Is Andor’s B2EMO the best ‘dog’ in Star Wars?

Star Wars has long been a home of lovable droids that we as the audience love to watch. From the sassy K-2SO to the murderous Chopper, we have seen many droids that have distinct differences. Andor has introduced us to another friendly face in B2EMO, but where does it lie on the intelligence scale, and have we finally found the “dog” of the Star Wars Universe?

Astromech’s Fuzzy Intelligence Level

Most people think of droids such as R2-D2 as dog-like and one of the primary reasons for this is the fact that astromechs are substantially different from other droids. Astromechs even have their own language, known as droidspeak, that most of us just know as R2-D2s pleasant whistles and beeps. R2 does not seem to have the average level of intelligence, and this is probably because R2’s memory is never wiped.

Most astromech can only store a certain set of data, and usually, this is mediated by their owners by deleting their entire memory after only a handful of hyperspace jumps. So your average astromech literally has a memory of driving a starship, charging up, and then nothing. So it is less a matter of if most of the droids are capable of being intelligent, and that they are constrained by things such as restraining bolts and memory wipes.

Is B2EMO More or Less Advanced than an Astromcech?

So where does B2EMO fall on this scale of doglikeness? Well if you listen to the creator, B2EMO or Bee

"is a very old and weary groundmech salvage assist unit that’s been towing scrap for the Andor family for years. The droid has a wide array of mechanical tools and various capabilities to meet the functions required."

In an Entertainment Weekly interview, the creator Tony Gilroy said that

"I want to have a salvage droid, and I want to have a family dog."

This family dog has stolen the hearts of many, including Cassian Andor actor Deigo Luna. The set piece is actually totally mechanical and was remote controlled on set. This gave B2EMO an extra level of complexity and something that wasn’t just a green screen or bubble like other droids we have seen in the past. Deigo Luna compares Bee to K-2SO by saying

"It was weird, to be honest, the first few days….Before, in Rogue One with K2, I was in front of a great actor. But here with B2, it was actually a piece of metal moving, but a metal that was as expressive as any actor I’ve worked with and as precise, too. That’s another thing that is not easy. The team making him move and talk is just the best of the best."

As we continue throughout the series we can eagerly expect to learn more about B2EMO and ardently hope that he remains functional. For now, the lovable family dog is still keeping our attention as we see what happens to the budding rebellion on Ferrix.

Andor is now streaming exclusively on Disney+.  Be sure to check out all of our coverage of the series, including episode recaps, reviews, and more.