Everyone has a favorite Star Wars character because everyone has seen Star Wars. However, there are only really two characters who saw most of the bigger picture and took part in the whole series of events from the childhood of Anakin Skywalker all the way through a film that hasn’t reached theaters yet. We’re talking, of course, about R2-D2 and C3PO. The most recognizable and loved droids in the universe have been primed and programmed for a film of their own for years, but no one has gotten around to writing it. Here’s how we think an R2-D2 and C3PO spinoff movie could work.
Begin at the Beginning
The story of Star Wars is truly an epic battle between the forces of good and those of evil. The stakes are no less than the occupied sentient denizens of every known world. That is a whole lot of information to process. Perhaps too much for any human mind. Fortunately, R2-D2 and C3PO aren’t human. Despite their similarities to the people and other races, these droids have their own unique perspectives and capabilities. Moreover, they have firsthand experience with a considerable amount of what happened during the last few decades in the Star Wars Universe. Their personalities may color their narrative, but isn’t biased by human, or alien, opinions, nor is it limited by perception beyond the senses. In some ways, they’re almost zen, which makes droids the perfect historians in spite of their unusual quirks. There’s no one better to fill in the gaps between the episodes than R2-D2 and C3PO.
Does that sound a little too familiar? It should if you’re a dedicated Star Wars fan. Star Wars: Droids: The Adventures of C3PO & R2-D2 already happened. It was animated, and it was brilliant. Droids’ was the precursor to Rebels in more ways than one. Though it was 1980s cartoon silliness, these Droids have had their day more than once. Marvel Comics did a five-issue run of the Droids adventures as well, and there are the Lego versions that feature the droids as well, including several movies and games such as Lego Star Wars: The Quest for R2-D2 (2009). That’s a pretty impressive run for a couple of robots who formed an unlikely friendship that lasted through more than one war. In short, it’s not hard to see that C3PO & R2-D2 make a great team, and they are perfect leading characters for a solo story, but what about a spinoff movie? Could they really have that much more story to tell? We’re sure they do.
Droids are Immortal
So long as they have spare parts and tools available, droids don’t have the problem any living flesh and bone creatures do. Even Yoda passed away after a few hundred years, but Droids are Immortal. Storytellers like these can do something no humans, or other aliens that we know of could manage. They can carry on into new adventures and join new generations pretty much forever. Leaving aside the not insignificant issue of force active Jedi and Sith masters who have figured out how to thwart death and come back as ghostly apparitions, there are no other characters who live forever. A droid, on the other hand, can continue to progress and upgrade as long as they can avoid being scrapped entirely.
The idea of the fussy and well-mannered 3PO and the smart, sassy, and lucky R2 taking over a narrative is one thing. They’ve done it before. However, these two are due something more for their efforts. It’s about time they broke away from the neverending cycle of masters who decide their fate for them. R2 and 3PO need to truly make their own story, not just become part of someone else’s narrative. A movie about R2-D2 and C3PO that gives them the chance to try and find a place without being bit players would be an incredibly intriguing film with much deeper sociological meaning. Hence, it would fit beautifully with the rest of the Star Wars universe that explores concepts of considerable depth in the guise of mere space-western style entertainment. After all, they have been through, seen, and participated in these droids are among the most unique we’ve met yet, but there are bound to be others of their kind.
L3-37, The Impending Doom of The Millenium Falcon, & Beyond
“Sure, some guy in a factory probably pieced me together originally, and someone else programmed me, so to speak. But then the galaxy itself forged me into who I am. Because we learn, Lando. We’re programmed to learn. Which means we grow. We grow away from that singular moment of creation, become something new with each changing moment of our lives–yes, lives–and look at me: these parts. I did this.” Before we met R2 and 3PO, there was another droid whose fate was unfortunate, but whose life and personality showed that there’s more to being a droid than simply doing what you’re programmed for. We, of course, mean L3-37, the brilliant, combative, and snarky robot droid who eventually became part of the Millenium Falcon’s brains along with two other droids who were a slicer droid and a V-5 transport droid.
The life and thoughts of L3-37 show us that a droid is a person too. There’s a more profound lesson there for anyone willing to look for it. Beyond that, she’s not alone. Droids resist their programming all the time. However, there’s a problem with L3-37. She may die soon. If the reports about The Rise of Skywalker are correct, then there’s a song in the movie called ‘The Falcon’s Last Ride,’ which ominously hints at the destruction of this extraordinary ship and its conscious mind. For our part, we sincerely hope that the iconic Millenium Falcon survives. However, if it doesn’t, we still hope that our two favorite droids somehow manage to locate and salvage the mind of the ship and along with it, the two nameless droids and L3-37. That would be a movie we want to see. Moreover, the continuing adventures of these brilliant robots could make for an outstanding series or trilogy that we would binge watch on an infinite loop.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of shows and movies that feature the rise of AI robots, like the droids. Unfortunately, they’re almost always portrayed as the bad guys in those films. We want to see someone change up that plotline and let C3PO and R2-D2 along with L3-37, take control of their narrative. In fact, we’d like to see R2 and L3-37 become the very first force active droids. After all, they are thinking, evolving, and living beings, regardless of their point of origin. Do you agree? Is it time for the droids to finally have their day, or would you rather see the mechanical slaves continue serving humanity because we programmed them that way? Let us know in the comments below.
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