R2-D2

"An extremely well put-together little droid."

- Panaka

R2-D2, pronounced Artoo-Detoo and often referred to as Artoo, was an R2 unit astromech droid. Along with his counterpart, the protocol droid C-3PO, R2-D2 constantly found himself directly involved in pivotal moments of galactic history. Resourceful and spunky, the droid developed an adventurous personality during his many decades of operation. His bravery, coupled with his many gadgets, played large roles in saving the galaxy time and time again.

During the final years of the Galactic Republic, R2-D2 was stationed aboard Queen Padmé Amidala's J-type 327 Nubian Naboo Royal Starship when the Trade Federation blockaded the planet. His maintenance work on the ship's hull while it was under fire that allowed the queen and her crew to bypass the blockade and flee the besieged world. R2-D2 was then recognized before the queen for his work in ensuring the ship's safety.

Afterwards, R2-D2 directly served the queen, playing a decisive role in liberating Naboo and remaining with Amidala for another ten years, even as she transitioned to the role of senator eight years later. When attempts on her life were made and the Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker was assigned to protect her, R2-D2 and C-3PO accompanied the two to Geonosis and participated in a battle that started the Clone Wars, a galaxy-wide conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Separatist Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Amidala gave R2-D2 to Skywalker when he became a Jedi Knight, and the astromech droid faithfully served him throughout the war, often flying in the droid socket of Skywalker's starfighter or fighting next to him on the front lines.

The war was in fact orchestrated by the Republic's Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, who was secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, and who brought the conflict to an end three years in, taking Skywalker as his Sith apprentice, wiping out the Jedi, and reorganizing the Republic into a Galactic Empire. In the aftermath of the war, R2-D2 and C-3PO were assigned to the Alderaan cruiser Tantive IV, where they served senator Bail Organa for nineteen years.

It was then they became embroiled in the Galactic Civil War, and Princess Leia Organa of the Rebel Alliance entrusted R2-D2 to bring a copy of the Death Star plans to the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine. After meeting Skywalker's son Luke and the smuggler Han Solo, the droids helped rescue Leia from the Empire's Death Star and became directly attached to the three Humans, helping them and their rebellion defeat the Empire and restore freedom to the galaxy.

R2-D2 would also assist Luke in his training as the galaxy's last Jedi Knight, serving in his X-wing's droid socket, just as he did for his father.

Invasion of Naboo
R2-D2 was one of several astromech droids stationed on Queen Amidala's J-type 327 Nubian Naboo Royal Starship during the invasion of Naboo by the Trade Federation. The ship was used by Queen Amidala and her entourage in an attempt to escape the planet. Unluckily for the ship's passengers, the vessel took a hit to the shield generator from a Trade Federation battleship. The astromechs were sent out to repair the ship but only R2-D2 survived to bring the shields online, allowing pilot Ric Olie to escape into hyperspace.

As the ship traveled to Tatooine, R2-D2 was taken before Sabé, the Queen's decoy in the guise of Amidala, where he was commended for his actions.

The ship landed on Tatooine without any further incidents, although the voyage fried the hyperdrive. R2-D2 accompanied Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Gungan exile Jar Jar Binks and Padmé, the queen in disguise, to the city of Mos Espa to find a replacement. In the junk shop of the Toydarian merchant Watto they found they could not afford a replacement hyperdrive and later took shelter from a sandstorm in the home of Watto's slaves, a boy named Anakin Skywalker, and his mother, Shmi.

At the Skywalker home, R2-D2 met C-3PO, a protocol droid that Anakin had built. The two would bond as they worked on Anakin's personal podracer. R2-D2 and C-3PO would cheer on Anakin during the Boonta Eve Classic, where the boy would win his freedom, and enough money to buy a new hyperdrive.

R2-D2 accompanied the group to Coruscant, and from there back to Naboo. As Queen Amidala led an attempt to liberate the planet, R2-D2 nestled into an N-1 starfighter. Anakin, being ordered to hide in the cockpit by Qui-Gon Jinn, accidentally launched the fighter and the two flew into battle, destroyed the Droid Control Ship and shut down the droid armies, liberating Naboo.

Genesis of the Clone Wars
R2-D2 accompanied Amidala to Coruscant prior to the senate's vote on the Military Creation Act. After an assassination attempt on Amidala took the life of her handmaiden and decoy, Corde, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker were assigned to be her Jedi protectors. That night, another assassination attempt was carried out. A pair of kouhuns narrowly missed killing Amidala and although one assassin, Zam Wesel was neutralized, another escaped.

For her own protection, Padmé was sent home to Naboo, with R2-D2 and Anakin Skywalker accompanying her. The three would later travel to Tatooine, where they were reunited with C-3PO, and then to Geonosis to rescue Kenobi.

As they explored a massive droid factory, R2-D2 had had to save Amidala from being covered with molten lava and C-3PO temporarily switched heads with a battle droid. R2 was able to restore his companion during the Battle of Geonosis.

After the battle, R2-D2 and C-3PO were the sole witnesses to the marriage of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala in Lake Country.

Return of the Sith
When Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine was captured by General Grievous, R2-D2 accompanied Anakin Skywalker on a mission to rescue him. While Skywalker and Kenobi searched the Invisible Hand for the Chancellor, R2-D2 fended off Super Battle Droids. Although Count Dooku was defeated by Skywalker, Grievous, and R2, the two Jedi, and Palpatine forced a the Invisible Hand to land on Coruscant.

After Anakin fell to the dark side and became Darth Vader, R2 accompanied him to Mustafar as he wiped out the Separatist leaders and later witnessed his master strangle Padmé and begin to duel Obi-Wan Kenobi. R2-D2 and C-3PO moved Padmé to her starship, and Obi-Wan took them all to Polis Massa where Padmé gave birth to twin children before dying. R2 and 3PO passed into the service of Bail Organa of the Royal House of Alderaan, 3PO undergoing a memory wipe, but R2-D2's memory staying intact.

A brush with rebels
While accompanying C-3PO on a mission for the Empire, he and C-3PO got swept up in a plot by the Rebel crew of the Ghost. In the mix up they ended up with the Rebels and went with them to the planet Lothal. After Agent Kallus arrived R2 had the idea to destroy the disruptors by overloading them and buying the crew time. After returning to his master R2 showed Bail Organa his recording of his time with them.