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Droid (Star Wars)

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File:A new hope 2.jpg
Luke Skywalker in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope along side astromech droid R2-D2, and protocol droid C-3PO.
This is the concept of the "droid" in science fiction. For the Star Wars animated series, see Star Wars: Droids.

The term droid refers to a kind of robot, specifically intelligent robots as seen in the fictional Star Wars universe. More specifcially, droids are defined as self-aware robots, although this does not imply sentience. Famous droids include R2-D2 and C-3PO. Less famous droids in the Star Wars saga include: 2-1B medic, EV-9D9, the Trade Federation battle droid and super battle droid, Imperial probe droid, K-3PO, HK-47, HK-50, G0-T0, T3-M4, R4-P17, and the IG-88.

Droids are used for many different purposes. Astromech droids (or Astrodroids) such as R2-D2 are used aboard starship for myriad purposes, including repair work and serving as central processing units or navcomputers for ships inherently lacking such, such as X-Wings. Protocol droids like C-3PO are used for diplomatic affairs and for translating. The two leading droid manufacturers are Cybot Galactica and Industrial Automaton.

A philosophy held by many fans of the original Star Wars Episode IV is that a droid by definition is a servant robot completely devoted to its sentient master; any robot not so devoted was simply a robot. This theory has apparently been shown false, as hostile robots, such as IG-88 and battle droids, have been called droids by George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars.

The word droid originated as a contraction of "android"; in the novelization of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope the word was spelled with an apostrophe ( 'droid), a convention that has since been dropped. It is used to describe just about any robot, even those not humanoid in appearance. Some droids do, however, exhibit human-like behavior; for example, they may react emotionally or think intelligently and self-reflectively (best displayed in C-3PO).

It is widely believed that the hostility shown towards droids in Episodes IV-VI is a result of animosity as droids led the armies 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 (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).

Types of Droids or Fictional Mechanical Beings

  • Android - A robot created to mimic the appearance of a human being. While one of the most common in fiction, it is by no means the most common in Star Wars, especially the original trilogy
  • Battle Droid - A creation that is meant to destroy that, by the Three Laws of Robotics, is not a robot.
  • Battroid - The humanoid mode of transforming robotic mecha in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross anime series (adapted as "Battloid" as part of Robotech).
  • Biroids - Or "bioroids" - the living androids of the Appleseed anime series.
  • Cyberdroid - The technical name given to the various robots featured in the Bubblegum Crisis universe. Cyberdroids are built buy the Gennom mega-corporation and are more widely called "Boomers".
  • Cyborg - A mechanical being with both mechanical and biological parts, unless those biological parts are synthetic or machines themselves (such as those of Cell from Dragonball Z). This term is generally used for humans who have been operated on and had mechanical parts attached, instead of robots made with biological parts. The term is a contraction of 'cybernetic organism'.
  • Destroid - The humanoid land mecha of The Super Dimension Fortress Macross anime series (adapted as part of Robotech).
  • Synthoid - A robot that is either in the production state (not fully created) or is in such disrepair that it has the appearance of a production stage droid/wireframe.

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. The credits of the film give a nod to Lucasfilm.

An apparently unrelated killer droid of the same name also appears in Star Wars Galaxies.

Papa Roach recorded a song called Singular Indestructible Droid

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."

The word "droid" however has been freely used in certain TV shows and movies in dialog. For instance in the cult sci-fi film Hardware, the killer robot of the film is referred as a "droid" by one of the characters. In the sci-fi series Doctor Who, the Doctor calls the clockwork automatons "droids" in the episode "The Girl in the Fireplace". The word droid has also been used in the Stargate SG-1 and Farscape series as well.

Quotes

See also

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