C-3PO

"I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations."

- C-3PO

C-3PO, sometimes spelled See-Threepio and often referred to as Threepio, was a bipedal, humanoid protocol droid designed to interact with organics, programmed primarily for etiquette and protocol. He was fluent in over six million forms of communication, and developed a fussy and worry-prone personality throughout his many decades of operation. Along with his counterpart, the astromech droid R2-D2, C-3PO constantly found himself directly involved in pivotal moments of galactic history, and aided in saving the galaxy on many occasions.

C-3PO was built from spare parts by Anakin Skywalker, a Human slave who lived in Mos Espa, a city on the Outer Rim world of Tatooine. He served Skywalker and his mother Shmi for over ten years, performing household chores and helping Skywalker earn his freedom by winning a pod race.

Skywalker left Tatooine but returned ten years later when his mother passed away, and C-3PO was given to Skywalker, now a Jedi Padawan, by Shmi's stepson Owen Lars. C-3PO, Skywalker, R2-D2, and the Naboo senator Padmé Amidala immediately became embroiled in the Clone Wars, a galaxy-wide conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Separatist Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Skywalker married Amidala and gave C-3PO to her as a wedding gift, and C-3PO faithfully assisted her in her senatorial duties throughout the three-year conflict. The two often entered the front lines of the war, at times fighting alongside Skywalker and R2-D2. At the end of the war, Skywalker became a Sith Lord, Amidala passed away, the Jedi Order was exterminated, and the Republic was reorganized into a Galactic Empire. C-3PO's memory was erased, though R2-D2's memory was not. C-3PO and R2-D2 were assigned to the Alderaan cruiser Tantive IV, where they served senator Bail Organa for nineteen years.

They then became embroiled in the Galactic Civil War, when Leia Organa of the Rebel Alliance entrusted them 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 princess Leia from the Empire's Death Star. They became directly attached to the three Humans, helping them and their rebellion defeat the Empire and restore freedom to the galaxy, most notably when he convinced the Ewoks to aid the Rebels at the Battle of Endor.

Behind the scenes
Anthony Daniels, C-3PO's portrayer, met George Lucas in 1975. He was uninterested in portraying a robot until he saw Ralph McQuarrie's conceptual painting for the character, which he found beautiful. When filming the movie, Daniels wrote out what he imagined R2-D2 was saying to help him get through a scene. Daniels is reprising the role of C-3PO in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens. J.J. Abrams initially asked if he only wanted to supply the voice due to his age, but Daniels was happy to wear the costume again. To that end, the prop mechanics of the suit were reworked for Daniels from the ground up for easier application and removal, with no changes visible on-screen.