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 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 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.