8 Star Wars Questions That Always Confused You

This one is VERY cheeky, given everyone knows that the real answer is "because George Lucas didn't know he'd include R2-D2 and C-3PO in the Star Wars prequels he hadn't thought of yet", but it is worth mentioning. People have considered Obi-Wan's apparent lack of familiarity with his former Padawan's astromech a plot hole since Episode I released in 1999, but what they may not know is that Lucasfilm have taken steps to amend it in expanded material.

So, the real answer as to why Obi-Wan doesn't remember R2 in A New Hope? He does. (No, seriously - he does.) And, to get a slightly pedantic point out of the way as well, you should remember that Obi-Wan never says he doesn't remember R2 - just that he didn't remember "owning a droid".

Either way, in the new, canonical novelisation of A New Hope (titled The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy), author Alexandra Bracken includes a paragraph that confirms Kenobi recognised R2, and that the little astromech knew him too.

"Han was about to turn back to lock up the circuit panel when he saw the fossil wave the droid over. Luke had a look of intense concentration on his face as he pivoted around and around in a circle, lifting his lightsaber this way, that way, clearly lost in his own world.

The R2 unit moved to Ben’s side as if it were his faithful pet — an image that was further reinforced by the old man’s stroking a hand over its domed head.

“It’s good to fly with you again, my old friend,” the old man said, so softly Han wasn’t sure he had heard him right."

Now if anyone needs me, I'll be having a big cry.