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E-3PO
Production information
Homeworld	Mechis III[1]
Manufacturer	Cybot Galactica[1]
Model	Protocol droid[1]
Class	3PO-series protocol droid[1]
Technical specifications
Height	1.67 meters[1]
Sensor color	Yellow[1]
Chronological and political information
Era(s)	Rise of the Empire era[2] Rebellion era[1] Legacy era[3]
Affiliation	Galactic Empire[1] IG-88's Droid Army[4]

[Source]

E-3PO units were a subset of the 3PO-series protocol droid line. Developed for Imperial use, E-3POs possessed the TechSpan I propriety module, which allowed them to interface with a wide variety of networks employed by the Galactic Empire. Their obscure and rare status led to E-3PO units developing arrogant, superior, and haughty attitudes, which would gain them a degree of notoriety throughout the galaxy.

During the Galactic Civil War, the E-3PO production line on Mechis III was commandeered by the megalomaniac assassin droid IG-88A. Supplanting their standard programming with his own sleeper version, IG-88A had the E-3PO droids serve as his spies throughout the galaxy as part of his Droid Revolution. While normally, the new programming would eventually become evident, the natural demeanor of the E-3POs masked it.

Functions and capabilitiesEdit

A subset of the 3PO-series protocol droid model, E-3PO units possessed the TechSpan I module, which allowed them to interface with Imperial networks. It also allowed them to interact with rare or obscure technologies produced by Imperial subcontractors. The E-3PO units, greatly limited and highly expensive, were aware of their prestigious status, and the awareness was, in turn, reflected in their metaprogramming. In time, E-3PO units would exhibit a superior attitude, and haughty behavior. In keeping with their limited numbers, E-3PO units rarely applied identifiers to their serial number, often just going by the name of "E-3PO."^[1]

HistoryEdit

The E-3PO line of protocol droids was produced during the Galactic Civil War on the factory world of Mechis III. Given the TechSpan I technology, their purpose was to interact with many different kinds of disparate Imperial networks. In time, the E-3PO units became aware of their own exclusivity, and became notoriously brusque and rude by protocol droid standards. That flaw in their personality and programming inspired IG-88A to use the E-3POs as his spies throughout the galaxy to help implement his Droid Revolution. His own sleeper programming, which caused personality aberrations, was masked by the natural temperament of the E-3PO. Modifying the droids on Mechis III, he dispatched scores of Imperial commissioned droids throughout the galaxy, with their alterations totally unknown to their owners.^[1]

Following the first demise of Emperor Palpatine during the Battle of Endor and the subsequent rise of the New Republic, New Republic Intelligence Service agents were able to acquire an E-3PO unit that had served on Cloud City, Bespin. Unfortunately for the agents, the E-3PO's TechSpan I module had been removed.^[1]

E-3PO units in the galaxyEdit

During the early stages of the Galactic Civil War, an E-3PO droid served aboard the PLY-3500 Nova's Heart, a space yacht that was owned by the holostar Javul Charn. The droid acted as the vessel's steward and when the smuggler Dash Rendar and his associate Eaden Vrill were invited aboard the ship^[2] in 2 BBY^[5] to act as bodyguards to Charn, the E-3PO droid greeted the pair and showed them to their quarters aboard the yacht.^[2]

Originally assigned to Darth Vader's Death Squadron, one particular E-3PO unit was transferred to Cloud City, where he served as a translator for Ugnaught engineers.^[1] In 3 ABY, he was able to assist IG-88B, by passing on information about the rival bounty hunter Boba Fett, who was present on Cloud City.^[4] The Cloud City-based E-3PO would later have his TechSpan I module removed by an engineer that had tired of his miserable and abrasive attitude.^[1]

Behind the scenesEdit

First appearing in Irvin Kershner's Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the E-3PO model of droid was first given its name in the Star Wars Customizable Card Game. The backstory of the droid subset was later established by "The Phantom Calamari" and "ejmacki" through StarWars.com's Hyperspace feature, "What's The Story?". The Databank entry chosen featured introductory text by Tyler Fisher. Information from the entry was later used in 2008's The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia. The 2004 role-playing adventure Contract AA23 also featured a protocol droid named E-3PO, although the adventure did not clarify whether the droid was of the E-3PO class.

AppearancesEdit

• Therefore I Am: The Tale of IG-88
• Shadow Games
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back radio drama
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back novelization (First appearance)
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back junior novelization
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
• Ascension

Non-canon appearancesEdit

• LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
• LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy

SourcesEdit

• Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Cloud City Limited (Card: E-3PO) (First identified as E-3PO)
• Star Wars: Behind the Magic
• Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive
• C-3PO: Tales of the Golden Droid
• Galactic Phrase Book and Travel Guide
• Star Wars Trading Card Game – Rogues and Scoundrels (Card: E-3P0)
• "Best of Hyperspace"—Star Wars Insider 89
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
• Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 14
•  E-3PO in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link on Archive.org)

Notes and referencesEdit

External linksEdit

• Rude Droid on Hyperspace (content now obsolete; backup links 1 2 on Archive.org)