Artoo and Threepio: A Tribute

Rating: 10/10 (19 November 2009)

Hollywood is rich in mismatched buddy acts, and none more so than the Laurel and Hardy of cybernetics, C-3PO and R2-D2: one short and stout, the other tall and, to all intents, 'English'. Being a protocol droid, or butler, and butlers being stereotypically British, it was probably inevitable that C-3PO should be camper than a rowe of tents. There's no getting around this. Threepio is quite, quite gay. And considering their odd relationship, R2 - the Swiss Army knife of droids - is fiercely loyal. R2 could mosey along fine without old Goldenrod, who usually depends on others, including his gutsier companion, to get him out of scrapes.
American in origin they may be, but there's nevertheless something innately English about their set up. C-3PO and R2-D2 resemble the barflies you often see down your local, supping side by side. Wildly different, yet thrown together by circumstance. And perhaps some strange, subconscious need to flesh out buried aspects of themselves. The first, neurotic, fussy, camp, forever wittering on about that pain in his diodes - the other, blokey, grizzled, occasionally grunting in agreement or dissent. There's an odd mutual respect. R2 might take the mickey out of the silly old dear, but if anyone else tried it on, they'd have to deal with him first. And don't you bleeping well know it.