Droid

From Open Encyclopedia

This is the concept of the "droid" in science fiction. For the Star Wars animated series, see Star Wars: Droids.

The term droid refs to a kind of robot- specifically the kind of intelligent robots as seen in the fictional Star Wars universe. Famous droids include R2-D2 and C-3PO. Less famous droids in the Star Wars saga include: 2-1B medic, EV-9D9, Federation battle droid, HK-47, IG-88, Imperial probe droid, Pit droid, Power droid (Gonk droid), R5-D4, Treadwell and the YVH 1 Droids from the New Jedi Order novel Star by Star.

Droids are used for many different purposes. Astromech droids (or Astrodroids) such as R2-D2 are used aboard starship for a myriad of purposes including repair work. Protocol droids like C-3P0 are used for diplomatic affairs and for translating. The two leading droid manufacturers are Cybot Galactica and Industrial Automaton.

The word "droid" originated as a contraction of "android"; in the novelization of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was spelled with an apostrophe ("'droid"), a convention that has since been dropped. It is used to describe just about any robot, even those that are not humanoid in appearance. Some droids do, however, exhibit human-like behavior; for example, they may react emotionally and think intelligently and self-reflectively.

It is widely believed that the hostility shown towards droids in Episodes IV-VI is a result of animosity stemming from the fact that droid armies led the army of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the group widely (but erroneously) believed to be responsible for the Clone Wars. Expanded Universe authors have also attributed it to the Empire's general xenophobia and anti-alien bias; interestingly, even the Jedi (and especially Obi-Wan Kenobi) seem to hold droids in low esteem, possibly because the droids have essentially no presence in the Force, but can be manipulated by way of the Force (see Irek Ismaren).

1 Trademark
2 See also
3 Quotes
4 External links

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Trademark

George Lucas holds a trademark on the term "droid". The miniature mecha combat wargame BattleTech was originally released under the name BattleDroids, but was renamed due to trademark issues with Lucasfilm.

Pixar Animation Studios' film The Incredibles (2004) contains a reference to Lucasfilm's droid with the large weapon of destruction, the Omnidroid. An apparently unrelated killer droid of the same name also appears in Star Wars Galaxies. The credits of the film give a nod to Lucasfilm.

From Mickey News [1] (25 November 2004):

For some viewers that feeling lasts through the closing credits, where a notice that the term "Omnidroid" was used by permission of Lucasfilm Ltd. has prompted some fans to speculate that The Incredibles offers a sneak peak at a character from the next Star Wars film.

"No. No, no, no," Bird says with a laugh, when asked if the secret weapon has a secret of its own. "I like that they think that, but it's more the term 'droid' is Lucas and we made the term Omnidroid (and then got the OK as a courtesy). So, no, there's no sneak. But God bless those fans. They're crazy."

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Quotes

"Well, if droids could think, there'd be none us of here, would there?" - Obi-Wan Kenobi, Attack of the Clones
"We seem to be made to suffer; it's our lot in life." - C-3PO, A New Hope
"Should be easy to find. Even for those droids in your archives." - Dex, "Attack of the Clones"
"Flying is for droids." - Obi-Wan Kenobi, "Revenge of the Sith"