R4-K5

R4-K5 was an R4-series astromech droid. The droid would accompany Darth Vader, formerly Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, on early missions for the Galactic Empire. Originally a Jedi-owned droid, R4-K5 was chosen by Vader for its dark hue, which reflected Vader's darkness.

Biography
In 19 BBY, at the height of the Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker, newly appointed Sith Lord Darth Vader, along with the stormtroopers of the 501st Legion, ransacked the Jedi Temple and killed most of the Jedi in residence on the orders of Palpatine. The Temple's hangar was one of the areas raided, and much of its equipment was destroyed, including many astromechs. R4-K5, having been on station as a Jedi droid, survived the assault. Vader would later choose the R4 unit as his new astromech, seeing its dark shell as a reflection of his own darkness.

After Vader's injuries, earned at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar, forced him to don a black suit of armor, he also acquired a black Eta-2 Actis-class interceptor. Vader piloted this craft in an attack on several runaway Jedi over Murkhana, assisted by the socketed R4-K5, who was stationed on the Imperial Star Destroyer Exactor along with the interceptor. R4-K5 was instrumental in helping Vader grasp the tactical situation, supplying him with information regarding the escape plan of the Jedi and alerting him to their imminent absconsion by way of a hyperdrive ring.

Vader, scarred and mentally tortured by the recent events in his life, did not share a camaraderie with R4-K5 as he had with his former astromech, R2-D2; rather, he simply regarded R4-K5 as another piece of machinery.

Behind the scenes
R4-K5 made its first appearance in the Legends novel Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader by James Luceno. Not referred to by designation, R4-K5 is initially described as an astromech with a black dome, and is mentioned twice more as "the astromech". The R4-K5 designation was provided by Hasbro.

R4-K5 is presented inconsistently in terms of color across sources; in The New Essential Chronology, the droid is seen as having a black dome, with a white body. Later, figures of the droid displayed an all-black color scheme.

In the comic book arc Darth Vader and the Lost Command, Vader's now highly-modified interceptor features an astromech droid; however, it is not confirmed to be R4-K5.

Appearances

 * Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader

Non-canon appearances

 * Star Wars: Visions of the Blade