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R5-D4

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R5-D4
Production information
Homeworld

Tatooine

Manufacturer

Industrial Automaton

Product line

R-series

Model

R5-series astromech droid

Class

Astromech droid

Technical specifications
Height

0.97 meters

Gender

Masculine programming

Chronological and political information
Era(s)
[Source]
"Well come on, Red, let's go!"
―Luke Skywalker[src]

R5-D4 was a white and red striped astromech droid.

Contents

[edit] Biography

R5-D4 was a part of the low cost Industrial Automaton R5 line, a line plagued with malfunctions. As a result, R5-D4 was owned by many beings and in a constant state of used sale. His programming became jealous of other droids that were capable of serving without failure and had loyal masters.

R5-D4, with R2-D2 at the Lars homestead.
R5-D4, with R2-D2 at the Lars homestead.

The droid came into the possession of Chief Nebit's Jawa tribe, that sold used droids to Owen Lars. Lars at first chose the less expensive R5-D4, but within seconds of purchase, the droid's motivator malfunctioned. The Jawas let Owen have R2-D2 as a consolation. Conflicting stories claim the source of R5-D4's malfunction as either sabotage by R2-D2 or self-induced failure to keep R2-D2 and C-3PO together. It is also believed it is actually a combination of the two theories, that R5 willfully allowed R2-D2 to sabotage his motivator so that R2-D2 and C- 3PO could remain together.

After failing to make a sale, the Squib trader Macemillian-winduarté stole R5-D4 from the Jawas, saving the droid from destruction at the hands of stormtroopers. R5-D4 then changed hands once again, being sold to Voren Na'al, Rebel Alliance historian and spy. Na'al refurbished the maltreated droid and installed an intelligence gathering software package. Decades of low self-confidence and jealousy were reversed: R5-D4 had a purpose.

R5-D4 was placed as an intelligence gathering source in the government offices of Mos Eisley. He continued to serve in that capacity for many years, providing important and valuable data to the Alliance.

Later, by the time of the Yuuzhan Vong War, wild rumors about R5-D4 being called "Skippy" and possessing Jedi traits had spread, adding fuel to those willing to question the relationship of droids to the Force, despite the fact that these rumors were unlikely to be true.

[edit] Audio clips

(audio) Hear R5-D4 (A New Hope)

[edit] Behind the scenes

R5-D4 in Skippy the Jedi Droid.
R5-D4 in Skippy the Jedi Droid.
  • Three action figures of R5-D4 have been made. The first being part of the original line of toys from the first film in the 70s. The second came out in 1996 as part of the Power of the Force 2 line and has become reviled as a terrible rendition of the droid for its leg-mounted blaster cannons and spring-loaded missile launcher, neither of which were in the film and made the figure cumbersome and large. However, a superior version was released in 2006 as part of Hasbro's Saga Collection in the Tatooine wave and featured a "bad motivator".
  • On the DVD of A New Hope, there is a menu screen-shot which displays a clearer image of R5-D4's malfunctioning motivator sky-rocketing into the air.
  • There is a continuity error in Episode IV, involving R5-D4. Just after the red droid's motivator has blown, C-3PO puts a good word in for R2. For a second, we are shown R2, with R5 inexplicably replaced beside him. The next shot shows the Jawas running over to retrieve the droid from where he stands (correctly) next to Luke and Threepio.

The explanation for this is that the act of sabotage by R2 was edited out of later versions of the film, the 'continuity error clip' was shown seconds before the act as R2 looks around to see if anyone is watching him. This scene was in versions of the film shown at UK cannon cinemas (Sheffield) in 1978

  • Luke refers to R5-D4 as an "R2 Unit". Whether or not this was an intentional generalization on the part of the character, or actor, or scriptwriter, is unclear. It seems obvious, however, that R5-D4 is actually an 'R5 unit'.
  • The non-canon humorous story Skippy the Jedi Droid identifies R5-D4 as "Skippy", a Force-using droid who is responsible for the entire Star Wars saga. The article Droids, Technology and the Force: A Clash of Phenomena alluded to this story as a wild rumor.
  • During the assault on the Death Star in A New Hope, the first X-wing to be destroyed appears to have a droid identical to R5-D4 in the astromech socket.
  • In the Christmas in the Stars, Star Wars Christmas album, R5-D4 accidentally stood beneath some mistletoe at C-3PO's party, and was kissed by Chewbacca. R5 did not sound happy about it afterwards.

[edit] Appearances

[edit] Sources

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/R5-D4"
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