- "Gleep!"
- ―U-E
U-E was a yellow Model E, a nanny droid who ran a nursery on Kalarba along with his companions Q-E and 2-E. He and his companions served on Kalarba for many years, babysitting many clients. By 5 BBY, they were antiques, but they still continued to serve. Among their customers was the future-Baron Pitareeze.
When a local trader, Vuldo, attempted to press the three droids into working for him, they refused, and claimed that his operations were illegal. In response, Vuldo shot U-E. While his companions were able to retrieve his Cogitative Theory Unit and his memory banks, his body was un-salvageable. A new body, that of a labor droid, was supplied by Nak Pitareeze, and, following repairs by R2-D2, U-E was able to rejoin his longtime companions.
Biography[]
U-E and his fellow Model E droids, 2-E and Q-E, were nanny droids on Kalarba for many years, where they were town property. The trio were inseparable, and ran a nursery on the planet. In time, they became an institution, familiar to the locals for their babysitting services. One of their clients was Pitareeze, who, in time, became a baron, and the owner of Pitareeze Inc.[2] By approximately 5.5 BBY,[3] they were antiques, but they continued to faithfully do their job.[2]
One day, one of the townsfolk, the trader Vuldo, came to the nursery demanding that U-E, 2-E and Q-E help him out with his business, due to the fact that he could no longer keep up with his own work. The three droids explained that to do something other than look after children would go against their programming, but Vuldo would hear none of it, insisting that the nanny droids assemble blasters for him. When the droids pointed out that his business was illegal, he grabbed U-E, drew a blaster, and then shot the helpless droid, as an example to 2-E and Q-E.[2]
Vuldo warned 2-E and Q-E not to tell anyone of his business, lest he give them the same treatment he had given U-E. The two droids were able to salvage their companion's Cogitative Theory Unit and his memory banks, preserving his memories and personality, if not his body. While they sat and charged their power supplies at night, they would take out what was left of U-E and place it on his empty chair. One night, while doing so, they unwittingly played host to one of Nak Pitareeze's guardians, R2-D2. As the newcomer investigated U-E's remains, Vuldo entered the nursery, and threatened to destroy R2-D2.[2]
As he tried to do so, Pitareeze commanded one of his other droids, this one a model of the labor variety, to knock on the nursery door. The large labor droid instead smashed through the wall, and inadvertently knocked Vuldo unconscious, saving R2-D2, 2-E, and Q-E. The two Model Es, seeing the labor droid, asked Pitareeze whether or not he would give it to them, and he obliged. R2-D2 then installed U-E's remains into the droid, effectively restoring him, albeit in a different body. The three, now reunited, went off to terrorize a local creature, to their own amusement.[2]
Characteristics[]
U-E and his companions were very popular on Kalabra, due to their diligent service. U-E always stayed within close proximity of 2-E and Q-E, and it was considered odd if he was not seen with the others. He and his companions were also not adverse to enjoying themselves, and they found great amusement in the terror of innocent animals.[2]
Behind the scenes[]
U-E made his first and only appearance in 1994's Droids (1994) 5, which was written by Ryder Windham and illustrated by Ian Gibson. The rest of the issues in the arc were written by Dan Thorsland, but he had insisted that Windham write the "babysitter droid" story before signing on to the project. Windham's inspirations for U-E, 2-E and Q-E were the Walt Disney characters, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. In creating them, Windham was attempting to impress Lucy Autrey Wilson, a Lucasfilm Ltd. employee.[4]
Appearances[]
- Droids (1994) 5 (First appearance)
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ The Essential Guide to Droids
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Droids (1994) 5
- ↑ Star Wars Omnibus: Droids dates the events of the Star Wars: Droids comic-book series, including U-E's appearance in Droids (1994) 5, to approximately five and a half years before the Battle of Yavin, which corresponds to 5.5 BBY, according to The New Essential Chronology.
- ↑ Foreword: "Making Droids," Omnibus: Droids