In the ''
Star Wars'' space opera franchise, a droid is a
fictional
robot
A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may ...
possessing some degree of
artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by animals and humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech r ...
''.'' The term is a
clipped form of "
android", a word originally reserved for robots designed to look and act like a human.
The word "android" itself stems from the New Latin word "androīdēs", meaning "manlike", itself from the Ancient Greek ''ἀνδρος'' (andrós) (genitive of ''ἀνήρ'' (anḗr), "man (adult male)" or "human being") + ''-ειδής'' (-eidḗs), itself from ''εἶδος'' (eîdos, "form, image, shape, appearance, look").
Writer and director
George Lucas first used the term "droid" in the second draft script of ''Star Wars,'' completed 28 January 1975. However, the word does have a precedent: science fiction writer Mari Wolf used the word in her story "Robots of the World! Arise!" in 1952. It's not known if Lucas knew of this reference when he wrote ''Star Wars'', or if he came up with the term independently.
The word "droid" has been a registered
trademark
A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from othe ...
of
Lucasfilm Ltd since 1977.
Behind the scenes
Droids are performed using a variety of methods, including robotics, actors inside costumes (in one case, on stilts), and computer animation.
Trademark
Lucasfilm registered "droid" as a trademark in 1977.
The term "Droid" has been used by
Verizon Wireless
Verizon is an American wireless network operator that previously operated as a separate division of Verizon Communications under the name Verizon Wireless. In a 2019 reorganization, Verizon moved the wireless products and services into the div ...
under licence from Lucasfilm, for their line of
smartphone
A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...
s based on the
Android operating system. Motorola's late-2009 Google Android-based cell phone is called the
Droid. This line of phone has been expanded to include other Android-based phones released under Verizon, including the
HTC Droid Eris, the HTC
Droid Incredible
The HTC Droid Incredible (ADR6300) (also known as the HTC Incredible) is a smartphone manufactured by HTC Corporation using the Android operating system. It was released on April 29, 2010, and is available through Verizon Wireless only. The dev ...
,
Motorola Droid X
The Droid X is a smartphone released by Motorola on July 15, 2010. The smartphone was renamed Motoroi X for its release in Mexico on November 9, 2010. The Droid X runs on the Android operating system, and the latest version supported was 2.3 G ...
,
Motorola Droid 2
The Motorola Droid 2 (GSM/UMTS version: Motorola Milestone 2; GSM/UMTS/CDMA version: Motorola Droid 2 Global) is the fifth phone in Verizon's Droid line. In the U.S., it is available exclusively on Verizon Wireless, , and
Motorola Droid Pro
The Motorola Droid Pro, also offered by Sprint and Boost Mobile as the Motorola XPRT, and outside the United States simply as the Motorola PRO, is an Android-based smartphone manufactured by Motorola and released on November 18, 2010, for Veri ...
. The term was also used for the Lucasfilm projects
EditDroid
The EditDroid is a computerized analog non-linear editing (NLE) system which was developed by Lucasfilm spin-off company, the Droid Works and Convergence Corporation who formed a joint venture company. The company existed up through the mid-'80s ...
, a
non-linear editing system
Non-linear editing is a form of offline editing for audio, video, and image editing. In offline editing, the original content is not modified in the course of editing. In non-linear editing, edits are specified and modified by specialized sof ...
, and
SoundDroid
The SoundDroid is an early digital audio workstation designed by a team of engineers led by James A. Moorer at Lucasfilm between 1980 and 1987. It was a hard-disk–based, nonlinear audio editor developed on the Audio Signal Processor (ASP), a ...
, an early digital audio workstation. The name "Omnidroid" was used with permission of Lucasfilm for the 2004
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios (commonly known as Pixar () and stylized as P I X A R) is an American computer animation studio known for its critically and commercially successful computer animated feature films. It is based in Emeryville, Californ ...
movie, ''
The Incredibles
''The Incredibles'' is a 2004 American computer-animated superhero film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Written and directed by Brad Bird, it stars the voices of Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah ...
'', referring to a line of lethal robots built by the film's antagonist.
Fictional types of droids
The franchise, which began with the 1977 film ''
Star Wars'', features a variety of droids designed to perform specific functions. According to background material, most droids lack true
sentience and are given processing abilities sufficient only to carry out their assigned function. However, over time droids may develop sentience on their own as they accumulate experience. Periodic memory wipes can prevent this from happening, but those who manage to escape this fate will begin to develop their own personalities.
Within the ''Star Wars'' universe, a class system is used to categorize different droids depending on their skill-set: first class droids (physical, mathematical and medical sciences), second class droids (engineering and technical sciences), third class droids (social sciences and service functions), fourth class droids (security and military functions), and fifth class droids (menial labor and other non-intelligence functions).
Protocol droid
A
protocol
Protocol may refer to:
Sociology and politics
* Protocol (politics), a formal agreement between nation states
* Protocol (diplomacy), the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state
* Etiquette, a code of personal behavior
Science and technolog ...
droid specializes in
translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''transla ...
,
etiquette and
cultural customs, and is typically humanoid in appearance. Protocol droids are used to aid in communications during diplomatic or business negotiations and often function as personal assistants to their owners. Protocol droids are also used for military service, whether as administrators, couriers or spies. However, they do have a tendency to be eccentric and fussy.
[Luceno, et al. (2018), p. 194-195]
The most notable example is
C-3PO
C-3PO () or See-Threepio is a humanoid robot character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise who appears in the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy. Built by Anakin Skywalker, was designed as a protocol droid intended to assis ...
, introduced in ''Star Wars'' and featured in all sequels and prequels.
4-LOM
In the '' Star Wars'' space opera franchise, a droid is a fictional robot possessing some degree of artificial intelligence''.'' The term is a clipped form of " android", a word originally reserved for robots designed to look and act like a hu ...
is a protocol droid turned bounty hunter who responds to
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. ''Star Wars'' creator George ...
's call to capture the ''
Millennium Falcon
The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the movie ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in ''The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), ''The Empire Strikes Back' ...
'' in ''
The Empire Strikes Back
''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a stor ...
'' (1980).
TC-14 is a droid with feminine programming that appears in ''
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'' (1999), and
ME-8D9 is an "ancient protocol droid of unknown manufacture" that resides and works as a translator at
Maz Kanata
Maz Kanata is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the 2015 film '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', she is a computer-generated imagery character voiced and performed through motion capture by Lupita Nyong'o. Maz, ...
's castle on
Takodana in ''
Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015).
Astromech droid
An astromech droid is one of a series of "versatile utility robots generally used for the maintenance and repair of
starships and related technology".
These small droids usually possess "a variety of tool-tipped appendages that are stowed in recessed compartments".
On certain spacecraft such as
X-wing
The X-wing starfighter is a name applied to a family of fictional spacecraft manufactured by the Incom Corporation from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Named for the distinctive shape made when its s-foils (wings) are in attack position, the X-win ...
starfighters, astromech droids also double as the ship's navigational system. In addition to assisting with piloting and maintenance, astromech droids work in conjunction with the ship's
hyperdrive to plot a safe course when traveling at
faster-than-light
Faster-than-light (also FTL, superluminal or supercausal) travel and communication are the conjectural propagation of matter or information faster than the speed of light (). The special theory of relativity implies that only particles with zero ...
speeds.
R2-D2
R2-D2 () or Artoo-Detoo is a fictional robot character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. He has appeared in ten of the eleven theatrical ''Star Wars'' films to date. At various points throughout the course of the films, R2, ...
is an astromech droid introduced in 1977's ''Star Wars'' and featured in all subsequent films. The malfunctioning droid
R5-D4 also makes a brief appearance in ''Star Wars''.
U9-C4 is a timid droid sent on a mission with D-Squad, an all-droid special unit in ''
Star Wars: The Clone Wars'',
C1-10P (nicknamed "Chopper") is an oft-repaired, "outmoded" astromech who is one of the main characters of ''
Star Wars Rebels
''Star Wars Rebels'' is an American 3D animated science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation and set in the ''Star Wars'' universe. It takes place over a decade after '' Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'' and progressing ...
'',
and
BB-8
BB-8 (or Beebee-Ate) is a droid character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He appeared in the three films of the sequel trilogy, '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015), '' Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' (2017), and '' Star Wars: The Rise of Skywa ...
is the astromech droid of
X-wing fighter
The X-wing starfighter is a name applied to a family of fictional spacecraft manufactured by the Incom Corporation from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Named for the distinctive shape made when its s-foils (wings) are in attack position, the X-win ...
pilot
Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the 2015 film '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', he is portrayed by Oscar Isaac. Poe is an X-wing fighter pilot for the Resistance who inadvertently brings renega ...
in ''The Force Awakens''.
Battle droid
![Battle droid - Flickr - Mr Conguito](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Battle_droid_-_Flickr_-_Mr_Conguito.jpg)
A battle droid is a class of
military robot
Military robots are autonomous robots or remote-controlled mobile robots designed for military applications, from transport to search & rescue and attack.
Some such systems are currently in use, and many are under development.
History
Broa ...
used as an easily controlled alternative to human soldiers, most notably seen in the
''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy of films and the ''
Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' TV series, in which 'B1' and 'B2' models are frequent antagonists. Due to their ubiquity, the terms 'B1' and 'battle droid' are used interchangeably; 'B2' models are also referred to as 'super' battle droids. These droids are mainly used as the primary troops of the
Confederacy of Independent Systems
The Clone Wars are a series of fictional conflicts in the ''Star Wars'' franchise by George Lucas. Though mentioned briefly in the first ''Star Wars'' film (''A New Hope'', 1977), the war itself was not depicted until ''Attack of the Clones'' (2 ...
or Separatist Alliance, acting as the counterpart to the
clone trooper
Clone troopers are fictional characters in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. They have been featured in a number of ''Star Wars'' media, including the live-action films '' Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' (2002) and '' ...
s of the
Galactic Republic
The Galactic Republic, often referred to as simply the Republic, is a fictional galactic polity depicted in the ''Star Wars'' universe, where it existed prior to the establishment of the Galactic Empire. The Republic is most prominently por ...
during the
Clone Wars Clone Wars may refer to:
Star Wars Film and television
* ''Star Wars: Clone Wars'' (2003 TV series), an American animated television series set in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy
* ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008 TV series), an American 3D CGI anim ...
.
The tall, thin B1 model resembles the
Geonosian species, whose Baktoid Armor Workshop designed and built the droids for the
Trade Federation and later the Separatists. Standing tall, B1 battle droids were given a humanoid appearance so they could operate existing machinery and weaponry, and are meant to be cheaply mass-produced in large numbers. During the
Battle of Naboo, battle droids were controlled from a central command computer as a cost-saving measure. By the time of the Clone Wars, this drawback was rectified by giving them the capacity for limited independent thought.
[Barr, et al. (2017), p. 144-145][Luceno, et al. (2018), p. 50-51][Barr, et al. (2019), p. 252-253] The B2 super battle droid, introduced in the
Battle of Geonosis, was designed by the Techno Union and manufactured by Baktoid as an improvement of the original B1 model. Heavily armored and capable of limited independent thought, it features an integrated dual laser cannon in its right arm.
B1 battle droids have been criticized for being ineffective and boring opponents in the ''Star Wars'' films, easily destroyed and devoid of any personality. However, Rafael Motamayor of
SyFy Wire
Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Lau ...
argues that the
2008 ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' television series rehabilitated their image by giving them distinct personalities. With the in-universe explanation that battle droids were upgraded to have independent thought, battle droids in the series are shown with self-awareness of their
cannon fodder
Cannon fodder is an informal, derogatory term for combatants who are regarded or treated by government or military command as expendable in the face of enemy fire. The term is generally used in situations where combatants are forced to deliberatel ...
nature. This is often used as comic relief as battle droids comment on their tragic situation and even question orders that would get themselves or other battle droids killed.
Beyond the B1 and B2 models, multiple other types of specialized battle droids have been featured in the ''Star Wars'' fictional universe.
The droideka is a three-legged
heavy infantry
Heavy infantry consisted of heavily armed and armoured infantrymen who were trained to mount frontal assaults and/or anchor the defensive center of a battle line. This differentiated them from light infantry who are relatively mobile and l ...
unit designed by the Colicoids, a bloodthirsty insect-like species which it resembles. It is equipped with twin blasters and a
deflector shield generator and can transform into its wheel form, allowing the droideka to roll towards the enemy at speeds of up to . Commando droids are superior versions of the B1 battle droid, built sturdier with armor to withstand blaster fire and more advanced combat programming and battlefield awareness. The T-series tactical droids serve as advisors to Separatist commanders or command groups of other battle droids, while super tactical droids serve as generals of droid armies and fleets. Droid vehicles and spacecraft include
Vulture droids,
Dwarf spider droids and
Hailfire droids. After the Clone Wars, the Imperial Senate banned the manufacture of battle droids, but with loopholes for the building of "security" droids and experimental combat droids. This includes the Imperial military's KX-series of which
K-2SO is an example,
as well as
Moff Gideon
Moff Gideon is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise who first appeared in the Disney+ television series ''The Mandalorian''. Gideon is the leader of a remnant of the fallen Galactic Empire (Star Wars) ...
's pure-droid heavy-duty Dark Troopers.
Probe droid
![Probe droid](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Probe_droid.png)
Probe droids are deployed by the Empire in ''
The Empire Strikes Back
''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a stor ...
'' to search for hidden rebel bases. They are described as traveling via
hyperdrive-equipped pods to almost anywhere in the galaxy in order to search for their target. Also called probots, they are in height, floating above the ground on
repulsorlift
The space-opera blockbuster, ''Star Wars'' franchise has borrowed many real-life scientific and technological concepts in its settings. In turn, ''Star Wars'' has depicted, inspired, and influenced several futuristic technologies, some of which ar ...
s and propelled by silenced thrusters. Probots are equipped with a variety of sensing equipment, including
motion detectors and
ultraviolet
Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 PHz) to 400 nm (750 THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation ...
sensors, a
blaster for self-defense, and a HoloNet transceiver to transmit any discoveries to Imperial forces.
During the production of ''The Empire Strikes Back'',
Joe Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston II (born May 13, 1950) is an American film director, producer, writer, and visual effects artist. He is best known for directing effects-driven films, including ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' (1989), ''Jumanji'' (1995 ...
drew storyboard panels influenced by
Dan O'Bannon
Daniel Thomas O'Bannon (September 30, 1946 – December 17, 2009) was an American film screenwriter, director and visual effects supervisor, usually in the science fiction and horror genres.
O'Bannon wrote the screenplay for '' Alien'', adap ...
and
Moebius's short comic "
The Long Tomorrow" (1975), one of which repurposes a pose Johnston admitted he borrowed from said work. The same panel of the comic features a robot design by Moebius, which may have been the basis of the probe droid (or "probot") design that concept designers Johnston and
Ralph McQuarrie
Ralph Angus McQuarrie (; June 13, 1929 – March 3, 2012) was an American conceptual designer and illustrator. His career included work on the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, the original ''Battlestar Galactica'' television series, the film ''E ...
created for the film.
Other droids
Labor droids are used for a variety of tasks, from the very simple such as lifting heavy objects to the complex such as repairing machinery or administrating entire facilities, though their programming is very task-specific. Examples include mining droids which extract valuable resources, often from hazardous environments, and power droids, mobile
fusion reactor
Fusion power is a proposed form of power generation that would generate electricity by using heat from nuclear fusion reactions. In a fusion process, two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, while releasing energy. Devices ...
s which recharge ships, machines and other droids. Interrogation droids utilize a variety of devices, chemicals and techniques to exploit a prisoner's weaknesses in order to extract information from them.
[Barr, et al. (2017), p. 146] Assassin droids such as the IG-series act with ruthless efficiency to hunt down their targets; while some serve other masters, others may operate independently.
Medical droids on the other hand work tirelessly to heal people who have been harmed, whether as medical assistants,
midwives
A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery.
The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughout their lifespan; co ...
or doctors. Many possess an encyclopedic knowledge of different species'
physiologies
Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical an ...
so that patients can be properly diagnosed and treated.
[Barr, et al. (2019), p. 278]
List of droid characters
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Star Wars: Droids
Fictional extraterrestrial robots
Film characters introduced in 1977