C-3PO and R2-D2 should have larger roles in Episode IX

Everyone’s favorite droids deserve more love in Star Wars: Episode IX. They should get expanded roles in the finale to the sequel trilogy.

C-3PO and R2-D2 are the connective tissue that holds so much of Star Wars together. They were the first characters to appear onscreen in A New Hope and thus the first characters fans ever met in a galaxy far, far away. They provided some of the most humorous moments throughout the original trilogy, all the while contributing to the plot in meaningful ways and growing as characters.

They served much of the same capacity in the prequel trilogy and helped forge many of the connections and setup for the original trilogy. They continued to delight audiences and enrich the overall universe with their presence in books, comics, and television shows.

Bringing the droids into the sequel trilogy was a given. Knowing C-3PO and R2-D2 would be seen interacting with characters new and old made the films an even more exciting prospect.

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While it’s been great to have their presence, the problem is that they’ve been severely underutilized in both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. R2 has had one essential scene in each movie. In The Force Awakens he comes out of low power mode to provide the rest of the map to Ahch-To and Luke Skywalker. In the The Last Jedi he reunites with Luke aboard the Millennium Falcon and convinces him to train Rey. C-3PO has definitely received more screen time than his companion, but has mostly just been used for a quip here and there.

It’s understandable the filmmakers don’t want C-3PO and R2 to overshadow the new generation of characters, especially when one of the most important new individuals is the droid BB-8. Also, from a narrative perspective there’s not as much to unpack with them as there is with Han, Leia, and Luke.

They can still be used without overshadowing other characters, though. Over the decades they’ve experienced and witnessed so much that could now be invaluable to the Resistance. In fact, given their experiences during the Clone Wars and Galactic Civil War, among the Resistance they are the most knowledgeable and seasoned individuals. Their expertise needs to be put to better use.

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm.There’s so much potential with them interacting more with BB-8 as well. The droids’ different personalities and skill sets can make for some really fun dynamics and prove incredibly useful for the Resistance. At this point, BB-8 is an established core character and fan-favorite of the sequel trilogy, so there’s no rationale for fear of C-3PO and R2 eclipsing him.

With Episode IX being the end of the Skywalker saga, it’s more unclear than ever what the future holds for C-3PO and R2. Without a doubt they will continue to appear in books, comics, and television shows when appropriate. Solo ended the tradition of them appearing in every single Star Wars film and their presence may no longer be a staple moving into the currently ambiguous nature of the confirmed films after Episode IX.

Much of the sequel trilogy is about the new generation, but it’s also about culminating the stories of iconic characters from the original trilogy. If the films can achieve that with Han, Leia, Luke, and now Lando, they can do it with C-3PO and R2-D2 as well.

They’re not going to be the most important pieces of Episode IX, but they certainly deserve more significant roles than they’ve been given in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. That means more screen time, more meaningful contributions to the story, and more fun dynamics with BB-8 and other characters.

Do you think C-3PO and R2-D2 should have larger roles in Episode IX? Sound off in the comments below!