Putting the 'machine' in 'deus ex machina', these plucky droids are the ultimate example of characters being used as narrative devices. C3P0 and R2D2's playful banter thrilled audiences the world over and rightly so, as without them our heroes would have been killed long before their quest had come to an end. Every time there is an issue with machinery, R2 is there to lend a hand with one of his seemingly endless attachments -most notably saving the gang from being crushed in a trash compactor. He also plays the hologram that starts off Luke's saga and is practically a plot focused multi-tool. George Lucas never needed to write a clever way out of perilous situations, as R2D2 never failed to save the day. Now on to his delightfully camp, English counterpart, C3P0, who is able to understand every language in the universe. There's never an issue with translation when this Protocol Droid is around; the closest this comes to happening is with the Ewoks and that's played for laughs. With his linguistic skills and R2's mechanical prowess, they are a truly unstoppable team. Without these guys, Han Solo would never have been able to quip his way into our hearts and Princess Leia wouldn't have survived long enough to play dress-up for Jabba. Every classic Star Wars moment can be drawn back to the heroism and timing of C3P0 and R2D - there's hardly an iota of real characterisation to be found in their programming, but there wouldn't be a series without them. Did I miss any that you've noticed? Are lazy writers to blame or is it inevitable that some characters must be shallow devices? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
A pop culture mad writer from the North East who loves films, television and debating them with whoever will listen.
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