And not so much a new hope, but an old one? This essayist thinks so.
If we accept all the Star Wars films as the same canon, then a lot that happens in the original films has to be reinterpreted in the light of the prequels. As we now know, the rebel Alliance was founded by Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Bail Organa. What can readily be deduced is that their first recruit, who soon became their top field agent, was R2-D2.
Consider: at the end of RotS, Bail Organa orders 3PO’s memory wiped but not R2’s. He wouldn’t make the distinction casually. Both droids know that Yoda and Obi-Wan are alive and are plotting sedition with the Senator from Alderaan. They know that Amidala survived long enough to have twins and could easily deduce where they went. However, R2 must make an impassioned speech to the effect that he is far more use to them with his mind intact: he has observed Palpatine and Anakin at close quarters for many years, knows much that is useful and is one of the galaxy’s top experts at hacking into other people’s systems. Also he can lie through his teeth with a straight face….
And there’s more. Why did this never occur to me before?…
(courtesy of BoingBoing)
[tags]Star Wars, A New Hope, Bail, Organa, Anakin, Luke, Skywalker, Obi-Wan, Kenobi, R2D2, C3PO, Qui-Gon Jin, Chewbacca, Han, Solo, Sith, Yoda, Darth Vader[/tags]
5 comments
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Perhaps because, like the rest of us, you were seduced by R2 being so cute, it’s hard to imagine him as a hardened operative. Although, I suppose that would be the best kind of operative to have.
I cannot wait to run this theory past my kid… as a diehard second generation Star Wars fan, he’ll be quite intrigued, I think 🙂
Heh, I do like that theory. Peter David came up with something similar a few years ago: the story of Skippy, the Jedi droid. You remember the red droid that Luke originally picked for the farm, until it blew up and he took R2-D2 instead? The theory is that this was a deliberate act of self-sacrifice, for the greater good of the galaxy.
Actually, it’s been a theory of my friends for years that Star Wars is the story of the Rebellion as seen through the eyes of the droids. Stylilstically, it makes a lot of sense; the only things that happen out of their immediate presence are things that would, one way or another, be reported to them later.
You have to realize that these friends are Geeks with liberal arts degrees from a college with heavy requirements in philosophy. After a while you get used to having discussions on the application of, say, Kant’s Categorical Imperative to the latest episode of Buffy.
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