C-3PO’s Best Moments from Star Wars

Photo credit: Lucasfilm.

One of the classic scenes in Star Wars period is when Han, Leia, Luke, and Chewbacca get trapped in the trash compactor. After rescuing Princess Leia, the group gets attacked by Stormtroopers and find themselves without a means of escape. In order to escape, Princess Leia leads them down into the trash.

After Luke manages to free himself from a dianoga things get worse when the walls start closing. With no way out Luke desperately calls to C-3PO for help. C-3PO and R2-D2 are found by stormtroopers but thanks to C-3PO’s quick thinking he provides misleading information as to Luke’s location. In order to leave the room, he lies to the stormtrooper on guard that he is going to take R2-D2 to maintenance.

Away from danger, C-3PO notices the group is not with the Millennium Falcon. He panics believing they have been captured and asks R2-D2 to see if his fears are correct. Discovering they have not been captured C-3PO uses a device to contact Luke per R2-D2’s request.

Luke tells C-3PO over and over to turn the trash compactor off. C-3PO repeats the message to R2-D2 and the group is saved at the last second. At first, C-3PO thought he failed Luke misinterpreting the cheering and yelling for dying.

This moment showed examples of C-3PO’s loyalty to the group, especially Luke to the point he was worried about them and horrified when he believed Luke was killed. It also showed how he could be calm under severe pressure to the point he is able to think quickly on his feet. Perhaps being a droid already gives him the element of surprise. He does not come off threatening in the slightest yet in a matter of seconds was able to save his friends and avoid danger himself.