JediDefender.com Forums
Multimedia => The Original Trilogy => Topic started by: Brian on April 14, 2008, 09:40 AM
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I'm sure this has been discussed before (probably long ago), so this isn't a big new revelation or anything - but while watching ANH on Spike this weekend, it got me wondering after the "purchase of the droids" scene, why doesn't Owen (and later Beru) remember C-3PO (or R2-D2 for that matter). In AOTC, C-3PO is obviously already at the homestead (albeit in his silver form), and R2 visits alongside Anakin and Padme. Sure, I know that protocol and astro droids are common in the Star Wars "world", but wouldn't the voice/attributes/personality be recognizable on 3PO in particular? Has anything ever been mentioned regarding this by Lucasfilm or others? Just curious.
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Sure, I know that protocol and astro droids are common in the Star Wars "world", but wouldn't the voice/attributes/personality be recognizable on 3PO in particular?
Don't know about LFL, but here's my stab... I would guess that after 20ish years, they probably don't recognize the traits of 3PO's voice, and especially since he got the gold coverings. I'm not sure when Shmi was sold to Clegg and for how long 3PO was in the Lars' possession before Anakin came, so it may also depend on the length of time he was at the Lars' household as well. Plus, people probably thought of droids as more of possessions, for labor, than individuals like the heroes did.
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Sure, I know that protocol and astro droids are common in the Star Wars "world", but wouldn't the voice/attributes/personality be recognizable on 3PO in particular?
Don't know about LFL, but here's my stab... I would guess that after 20ish years, they probably don't recognize the traits of 3PO's voice, and especially since he got the gold coverings. I'm not sure when Shmi was sold to Clegg and for how long 3PO was in the Lars' possession before Anakin came, so it may also depend on the length of time he was at the Lars' household as well. Plus, people probably thought of droids as more of possessions, for labor, than individuals like the heroes did.
Yep, like of like shopping for a car, blender or some other household convenience - you don't ask those things there names before buying them. Granted, those items don't talk but you know what I mean. ;D
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Well really when you think about it Beru herself and the droids never meet in ANH and Owen is only there for the purchase and after that they're never around each other again. If they'd lived longer they might've been like....you know that golden droid reminds a little of Shmi's old droid I wonder if......
But they didn't really get the chance.
At least that's my reasoning.
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Well really when you think about it Beru herself and the droids never meet in ANH and Owen is only there for the purchase and after that they're never around each other again. If they'd lived longer they might've been like....you know that golden droid reminds a little of Shmi's old droid I wonder if......
But they didn't really get the chance.
At least that's my reasoning.
Works fer me.
The voice is probably identical in all 3PO units and the personality is to some extent hardwired, so it would have taken more than the initial meeting or even those few days to really notice the similarity.
Remember also that C-3PO was mind-wiped after visiting the Lars farm, so he wouldn't be able to even unconsciously bring up things that would trigger Owen's memory.
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I agree that Owen and 3-PO had little interaction in ANH so he wouldn't immediately recognize him...he didn't even know the droid's name.
Also, remember the protocol droid 3-PO runs into just before getting shot had the same voice as him.
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How many of you would recognize your old car from twenty years ago if it was repainted? The same is true here. A protocol droid is a protocol droid is a protocol droid no matter what color it gets repainted. Just because its got the same call sign doesn't mean its the same droid.
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I don't know if anyone else takes it this way, but to me R2-D2 and C-3PO are character names, just like Luke and Leia, but they are also model numbers, like T-16 or ARC-170. So although we associate R2-D2 as a character, I always figured there were thousands of R2-D2 units all over the galaxy, and its only the unique experiences of this particular R2-D2 that make it part of the story. I guess its a lot like some people treat their car, almost like it has a personality. And then once you sell that car, everytime you see that same model and color, you almost think its your old car. So its almost no surprise that Owen doesn't try to see if this is the same R2-D2 unit that he'd met once for a couple days 25 years prior. Even on a farm planet, I'm sure he's run across a handful of other R2-D2s in the meantime. Plus its rather clear, based on his treatment of Luke, that he doesn't look back on his interactions with Anakin with fondness.
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I think part of it, too, is that Owen views droids strictly as machinery for the farm. Whereas Luke is comfortable creating a relationship with them. And I don't think Beru had enough contact with them to care. But for Owen, it would be like noticing the difference between two alike hyperspanners. There just wouldn't be any difference to him (now some people who really work with their tools can tell theirs apart from others that exactly alike, but I don't think Owen worked with them on this level).