Star Wars is all about finding heroes in the unlikeliest of places. At the start of Star Wars: A New Hope, Luke Skywalker is nothing more than a farmer, helping his uncle and aunt make ends meet on Tatooine while searching for a greater purpose. Well, his purpose finds him when a message from Leia Organa and the plans for the Death Star end up on his doorstep. After taking the hologram to Ben Kenobi, the local hermit, Luke’s life is never the same as he discovers his Force abilities and becomes a fully fledged Jedi Knight, like his father, Anakin Skywalker, before him.
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Both Anakin and Luke play pivotal parts in taking down the Empire. That kind of accomplishment is enough to make them the stuff of legends, but that doesn’t mean they’re the Star Wars franchise’s most important heroes. In fact, fans have come to the conclusion that another character deserves the honor for always being in the right place at the right time.
R2-D2 Is the Real Hero of the Skywalker Saga
While the prequel trilogy is all about Anakin’s fall to the dark side and the rise of the Empire, it gives plenty of other characters time to shine. Obi-Wan Kenobi is at the height of his powers, facing off against a couple of Sith Lords before settling down in Tatooine to watch over Luke as he grows into a powerful Force user. Sheev Palpatine is also a major part of the prequels, with the movies showing how he gains enough influence to convince the galaxy to hand over power to him at the outset of the Clone Wars. However, while the chess match between the Sith and Jedi is going on, there’s a character in the background who’s present for every major event.
R2-D2 proves to be more capable than the other astromech droids in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, so Anakin teams up with him to take down the Separatist blockade outside Naboo. After winning that battle together, R2 sticks by Anakin’s side and saves his friend’s life on multiple occasions. The droid even drags his buddy C-3PO out of the scrap heap in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones to ensure he lives another day. Losing Anakin to the dark side hurts R2, but he doesn’t give up hope, remaining with the Rebellion long enough for Leia to give him the Death Star plans, which kick off the events that bring the Empire down.
The sequel trilogy even finds room for R2, as he holds the final piece of the map that reveals Luke’s location. Once he wakes up at the end of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he takes a bit of a backseat, but he can’t help but return to the action during the Battle of Exegol in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, accompanying Poe Dameron in his X-Wing. Neither Anakin nor Luke is there to fight Palpatine when he somehow returns, but their robot pal is, which is why fans can’t help but give him the respect he deserves when they debate who the face of the franchise is outside of Darth Vader. R2 may even get a chance to surpass the Sith Lord if Lucasfilm continues to put him in movies.
Star Wars’ Future Might Have a Spot Reserved for R2-D2
It’s not a secret that Star Wars has been struggling to find its footing on the big screen. However, the franchise is looking to get its groove back with projects like The Mandalorian & Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter. The Skywalker family isn’t going to be a major part of either movie, and that’s probably for the best, as The Rise of Skywalker‘s reviews reveal critics and fans have had enough of the tired Star Wars formula. But there is one movie in the works that will focus on at least one character from the sequel trilogy.
A film all about Rey’s new Jedi Order is coming down the pike, and while no one but Daisy Ridley is confirmed to be part of it, that doesn’t mean there won’t be familiar faces around. R2 may very well be one of them, especially because he holds the Skywalker family near and dear to his metal heart. The villain of the project has yet to be revealed, but whoever it is, they had better watch out because Star Wars’ most iconic astromech droid is looking to climb the rankings.
Do you think R2-D2 is Star Wars’ most important hero? Would you like to see him appear in an upcoming project? Let us know in the comments below!
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Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios -
Image Courtesy of DC Comics -
Image Courtesy of DC Comics
