Droid (Star Wars)

• 1. Etymology And Origin

  ›

  George Lucas first used the word droid in the second draft script of Star Wars, completed on the 28th of January 1975. The term is a clipped form of android, which originally described robots designed to look and act like human beings. The root word android stems from the New Latin word androīdēs, meaning manlike. This Latin term derives from Ancient Greek roots including anēr for man or adult male and eidos for form or appearance. Science fiction writer Mari Wolf had already used the word droid in her story Robots of the World! Arise! published in 1952. It remains unknown whether Lucas knew of this earlier reference when writing his script. He may have developed the term independently without any knowledge of Wolf's prior work. Lucasfilm registered droid as a trademark in 1977 following the release of the original film.

  43

• 2. Production Techniques

  ›

  Droids are performed using robotics, actors inside costumes, and computer animation techniques. One actor performed on stilts while wearing a costume to portray a specific character. Joe Johnston drew storyboard panels influenced by Dan O'Bannon and Moebius during production of The Empire Strikes Back. A robot design by Moebius appeared in their short comic The Long Tomorrow from 1975. Johnston admitted borrowing a pose from that comic panel for the probe droid concept. Concept designers Joe Johnston and Ralph McQuarrie created the final designs based on these influences. The production puppet for IG-88 consisted of recycled props from A New Hope including a Mos Eisley cantina drink dispenser for its head. Kenner produced action figures for various droids starting with the Power Droid figure released in 1978. An RA-7 Death Star Droid figure was also produced for Kenner's line in 1978. Motorolas later used the name Droid for their Android-based cell phones under license from Lucasfilm.

  5376566

• 3. Class System Hierarchy

  ›

  Within the Star Wars universe a class system categorizes different droids depending on their skill set. First class droids handle physical mathematical and medical sciences. Second class droids manage engineering and technical sciences. Third class droids perform social sciences and service functions. Fourth class droids execute security and military functions. Fifth class droids perform menial labor and other non-intelligence functions. Most droids lack true sentience and possess processing abilities sufficient only to carry out assigned functions. They may develop sentience over time as they accumulate experience. Periodic memory wipes prevent this development but those who escape this fate begin forming personalities. Protocol droids specialize in translation etiquette and cultural customs while typically appearing humanoid. Astromech droids serve as versatile utility robots generally used for maintenance and repair of starships. Battle droids function as war robots used as easily controlled alternatives to human soldiers. Probe droids deploy by the Empire to search for hidden rebel bases using hyperdrive-equipped pods. Labor droids handle tasks ranging from lifting heavy objects to repairing machinery or administering entire facilities.

  15222934

• 4. Notable Character Archetypes

  ›

  C-3PO appeared in all nine main Star Wars films and Rogue One as a protocol droid created by Anakin Skywalker. Anthony Daniels provided the voice and performance for C-3PO across multiple productions including The Clone Wars and Rebels. R2-D2 became an astromech droid that accompanied three generations: Anakin and Luke Skywalker, and Rey Palpatine. Kenny Baker performed R2-D2 in Episodes I through VI while Jimmy Vee took over for Episodes VII through IX. BB-8 serves as Poe Dameron's astromech droid in The Force Awakens with a spherical body that rolls around. K-2SO is an Imperial security droid stolen and reprogrammed by the Alliance for their first appearance in Rogue One. Alan Tudyk voiced K-2SO who speaks his thoughts bluntly and tactlessly after being reprogrammed. IG-11 appears as a bounty hunter and assassin droid introduced in The Mandalorian who sacrifices himself to allow others to escape. Taika Waititi provided the voice for IG-11 before he was rebuilt and reprogrammed by Kuiil. L3-37 functions as a trusted right-hand female pilot droid of Lando Calrissian who quips equal rights during her mission to Kessel.

  1724284156

• 5. Cultural Reception Analysis

  ›

  Film scholars link the portrayal of droids in Star Wars to racial or class politics and technophobia. Dan Rubey sees the original film establishing a race hierarchy with droids on the bottom rung. J. P. Telotte describes them as essentially slaves to superior mankind embodying romantic dreams of obedience. Diana Sandars views droids as negative counterpoints to humanity epitomized in Darth Vader's mechanical body. Lane Roth saw droids as means of establishing moral standing of human characters through sympathetic treatment. Cyrus Patell refers to droids as both ethical indices and manifestations of technophobia. Nicholas Wanberg interprets portrayals as playing on racialized sexual and reproductive anxieties through contrasting origin settings. Obi-Wan Kenobi treats droids kindly while Han Solo and the Tattooine Bartender neglect or abuse them initially. Some scholars argue that the prequel films changed how Obi-Wen Kenobi relates to droids compared to the original trilogy. The franchise began with the 1977 film Star Wars which established these foundational character dynamics.

  8384858687

• 6. Trademark And Commercial Legacy

  ›

  Lucasfilm registered droid as a trademark in 1977 following the release of the first film. Verizon Wireless used the term Droid under license from Lucasfilm for their line of smartphones based on Android operating systems. Motorola released its late-2009 Google Android-based cell phone called the Droid. This line expanded to include other Android-based phones such as HTC Droid Eris and Motorola Droid X. The name Omnidroid was used with permission of Lucasfilm for the 2004 Pixar movie The Incredibles. EditDroid served as a non-linear editing system developed by Lucasfilm while SoundDroid functioned as an early digital audio workstation. Kenner produced action figures for various droids starting with the Power Droid figure released in 1978. An RA-7 Death Star Droid figure appeared in Kenner's Empire Strikes Back action figure line in 1980. The term remains legally protected by Lucasfilm Ltd since that initial registration date.

  67911