So we've now established a few very key details regarding R2-D2 and his role in the Star Wars saga. He's intended to be the secret hero of the entire story line. He is largely beloved by everyone, a function of his successful character design and performance. In the commentary for the 2004 DVD release for "A New Hope" Lucas calls R2-D2 "the MacGuffin", a generic term coined by Hitchcock to describe the motivating plot device in a film. In this sense he is quite literally the same thing as the Mothership from "Close Encounters", and the Ark of the Covenant in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and this is made clear through Lucas and Spielberg's positioning of the character on or near these iconic objects during their key moments of discovery/revelation. In the latter this is done twice, when the Ark is found in the Well of Souls, and at the end during the ceremony where Belloq opens the Ark, R2's head dome is fixed to the top of the pillar Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood are tied to,. Now we're going to look at R2-D2's chronological history, with this article featuring his origins and activities during the prequel trilogy and the next article focusing on R2 in the original trilogy.
R2-D2 is a droid, the lowest of low social strata, lower then slaves, the object caste. But it is his functionality as a tool that allows him the capacities he possesses in his role as the over-hero. The structure of R2's mind does not just near or meet that of humanity, but by design must exceed it. Compare R2-D2 to his fellow Robot Hall of Fame inductee HAL 9000. I think the inspiration of the latter on the former is pretty clear with R2 in many ways being the improved model. But where HAL succumbs to paranoia due to a cognitive dissonance in his mission programming, the superior, evolved R2-D2, both more and less human then HAL, while fully emotive is wise and fundamentally sane. In a way R2 is the Luke Skywalker to HAL's Darth Vader.
"No R2-D2, I am your father.", "No! That's impossible!"
According to Wookieepedia R2-D2 is a R2-series astromech droid made by Industrial Automaton, likely manufactured on the planet Nubia. This planet is also the source of the J-Type 327 starship used by the royals of Naboo. This is a little confusing in the films without EU clarification, at least I was confused. When Qui-Gon refers to the ship as a Nubian, this is so close to Naboo it seems natural to assume "Nubian" is being used as an alternate for "Naboo". The designation of these places as two separate systems with the one supplying resources to the other is even more interesting, especially given that the name "Nubia" is directly taken from Nubia, a southern Egyptian, Nile culture located in what is now northern Sudan. Nubia was a source of gold and other precious resources for Egypt since the Old Kingdom era or earlier. The location also features the earliest known archaeoastronomy devices, predating Stonehenge by a thousand years. The Star Wars Nubia is the source of precious starcraft and droids for the Naboo royals, including the all important astromechs (with "astromech" literally meaning "star maker", noting that Kenny Baker's Fidgit in "Time Bandits" was an employee of the Supreme Being in the creation and maintenance of the Universe). As we'll see Naboo is one of, if not the, most important Star Wars universe locale. The most immediate display of this, especially in regards to the "living caduceus" figure of R2, is that the planet's name is a homophone of Nabu, a Babylonian writing/wisdom god corresponding to Thoth/Hermes/Mercury.
So R2 was manufactured on the planet Nubia for the Naboo royals, and as such he was modified for his functions by the Naboo Royal Engineers. Clearly in the context of the Star Wars reality a Royal Engineer is the equivalent of a Grand Architect or a Master Mason. That this connotation is purposeful can be seen in George Lucas' choice to film many key Naboo scenes, particularly associated with the Anakin/Padmé romance in "Attack of the Clones" at Lake Como, namesake of the medieval Comacine Masters, key figures in the history of Freemasonry.
So R2-D2 is the product of droid manufacturers from Nubia, modified by an elite order of mechanics renowned for their superior astromech droids. R2-D2 enters the story in "The Phantom Menace" as part of the astromech repair crew of Queen Amidala's J-Type 327 Royal starship.
During the Queen's escape from the Blockade of Naboo her starship was damaged from an attack by the Trade Federation. The astromech team was engaged to repair the damage.
This astromech crew included R2-D2, and the R5 series droid he's pictured with above. Of the team sent out to make external repairs, only R2-D2 survived, accomplishing his mission. Other survivors from the team (because they were not sent outside) include R2-D2's "siblings" the red R2-M5 and the yellow R2-C4.
This is perhaps a nod to R2's basis on the Huey, Dewey and Louie robots in "Silent Running".
In "The Phantom Menace" commentary Lucas states he felt it was important to introduce R2 early and in a heroic role. R2 saves the ship and all of the key figures on board. However, the ship's hyperdrive was damaged necessitating landing on the remote world of Tatooine for repairs. This of course is where Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Padmé meet young Anakin Skywalker. We can observe the proximity of R2-D2 to many of the important but seemingly happenstance events of the Star Wars/Skywalker saga.
Lucas makes mention of the construction of the Star Wars story line being similar to music, with repeating motifs. We can see this in action early with R2. Commended for his bravery and service in escaping the blockade, he is rewarded with a personal cleaning by the queen (then disguised as a Royal Handmaiden). The image echoes both R2's initial scene in "A New Hope" with Princess Leia (when he receives the Death Star plans prior to going to Tatooine to find General Kenobi) and his cleaning by Luke shortly after he comes into possession of the Lars moisture farm, an action that accidentally (seemingly) triggered a loop of Leia's message for Obi-Wan.
Programmed with the specific components needed for the repair of the ship, R2 accompanied Qui-Gon, Padmé and Jar Jar Binks to the city of Mos Espa.
Highlighted in the image above is a hidden space pod from "2001: A Space Odyssey", perhaps the one HAL 9000 used to kill Frank Poole.
Of course it is on Tatooine where R2 first meets Anakin and his future companion C-3PO.
A meeting observed by a subtly placed "all-seeing eye" emblem above Anakin's head. It is a key point to note that R2 and 3PO are not just present at the meeting of Anakin and Padmé, but each representative of one of the sides that go on generate Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, with R2 coming from their mother's side of the family. R2 continued to prove his value by making repairs and last minute adjustments on Anakin's homemade Pod racer used in the Boonta Eve Classic race that secured the needed materials to repair Padmé's ship and won Anakin's freedom from slavery, setting him on his path as a Jedi Knight and Sith Lord.
Upon the return to Naboo, R2 is again key to the successful operation to free the planet from the invasion of the Trade Federation and their droid army. R2 "accidentally" hides in the same N-1 Starfighter as Anakin. A "malfunctioning autopilot" flies the two to the space battle site where the royal Naboo pilots were attempting to destroy the droid army control ship.
Accomplishing this mission against the odds, the two ensure the otherwise slim chances for victory of the forces of the Naboo and the Gungan Grand Army. Having mentioned Lucas' repeating motifs, this key act allows for R2 to be present and prominent at the celebration ceremony seen at the end of "The Phantom Menace", echo of the Battle of Yavin victory medal ceremony at the end of "A New Hope".
Both of which are modeled after a scene from Leni Riefenstahl's "Triumph of the Will".
The Battle of Naboo and all its related events n "The Phantom Menace" are chronologically listed as occurring in 32 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin, the destruction of the first Death Star, "A New Hope"). "Episode II: Attack of the Clones" picks up the story ten years later. R2-D2 is still in the service of Padmé Amidala, at that time serving as a representative of Naboo in the Galactic Senate. Following a failed assassination attempt on Senator Amidala at the Naboo Embassy landing platform on Coruscant R2 was assigned to personally guard her person. This reunited him with the Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, also assigned to her protection.
In a rare example of a moment when R2 fails to save the day, his sensors were unable to detect poisonous Kouhun bugs inserted into Amidala's sleeping chamber by the bounty hunter Zam Wesell.
But given what we know regarding R2-D2 and his capacity for higher functioning in these events we can wonder if this is in fact a failure on his part. This is one of the seemingly incidental moments involving R2, like Anakin's accidental success in the Battle of Naboo, that serves as a domino towards more consequential moments. The pursuit of Zam Wesell by Obi-Wan and Anakin leads to the two separating to cover the different components of their mission. While Obi-Wan investigates the source of the assassination attempts Anakin (and R2) personally guard Amidala while in hiding on Naboo.
It is safe to say that this separation from the immediate influence of his mentor Obi-Wan gave Anakin the personally liberty to pursue his childhood infatuation with Padmé, which developed into love between the two while they were on Naboo. It was likewise this freedom that enabled Anakin to follow visions of his mother suffering back to Tatooine to look for her, with Padmé and R2 in tow. This leads to Anakin slaughtering the Tuskan Raider village where his mother was held and tortured, a major step on his path towards the dark side. It is at this time that R2 is reunited with C-3PO and their partnership begins.
When Obi-Wan's investigation leads to his capture on Geonosis it is R2 who receives his message transmission and passes it on to the Jedi Council on Coruscant. Anakin, Padmé, R2 and 3PO then set out to personally rescue Kenobi. Left to guard the ship by the humans, it is R2 who insists on defying this directive.
Had they stayed with the ship R2 would not have been present to save Padmé's life in the Geonosian droid factory. Of the party R2 alone manages to avoid being captured, leaving him free to assist the Jedi and Republic forces during the Battle of Geonosis (though in the battle his activity is restricted to the more symbolic action of returning C-3PO's head to its proper body).
Following this battle R2 and 3PO return with Padmé and Anakin to Naboo, where they are witness to their wedding ceremony, becoming some of the very few aware of the secret relationship. Shortly after, during the Clone Wars (between Episodes II and III) Padmé gives R2 to Anakin as a gift. Or rather as a companion as Jedi are forbidden from having personal possessions. This is actually an interesting point as R2-D2 quietly becomes no one's official possession at this point, making him a free agent. Any seeming subsequent owner then only fills that position because it is in R2's interest at that time for them to be so, a status we can see R2-D2 take advantage of in his subsequent adventures. At this time it is said that R2 had numerous specialized components installed by Anakin.
R2 becomes Anakin's assistant throughout the Clone War, and he's on hand in 19 BBY during the Battle of Coruscant playing a key role in the boarding of the Invisible Hand and the "rescue" of Chancellor Palpatine.
This constitutes R2's main activity in this chapter until he travels with Anakin (by then Darth Vader) to Mustafar. But he's left behind with the ship while Darth Vader deals with the loose end of the Separatist Council. He stays put until the arrival of Padmé, 3PO and Obi-Wan. After Vader attacked the pregnant Padmé R2 and 3PO moved her back onto the ship. They leave Mustafar with Obi-Wan and are taken to the emergency Jedi sanctuary of Polis Massa.
R2 and 3PO were present for the birth of Luke and Leia and the death of Padmé Amidala. The crater based medical center where this occurs is described by Lucas as an homage to the Clavius moon base from "2001: A Space Odyssey", the location of the lunar Monolith.
When the twins are split up to hide them from Vader and the Emperor the droids follow the daughter, Leia, as they pass to Leia's adoptive father Bail Organa who in turn places them in the service of Captain Raymus Antilles on the Tantive IV. Organa orders 3PO's memory wiped as a means of controlling the highly sensitive information regarding the Skywalker twins, but R2 manages to avoid this event throughout his long career, making him the single continuous first-person perspective of the entire Star Wars saga.
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