Why didn't R2-D2 ever say anything? [Archive]

vader4902

11-15-2006, 10:52 AM

Hi All

Sorry if I'm repeating an issue already discussed , but I just landed here today:innocent:

One thing that has puzzled me since watching ROTS, is why did Bail ordered only 3PO to have his mind wiped
Why not also R2-D2?

Because if we put all 6 movies in prespective R2 ALWAYS KNEW much more than it transpired

For example , in ANH, when they arrive in Luke's home, did he told 3PO something like that: "Hey I remember that old guy and that old lady...we were here some years ago, you do not remember because your mind was wiped , but we came here with Anakin Skywalker and Senator Amidala...and where did they put the gravestones....?"

I'm sure that after so many years together R2 would have blown the horn at least ONCE!
Don't you?:eh:

DblDwn

11-15-2006, 11:34 AM

I always felt that it was more a matter of R2 knowing better than to beep anything about the events of the PT. Whereas 3PO was the "dumber" of the two and also spoke in a language that people could understand.

What gets me after watching that marathon on Cinemax over the weekend is how R2 sees Yoda at the parade ceremony at the conclusion of TPM. R2 is there on with everyone when Yoda walks up the steps. He knows who Yoda is. That said, on Dagobah in ESB, why is it that R2 is "fghting" with Yoda while Yoda rummages through the camp? I imagine it was out of loyalty to Luke but, if he knows that Luke is looking for Yoda and that that is Yoda, then why doesn't he just let Yoda do what he wants? He doesn't know that Yoda is simply testing Luke's patience.

RollaFett

11-15-2006, 04:16 PM

I was thinking the same thing, but it got cluttered with so many other thoughts while watching all 6 in a row.
But it's an interesting point about R2. Forget about when he sees him at the parade at the end of TPM, there were probably several other occasions for them to run into each other throughout the years. It seemed as though he was with Anakin for awhile.

MandalorianJF

11-15-2006, 06:02 PM

R2's memory probably could not hold that much information and he had to delete; or maybe after ROTS Captain Antiles (don't know how to spell it) erased R2's memory also.

MandalorianJF

11-15-2006, 06:04 PM

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/4350/signwelcomegm2.gif:welcome:http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/4350/signwelcomegm2.gif

James

11-16-2006, 02:01 AM

No, R2 escaped memory wipe. It's on the official site's databank.

thepepgal

11-17-2006, 08:27 AM

The fact that he had protected the secret of Padme and Anakin's wedding would have weight. Yoda and Obi Wan may have discussed it with R2 at the base prior to giving the droids to Bail.

Leia had trusted R2 with the Death Star plans and finding Obi Wan. Luke had trusted R2 with his lightsaber in ROTJ and what was going to happen at Jabba's Palace.

If C3PO hadn't been such a nervous droid and could follow orders then his memory wouldn't have been wiped either.

Maybe R2 is harder droid to code break while protocol driods minds are easier to access.

Mothman

11-17-2006, 02:54 PM

.....What gets me after watching that marathon on Cinemax over the weekend is how R2 sees Yoda at the parade ceremony at the conclusion of TPM. R2 is there on with everyone when Yoda walks up the steps. He knows who Yoda is. That said, on Dagobah in ESB, why is it that R2 is "fghting" with Yoda while Yoda rummages through the camp? I imagine it was out of loyalty to Luke but, if he knows that Luke is looking for Yoda and that that is Yoda, then why doesn't he just let Yoda do what he wants? He doesn't know that Yoda is simply testing Luke's patience.

:artoo: Maybe he was trying to tell Luke, but 3PO wasn't there to translate.

:bye:

Sargoth

11-18-2006, 01:34 AM

This question comes up about once a year. So, without further ado, here's Sargoth's Classic Canned Response:

From a narrative perspective, leaving R2's memory in tact does fit into Lucas' style for the characters. I read once, somewhere about the archetypes for R2 and 3P0. 3P0 is the "idiot savant". He speaks millions of languages and knows culture and customs for every known civilization. However, this knowledge seldom is of any use, as he is incapable of seeing beyond his supposed abilities.

R2 represents the "wise mute". He cannot "speak", but his experience has made him wise beyond years such that our heroes go somewhere without him at their extreme peril.

Lucas has said many times that we'll see these films through the eyes of the Droids. From this perspective, it's not a stretch to imagine that R2 is the only one that knows the *whole* story. Yet he cannot "communcate" it to those around him. They have to figure it out for themselves.

Sarah-Leia

11-18-2006, 06:55 AM

:artoo: Maybe he was trying to tell Luke, but 3PO wasn't there to translate.

:bye:

A good theory, but Luke can understand R2's language :eh:.

thepepgal

11-18-2006, 07:24 AM

A good theory, but Luke can understand R2's language :eh:.

Luke can understand positive and negative responses by the sound made but anything more complicated was translated through the xwing's console or by protocol driods like C3PO.

MandalorianJF

11-19-2006, 08:37 PM

Luke can understand positive and negative responses by the sound made but anything more complicated was translated through the xwing's console or by protocol driods like C3PO.

R2's head also had a screen, and on that screen was written everything he is saying.

MandalorianJF

11-19-2006, 08:37 PM

A good theory, but Luke can understand R2's language :eh:.

That's one hard language to learn!!!

thepepgal

11-20-2006, 08:30 AM

R2's head also had a screen, and on that screen was written everything he is saying.

He has a diagnostic display at the back (as per page 41 of the comlpete visual display). A logic function display and status display (page 144 same book). None of these are actually translations of any R2 conversations.

This why C3PO translates so much of R2 conversation and advises R2 of things he won't repeat.

MandalorianJF

11-20-2006, 12:07 PM

This is how I know that there is a screen on R2:

INT. NABOO SPACECRAFT - QUEENS CHAMBERS

QUI-GON, OBI-WAN, CAPTAIN PANAKA, and the LITTLE BLUE DROID stand before QUEEN AMIDALA and her THREE HANDMAIDENS, PADME, EIRTAE and RABE.

CAPT. PANAKA : ...An extremely well put together little droid. Without a doubt, it saved the ship, as well as our lives.
AMIDALA : It is to be commended...what is its number?

The LITTLE BLUE DROID lets out a series of bleeps.CAPTAIN PANAKA leans over and
scrapes some dirt off of the side of the DROID and read the number:

CAPT. PANAKA : R2-D2, Your Highness.
AMIDALA : Thank you, Artoo Detoo. You have proven to be very loyal...Padme!

This why C3PO translates so much of R2 conversation and advises R2 of things he won't repeat.

No, C-3PO translates so much of R2's conversations because everyone else is too lazy to read what is says.

DblDwn

11-20-2006, 01:05 PM

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. In the film R2 doesn't beep or make any sound when Panaka turns toward him. Keira asks for the droids number and Panaka turns to read the number off of his dome. Keep in mind that R2 is a mechanical droid on a Naboo ship. And Panaka is presumably the head of the military/security for the queen of Naboo. That said it would stand to reason that he knows where to look for an identification number on one of their own droids without having to be told.

MandalorianJF

11-20-2006, 01:41 PM

In the film R2 doesn't beep or make any sound when Panaka turns toward him.

You wont to check out the move again?

Blizzard

11-20-2006, 01:46 PM

The starter of this thread was original asking when R2 never said anything about past events because he never had his memory wiped.

It's because it was in the script.

DblDwn

11-20-2006, 01:58 PM

You wont to check out the move again?

Don't need to. If I'm wrong and he does beep then there is still no evidence that he "tells" Panaka where to look. It stands to reason that all the droid classes have their numbers in the same spot. He obviously knew where to look for R2's.

Tovor

11-20-2006, 02:24 PM

This question comes up about once a year. So, without further ado, here's Sargoth's Classic Canned Response:
R2 represents the "wise mute". He cannot "speak", but his experience has made him wise beyond years such that our heroes go somewhere without him at their extreme peril.

C-3PO and R2....Jay and Silent Bob?

DblDwn

11-20-2006, 02:37 PM

"Taking oil baths
Smoking on Ewok grass,
Flying light speed 'round the galaxy,
You're stressin out Solo,
Here,
Roll up a fatty,

12 parsecs little man,
When you beep no one understands,
If the Rebellion doesn't grow,
Then you owe me owe me owe,
My circuitry,
Is no longer showin,
I think I wanna know ya, know ya"

Thank you. Thank you. Try the veal. :bye:

MandalorianJF

11-20-2006, 03:41 PM

Don't need to. If I'm wrong and he does beep then there is still no evidence that he "tells" Panaka where to look. It stands to reason that all the droid classes have their numbers in the same spot. He obviously knew where to look for R2's.

Well yea Panaka did know where to look but R2 did beep.

DblDwn

11-20-2006, 04:02 PM

Sarah-Leia

11-22-2006, 04:40 AM

That's one hard language to learn!!!

Ok, true, but we know from some scenes on Dagobah that Luke knows exactly what R2 means when he bleeps and boops.

"Taking oil baths
Smoking on Ewok grass,
Flying light speed 'round the galaxy,
You're stressin out Solo,
Here,
Roll up a fatty,

12 parsecs little man,
When you beep no one understands,
If the Rebellion doesn't grow,
Then you owe me owe me owe,
My circuitry,
Is no longer showin,
I think I wanna know ya, know ya"

What is that song? Did you make it up?

thepepgal

11-22-2006, 07:57 AM

Whether he beeped or not is moot. I've been a Star Wars fan for as long as I can remember and I've never heard or seen anything, canon or EU, that says that R2 had a readout of any kind on his dome that displayed an English translation of his beeps and whistles.

Whether he beeped or not in TPM is irrelevant because it has next to nothing to do with the topic at hand. I'm still trying to remember if he beeps in the film but, if you say so, then I guess he did.

I agree. Very few machines don't have serial numbers place on them. If not you wouldn't be able to identify which one is yours.

In my previous quote, I mention the diagnostic display. It wouldn't be unreasonable to believe that R2D2 was on this screen for identification. But it doesn't mean that this screen translates everything R2 says.

DblDwn

11-22-2006, 09:26 AM

Agreed. As was stated before it's implied that by the tone of R2's beeps humans are able to judge whether his response is positive or negative. 3PO is the only one who truly understands what R2 is saying and, for the benefit of the audience, that is why 3PO responds the way he does. One way or the other, whether 3PO repeats R2's question before answering or just by the answer itself, we are pretty much able to determine what he's saying when speaking with 3PO. Which is the only "person" he ever really has a running conversation with.

DblDwn

11-22-2006, 09:45 AM

What is that song? Did you make it up?

Tov had commented on 3PO and R2 being like Jay and Silent Bob, which are film characters. Slient Bob is portrayed by Kevin Smith who is also the director and writer of the films they appear in. One of Smith's biggest influences was Lucas and his films are full of references to Star Wars.

The reason Tov had made the comparison is because Jay is the taller, more clumsy, of the two whereas Silent Bob is, as was stated about R2, the "wise mute."

The "song" you asked about was my rendition of a song Jay raps at the beginning of the film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. I just changed it up so that it would be as if 3PO was rapping it instead of Jay. :bigsmile:

MandalorianJF

11-22-2006, 04:26 PM

we are pretty much able to determine what he's saying when speaking with 3PO.

True

Sarah-Leia

11-22-2006, 06:50 PM

Tov had commented on 3PO and R2 being like Jay and Silent Bob, which are film characters. Slient Bob is portrayed by Kevin Smith who is also the director and writer of the films they appear in. One of Smith's biggest influences was Lucas and his films are full of references to Star Wars.

The reason Tov had made the comparison is because Jay is the taller, more clumsy, of the two whereas Silent Bob is, as was stated about R2, the "wise mute."

The "song" you asked about was my rendition of a song Jay raps at the beginning of the film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. I just changed it up so that it would be as if 3PO was rapping it instead of Jay. :bigsmile:

Interesting...could you post the original by any chance?

DarthVixen

11-22-2006, 07:45 PM

C-3PO and R2....Jay and Silent Bob?

WTF?!

MandalorianJF

11-25-2006, 02:51 AM

C-3PO and R2....Jay and Silent Bob?

WTF?!

DarthVixen your not the first person who does not get it.

DblDwn

11-25-2006, 03:02 PM

DblDwn

11-25-2006, 03:03 PM

Interesting...could you post the original by any chance?

I would be happy to except that most of it would come across like this **************. I am afraid that the editing process would defeat the purpose.

MandalorianJF

11-26-2006, 05:51 PM

So...lets get back to the topic, why didn't R2 ever say anything?

DblDwn

11-26-2006, 06:04 PM

We answered that. So now we move on to the improv portion of the thread.

MandalorianJF

11-26-2006, 09:13 PM

We answered that. So now we move on to the improv portion of the thread.

Am....what was the answer?

thepepgal

11-27-2006, 07:04 AM

Are Tov and I the only people here who have seen a Kevin Smith movie?

Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Clerks II.

Run, don't walk, to the video store now. Why are you still reading this? Go.

I'm not joking. Stop reading and go.

I have seen Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back and own the dvd. Love Carrie Fisher as a nun and Mark Hamill taking the mickey out of Luke.

thepepgal

11-27-2006, 07:11 AM

Am....what was the answer?

42. It is the answer to life, universe and everything. :lol:

leiaorgana

11-27-2006, 07:37 AM

^Lol!
I think there's not much of an explanation, more like theories of how and why R2 never said anything to Luke.
Could be also that even though he escaped mind-wipe he received orders not to ever tell anyone... who knows? or like Blizzard said it was like that because it was on the script.

empire21

11-27-2006, 08:33 AM

C-3PO and R2....Jay and Silent Bob?

:lol: Thats pretty good, I never actually thought of that.

DblDwn

11-27-2006, 10:39 AM

Am....what was the answer?

He lacked the vocal abilities to express himself through the majesty of words. Alas he was destined to eternally speak the same language as the microwave. :bigsmile:

Jedi Master Harrison

11-27-2006, 06:23 PM

Bing! :happy:

Tovor

11-28-2006, 02:52 AM

WTF?!
DarthVixen your not the first person who does not get it.
Are Tov and I the only people here who have seen a Kevin Smith movie?

Werd. That's what I'm wonderin' too.

:lol: Thats pretty good, I never actually thought of that.
Me neither until Sargoth had mentioned R2 as the "wise mute", and then it clicked as a fitting comparison. And with all the SW references Smith makes in all of his films, I wonder if he too has ever made the connection.

Tovor

11-28-2006, 02:54 AM