A look back at Star Wars: Droid World, a read-along adventure with C-3PO and R2-D2

During the 1980s, many children were able to listen to their favorite characters and adventures courtesy of vinyl records. There were read-along stories that were produced. One such adventure was the 1983 Star Wars: Droid World.

Adapted from a Marvel Star Wars comic, the story centers on C-3PO and R2-D2 as they are sent on a mission by Luke Skywalker to help repair a damaged warbot. The two run into a human cyborg named Kligson. C-3PO and R2-D2 find themselves on a new adventure as a war breaks out on the ship.

The story is a great way to introduce children to Star Wars. It features wonderful sound effects and music from John Williams' scores of the first three films. In addition, the story is easy to follow for parents to share with their children.

The story also gave more depth to the two fan-favorite droids of the original trilogy. It added more mischief and nervousness that C-3PO displayed in the first three films and gave R2-D2 more gadgets and wit.

It also introduced a Star Wars audience to a new cyborg. The type of character was seen in The Empire Strikes Back with Lobot and used heavily in the Disney+ series The Book of Boba Fett. On the vinyl, the character Kligson is shown to be both intelligent and clever. On the streaming series, the character of Skad is a street-smart aid to the titular character. Both show what can be done with something different but similar characters to droids.

A trick for children with read-along books was to use a sound effect when it was time to turn the page. In this particular story, R2-D2 made a specially designed noise, which added a special sound to let the reader know when it was time.

After Return of the Jedi was released in 1983, many fans wondered what would become of their favorite characters. Star Wars: Droid World was an early representation of where the story could go for younger audiences.