R2-D2

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**R2-D2**, pronounced **Artoo-Detoo** and more often referred to as **Artoo**, was an R2-Series astromech droid manufactured by Industrial Automaton with masculine programming. R2-D2 is a smart, resourceful, and spunky droid who served a great many masters over its lifetime like Padmé Amidala, Anakin Skywalker, and Luke Skywalker, with R2 never had received a major memory wipe or new programming which resulted in an adventurous and independent attitude. Often times R2 found himself in pivotal moments in galactic history, his bravery and ingenuity often saved the galaxy time and time again during his many decades of operation. A skilled ship mechanic and pilot's assistant, he formed an unlikely but enduring friendship with the fussy protocol droid C-3PO that would last decades.

## History

### Service to Queen Amidala

#### Invasion of Naboo

**R2-D2** was one of several astromech droids stationed on the Queen Amidala's Naboo Royal Starship during the invasion of Naboo by the Trade Federation. The ship was used by Queen Amidala and her entourage in an attempt to flee the planet. Unluckily for the ship's passengers, the vessel took a hit to the shield generator from a Trade Federation battleship. The astromechs were sent out to repair the ship but only R2-D2 survived to bring the shields back online by bypassing the main power drive, allowing them to escape into hyperspace. As the ship traveled to Tatooine, R2-D2 was commended for his actions. The ship arrived on the planet Tatooine without any further incidents, although the trip fried the hyperdrive.

R2-D2 accompanied Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Gungan exile Jar Jar Binks and Padmé, the queen in disguise, to the city of Mos Espa to find a replacement. In the junk shop of the Toydarian merchant Watto they found they could not afford a replacement hyperdrive and later took shelter from a sandstorm in the home of Watto's slaves, a boy named Anakin Skywalker, and his mother, Shmi. At the Skywalker home, R2-D2 met C-3PO, a protocol droid that Anakin had built. The two would bond as they worked on Anakin's personal podracer. R2-D2 along with C-3PO would cheer on Anakin during the Boonta Eve Classic, where the boy would win his freedom, and enough money to purchase a new hyperdrive. R2-D2 accompanied the group to Coruscant, and from there back to Naboo. As Queen Amidala led an attempt to liberate the planet, R2-D2 nestled into an N-1 starfighter. Anakin, being ordered to hide in the cockpit by Qui-Gon Jinn, accidentally launched the fighter and the two flew into battle, destroyed the Droid Control Ship and shut down the battle droid armies, liberating Naboo. Ten years later, R2-D2 still served the Amidala as she transitioned into the role of Naboo's Senator, accompanying her to Coruscant prior to the Galactic Senate's vote on the Military Creation Act.

#### Dawn of the Clone Wars

After an assassination attempt on Amidala took the life of her handmaiden and decoy, Corde, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker were assigned to be her protectors. That night, another assassination attempt was carried out. A pair of kouhuns narrowly missed killing Amidala and although one assassin, Zam Wesell, was neutralized, another escaped. For her own protection, Padmé was sent home to Naboo, with R2-D2 and Anakin Skywalker accompanying her. The three would later travel to Tatooine, where they were reunited with C-3PO, and then to Geonosis to rescue Kenobi. As they explored a massive droid factory, R2-D2 had to save Amidala from being covered with molten lava while C-3PO temporarily switched heads with a battle droid. R2-D2 entered the battle between the Jedi and the Separatist Alliance and found C-3PO's head attached to a battle droid's body. Using his cable gun to detach the head, R2-D2 dragged it across the arena and grafted it to the correct torso, restoring his companion during the early stages of the First Battle of Geonosis. After the battle ending in a Republic victory, R2-D2 and C-3PO accompanied Amidala and Skywalker back to Naboo, where they were the lone witnesses to a wedding ceremony between the two in the planet's Lake Country.

### Service to Anakin Skywalker

#### Meeting Anakin's Padawan

Following the outbreak of the Clone Wars, R2-D2 accompanied Skywalker and Master Kenobi, who had both been promoted to the position of Jedi General, during the defense of the planet Christophsis against a Separatist army led by Admiral Trench. When the Clone Commander Cody and the Clone Captain Rex discovered a spy in their ranks, Artoo Detoo helped to ferret out the traitor by monitoring his transmissions. R2-D2's work led to the arrest of the traitor Clone Sergeant Slick, who was identified as the traitor. During the subsequent battle, the Jedi and Clones managed to defeat the Separatist army by sabotaging their shield generator; exposing them to Republic artillery. The Republic forces were also aided by the arrival of Ahsoka Tano, Skywalker's newly designated Togruta Padawan. He watched Master Yoda talk with the Jedi for a brief moment, after they won the first part of the battle. He watched from the sidelines as the battle was won by the Republic and Anakin getting his new padawa. The astromech left with Anakin to the Teth System to help find Rotta, the stolen Huttlet. He went with Ahsoka and her master to get the Hutt and he left with them when they couldn't get to a Republic ship. He flew in the *Twilight* to Tatooine and returned the missing child along with the Jedi.

#### Obtained by General Grievous

During the Separatist assault on Bothawui, R2-D2 flew in the droid socket of General Skywalker's starfighter. While they pursued Grievous' starfigher, Skywalker and Artoo's starfighter was hit by a piece of shrapnel. Skywalker was rescued by Republic forces but R2 was recovered by the Trandoshan scavenger Gha Nachkt, who sold him to General Grievous. Nachkt traveled to Grievous' secret listening post Skytop Station, which lay in the Ruusan system. Knowing R2's bond with Skywalker, the Separatist military leader ordered Nachkt to disassemble the droid and extract all information on the Republic's military strategies from him. During his captivity, R2-D2 had managed to broadcast a transmission to Anakin, who traveled to Skytop Station and rescued him. Artoo also encountered Skywalker's new replacement astromech R3-S6, who was a secret spy. While traveling to the hangar bay where Skywalker's ship *Twilight* was docking, R3 showed his true colors by shutting the hangar doors and activating several Vulture droids and B2 battle droids which attacked Skywalker, Artoo, and Clone Troopers. Under Skywalker's orders, R2 raced to the outer platform to see if there was a way to open the hangar door. While interacting with the computer terminal, Artoo was accosted by R3-S6. Following a fight, R2-D2 was able to defeat the spy. Together with Skywalker, they escaped Skytop Station before it exploded.

#### Before the Senate Hostage Crisis

Following some of R2's and Skywalker's adventures, the two visited Amidala on Coruscant. Amidala and C-3PO were organizing a party for Senator Aang. After R2-D2 forgot to buy jogan fruit for garnishing the jogan fruit cake, Skywalker sent Artoo and Threepio to the market. The droids quarreled the whole way, with C-3PO blaming his counterpart for his competence. However, C-3PO was swindled by the fruit vendor, who overcharged for the jogan fruit. After the purchase, a droid came up and suggested that the two droids relax at a nearby maintenance spa. Artoo agreed, but while on the way to the spa, the droids were separated and C-3PO was kidnapped by TODO-360 and the sentinel droid HELIOS-3E. These droids were working for Cad Bane, who was planning a raid on the Galactic Senate and wanted to find the layout of the Senate Building. When C-3PO failed to provide the information, Bane ordered his droid to kidnap R2-D2. A short while after Artoo left the spa, he was pursued by TODO-360 and HELIOS-3E. Artoo managed to hide in a dark alley but surrendered himself after learning that Bane planned to dismantle Threepio. Accessing R2-D2's memory, Bane was able to obtain a layout of the Senate Building. He then had their memories wiped of the incident and brought back to where they were snatched. Unaware of what happened, R2-D2 and C-3PO returned to Amidala's apartment with jogan fruit.

#### Saving Anakin and Master Windu

After the *Venator*-class Star Destroyer *Endurance* crash-landed on the planet Vanqor, R2-D2 along with Anakin, Master Mace Windu, and the astromech droid R8-B7 participated in a mission to rescue the crew of the vessel. Unknown to R2 and his companions, the former bounty hunter and clone template Jango Fett's son Boba had sabotaged the vessel and set a trap for the Jedi. He intended to avenge the death of his father Jango by murdered Master Windu, who had killed him during the Battle of Geonosis. While approaching the vessel, R2-D2 beeped that "he had a bad feeling about this". In response, Windu chastised Anakin Skywalker for encouraging individuality in his droid. While they explored the bridge of the stricken Star Destroyer, the Jedi and droids came across the bodies of dead clones who were executed rather than killed by the impact of the crash. While searching for survivors, R2 and R8 were pursued by gundarks. R8 was ripped apart while R2 was knocked to the ground. Before the gundarks could seize him, however, they were scared off by debris from an explosion on the bridge. R2 raised to the bridge and found the Jedi survived the blast but were trapped under the rubble. When R2 tried to move the debris, he caused the bridge to shudder; prompting Skywalker to warn him about trying to free them. Anakin instructed R2 to return to their starfighter and to contact the Temple for help.

While leaving the bridge, R2 was pursued by Boba Fett's bounty hunter associates including Aurra Sing. R2 managed to escape and delayed them by using debris to block them. R2 managed to reached the starfighters but was accosted by the remaining gundark. R2 managed to kill the beast by using a cable to tie it to one of the starfighters and activating its engines. The Jedi starfighter crashed several miles away, dragging the hapless gundark to a fiery death. The hunters then jammed the remaining starfighter's signals and attempted to capture R2. However, the astromech droid managed to escape into hyperspace and travel to Coruscant. Arriving at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, he raced through the Jedi Temple's hallways and into a briefing room, where Plo Koon and Tano were in the midst of a briefing. When Ahsoka had identified R2-D2 to Koon, the Jedi Master allowed him to play a recording taken of Skywalker issuing his instructions, and Koon and Tano immediately prepared to leave. They brought R2-D2 and a contingent of clone troopers to Vanqor, where they found the *Endurance* suffering from compounded damage. From a gunship, Koon and Tano used the Force to hold the Star Destroyer together while several clones rescued Skywalker and Windu. The gunship was taken a safe distance away from the exploding vessel, and as Skywalker and Windu were taken away, Mace thanked R2 for his help.

#### Anakin's Fall and Vader's Rise

When Chancellor Palpatine was captured by General Grievous, R2-D2 accompanied Anakin Skywalker on a mission to rescue him. While Skywalker and Kenobi searched the Separatist flagship, the *Invisible Hand* for the Chancellor, R2-D2 fended off super battle droids and succeeded in destroying them. He then penetrated the flagship and reunited with Skywalker, Kenobi, and Palpatine. Skywalker had already freed the Chancellor and executed Count Dooku. Shortly later, they were captured by Grievous' droids and taken to the bridge. Following another struggle, Skywalker managed to break free and turn the tables of Grievous. Defeated, Grievous fled into an escape pod. Hit by Republic fire, the *Invisible Hand* began descending into Coruscant. However, Skywalker managed to land the vessel. Following the battle, R2-D2 witnessed the outbreak of the Jedi Purge and the rise of the Galactic Empire. After Anakin became Darth Vader, R2-D2 accompanied him to Mustafar where he wiped out the Separatist leaders. R2-D2 also saw Anakin strangle Padmé and begin to duel Obi-Wan. While they fought, R2-D2 and C-3PO moved Padmé to her starship, and Obi-Wan took them all to Polis Massa where Padmé gave birth to twins before she died. Following Padmé's death, R2 and 3PO passed into the service of Bail Organa of the Royal House of Alderaan, Alderaan's Senator and a good friend of the late Amidala.

### Service to the Rebel Alliance

#### Reunion with Ahsoka Tano

A year after the end of the Clone Wars, R2-D2 served Captain Raymus Antilles. After receiving news of Jedi activity on the remote moon Raada, Senator Organa took back R2 from Captain Antilles. This Jedi turned out to be R2's old friend Ahsoka Tano, a former Jedi who had inspired a resistance movement on Raada. Organa assigned R2-D2 to accompany Chardri Tage and Tamsin on a secret mission to find the Jedi and to rendezvous with the *Tantive IV*. Tage and Tamsin found Ahsoka on a world near Thabeska and caught her ship in a tractor beam. Believing them hostile, Tano knocked both pilots out. While making her way through the ship's engine room to reach the cockpit, Ahsoka encountered R2-D2 and hugged the droid, having missed him. Since he had not received a memory wipe, R2 recognized Tano and told her that he and the pilots were working for a Senator who wanted to meet her. At Tano's prompting, R2 told Ahsoka that Bail Organa was the Senator. Tano was able to convince R2 to release the tractor beam from her ship, tell nobody they met, and to make sure that she could track his ship. Tano then waited in her ship in a nearby asteroid field until Bail arrived. When the pilots awoke, R2 pretended to have been short-circuited in order to cover up his helping Ahsoka.

However, Bail realized R2-D2's role in Tano's escape after viewing a clip of the security footage in the engine room. After delivering his report, Tage rendezvoused with the Tantive IV and returned R2-D2 to his master. R2-D2 was greeted by C-3PO, who berated his companion. When Senator Bail arrived, R2-D2 informed her and left a hatch on the *Tantive IV* open. Ahsoka managed to infiltrate the ship with a pressure suit and entered Organa's office. After Ahsoka informed him about R2-D2's role in her escape, Organa joked that the droid was too independent and ought to be deactivated. Ahsoka responded that R2-D2 had a lot of "bad role models". When Organa mentioned Anakin Skywalker, Tano clarified she was referring to the late Senator Amidala. After Tano agreed to take part in a mission on Raada to investigate the Dark Side Adept known as the Sixth Brother, R2-D2 helped Captain Antilles' crew to repair her damaged freighter. While R2-D2 was repairing the engines, Ahsoka spent time with him and told him that she missed him. When the engines hummed to live, Ahsoka thanked the astromech droid. Following the successful evacuation of the farming population on Raada, Ahsoka joined Senator Organa's rebellion movement and became the elusive spymaster known as "Fulcrum".

#### Carrier of the Death Star Plans

During the Galactic Civil War, R2-D2 was with C-3PO at the Rebel Alliance's base on Yavin 4 when the rebels prepared to leave for the Battle of Scarif to help Rogue One who had traveled to Scarif to retrieve the plans for the Death Star, a new superweapon capable of destroying entire worlds. After years of Imperial rule, the fledgling rebellion won its first real victory against the Galactic Empire by stealing plans to its dreaded Death Star. Darth Vader tracked the plans to the *Tantive IV*, which he boarded with a squad of Imperial Stormtroopers. Princess Leia Organa, a secret leader of the rebellion, hid the data tapes in the memory of R2-D2, and the astromech jettisoned the ship with C-3PO. Landing on the planet Tatooine, the droids were captured by Jawas and sold to Owen Lars, a farmer who charged his nephew, Luke Skywalker, with care of the droids but Artoo proved difficult to control. He left the homestead on his own, claiming he was on a mission to deliver a message to Obi-Wan Kenobi. It turned out to be true with the Princess having recorded a secret message for Obi-Wan, detailing what to do with the stolen plans kept inside the astromech droid. Meanwhile, the Empire began a massive hunt for the droids, leading Stormtroopers to kill Owen and Beru Lars, Beru. Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, along with their new companions Han Solo and Chewbacca, and R2 and C-3PO left to help Leia.

Upon arriving in the Alderaan system, Artoo and his companions discovered that the Empire had used their Death Star to destroy Alderaan. Shortly later, the *Millennium Falcon* was caught in the tractor beam of the Death Star. While hiding in the *Falcon's* smuggling compartment, the rebels managed to ambush a scanning crew and Stormtroopers. The rebels then seized control of an Imperial control room and discovered that Princess Leia was located in Detention Block AA-23, pending execution. While Artoo and Threepio stayed behind to watch over their starship, the other rebels split up. While Solo, Luke and Chewbacca headed to Detention Block AA-23, Kenobi went to disable the Death Star's tractor beam projector. Skywalker, Solo, and Chewbacca managed to free the Princess but ended up in a garbage chute. The Imperials quickly realized that the rebels were trapped in the garbage chute and proceeded to crush the trash chamber. Meanwhile, Artoo and Threepio narrowly escaped an Imperial patrol by claiming that the rebels had thrown them into the storage compartment. Once the Imperials had gone, the two droids were contacted by Skywalker, who ordered them to shut down the garbage compactor. R2 succeeded in shutting down the garbage compactor just in time. After grappling with more troopers, the others managed to return to the hangar where they linked up with the two droids.

Obi-Wan managed to shut down the tractor beam projector but was cornered by Darth Vader on the way back. While Kenobi gave his life, Artoo and the other rebels took the opportunity to flee the Death Star on the. After dispatching several TIE Fighters, Artoo and his companions escaped to Yavin 4. There, the rebels accessed the plans stored inside Artoo. With the Death Star approaching Yavin 4, rebel leadership ordered a starfighter strike on the battle station. Rebel tacticians found that the Death Star contained a weak point with a thermal exhaust port narrow enough for an X-Wing to fire a proton torpedo into the station's reactor core. During the battle, R2-D2 served as the astromech aboard Luke's X-Wing. Despite initial successes, the rebels suffered casualties from TIE Fighters. After several attempts to penetrate the trench which led to the exhaust port, Skywalker and two others, made a final attempt to reach the exhaust port. Yet they were pursued by Vader's TIE Advanced. During the assault, Vader damaged R2, who short-circuited as a result of a direct hit. Before Vader could finish the job, he was ambushed by the *Millennium Falcon*, forcing him to disengage. Luke then fired the proton torpedo which destroyed the Death Star, scoring a major victory for the rebels. After the battle, R2 was restored, and he later attended a celebration where Skywalker, Solo, and others were awarded for their valor.

#### Retaliation of the Galactic Empire

Later, the Rebel Alliance established a base on the remote icy planet of Hoth and R2-D2 followed his companions there. When Luke Skywalker failed to return from a snow patrol, Han Solo traveled out on another tauntaun to rescue him. But when both men did not return that night, R2 calculated that they had a poor chance of surviving in the ice wilderness. Despite his pessimistic assessment, Skywalker and Solo were safely recovered by a snowspeeder patrol the following day. Later, the rebels were forced to evacuate Hoth after Solo and Chewbacca encountered an Imperial probe droid. However, Darth Vader's fleet blockaded the planet; preventing the rebels from leaving. The rebels were able to penetrate the blockade by using an ion cannon to clear away for their ships to flee into hyperspace. Following the ground assault, Artoo and his master Skywalker left Hoth on an X-Wing fighter. Instead of rendezvousing with the rest of the rebel fleet, Skywalker traveled to Dagobah, a remote swampy world. Earlier, Skywalker had been visited by a spirit of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi who told him to visit Dagobah where the Jedi Master Yoda would continue his Jedi training. After a rough landing, Artoo was nearly eaten by a dragonsnake which spat him out. Artoo suffered little serious damage but was muddy and dented. R2-D2 kept Skywalker company in the swamp until the arrival of a small, quirky green alien.

Artoo and the strange visitor had a minor tussle over Luke’s lamp, with the astromech relinquishing it on Luke’s orders. As it turned out, the odd being was actually Yoda himself, and Luke’s training soon began. Some time later, Luke left for Cloud City to face Darth Vader, R2-D2 in tow. While the droid and his master were cut off from each other, R2 was able to link up with C-3PO, Leia, and Chewbacca, who had already been freed by Lando. Under Calrissian's instruction, Artoo connected with a power socket which enabled Calrissian to warn the citizens of Cloud City that the Empire had begun occupying the city. After fighting several stormtroopers, Artoo and his companions managed to escape Cloud City on the *Millennium Falcon*. After picking up the wounded Skywalker, who had lost his hand in combat against Darth Vader, Artoo and his companions fled into space. However, they were pursued by Vader's flagship the *Executor*. While reattaching Threepio's legs, Artoo was forced to attend to the ship's hyperdrive, which had been disabled by Imperials. Artoo managed to repair the hyperdrive in the nick of time and the *Falcon* was able to flee into hyperspace and rejoin the rebel fleet. Artoo was knocked down by the impact of the jump but survived the incident undamaged. Later, he along with 3PO, Leia, and Luke watched while Lando and Chewie departed on the *Millennium Falcon* to find Han Solo.

#### Brining an End to Jabba the Hutt

Han Solo had been frozen in carbonite and delivered to Jabba the Hutt on Tatooine, a heartbreaking turn of events for his friends. They devised a rescue mission, however, with R2-D2 and C-3PO at the center of the plot. Luke Skywalker informed R2-D2 about his plan to rescue Han Solo but kept C-3PO in the dark, knowing that his programming kept him from lying. As planned, R2-D2 and C-3PO traveled to Jabba's castle where Artoo played a holographic message from Luke Skywalker. Skywalker offered to give Artoo and See Threepio as a "gift" to Jabba in return for freeing Han. Jabba declined the offer and quickly revealed that he had kept a carbonited Han Solo on display in his throne room. However, he accepted the two droids as gifts. While C-3PO became Jabba's new translator, R2-D2 was pressed into service as a waiter aboard Jabba's sail barge *Khetanna*. Just before Skywalker was to be pushed into the Sarlacc by one of Jabba’s henchmen, the plan was revealed with R2 having been carrying the Lightsaber the whole time, and launched it directly into his waiting hand. Luke led the destruction of the crime lord’s forces and Han Solo’s rescue was complete. While the others departed on the *Millennium Falcon* to rendezvous with the fleet near the Sullust System, R2-D2 and Luke went to Dagobah. This trip was a more pleasant trip for R2-D2, who guarded Skywalker's X-Wing while the Jedi visited Yoda.

#### Defeating the Emperor

After rescuing Han Solo, R2-D2 and his companions participated in a rebel mission to destroy the Death Star II that was being built above the Forest Moon of Endor. Through spies, the leadership learned that the Emperor would visit the Second Death Star to oversee the final stages of completion. In response, the leaders of the Alliance Mon Mothma with Admiral Gial Ackbar had marshaled the rebel fleet for a massive strike against the leadership of the Empire. Since the Second Death Star was protected by a shield generator, a rebel force would have to infiltrate the moon of Endor and disable it out so that the rebel fleet could destroy it. In the ensuing Battle of Endor, R2-D2 stayed close to C-3PO, and made an attempt to open the blast doors of the shield generator’s bunker. R2 tried to access the power socket but was blasted by enemy fire; causing him to short-circuit. Meanwhile, Chewbacca and two Ewoks managed to turn the tide of the battle by hijacking an AT-ST walker and using it to destroy the others. Using the stolen AT-ST, the rebels tricked the remaining troops into opening the shield generator. The rebels planted explosives which destroyed the shield protecting the Death Star. This enabled the rebels to destroy the Second Death Star along with Darth Sidious, Darth Vader, and several Imperial ships. Following the Battle of Endor, R2-D2 was repaired and took part in the victory celebrations.

## Droid Overview

### Characteristics

**R2-Series Astromech Droid:** R2-D2 was a diminutive droid, who rolled on three legs, one of which could be retracted, and had a silver blue domed head. Colored white, blue and silver, his body held several arms, sensors and apparatus not normally visible to the eye, often surprising many as he pulled out needed tools at a critical moment. The droid also had sophisticated computer access equipment that allowed him to quickly read entire networks, and unknown to all but a select few, the droid had been keeping internal copies of much of the data he accessed over the course of decades. The droid featured two powerbus cables on both its legs, connecting to small power cells found under his body, parallel to height. The droid's motorized all-terrain treads were as a result, not impacted by ankle articulator servomotors above. Activating couplers were located beneath shoulder articulation joints at the 'top' of the droid's legs, with the joints which appeared as concentric circles. To see, the droid utilized its primary photoreceptor which took the appearance of one, black 'eye'. Acoustic signalers were located in two square-looking depressions in the droid's front, right beneath several parallel blue 'lines', which were actually the openings for some of his various gadgets. The droid also featured rocket boosters which could propel him into the air, however by the time of the Galactic Civil War they had not worked in ages.