Spinning characters off from a franchise in which they play supporting roles into a new vehicle in which they are the leads is tricky, to say the least. C-3PO and R2-D2 are heroes in Star Wars, but they are not THE heroes OF Star Wars, if you see the distinction. While they both certainly have moments where they contribute towards saving the day, imagine just about any dramatic scene with Luke, Leia or Han swapped out for one of the two droids and you’ll see the problem. They’re not the leads; that’s not their function in the story.
But in Droids, of course, they ARE the leads. Sure, there’s a rotating cast of characters who appear to fill the void left by our original human heroes, but 3PO and R2 are the titular stars, and every episode requires them to be at the center of its action and the cause of its resolution.
Despite being the less human of the two, R2’s preexisting characterization slots into this role a bit easier than 3PO’s. R2 was the brave little droid crossing the desert alone to deliver his message and save the princess. 3PO was just along for the ride, complaining all the way. Unfortunately, 3PO necessarily is going to have to carry more of the story because he’s the one who can, you know, talk. You can’t hire Anthony Daniels for your cartoon and then give more dialogue to the beeping booping sound effects machine.
I have a hypothesis that in making slight adjustments to the droids’ narrative functions, Nelvana, the show’s producers, looked to another of their cartoons for inspiration. R2-D2 is, basically, Inspector Gadget. Bear with me.
In this episode, the droids and their friends Jann Tosh and Jessica Meade (god I still love that name – she’s a Star Wars character with a name like someone who works in your office’s finance department) face off against the evil pirate Kybo Ren (no relation). In pursuit of this goal, R2-D2 reveals that hidden in his body are the following: his spinny connector thing with which he can hack any computer; a massive inflatable air cushion to catch clumsy partners falling from great heights; an oxygen mask with internal oxygen supply; a welding torch that somehow works underwater; a propellor on his head that allows him to move through the ocean at incredible speed; and a couple of bath toys in the shape of animals. And that’s just in this episode – across the series he whips out innumerable useful devices never seen before or since.
Unlike the good Inspector, though, R2’s gadgets always work. Which is where my hypothesis breaks down a little, because if he’s Gadget, then C-3PO should really be Penny, Gadget’s niece, who was always the one to really figure out what was going on. But making the pompous golden windbag the brains of their partnership is just a step too far away from his character. So instead R2 gets that role too – he’s Gadget, Penny, and Brain the dog too, all wrapped up in one trash can shaped package.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t leave C-3PO with much to do besides his usual schtick: taunting R2, messing up, and being afraid. He gets to help resolve the central conflict in a couple of episodes, don’t get me wrong; but there are also plenty of episodes like this one, in which he does nothing productive of note, and events probably would have proceeded a lot smoother if he weren’t there. If R2 hadn’t been there, contrariwise, Jann and Jessica would both be dead.
I don’t know the solution. Making C-3PO the Gadget would have helped, but that’s almost as big a stretch as making him the Penny. He’s a protocol droid; having a propellor pop out of his head is a little off-brand. More stories in which his actual skills – translation and diplomacy – proved crucial to the plot was probably the way to go. Whether that’s exciting enough for a Saturday morning kids’ cartoon, I don’t know.
Oh, well. It’s still a fun show, hero’s journey be damned. Go go R2 jet ski!
Previous: Ewoks S1E7 – “The Curse of the Jindas” (1985)
Next: Ewoks S1E8 – “The Land of the Gupins” (1985)
