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The R1-series astromech droid, also known as the R1 reactor drone, was Industrial Automaton's first production model of their new consumer-market R-series astromech droid line.
Characteristics[]
A Jawa-modified R1 astromech droid.
The R1-series integrated the developments of the P2-series prototype astromech and was an improvement over the P2, despite its unconventional appearance. As a result of the legal cases that stopped Industrial Automaton bringing the P2 to the commercial market, the R1 reused the black body shells from the company's Mark II reactor drones. The dense shielding of the heavy shell gave the R1 protection against intense radiation. The droid moved about via a treaded unipod, which was slow and often malfunctioned, causing a frequent lack of locomotion.[1]
The center of the R1's design was the Intellex III computer brain, which contained a comprehensive catalog of five hundred starship configurations. In addition, the R1 was the first Industrial Automaton astromech able to calculate complex navigational coordinates necessary to complete a single hyperspace jump.[1]
R1s possessed a number of retractable tools that made them efficient technicians. The droids were also capable of producing "Droidspeak", allowing them to effectively coordinate with other droids and data networks. However, their personalities tended towards being obstinate[1] and surly. Regular memory wipes were used to counter this issue, but it had a side effect of ensuring that the droids were less than familiar with the ships they were stationed on.[2] Owners often complained about the droid's personalities and the frequent breakdown of the treader unipod. Industrial Automaton promised to address all these issues in their next model.[1]
History[]
Stationed on freighters[]
Due to its cumbersome size, R1s were commonly stationed aboard capital ships and large freighters.[1]
Watto's droid[]
The R1 unit behind the counter in the shop Watto's Parts.
By 32 BBY, the Toydarian junk dealer Watto owned an R1-series astromech droid, kept behind the counter in his shop Watto's Parts in Mos Espa on the desert planet Tatooine.[3]
On the Sun Runner[]
An R1 was employed as principal controller of the Sun Runner counterfeit ship fabricated in 23 BBY by Groodo the Hutt for his Jedi-foiled attempt to destroy the orbital Fondor Shipyards. Coming face to face in the ship's control chamber with a 18-year-old lightsaber-wielding Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker, the R1 droid triggered a self-annihilating shutdown, antecedent to Skywalker destroying the false Sun Runner itself with a hypermatter reactor-planted proton grenade.[4]
Legacy[]
The R1-series was highly successful and well regarded. As a follow-up, Industrial Automaton designed and released the R2-series astromech droid.[5]
Appearances[]
"Single Cell" — Star Wars Tales 7 (In flashback(s))- Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
- Star Wars Adventures 1: Hunt the Sun Runner
- "Spare Parts" — Star Wars Adventure Journal 11 (reprinted in Hyperspace: The Official Star Wars Fan Club)
- Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope (First appearance)
- Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope junior novelization (First identified as R1 reactor drone)
- Luke Skywalker's Amazing Story
- A More Wretched Hive: The Mos Eisley Cantina
- "Easy Money" — The Politics of Contraband (reprinted in Classic Adventures)
- The New Rebellion
