R2-D2 (According to Lucas), the robot who resembles a whistling Hoover vacuum cleaner got his name from a sound editor's shorthand for "Reel Two, Dialogue Two" during the making of his earlier hit, 'American Graffiti."

R2-D2 is an Astromech droid. Its purpose is to provide hyperspace navigation for starfighters, and to do light repairs. Most Astromech droids have a designation that start with R2 (sometimes just R). Nonetheless, saying "Artoo" undeniably indicates this particular droid.

R2-D2's original owner appears to be the Naboo government. By the time of A New Hope, he and C-3P0 are owned by Captain Antilles, are then stolen by Jawas, and finally come to serve Luke Skywalker.

Artoo makes excellent use of his complink abilities throughout each movie, using it to connect to all manners of computer systems and gain valuable information. The first such incident (by movie release) is when he plugs into the Death Star computers to determine how to disable the tractor beam that is holding the Millennium Falcon trapped.

The droid also sports a bevy of useful tools, including a claw and a welder.

R2-D2 the true agent of the Dark Side.


true as it may be that the loveable atromech driod is one of the favorites of Star Wars fans across the globe. The release of Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace has revealed R2-D2's (often) unintentional malevolence.

  • In his first appearance R2-D2 saves the Queen's ship from capture by the Trade Federation. This allows Queen Amidala to arrive safely on corucant where she successfully dethroned Chancellor Vallorum, placing the ambitious Senator Plapatine at the head of the Galactic Senate

  • It Was R2-D2 who aided the young Anakin Skywalker safely in an attack against the Trade Federation, Anakin, of course would grow up to become Darth Vader

  • R2-D2 aided in the construction of the Pod Racer whose capabilities allowed Anakin to win the Boonta Eve Pod Race. This allowed Qui-Gon to free Anakin and deliver him into the hands of the Jedi.

I am sure as the prequel trilogy progresses we shall see more evidence of how R2-D2 aids both Palpatine and Anakin rise to power, bringing about the downfall of the senate and the existance of the Galactic Empire.
Roninspoon: While I respect your observations I have but one film upon which to make observations. I am sure by the end of Lucas' Prequel Trilogy My list shall equal yours. I could be that R2-D2's live shadows that of Anakin Skywalker's, and his actions in the original trilogy are an attonement for his prior misdeeds.

R2-D2, the true Hero of the Rebellion

Despite LordOmar's belief in R2-D2's malignant intentions we can clearly see that he is the one true hero and savior of the rebellion. Forget all that Jedi nonsense, those guys are nothing without a spunky astromech droid to back them up when things get thick. Lets review the facts.

  • It was R2-D2's resourcefulness and daring in abandoning his primary programming that allowed him to escape the Tantive IV in an escape pod that was forbidden for droid use. If he had stayed and not served the better good of the Rebellion the plans to the Death Star would have fallen back into the hands of Lord Vader.
  • R2-D2 sought out General Kenobi to deliver the secret plans to the one man whom Princess Leia trusted. He performed this task with cunning and ingenuity, even though the senile old coot couldn't even be bothered to remember how R2 had saved his ass before.
  • It was R2 who provided Old Ben with internal diagrams of the Death Stars HVAC systems so the old dude could shut down the power to the tractor beams.
  • R2 shut off the power to the Trash Compactor to prevent our "heroes" from becoming an embarrassing smudge of espionage goo.
  • R2-D2 was the one who, at great cost to his own safety, pointed out the dangers of the Dagoba swamp to young Luke, who felt the best way to deal with an unknown environment was to jump in and see if the water has warm.
  • R2 fixed the hyperspace drive on the Millenium Falcon allowing our intrepid band of blunderers to escape Cloud City, while everyone else was busy pointing at maintenance manifests and insisting that it must have been fixed because someone told them it had.
  • If R2 had not been able to successfully carry out his subterfuge at Jabba's palace, by entering into service below his exalted station, Luke never would have received his saving light saber, and would undoubtedly be wasting away in the Carkoon's belly playing Go Fish with Boba Fett.
  • R2-D2 was the only one to mercilessly punish the Ewoks and put them in their proper place after being released from incarceration at the hands of teddy bears.

These are only a few of the exploits of R2-D2, master spy and hero of lost causes. Without his aid the Rebel forces would have lain in devastation in the wake of the superior Imperial Army.

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