C-3PO, R2-D2, and "Droids"

[Jeff]

At the end of RotS, Bail asks for 3PO's mind to be wiped so he'd forget everything...

So...

1. Does this totally render the Droids cartoon into "other universe" non-canon?  3PO goes right into service on Tantive 4 and stays there for 20 years?

or

2. Is the Droids cartoon some kind of "false memory" they give 3PO?  Maybe they were worried that he needed the false memories to help him deal with the wipe and still allow him to keep some kind of a bond with R2-D2?  The memories give him a sense that him and R2 have had adventures without him knowing the truth about it...

Preponderances? 

Jeff

[CorranHorn]

Both the Droids cartoon and the DHC Droids comic series have really always been in conflict with the rest of the Star Wars universe, whether canon or EU. I'd have to find it at home, but the first SW Encyclopedia had stated C3PO had been over 100 years old, which would allow the cartoon or comic to fit into his life. But the adventures conflict with what we know from the movies. Though I just got an interesting idea, bear with me...

This is all on the basis that there is no Empire in the Droids comic series (easily squelched I'm sure, but I dont have the comics here at work)...

C-3PO and R2-D2 met BEFORE The Phantom Menace as that is where their adventures in the Droids comic series take place. Anakin if you recall builds C-3PO from old parts, perhaps these parts are from his former life, somehow stranded on Tatooine. As for R2-D2, we don't know anything of his life prior to TPM other than he apparently served in the repair crew for the Queen's ship. What if R2 and 3PO were together long before this and got seperated after their comic adventures and get reunited in TPM, with 3PO not remembering and perhaps R2 not sure how to tell him or maybe not even able to tell him.

Now as for the Droids cartoon, that could still take place between Episode 3 and Episode 4 as the Empire exists. There's nothing to say for the moment they spent the entire period in the ownership of Capt. Antilles. Perhaps he lost them, which explains why they are looking for a new master at the beginning of the Droids cartoon series. They eventually make their way back to Antilles with plenty of time to spare. The only kink in that armor is that in the cartoon we see an A-Wing Fighter, which I believe EU states wasn't created until after ANH. But if you ignore that for a moment, I think this timeline can fit together nicely...

* Before TPM - DHC Droids Comic Series. R2/3PO get seperated, R2 on Naboo, 3PO in parts on Tatooine.

* TPM - they meet again

* ROTS - given to Antilles

* post ROTS - get seperated from Antilles and the cartoon series begins

* post-cartoon/pre-ANH - return into the service of Antilles

* ANH thru NJO - alongside Luke Skywalker

[Gregorbian]

Both the Droids cartoon and the DHC Droids comic series have really always been in conflict with the rest of the Star Wars universe, whether canon or EU. I'd have to find it at home, but the first SW Encyclopedia had stated C3PO had been over 100 years old, which would allow the cartoon or comic to fit into his life. But the adventures conflict with what we know from the movies. Though I just got an interesting idea, bear with me...

This is all on the basis that there is no Empire in the Droids comic series (easily squelched I'm sure, but I dont have the comics here at work)...

C-3PO and R2-D2 met BEFORE The Phantom Menace as that is where their adventures in the Droids comic series take place. Anakin if you recall builds C-3PO from old parts, perhaps these parts are from his former life, somehow stranded on Tatooine. As for R2-D2, we don't know anything of his life prior to TPM other than he apparently served in the repair crew for the Queen's ship. What if R2 and 3PO were together long before this and got seperated after their comic adventures and get reunited in TPM, with 3PO not remembering and perhaps R2 not sure how to tell him or maybe not even able to tell him.

Now as for the Droids cartoon, that could still take place between Episode 3 and Episode 4 as the Empire exists. There's nothing to say for the moment they spent the entire period in the ownership of Capt. Antilles. Perhaps he lost them, which explains why they are looking for a new master at the beginning of the Droids cartoon series. They eventually make their way back to Antilles with plenty of time to spare. The only kink in that armor is that in the cartoon we see an A-Wing Fighter, which I believe EU states wasn't created until after ANH. But if you ignore that for a moment, I think this timeline can fit together nicely...

* Before TPM - DHC Droids Comic Series. R2/3PO get seperated, R2 on Naboo, 3PO in parts on Tatooine.

* TPM - they meet again

* ROTS - given to Antilles

* post ROTS - get seperated from Antilles and the cartoon series begins

* post-cartoon/pre-ANH - return into the service of Antilles

* ANH thru NJO - alongside Luke Skywalker

That's pretty clever, I like your explanation!  I was always angered when I found out that Anakin "made" 3PO.  Maybe he just put in some new batteries?
The Droids and Ewoks cartoons are what helped to bolster my love of Star Wars when I was younger (my first Star Wars figure was the Dulok Scout) so I was disappointed when I realized that they might be completely off-base. 

[Nathan]

I'm sure in George's mind they stayed on the Tantive IV for the entire 19 years. But as an EU fan I have to take the Droids comics and cartoon into account. Movie purists, cover your eyes.

To begin with, C-3PO is both 100+ years old and made by Anakin. Yes, really.

He was originally constructed 100+ BBY on the planet Affa (from the SW.com databank). At some point he was damaged, "stripped" and ended up in Watto's junkyard. (Presumably he lost all his previous memories up to this point; hinted at by the Databank which says he "achieved consciousness in a Mos Espa slave hovel").

In a story in the comic anthology Tales, Anakin found the remnants of 3PO, filled the frame back in with other salvaged components, and reconstructed him. Technically he only re-built 3PO, not made him from scratch.

All previous reference sources (even post-TPM) say that the Droids comics and cartoons take place after ROTS--variously cited as 15, 10, and 5 BBY. And the Empire is clearly in existence in the cartoon.

Here's my timeline:

112 BBY -- C-3PO is first built

?? -- R2-D2 is built at some point

?? -- 3PO ends up on Tatooine

33ish? - 32 BBY -- Anakin rebuilds C-3PO

32 - 19 BBY -- Events of the prequel trilogy; 3PO has a memory wipe

19 BBY to ANH -- 3PO and R2 leave the Alderaanians' service, go through a series of adventures per the cartoon and comics, and somehow end up back on Alderaan (reference guides establish that they, or at least 3PO, were not on the Tantive IV the entire time they were with the Alderaanians).

Maybe the droids were stolen, lost, or forcibly separated from the Tantive IV, and were purposely trying to find their way back the entire time.

[CorranHorn]

Ok so the Empire does exist in the comics, well that then makes Valin's time frame more logical. What reference guide are you referencing when saying that 3PO wasn't on the Tantive IV all that time between ROTS and ANH?

[Nathan]

The 1995 Essential Guide to Characters mentions some time C-3PO spent at diplomatic functions in the Royal Court of Alderaan (I can't get at my copy at the moment), including an incident at a reception where he mistook Darth Vader for a GuardDroid and was demoted to "preschool duty", whatever that means.

The 2002 EGTC also says, quote:

"Eventually both droids found lasting employment with the Royal House of Alderaan. C-3PO would have been happy to work at state dinners and ambassadorial receptions forever, but as Princess Leia's personal protocol droid, he was assigned to accompany her on her consular ship, the Tantive IV. There he served as interpreter for his astromech counterpart, a certain blue-trimmed R2 unit he knew all too well."

Also, I was flipping through the ROTS Visual Dictionary in the bookstore yesterday and it mentioned that the Tantive IV was the droids' home off and on for the next 20 years. This leaves room for the Droids cartoon and comics but provides for their being on the Tantive IV at the beginning and end.

Incidentally, it also mentioned that after his memory wipe, C-3PO believes his first job was programming binary loadlifters (as he tells Owen in ANH). This must have been a false memory inserted at the time of the wipe procedure.