127
votes
How valuable are C-3PO and R2-D2?
The wealth of a farmer is noteworthy
Wealth is relative to your point of view. While we can look at Tatooine and see it as a poor locale compared to the rest of the civilized galaxy, on the local ...
- 15.8k
84
votes
Why does Binary exist?
I'm not aware of canon answer, but an in-universe common sense answer makes perfect sense. Have you EVER tried to network modem-equipped laptop with a Ethernet-equipped server with an Apple product ...
- 341k
77
votes
How valuable are C-3PO and R2-D2?
Luke doesn't say that they're "valuable", he vouchsafes that they're hardworking, and that they're a token of how serious he is to begin negotiations for Han's life.
I seek an audience with Your ...
- 676k
64
votes
Accepted
Can droids be shut down manually?
Leia switched off C3PO in "The Empire Strikes Back".
This is a transcription:
C-3PO: "Surrender is a perfectly acceptable alternative in extreme circumstances. The Empire may be gracious enough to—...
- 8,064
59
votes
Accepted
Why are there no Imperial KX-series Security Droids in the original trilogy?
Most of the answers here so far have not focused much specifically on the class of droid that K-2SO belongs to, the KX-series Security Droid (also known as "Imperial enforcer droids"), which is what ...
- 3,902
57
votes
Accepted
Why is R2-D2 considered a droid?
George Lucas seems to have made up the term droid as a shortened version of android which can refer to any robot.
The term "droid", popularized by George Lucas in the original Star Wars ...
- 15.9k
56
votes
Accepted
Why did the Lars family need an astromech droid?
I agree it seems strange. R2 droids are specifically engineered to work on starfighters
this rounded, waist-high droid was made specifically to fit in military starfighter astromech slots
However,...
- 13.1k
48
votes
How does BB-8 move in the sand without skidding?
That BB-8 droid actually works, as it was an actual prop that was used for actual filming, on actual sand. Even though Neil deGrasse Tyson says it will skid uncontrollably, we know that it does not.
...
- 6,902
48
votes
Why are there no Imperial KX-series Security Droids in the original trilogy?
According to the story, why are there no Imperial Droids like the K-2SO's in the original trilogy? Why did they all disappear all of a sudden after Rogue 1?
Because they weren't necessary for the ...
- 6,591
47
votes
Accepted
What made R2-D2 reactivate in “The Force Awakens?”
BB-8 woke him up, but like his typical snarky self, he took a while to get out of bed.
There's an article by Entertainment Weekly which recounts a post-screening Q&A with Abrams and co-writers ...
- 102k
45
votes
Accepted
Can astromech droids control and fly the ships they're mounted in?
Yes
We see R2 pilot Mace Windu's Jedi Starfighter in "R2 Come Home", an episode of The Clone Wars
Not only does he do some pretty fancy flying (surviving a dogfight with Slave I), he docks with a ...
- 163k
39
votes
Can astromech droids control and fly the ships they're mounted in?
Yes
In Revenge of the Sith we see Obi-Wan's R7 unit take his Starfighter back to the Republic ship with a message for Commander Cody, tricking General Grievous into thinking he has left Utapau so he ...
- 2,433
36
votes
Accepted
Why does Rey treat BB-8 like a sentient being?
TL;DR: Because he is sentient.
I will be using some quotes from the novelization of The Force Awakens, which describe BB-8 and his behavior, to support my case (because I happen to have it handy at ...
- 69.4k
36
votes
What does 'E chu ta' mean?
We don't know, but it's very (very) rude.
“E chu ta!” replies the droid.
C-3PO stops, stunned. “How rude!”
(“E chu ta,” is, of course, Huttese. It is absolutely not appropriate to translate. ...
- 676k
35
votes
Accepted
How can Rey and others understand BB-8 in the Force Awakens?
Found the answer in the Alan Dean Foster novelization (all quotes form there unless otherwise stated).
Not everyone understands BB-8. Finn does not. So it's plausible that Rey - being mechanically ...
- 341k
35
votes
How valuable are C-3PO and R2-D2?
In addition to what others have said, I'd also like to point out that there is a difference between personal wealth and business capital. While Uncle Owen may not make enough on his farm to have ...
- 1,063
34
votes
Accepted
Where do R2-D2's drinks come from?
Not from R2-D2?
This is a modification so R2-D2 can serve drinks on Jabba's sail barge, but he's only serving them, not producing or dispensing them. Presumably they come from some bartender or a ...
- 59.4k
32
votes
Accepted
Why did Han own a training remote?
Han's training remote is used for target practice and to allow him to practice his "quick-draw"
Luke stepped back to the center of the hold, activated his lightsaber,
and returned his attention ...
- 676k
32
votes
Why are there no Imperial KX-series Security Droids in the original trilogy?
There are Imperial droids. Most notably the MSE droids, the probe droids, and Imperial R type droids.
The droid that runs the droid prison in Jabbas palace was an imperial droid that ran away, ...
- 19.7k
31
votes
Accepted
Do droids feel pain?
C-3PO offers good canon answers - he can feel both pleasure and pain
Pleasure
A New Hope: C-3PO says "thank the maker, this oil bath is going to feel so good"
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/...
- 39.9k
31
votes
Accepted
Is BB-8 female?
In-universe UPDATED. TL;DR: The most canonical is that he's male.
There is no gender clearly specified in the film to my recollection (this part is subject to review as I re-watch, or as official ...
- 341k
26
votes
Who this large blue droid seen behind Anakin Skywalker in Episode 1?
According to the Ultimate Star Wars factbook, that droid (an R1-series shopkeeping drone) helps to run Watto's shop. It doesn't appear to have a canonical name.
"An R1 Type shopkeeping drone ...
- 676k
25
votes
25
votes
How does BB-8 move in the sand without skidding?
Neil's question seems to assume two things which aren't really knowable:
BB-8 is a truly smooth sphere
The sand on Jakku lacks a layer dense enough to provide friction
The first is really really up ...
- 12.7k
25
votes
Why does Binary exist?
One reason no-one's given yet; with our normal radio systems, we limit what we're listening to. And our atmosphere blocks the rest. And devices that can pick up the various bands of the ...
- 3,002
25
votes
Interrogation droid syringe "British Made"
Firstly, you'll note that the syringe in the movie is the other way up (it's quite likely so that the words "British made" aren't visible), and whatever it said on this side isn't necessarily the same ...
- 6,582
25
votes
Accepted
Are R-series astromech units obsolete?
There are multiple R-series units in the foreground of this shot from The Force Awakens. It would appear that they're not obsolete, at least within the structure of the Resistance (which appears to be ...
- 676k
24
votes
Accepted
Do all droids have a four alphanumeric character name and does this have any significance?
No.
Disney canon
We have at least one droid whose 4-letter title was just a fragment of a real long designation:
Cassian had killed K-2SO (whose true designation was far longer and far grander, ...
- 341k
24
votes
Can astromech droids control and fly the ships they're mounted in?
Yes
In Revenge of the Sith Obi-Wan has his droid take control of the flying for a bit.
OBI-WAN: All right, R4. No, no. Nothing too fancy.
and later he even says
OBI-WAN: Flying is for droids!
...
- 35.5k
23
votes
Do droids feel pain?
The corresponding scene from the film's novelisation makes it abundantly clear that the droid in question was in pain as a result of its "sensor circuits" melting:
An agonized electronic scream, ...
- 676k
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