10 Star Wars Retcons So Dumb That It Actually Hurt
4. R2-D2 Can Fly?
There are many cringe-inducing moments in the droid factory sequence in Attack of the Clones, which is almost like a Looney Tunes short in the middle of a Star Wars movie. Among them is the sudden revelation that R2-D2 has rocket boosters, which makes the droid able to fly. This was a concept that was so ridiculous that it wasnt even in the 1980s Droids cartoon series even though the series gave R2-D2 equally ludicrous features like an umbrella. The main problem with this is when you consider how many times R2-D2 having rocket boosters wouldve come in handy in the Original Trilogy. Sunk in the Dagobah Swamp? Stuck in the Tatoonie sand dunes? Later semi-official in-universe explanations have claimed that the boosters broke sometime between trilogies and were never repaired. But why didnt Luke ever repair those boosters? Wouldnt he rather have a droid that could fly, especially considering how many troublesome situations his friends end up in? Of course, if the silly concept was never put in the Prequel Trilogy in the first place there wouldnt have to be any explanations at all.
Chris McKittrick is a published author of fiction and non-fiction and has spoken about film and comic books at conferences across the United States. In addition to his work at WhatCulture!, he is a regular contributor to CreativeScreenwriting.com, MovieBuzzers.com, and DailyActor.com, a website focused on acting in all media. For more information, visit his website at http://www.chrismckit.com.