Star Wars: The Force Awakenscopied a character detail George Lucas had givenC-3PO. Despite being a mere protocol droid,C-3PO has endured many of theStar Warsgalaxy’s most pivotal momentsand served some of the franchise’s most important characters, including Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, Luke Skywalker, and Leia Organa. He’s lived through the Clone Wars, the Galactic Civil War, and the conflict between the Resistance and the First Order, all the while helping our favorite heroes communicate with their closest allies (and enemies).
He may often be seen as the comedic relief, but C-3PO has played a key role in theStar Warstimeline, and George Lucas wanted his appearance to reflect that when the droid was first introduced in the originalStar Warsmovie, later retitledA New Hope. C-3PO’s design is proof of what makesStar Wars’ worldbuilding so beloved and tangible.Star Wars: The Force Awakenstook it one step further.
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So much ofStar Wars’success can be attributed to George Lucas’ attention to detail, and that includes Threepio’s overall design. In an audio sound bite from theStar Wars: Behind the MagicCD-ROM (1997), George Lucas explained that he wanted Threepio to appear as though he had a history.
“I made that leg silver so that Threepio could have a history, so it looked like he’d been around for 20 or 30 years, so it looked like he had had some adventures, and somebody had taken a leg off and replaced it.”
C-3PO
The idea of subtle details being enough to build a lasting world, or, in this case, a galaxy, fits in with some of George Lucas’ other minor but undeniably impactful decisions, both in terms of design and the script. Remember what it felt like to hear Obi-Wan mention the Clone Wars for the first time inA New Hope? C-3PO’s silver leg is kind of like that.It makes you wonder what happened in the past and how that might have affected the present storyline.Something so seemingly insignificant makes you want to learn more.
The Force Awakens Did A Similar Trick With C-3PO
Star Wars: The Force Awakensdid something similar with Threepio.Instead of a silver leg, however, they gave him a red arm. The red arm was much more visually striking, but it’s the same idea.How can we make an audience believe that this character has lived a life between the original trilogy and the sequel trilogy? Something must have happened to C-3PO betweenReturn of the JediandThe Force Awakens. These details remind us that the story continues to unfold, even when we’re not watching.
These details remind us that the story continues to unfold, even when we’re not watching.
James Robinson and Tony Harris’s one-shot comic,C-3PO #1, reveals how Threepio lost his arm: it was ripped off by a vicious, tentacled beast. This must have happened sometime afterAhsokaseason 1, as C-3PO was still rocking a gold arm whenhe appeared inAhsokaepisode 7, “Part Seven: Dreams and Madness.“Threepio downplayed that particular trauma when he explained the red arm inStar Wars: The Force Awakens, but it just goes to show that even the tiniest details hide a much bigger story – and George Lucas knew it.
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Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
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Star Wars is a seminal science fiction film released in 1977 that follows the quest of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo to rescue Princess Leia from the oppressive Imperial forces. They are aided by the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, as they strive to restore peace to the galaxy.
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes place 30 years after the fall of the Galactic Empire. It follows Han Solo and new allies, including Finn and Rey, as they confront the rising threat of Kylo Ren and his army of Stormtroopers while seeking the elusive Luke Skywalker.
