The pantheon of Star Wars characters is endlessly expansive. With 12 theatrical movies plus countless TV shows (not to mention non-canonical Expanded Universe lore that so many fans still cling to like the gospel), there’s no shortage of fictional figures you can fall in love with. Similarly, there’s an endless plethora of Star Wars individuals you could claim are the “most important” in the entire franchise. When you gaze upon Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Rey, or anyone else from the saga, you see everything great about Star Wars in physical form.
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For me, though, there’s no question who the most important figure is in Star Wars. They may not necessarily be the greatest in terms of the action sequences or the lines of dialogue they utter. However, this character crystallizes many important themes in Star Wars while also being the rare figure to show up in all nine main movies (plus one of the Star Wars spinoff films). R2-D2 may be small and look like a trashcan on wheels, but he’s the most important Star Wars character by far.
R2-D2 is Everything Star Wars Stands For
Star Wars is ultimately the story of the last people imaginable becoming heroes. A kid stranded on a desert planet staring wistfully at twin suns can take down the Death Star. The son of a slave on that same planet can (eventually, after a detour into evil) bring balance to the Force. Don’t forget about Rey “from nowhere” and her actions in the Sequel Trilogy. Countless Star Wars characters – from the “Rookies” Clone Troopers in The Clone Wars to Rose Tico to the Ewoks to Kino Loy in Andor (among many others) – epitomize the idea that heroes can come from anywhere. We’re all capable of greatness.
Is there any greater underdog in the whole franchise than R2-D2? A stubby little creation that only communicates in beeps and whoops, R2 units are often dismissed as just disposable garbage by many in the Star Wars universe. Yet from his first appearance in The Phantom Menace, R2-D2 exceeds expectations and saves lives. This is the robot that uses his buzzsaw to save his trapped friends, for instance, or uses his mechanical know-how to save Luke and company from getting crushed in a trash compactor. Don’t forget how he’s the one with the map to Luke Skywalker in The Force Awakens.
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Appearing in all nine Star Wars movies (plus a cameo in Rogue One), R2-D2 gets to constantly be an unexpected hero across the entire Skywalker Saga. Even other unexpected heroes like Luke Skywalker, Rey, or Yoda are only in a handful of movies. R2’s constant pal C-3PO, meanwhile, is also around in all nine films, yet he’s always functioning as strictly comic relief. He’s an entertaining fixture, but his actions don’t necessarily capture the thesis of Star Wars. R2-D2, meanwhile, constantly reaffirms how heroics come from all walks of life.
R2-D2’s Importance is Inescapable
R2-D2’s significance to Star Wars even extends to the franchise’s visuals. Being one of the very first characters to appear onscreen in this franchise (not to mention a beloved figure that spawned so much merchandise), R2-D2 set the gold standard for what Star Wars droids can be. Subsequent fan-favorite entities like BB-8 and K-2SO owe so much to this character portrayed by Kenny Baker, as do other movie robot icons like WALL-E.
R2-D2 also crystallizes the kid-friendly entertaining thrills that Star Wars is known for. Thanks to him never going down a dark path like Anakin Skywalker or other Star Wars mainstays, R2-D2 can always be looked to across the Skywalker Saga for some enjoyable escapades. Just look at him comically pushing C-3PO off of Jabba the Hutt’s barge in Return of the Jedi, or him murdering two Super Battle Droids in Revenge of the Sith. Many Star Wars fans now treat this saga as a sacred text worthy of sacrosanct treatment. R2-D2’s most delightful moments, though, remind us all of the franchise’s true target audience and creative aims.
Best of all R2-D2 has charm, despite its worn-down look and stripped-down design, which further encapsulates the greatest qualities of Star Wars. This character, like the best Star Wars backdrops and storylines, is fueled by elegant simplicity and an immediately tangible sense of wear and tear. Without eyes or a mouth, R2-D2 still wins over your heart. Every bump and chipped piece of paint on his exterior, meanwhile, teases eons of past exciting adventures. It’s hard to think of another Star Wars character that so fully embraces those elements that have defined the franchise’s greatest moments. He can’t wield a lightsaber, nor can he deliver a grand monologue. However, R2-D2 is still the most important Star Wars character on countless fronts.
The Star Wars Skywalker Saga is now streaming on Disney+.
