R5-D4/Legends

R5-D4 was a white and red striped astromech droid.

Description
R5-D4 was a part of the low cost Industrial Automaton R5 line, a line plagued with malfunctions. As a result, R5-D4 was owned by many beings and in a constant state of used sale. His programming became jealous of other droids that were capable of serving without failure and had loyal masters.

The droid came into the possession of the Jawas that sold used droids to Owen Lars. Lars at first chose the less expensive R5-D4, but within seconds of purchase, the droid's motivator malfunctioned. The Jawas let Owen have R2-D2 as a consolation. Conflicting stories claim the source of R5-D4's malfunction as either sabotage by R2-D2 or self-induced failure to keep R2-D2 and C-3PO together.

After failing to make a sale, the Squib trader Macemillian-winduarté stole R5-D4 from the Jawas, saving the droid from destruction at the hands of Stormtroopers. R5-D4 then changed hands once again, being sold to Voren Na'al, Rebel Alliance historian and spy. Na'al refurbished the maltreated droid and installed an intelligence gathering software package. Decades of low self-confidence and jealousy were reversed: R5-D4 had a purpose.

R5-D4 was placed as an intelligence gathering source in the government offices of Mos Eisley. He continued to serve in that capacity for many years, providing important and valuable data to the Alliance.

Trivia

 * On the DVD of A New Hope, there is a menu screen-shot which displays a clearer image of R5-D4's malfunctioning motivator sky-rocketing into the air.
 * There is a continuity error in Episode IV, involving R5-D4. Just after the red droid's motivator has blown, C-3PO puts a good word in for R2.  For a second, we are shown R2, with R5 inexplicably replaced beside him.  The next shot shows the jawas running over to retrieve the droid from where he stands (correctly) next to Luke and Threepio.
 * Luke refers to R5-D4 as an "R2 Unit". Whether or not this was an intentional generalization on the part of the character, or actor, or scriptwriter, is unclear. It seems obvious, however, that R5-D4 is actually an 'R5 unit'

Audio clips
[[Media:R5-D4 ANH.ogg|Hear R5-D4]] (A New Hope)

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike
 * Skippy the Jedi Droid