AP-5

AP-5 was an RA-7 protocol droid with masculine programming, who served as an analyst droid on a Galactic Republic attack cruiser during the Clone Wars. At the end of the conflict, the Republic was replaced by the Galactic Empire, and AP-5 was relegated to inventory duty aboard the cargo transport 241, an Imperial cargo ship. In the third year before the Battle of Yavin, AP-5 encountered the astromech droid Chopper when the latter hid in the cargo ship while evading several pursuing stormtroopers. Tired of being mistreated, the inventory droid befriended Chopper, helping him steal the cargo ship and providing his rebel allies with a suitable location for a secret base.

Early existence
An RA-7 protocol droid with a masculine programming, AP-5 was activated at some point before the fall of the Galactic Republic. During the pan-galactic Clone Wars that pitted the Republic against the Confederacy of Independent Systems, AP-5 served as a navigator and a military analyst aboard a Venator-class Star Destroyer. He notably participated in the Ryloth campaign, in which he estimated the Republic's tactical strategies were only 70% effective. Although the Republic ended up winning the campaign, AP-5's commander did not survive.

Fall of the Republic
At the end of the Clone Wars, the leader of the Republic, Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, unilaterally abolished the regime, transforming it into an authoritarian Galactic Empire. Although AP-5 had been, according to himself, the best Republic navigator in his class, he was downgraded and reassigned to inventory duty aboard the cargo transport 241, an Imperial cargo ship.

Meeting the rebels
In the third year before the Battle of Yavin, AP-5 encountered Chopper, a feisty astromech droid who belonged to an anti-Empire coalition. The astromech had been separated from his rebel cell and stranded on Horizon Base, where the cargo transport 241 was docked at the time. Looking for safe haven from the Imperial stormtroopers, Chopper had boarded the cargo ship.

During a ship-wide search for the stowaway, AP-5 did not report Chopper's presence to his Imperial superiors, gaining the latter's trust and developing an friendship by telling war stories. When the ship's abusive Imperial captain belittled AP-5, Chopper sprung to his defense and managed to knock out the captain. The two droids then joined forces to seize control of the ship. Later on, AP-5 aided the rebellion by warning the rebels that the Yost system, their original jump destination, was not safe because an Imperial fleet had already been dispatched there. He instead provided the coordinates of an alternative world called Atollon which lacked any Imperial presence, making it a more suitable location to plant a rebel base.

While transmitting the coordinates to the new system, AP-5 was shot twice by the ship's captain, who had regained consciousness. The inventory droid sustained serious damages, but, before he shut down, AP-5 managed to tell Chopper that he would not forget their friendship. Fortunately, after the two droids rendezvoused with the rest of the Phoenix Squadron rejoined the crew of the Ghost, Sabine Wren managed to repair AP-5, using some parts disassembled from Chopper's stolen ambulatory strut. Immediately upon being restored to working order, AP-5 chided Chopper for not thinking logically, prompting Chopper to reply with a string of expletives. AP-5 retaliated by saying that the words were so foul that the droid would be disintegrated in six systems.

Joining the rebellion
Using AP-5's information, the Phoenix rebel cell was able to establish a new base on Atollon called Chopper Base. AP-5 was placed in charge of checking the cargo that arrived from the base. Used to working with the Empire, AP-5 was unhappy with the frequent delays in rebel shipments arriving at Chopper Base. When the crew of the Ghost arrived with a shipment of power generators, AP-5 complained that the shipment was already several hours overdue. AP-5 then asked his friend Chopper whether it was routine for rebel shipments to be late; to which the droid answered in the affirmative.

Homecoming party
AP-5 was later part of a homecoming party that greeted Kanan, Ezra, and Chopper after they returned from their perilous mission to Malachor. He and the Lothal rebels and the former Clone Captain Rex witnessed a blinded Kanan hugging Hera. They also witnessed a despondent Ezra exit the starship Phantom without the former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano; whom Ezra and Kanan believed had perished on Malachor.

Rescuing defectors
After the Phoenix rebels received word that a group of Imperial cadets from the elite Skystrike Academy were planning to defect to the rebellion, AP-5 was tasked with preparing fake credentials for Sabine's infiltration mission.

Mission to Wynkahthu
Later, AP-5 lent his expertise to a mission undertaken by the Lothal rebels, the pirate Hondo Ohnaka, and the crime lord Azmorigan to steal cargo from an Imperial cargo ship that had become trapped in the atmospheric storms in Wynkahthu's upper atmosphere. Due to his experience working aboard a class four container vessel, AP-5 was able to advise the Lasat warrior Garazeb Orrelios when planning the mission. AP-5 and Zeb's planned involved jumping onto the hull of the ship, restarting its power plant, and then opening the cargo ramp doors to evacuate the cargo with grappling guns.

AP-5 calculated that the mission had a 38.5% chance of success. When Kanan protested, AP-5 responded that they would have a zero percent chance without him. AP-5 stayed with Hera and Kanan aboard the Ghost while the other rebels, Hondo, and Azmorigan boarded the ship. Despite his careful planning, AP-5 overlooked the fact that restarting the power generator reactivated one of the Imperial sentry droids. The sentry droid attacked Azmorigan and Zeb and locked them in the brig. When Zeb contacted the Ghost, AP-5 apologized for his mistake and warned the rebels not to engage the droids.

Despite his warning, Azmorigan destroyed one of the droids. This triggered the other sentry droids which attacked the rebels and their confederates. However, they managed to escape the cargo ship before it collided with the vortex and exploded. AP-5 stayed aboard while the rebels celebrated their catch of proton bombs and Hondo and Azmorigan left with their Ugnaught crew member Melch with their "treasure."

Strike on Lothal
After Hera briefed Phoenix Squadron on a planned strike against the Imperial Armory Complex on the planet Lothal, AP-5 began loading explosives aboard the rebel freighter Ghost. While he was chatting with his friend Chopper, Sabine arrived with a second load of explosives. Despite AP-5's protestations that they had enough, Sabine insisted on loading more and stressed that she was the weapons expert. AP-5 grumbled about the changes to the supply schedule but complied by Sabine's orders. When Sabine remarked that AP-5 and Chopper came from the same supply line, Chopper remarked that she needed an attitude adjustment.

Personality and traits
AP-5 had a grumpy and pessimistic personality due to his exploitative treatment at the hands of his Imperial superiors. AP-5 prided his service as an analyst droid during the Ryloth campaign and deeply resented being relegated to inventory work under the Galactic Empire. AP-5 had an antagonistic relationship with his Imperial captain, who believed that he was destined for the scrap heap. AP-5 found an unlikely friend in the form of Chopper, an astromech droid who was part of the rebellion. AP-5 gained Chopper's trust and friendship after he removed his restraining bolt; giving AP-5 the will to defy his master. Despite his friendship with Chopper, AP-5 could still be abrupt and condescending to his friend when he berated Chopper for committing the "illogical act" of sacrificing his stolen ambulatory strut to repair him.

Despite only knowing the Rebels for a short time, AP-5 has already formed an attachment to them, as he seemed saddened to learn of Ahsoka Tano's apparent death. Using his knowledge of Class four container vessels, AP-5 helped the Lothal rebels plan their operation to steal cargo from an Imperial cargo ship. While he was a skilled planner, he was a calculating pessimist who believed that their mission had little chance of success. He also overlooked the presence of sentinel droids aboard the cargo ship and tried in vain to advice the recovery team not to provoke hostilities with the droids.

AP-5 was a rigid stickler to the schedule and grumbled when Sabine once insisted on loading more explosives. Due to their similar personalities, Chopper and AP-5 got on well. This led Sabine to once remark that the two droids came from the same supply schedule.

Skills and abilities
As an RA-7 protocol droid, AP-5 had an insectoid head and a blue metallic body. He had a masculine programming and served as an analyst droid for the Republic and later as an inventory droid for the Empire. Due to his position, he was aware about Imperial fleet movements and star charts. AP-5 used this knowledge to help the rebellion to find a safe haven on Atollon.

Behind the scenes
AP-5 was voiced by Stephen Stanton, who based his portrayal on the late British actor Alan Rickman. He is named after producer Athena Yvette Portillo, and his name also references her height.