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The P2-series astromech droid was Industrial Automaton's first astromech droid prototype for the R-series, using a rounded body design that would later prove popular with the R2-series astromech droids.
Characteristics[]
P2 units were prototype astromechs standing 2.2 meters tall. They were equipped with three wheeled legs, a rotating head dome, three retractable manipulator arms, a heavy grasper arm, buzzsaw, and laser welder inside an armored housing.[1] P2s had a primitive version of the Intellex ship-configuration computer, making them capable maintenance units aboard starships such as bulk cruisers and container ships.[3]
The droids were large, cumbersome, clumsy, sluggish, and slow to learn. They could only communicate through the use of its video display screen or by linking to a computer. Despite these drawbacks, many of the features including in the P2-series later became common on astromechs in Industrial Automaton's R-series.[3]
History[]
Schematics for a P2-series astromech droid.
As a prototype, Industrial Automaton sold P2s on a trial basis exclusively to the Old Republic shipping fleet. Although the P2s had their issues, they proved popular with the captains of the ships they were stationed on. Industrial Automaton was in the process of finalizing plans to make the P2-series publicly available when the company ran into trouble. Hit with a technology-infringement lawsuit, Industrial Automaton was forced to halt their plans. Although the case was eventually dropped, the damage was done. The legal delays and bad publicity around the case killed the P2 line and forced Industrial Automaton to start over.[3]
Industrial Automaton designed a replacement model, the R1 unit, by recycling the shells of existing Mark II reactor drones to save costs that had been incurred by the company's legal battles.[3]
Behind the scenes[]
For the P2 droid's first appearance in the roleplaying game game supplement, Black Ice, artist Bob Dvorak based his illustration on early Ralph McQuarrie concept art of R2-D2.[4]
Appearances[]
- The Last Jedi
- Black Ice (First appearance)
- The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse
Sources[]
A P2 unit
"The History of R-Series Astromech Droids" — Star Wars Adventure Journal 7 (as P2 Astrodroid" and "P2 Astromech Droid)- Cynabar's Fantastic Technology: Droids (as P2 Astromech Prototype)
- The Essential Guide to Droids
- The Official Star Wars Fact File 9 MAN 1-2: Droid Manufacturers
- The Official Star Wars Fact File 21 AST 1-2: P2 and R1 Astromech Droids
- Arms & Equipment Guide
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunter: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
- Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy
- Standoffs on Wizards.com (original site is defunct)
- Star Wars: Complete Locations
- The New Essential Guide to Droids
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (as P2 unit)
- The Clone Wars Campaign Guide
- P2 prototype astromech droid in the Databank (original site is defunct)
