé Amidala's (Natalie Portman)starship as it attempts to get past theTrade Federation blockade. The sole survivor of the three, R2-D2 repairs the deflector shields and saves the day. Having proved his worth, R2-D2 then becomes part of Jedi MasterQui-Gon Jinn's (Liam Neeson) party on Tatooine where he meets nine-year-oldAnakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) and C-3PO, whom Anakin built from scrap. Later still, he serves as the astromech droid for Anakin'sstarfighter during theBattle of Naboo, helping Anakin destroy the Trade Federation's command center and free the planetNaboo from the Federation's grip. R2-D2, along with Anakin and the young Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), are awarded medals by Padmé andBoss Nass (Brian Blessed) at the end of the film.
InAttack of the Clones, set 10 years afterThe Phantom Menace, R2-D2 again serves Obi-Wan and Anakin (Hayden Christensen), who is now Obi-Wan's Jedi apprentice. He accompanies Anakin and Padmé to Naboo, and then to Tatooine when Anakin tries in vain to rescue his motherShmi (Pernilla August) from a pack ofTusken Raiders. Here, he is reunited with C-3PO, and the two get into various misadventures on the planetGeonosis. He and C-3PO are later witness to Anakin and Padmé's secret wedding.
InRevenge of the Sith, set three years later, R2-D2 helps Anakin and Obi-Wan in their mission to rescue ChancellorPalpatine (Ian McDiarmid) fromCount Dooku's (Christopher Lee) capital ship, theInvisible Hand. He is attacked by super battle droids, but he defeats them through ingenious tactics. After Anakin falls to thedark side ofthe Force and becomes Darth Vader, he takes R2-D2 with him when he goes to assassinate the Separatist council, but he tells him to stay with the ship. After Obi-Wan defeats Vader in a lightsaber duel, R2-D2 goes with him aboard Padmé's ship, where he witnesses as Padmé dies after giving birth to her and Vader's children, Luke and Leia.
After Palpatine and Vader overthrow the Republic and establish theGalactic Empire at the end of the film, C-3PO's memory is erased to keep the knowledge of Luke and Leia's locations a secret from their father. However, R2-D2's memory is not wiped; as a result, R2-D2 is the only surviving character at the end of the saga who knows the entire story of theSkywalker family. Both R2-D2 and C-3PO end up in the possession of CaptainRaymus Antilles (Rohan Nichol) onboard theTantive IV.
InStar Wars: The Force Awakens, set approximately 30 years afterReturn of the Jedi, R2-D2 is revealed to be kept in storage at theResistance base on the planetD'Qar, having put himself in a low-power mode after Luke Skywalker's disappearance. He later awakens and reveals Luke's location by combining map data stored in his memory with that of the droidBB-8. He then travels withRey (Daisy Ridley) and Chewbacca to the planet highlighted on the map, where they find Luke in self-imposed exile. In the credits, Kenny Baker was credited as 'R2-D2 consultant,' while Jimmy Vee provided an uncredited portrayal in some scenes.
R2-D2 appeared inStar Wars: The Last Jedi, with actor Jimmy Vee taking over the role from Kenny Baker, who retired from the role due to his age and health. Baker died in August 2016.[6][7]
R2-D2 has a brief but pivotal role in the film, reuniting with Luke aboard theMillennium Falcon and showing him Leia's distress message from the original film in a successful attempt to convince Luke to train Rey. He is later shown interfacing with theFalcon's computer while Rey and Chewbacca pilot the ship amid the final confrontation with the evilFirst Order's forces.
R2-D2 returns once more inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Initially remaining at the Resistance base, he is shown watching Leia as she dies. He later plays an important role in restoring C-3PO's memory after Rey,Finn (John Boyega) andPoe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) are forced to erase it so the droid can translate aSith artifact that holds a clue to the location of the Sith homeworld, the resurrected Palpatine, and theSith Eternal's fleet, the Final Order. R2-D2 accompanies Poe in his X-wing for the final assault, and is later shown joining the others in celebrating the defeat of Palpatine and the Sith Eternal.
R2-D2 makes acameo appearance inRogue One alongside C-3PO.[8]
R2-D2 and C-3PO had their ownanimated series,Star Wars: Droids, set before they came into Luke Skywalker's possession. This was excluded from the new canon in 2014.[9] They also appear in both the live action and animated segments of theStar Wars Holiday Special. In the animated segment they are rescued by a mysterious bounty hunter,Boba Fett, who offers to help them. Later R2-D2 intercepts a transmission between Darth Vader and Fett - thus confirming to him, C-3PO and the others Fett's true allegiances.[10]
R2-D2 makes a guest appearance with C-3PO, Luke Skywalker (andMark Hamill) and Chewbacca in an episode ofThe Muppet Show.
R2-D2 appears in the 2008 animated filmStar Wars: The Clone Wars, and the subsequentTV series of the same name. In the film, he accompanies Anakin (voiced byMatt Lanter) and his PadawanAhsoka Tano (voiced byAshley Eckstein) on a mission to rescue Jabba the Hutt's son Rotta. In the series, he helps them fight the Separatists. He previously appeared inStar Wars: Clone Wars, but this micro-series has been excluded from the newcanon.[9]
R2-D2 also appears inStar Wars Rebels in the episodes "Droids in Distress" and "Blood Sisters", and in several episodes ofStar Wars Forces of Destiny.
In the second seasonfinale of theDisney+ seriesThe Mandalorian, R2-D2 accompanies Luke Skywalker as he goes to retrieveGrogu to be trained as a Jedi.
R2-D2 appears in the sixth and seventh episodes ofThe Mandalorian spin-off seriesThe Book of Boba Fett. After Grogu decides to abandon his Jedi training, Luke has R2-D2 fly Grogu to Tatooine in his X-wing starfighter so that he may be reunited with his guardian,Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal).
Thenovelization ofAttack of the Clones makes it clear that R2-D2 has been in Padmé's possession since the events ofThe Phantom Menace.R2-D2 appears inMarvel's2015Star Wars comic series, which is set between the films of the original trilogy. He also appears briefly in the miniseriesStar Wars: Shattered Empire.
With the 2012 acquisition ofLucasfilm byThe Walt Disney Company, most of the licensedStar Wars novels and comics produced since the originating 1977 filmStar Wars were rebranded asStar Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the franchise in April 2014.[9][11][12]
Along with theStar Wars films, R2-D2 makes non-canon cameo appearances in several other films, including:Star Trek andStar Trek Into Darkness, where he was seen flying in debris;Close Encounters of the Third Kind, in which he is seen on the underside of the alien ship; inRaiders of the Lost Ark, in which he is seen on the wall of the room containing the Ark; inPoltergeist, where he is seen in several objects on Robbie's room; and inTransformers: Revenge of the Fallen, where he is seen flying among rubble and debris in the sky. InReady Player One, R2-D2 is also seen as a toy model in Wade and Samantha's apartment. He also appears in theWreck-It Ralph sequel,Ralph Breaks the Internet.
In an early script to 2014'sThe Lego Movie, R2-D2 was set to be one of the main characters, but was written out due to the directors failing to obtain the rights to the character.[13][14]
Several R2-D2 models were built for the originalStar Wars films; one that was remote controlled and rolled on three wheeled legs, and others which were worn by English actor Kenny Baker and walked on two legs.[15][16]Deep Roy served as Baker's double, in bothEpisodes V andVI; providing stunts and filling in when Baker was unavailable.[17][18][19] The original props forStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope were designed byJohn Stears and built by Stears' team and Peteric Engineering. The revised fibreglass droids used inThe Empire Strikes Back were built by Tony Dyson and the White Horse Toy Company. The radio controlled R2 was operated byJohn Stears inA New Hope,Brian Johnson inThe Empire Strikes Back and byKit West inReturn of the Jedi.
Kenny Baker, who portrayed R2-D2 in costume, was not involved in theStar Wars Holiday Special. R2-D2 was portrayed entirely by a radio controlled unit, operated byMick Garris[20] (Lucas' receptionist at the time).[19][21][22] In the credits, R2-D2 is credited as playing himself. Garris later went on to operate the radio controlled R2-D2 at various events, including theOscars.[23]
There were a total of 15 R2-D2s on the set ofAttack of the Clones. Eight were radio-controlled; two were worn by Baker; the remainder were stunt models that could be moved bypuppet strings or towed by wires. The robotic R2-D2s were prone to failure, particularly while shooting the Tatooine scenes inTunisia.[24]
Radio-controlled units were extensively utilized for the Prequel trilogy due to advances in technology, though Baker was still used in some scenes. R2-D2 had three principal operators: Don Bies,[25][26] Jolyon Bambridge[27][28] andGrant Imahara.[29][30]
The sound effects for R2-D2's "voice" were created by sound designerBen Burtt, using anARP 2600analog synthesizer, as well as his own vocalizations processed through other effects.[31] Original props of R2-D2 and C-3PO are used asAudio-Animatronics in the queue area ofDisneyland'sStar Tours–The Adventures Continue attraction.
Although Kenny Baker is credited,Anthony Daniels (who portrays C-3PO) has stated that Baker did not film any scenes inRevenge of the Sith.[32] Baker himself has said he probably only appears in footage caught while shooting the previous two movies.[33]
ForThe Force Awakens, producerKathleen Kennedy hired two fans, Lee Towersey and Oliver Steeples, to build new R2-D2 robots for the film, after being impressed by their working replicas that were brought toStar Wars Celebration Europe in 2013.[34]Towersey was also one of the two puppeteers, along with Hassan Taj, who operated the droid inThe Rise of Skywalker.
Ewan McGregor, who portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, said in an interview, "As soon as R2-D2 comes on the set, everyone goes a bit silly." He said "there is something about him that makes you feel great affection for him". In the DVD audio commentary forRevenge of the Sith, George Lucas says R2-D2 is his favorite character, and that it is intentional that R2-D2 saves the day at least once in every film.
R2-D2 was inducted into theRobot Hall of Fame in 2003 inPittsburgh,Pennsylvania. A replica can be seen at theCarnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh. TheSmithsonian Institution included R2-D2 in its list of 101 Objects that Made America.[35] In 2022 R2-D2 was surveyed as being the most popular movie robot in the United States.[36]
R2-D2 and C-3PO guest starred in a two episodes ofSesame Street in 1980.[37] The two droids were featured as presenters at the50th Academy Awards.
The telescope dome ofZweibrücken Observatory in Germany was repainted to resemble R2-D2 in 2018.[38]
In the Latin American Spanish dubbing of theStar Wars films, the name R2-D2 is pronounced as "Arturito" (Little Arthur), which sounds similar to the English pronunciation.[39]
In the Italian version of the original trilogy,R2-D2 was named "C1-P8".[40] Anglicisms were not common in the Italian language during the 1970s and 1980s, and the names of various characters were changed to be easier to pronounce and recognize for Italian speakers. Some of these changes were reverted in the dubbing of theprequel andsequel trilogies, where the original nameR2-D2 was used instead.
Around the same time thatA New Hope was being shot,Ray Harryhausen had already created "Bubo" for the 1981 filmClash of the Titans. In the film, Bubo is a mechanical metal owl that flies heavily and communicates through whistles and tweets. Harryhausen denied a relation.[41][42]
The sequence would present an adventure where Han Solo, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, and their companions [C-3PO and R2-D2] are on the search for a mystical talisman. They run into trouble when they encounter Boba Fett, who at first pretends to be an ally but is later revealed as an agent of Darth Vader.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help){{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)contrary to what some critics said at the time, Bubo was invented before R2-D2.
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