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87-435: English actor Kenny Baker played R2-D2 in all three original Star Wars films and received billing credit for the character in the prequel trilogy , where Baker's role was reduced as R2-D2 was portrayed mainly by radio controlled props and CGI models. In the sequel trilogy , Baker was credited as consultant for The Force Awakens ; however, Jimmy Vee also co-performed the character in some scenes. Vee later took over

174-415: A Star Wars encyclopedia published after the release of the film Star Wars . Tony Dyson , owner of the special effects studio The White Horse Toy Company, was commissioned by special effects supervisor Brian Johnson to fabricate the revised mechanical design for The Empire Strikes Back , making several units operated by remote control. A number were used by Baker, and two were stunt double models made for

261-674: A brief but pivotal role in the film, reuniting with Luke aboard the Millennium Falcon and showing him Leia's distress message from the original film in a successful attempt to convince Luke to train Rey. He is later shown interfacing with the Falcon' s computer while Rey and Chewbacca pilot the ship amid the final confrontation with the evil First Order 's forces. R2-D2 returns once more in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker . Initially remaining at

348-401: A civilian population too terrified to resist. However, inconsistencies in academy standards led to stormtroopers of varying combat skill and ability compared to the superior clone troopers, which, among other things, can be seen in the stormtroopers' mainly variable, sometimes even weak, ability to hit the target in firefights. After subduing any remaining Separatist holdouts left over from

435-618: A faint area of blue discoloration giving them away. In conjunction with their Force-granted telekinesis, reflexes, and agility, the Shadowtroopers are armed and trained in the use of mass-produced red lightsabers. Their combination of abilities allow them to lie in wait and ambush the enemy, representing formidable opponents even for trained Jedi, most often the game's Jedi protagonist, Kyle Katarn . Shadow stormtroopers appear in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and wear exactly

522-645: A lung condition for years. Instead, Baker attended the film's premiere in London . Baker died on 13 August 2016. His funeral was held at the Park Cemetery and Crematorium in Lytham St Annes on 24 August 2016. Imperial stormtrooper Stormtroopers are fictional soldiers in the Star Wars franchise created by George Lucas . The term originates from Germany's First World War Sturmtruppen . Introduced in

609-520: A planetary garrison, and police areas within the Galactic Empire. They are shown in collective groups of varying organizational sizes ranging from squads to legions and for some, their armour and training are modified for special operations and environments. In early drafts of the original Star Wars film as well as designs by conceptual artist Ralph McQuarrie , stormtroopers wield lightsabers and handheld shields as common weapons, as opposed to

696-515: A standard power cell which energizes the gas to produce blaster bolts will last for approximately 100 shots. In addition to the E-11, stormtroopers employ a variety of different weapons as seen in the Star Wars films and other media. Examples include thermal detonators , sniper rifles , crew-served heavy repeating blasters, and mortars. Both firing and non-firing prop models of the E-11 were based on

783-624: A total of 15 R2-D2s on the set of Attack of the Clones . Eight were radio-controlled; two were worn by Baker; the remainder were stunt models that could be moved by puppet strings or towed by wires. The robotic R2-D2s were prone to failure, particularly while shooting the Tatooine scenes in Tunisia . Radio-controlled units were extensively utilized for the Prequel trilogy due to advances in technology, though Baker

870-590: Is credited, Anthony Daniels (who portrays C-3PO) has stated that Baker did not film any scenes in Revenge of the Sith . Baker himself has said he probably only appears in footage caught while shooting the previous two movies. For The Force Awakens , producer Kathleen Kennedy hired two fans, Lee Towersey and Oliver Steeples, to build new R2-D2 robots for the film, after being impressed by their working replicas that were brought to Star Wars Celebration Europe in 2013. Towersey

957-966: Is identified as FN-2199 "Nines" in the anthology book Star Wars: Before the Awakening (2015) by Greg Rucka . The trooper, armed with a "Z6 baton" and dubbed "TR-8R" by fans, quickly inspired multiple memes and fan art . Actor/director Kevin Smith also voiced a stormtrooper in the Takodana sequence. In Star Wars Rebels , different voice actors have provided the voices of the stormtroopers, including David Acord , Dee Bradley Baker , Steven Blum , Clancy Brown , Robin Atkin Downes , Greg Ellis , Dave Fennoy , Dave Filoni , Tom Kane , Andrew Kishino , Phil LaMarr , Liam O'Brien , Freddie Prinze, Jr. , André Sogliuzzo , Stephen Stanton , Greg Weisman , Gary Anthony Williams , and Matthew Wood . In Ralph Breaks

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1044-581: Is now Obi-Wan's Jedi apprentice. He accompanies Anakin and Padmé to Naboo, and then to Tatooine when Anakin tries in vain to rescue his mother Shmi ( Pernilla August ) from a pack of Tusken Raiders . Here, he is reunited with C-3PO, and the two get into various misadventures on the planet Geonosis . He and C-3PO are later witness to Anakin and Padmé's secret wedding. In Revenge of the Sith , set three years later, R2-D2 helps Anakin and Obi-Wan in their mission to rescue Chancellor Palpatine ( Ian McDiarmid ) from Count Dooku 's ( Christopher Lee ) capital ship,

1131-723: Is portrayed as belonging to the Naboo defense forces, one of three astromech droids deployed for repair duty onboard Queen Padmé Amidala 's ( Natalie Portman ) starship as it attempts to get past the Trade Federation blockade. The sole survivor of the three, R2-D2 repairs the deflector shields and saves the day. Having proved his worth, R2-D2 then becomes part of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn 's ( Liam Neeson ) party on Tatooine where he meets nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker ( Jake Lloyd ) and C-3PO, whom Anakin built from scrap. Later still, he serves as

1218-501: Is pronounced as "Arturito" (Little Arthur), which sounds similar to the English pronunciation. In the Italian version of the original trilogy, R2-D2 was named "C1-P8". Anglicisms were not common in the Italian language during the 1970s and 1980s, and the names of various characters were changed to be easier to pronounce and recognize for Italian speakers. Some of these changes were reverted in

1305-555: Is set after the fall of the Empire, portrays stormtroopers as freelance mercenaries in the service of Moff Gideon , a former officer of the Imperial Security Bureau. Star Wars Legends media such as games and comics feature a number of specialized stormtrooper units. The Marvel -produced comics of the late 1970s and early 1980s featured Shadow Troopers. Other specialists have included commandos and troopers equipped to work in

1392-444: Is severely damaged during the battle, but is repaired before the ceremony at the end of the film. In The Empire Strikes Back , R2-D2 accompanies Luke to Dagobah , and later to Cloud City , where he helps to rescue and repair a heavily damaged C-3PO and to override city security computers. He also manages to reactivate the Millennium Falcon ' s hyperdrive, resulting in a last-minute escape from Imperial forces. In Return of

1479-547: Is white and has a utility belt and helmet. The standard firearm for Imperial stormtroopers is the BlasTech E-11 blaster rifle, described in Star Wars sources as combining excellent range and firepower in a compact and rugged design. Features include a telescopic range-finding sight, accessory mounting rail, power setting adjuster, three-point folding stock , magnatomic adhesive pistol grip , and advanced cooling system. Plasma cartridges provide enough gas for 500 shots, though

1566-639: The Millennium Falcon to deliver R2-D2 to the Rebel Alliance . On their arrival at Alderaan's co-ordinates, they are pulled in by the Death Star's tractor beam and are forced to land, but eventually rescue Princess Leia. After Vader kills Obi-Wan, the rest of the group escapes and delivers the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance. R2 later serves as Luke's droid during the attack on the station . R2-D2

1653-500: The Star Wars Holiday Special . In the animated segment they are rescued by a mysterious bounty hunter, Boba Fett , who offers to help them. Later R2-D2 intercepts a transmission between Darth Vader and Fett - thus confirming to him, C-3PO and the others Fett's true allegiances. R2-D2 makes a guest appearance with C-3PO, Luke Skywalker (and Mark Hamill ) and Chewbacca in an episode of The Muppet Show . R2-D2 appears in

1740-657: The Thrawn trilogy is charged with the defense of the "Empire of the Hand" Imperial Remnant forces. Thrawn's 501st is composed of aliens and humans. The Legion's name is based on a fan organization of the same name ; their inclusion in the official continuity was based on the worldwide organization's dedication to Star Wars fandom. Within the Star Wars franchise, several types of " military occupation specialist " stormtrooper units are seen. These include: Night Troopers are stormtroopers who serve Grand Admiral Thrawn during his exile on

1827-680: The Wreck-It Ralph sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet . In an early script to 2014's The Lego Movie , R2-D2 was set to be one of the main characters, but was written out due to the directors failing to obtain the rights to the character. Several R2-D2 models were built for the original Star Wars films; one that was remote controlled and rolled on three wheeled legs, and others which were worn by English actor Kenny Baker and walked on two legs. Deep Roy served as Baker's double, in both Episodes V and VI ; providing stunts and filling in when Baker

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1914-537: The Battle of Hoth , the 501st is instrumental in the destruction of the Rebel Alliance base, and nearly succeeds in capturing the Millennium Falcon . Most of the background story linked to the 501st comes from Star Wars novels, the games Star Wars: Battlefront II and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed , and the TV show Star Wars: The Clone Wars . The elite 501st designation is resurrected by Grand Admiral Thrawn , who in

2001-736: The Clone Wars , stormtroopers primarily serve as an internal security and peacekeeping force until the Galactic Civil War where they start to engage the Rebel Alliance in large-scale battles. Unable to conscript noventillions of soldiers to fill its stormtrooper ranks, yet unwilling to switch back to using rapidly produced clone troopers , First Order stormtroopers are bred, trained and indoctrinated from birth, raised their entire lives for no other purpose. First Order soldiers and crews have constantly trained for combat in war games and simulations, making them much more effective one-on-one than

2088-652: The First Order employs stormtroopers (including Finn and Jannah ) under the leadership of Supreme Leader Snoke and his enforcers, most notably Kylo Ren , General Hux , and Captain Phasma . The order of battle of the Stormtrooper Corps is unspecified in the Star Wars universe. Accompanying the Imperial Navy, stormtroopers are able to be deployed swiftly and respond to states of civil unrest or insurrection, act as

2175-559: The Galactic Republic 's clone troopers , clones of the bounty hunter Jango Fett , used by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to "win" the Clone Wars and later to take over the government and exterminate the Jedi . After this, in The Bad Batch (2021–2024), stormtroopers are established as human recruits, trained by clone troopers gradually being phased out of active service; at the time of

2262-683: The Invisible Hand . He is attacked by super battle droids, but he defeats them through ingenious tactics. After Anakin falls to the dark side of the Force and becomes Darth Vader, he takes R2-D2 with him when he goes to assassinate the Separatist council, but he tells him to stay with the ship. After Obi-Wan defeats Vader in a lightsaber duel, R2-D2 goes with him aboard Padmé's ship, where he witnesses as Padmé dies after giving birth to her and Vader's children, Luke and Leia. After Palpatine and Vader overthrow

2349-418: The Star Wars setting, this armor is described as being an improvement over the previous iteration, including better joint design for greater flexibility, stronger betaplast armor plating, and upgraded helmet communication and targeting systems. The 501st Legion Elite Stormtrooper Unit, or "Vader's Fist", is a stormtrooper unit from the Star Wars movies and Star Wars Legends continuity. Commanded by

2436-607: The Tantive IV . In Star Wars: The Force Awakens , set approximately 30 years after Return of the Jedi , R2-D2 is revealed to be kept in storage at the Resistance base on the planet D'Qar , having put himself in a low-power mode after Luke Skywalker's disappearance. He later awakens and reveals Luke's location by combining map data stored in his memory with that of the droid BB-8 . He then travels with Rey ( Daisy Ridley ) and Chewbacca to

2523-615: The prequel film Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), the first clone troopers are cloned from bounty hunter Jango Fett , to be the Army of the Republic in the Clone Wars . In Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005), Chancellor Palpatine orders them to slay their Jedi generals in the Great Jedi Purge . After the change in regimes from the Galactic Republic to

2610-587: The 2008 animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars , and the subsequent TV series of the same name . In the film, he accompanies Anakin (voiced by Matt Lanter ) and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano (voiced by Ashley Eckstein ) on a mission to rescue Jabba the Hutt's son Rotta. In the series, he helps them fight the Separatists. He previously appeared in Star Wars: Clone Wars , but this micro-series has been excluded from

2697-552: The British medical drama Casualty . He also had a part in the BBC production of The Chronicles of Narnia . In the late 1990s, Baker launched a brief comedy career. He played Casanova in the 1993 movie UFO . In November 2009, his biography, From Tiny Acorns: The Kenny Baker Story , was written with Ken Mills and published by Writestuff Autographs. Baker resided in Preston , Lancashire. He

R2-D2 - Misplaced Pages Continue

2784-537: The Clones makes it clear that R2-D2 has been in Padmé's possession since the events of The Phantom Menace . R2-D2 appears in Marvel 's 2015 Star Wars comic series , which is set between the films of the original trilogy. He also appears briefly in the miniseries Star Wars: Shattered Empire . With the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney Company , most of the licensed Star Wars novels and comics produced since

2871-458: The Dark Jedi named Desann aligned with a Remnant of the Empire, the Shadowtroopers themselves had been immersed in a Force nexus on Ruusan, temporarily empowering them with Force sensitivity. This armour has a green synthetic gem set into the breastplate which sustained the otherwise temporary effect of their Force empowerment and combines with their abilities to render them near-invisible, with only

2958-508: The Empire, though the replacement of clones with natural beings lowered the effectiveness of the Empire's soldiers. With the Empire firmly stabilized and an Imperial Army and Navy established, the stormtroopers are integrated into Palpatine's personal army and stationed on Imperial bases and cruisers, as well as on the Death Star. As established in The Force Awakens (2015), after Palpatine's death, stormtroopers continue to serve under

3045-546: The F-11D blaster rifle, SE-44C blaster pistol, and FWMB-10 repeating blaster cannon. For subduing civilian populations, First Order stormtroopers will also carry ballistic riot shields and riot control batons . As established in the original Star Wars trilogy of films, the troopers' most distinctive equipment is their white battle armor, which completely encases the body and typically has no individually distinguishing markings. According to in-universe reference material, this armor

3132-557: The First Order's stormtroopers. Daniel Craig has a small uncredited role as a stormtrooper whom Rey compels using the Jedi mind trick to let her escape from captivity, and director J. J. Abrams also cast Alias and Lost composer Michael Giacchino as FN-3181, and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich as FN-9330. A riot control stormtrooper who calls Finn a traitor during the battle on Takodana , portrayed by stunt performer Liang Yang and voiced by sound editor David Acord ,

3219-465: The Galactic Empire, the clone troopers who had served the Republic became the first generation of stormtroopers, enforcing the Emperor's will as military units, and law enforcement, policing the Emperor's ever increasingly oppressive laws. The Imperial Stormtrooper Corps swell in size in The Bad Batch (2021–present) after Palpatine almost completely replaces the clones with recruits and conscripts of

3306-559: The Internet , the stormtroopers in the "Oh My Disney" website are voiced by Jesse Averna, Kevin Deters, Jeremy Milton, and Rich Moore . Jason Sudeikis and Adam Pally play scout troopers in " Chapter 8: Redemption ", the 2019 first-season finale episode of The Mandalorian . Introduced in Star Wars (1977), the Imperial stormtroopers serve as the army of the Galactic Empire, establishing Imperial authority and putting down any revolts. In

3393-456: The Jedi as Paploo, the ewok who steals an Imperial speeder bike . He was originally due to play the ewok named Wicket , but he fell ill and that role was handed over to Warwick Davis . As technology grew and the need to have Baker in the suit decreased over time, he was used sporadically in the prequel trilogy. In Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones , he was used in just one scene. Baker continued his Star Wars association with

3480-507: The Jedi , R2-D2 plays a critical role in rescuing Luke, Leia, and Han from Jabba the Hutt . He later joins the Rebel strike team on Endor . He is badly damaged during the battle between the Imperial troops and the Rebels, but is repaired in time for the celebration marking the second Death Star's destruction and the fall of the Empire. In The Phantom Menace , set 32 years before A New Hope , R2-D2

3567-447: The Jedi . Kenny Baker, who portrayed R2-D2 in costume, was not involved in the Star Wars Holiday Special . R2-D2 was portrayed entirely by a radio controlled unit, operated by Mick Garris (Lucas' receptionist at the time). In the credits, R2-D2 is credited as playing himself. Garris later went on to operate the radio controlled R2-D2 at various events, including the Oscars . There were

R2-D2 - Misplaced Pages Continue

3654-543: The Minitones, Baker was selected by George Lucas to operate the robot ("droid") R2-D2 in the fantasy feature film Star Wars , released in 1977. Baker recalled that he initially turned down the role, concerned about breaking up the Minitones partnership when the duo had reached the final on the British television talent show Opportunity Knocks . Baker appears as R2-D2 in six of the episodic theatrical Star Wars films, and played an additional role in 1983's Return of

3741-554: The Mk 4 Sterling submachine gun , with approximately 20 models built for the first Star Wars movie A New Hope . External modifications to the Sterlings to transform them into blaster rifles varied based on the parts available but most were similar in design. This included an American Mk38 azimuth tank scope and a Hengstler industrial counter box affixed to the top and left side of the receiver respectively. The Sterling would continue to serve as

3828-809: The R2-D2 character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens , which was released on 18 December 2015 in North America. He was going to be a member of the cast, but he served as consultant for the character instead. In November 2015, it was confirmed that Jimmy Vee was cast as R2-D2 in Star Wars: The Last Jedi , replacing Baker. Baker's other films include The Elephant Man , Time Bandits (also with Jack Purvis), Willow (also with Purvis and Warwick Davis), Flash Gordon , Amadeus and Jim Henson 's Labyrinth . On television, he appeared in

3915-607: The Republic and establish the Galactic Empire at the end of the film, C-3PO's memory is erased to keep the knowledge of Luke and Leia's locations a secret from their father. However, R2-D2's memory is not wiped; as a result, R2-D2 is the only surviving character at the end of the saga who knows the entire story of the Skywalker family . Both R2-D2 and C-3PO end up in the possession of Captain Raymus Antilles ( Rohan Nichol ) onboard

4002-590: The Resistance base, he is shown watching Leia as she dies. He later plays an important role in restoring C-3PO's memory after Rey, Finn ( John Boyega ) and Poe Dameron ( Oscar Isaac ) are forced to erase it so the droid can translate a Sith artifact that holds a clue to the location of the Sith homeworld, the resurrected Palpatine, and the Sith Eternal 's fleet, the Final Order. R2-D2 accompanies Poe in his X-wing for

4089-631: The Sith , George Lucas says R2-D2 is his favorite character, and that it is intentional that R2-D2 saves the day at least once in every film. R2-D2 was inducted into the Robot Hall of Fame in 2003 in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania . A replica can be seen at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh. The Smithsonian Institution included R2-D2 in its list of 101 Objects that Made America. In 2022 R2-D2

4176-760: The alien ship; in Raiders of the Lost Ark , in which he is seen on the wall of the room containing the Ark; in Poltergeist , where he is seen in several objects on Robbie's room; and in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen , where he is seen flying among rubble and debris in the sky. In Ready Player One , R2-D2 is also seen as a toy model in Wade and Samantha's apartment. He also appears in

4263-490: The astromech droid for Anakin's starfighter during the Battle of Naboo , helping Anakin destroy the Trade Federation's command center and free the planet Naboo from the Federation's grip. R2-D2, along with Anakin and the young Obi-Wan Kenobi ( Ewan McGregor ), are awarded medals by Padmé and Boss Nass ( Brian Blessed ) at the end of the film. In Attack of the Clones , set 10 years after The Phantom Menace , R2-D2 again serves Obi-Wan and Anakin ( Hayden Christensen ), who

4350-494: The basis for or inspire other blaster rifle designs in the rest of the Star Wars films. Background literature explains how the First Order's stormtroopers were armed in secret by the Sonn-Blas Corporation, a subsidiary of BlasTech Industries and Merr-Sonn Munitions created to circumvent the New Republic 's disarmament treaties. Building on classic design templates, they are meant to possess greater battlefield accuracy, ammunition yields and operational lifespans. Examples include

4437-564: The beach. In Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga , they also wear life jackets. Stormtroopers made their canonical debut in the Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 1 episode "War–Mantle", which was released on July 30, 2021. According to Star Wars lore, Imperial stormtroopers are men and women who have been recruited (or conscripted) at a young age to serve as expendable foot soldiers of the Empire, gradually replacing clone troopers as their accelerated aging forces them to retire. These recruits are trained at Imperial Academies spread out across

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4524-479: The clone troopers as young men were played by Bodie Taylor, who was cast for his resemblance to a younger Morrison. In Revenge of the Sith , Morrison also played Commander Cody , the only named clone trooper who is seen unmasked in the prequel trilogy. In The Force Awakens (2015), John Boyega stars as Finn , the former Stormtrooper FN-2187 who defects from the First Order and joins the Resistance, and Gwendoline Christie portrays Captain Phasma , commander of

4611-448: The costume to be industrial design, which is protected there only for 15 years. This puts the armor design in the public domain in the UK, and likely throughout the European Union . To differentiate the First Order stormtroopers from their earlier Imperial counterparts, the helmet and armor were redesigned for the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens by costume designer Michael Kaplan with input from director J. J. Abrams . Within

4698-487: The dubbing of the prequel and sequel trilogies, where the original name R2-D2 was used instead. Around the same time that A New Hope was being shot, Ray Harryhausen had already created "Bubo" for the 1981 film Clash of the Titans . In the film, Bubo is a mechanical metal owl that flies heavily and communicates through whistles and tweets. Harryhausen denied a relation. Kenny Baker (English actor) Kenneth George Baker (24 August 1934 – 13 August 2016)

4785-458: The endless waves of stormtrooper conscripts fielded by the Galactic Empire. First Order stormtroopers are regularly put through mental indoctrination and propaganda programs, to make sure that they remain fanatically loyal and never hesitate or question orders. Being taken from their families at birth, these soldiers are not even given individual names for themselves but merely serial numbers, such as " FN-2187 ". Standard Imperial stormtrooper armor

4872-470: The extragalactic planet Peridea. Their armour is unique, featuring red bandages wrapped around it, as well as a gold alloy filling in cracks. Thrawn's Nightsister allies imbue them with their magick, making them energized and faster, as well as allowing them to resurrect upon death. Stormtroopers have become cultural icons , and a widely recognized element of the Star Wars franchise. In 2015, an Imperial stormtrooper helmet from The Empire Strikes Back that

4959-569: The factions that broke apart from the Empire. With redesigned armor, they eventually serve under the leadership of the First Order. In the First Order, an undisclosed number of stormtroopers are abducted as young children, given serial numbers for names and mentally conditioned for loyal service. Stormtrooper FN-2187, later known as Finn , plans his escape when his resistance to this conditioning puts him in line to be reprogrammed. Additionally, Rey 's goggles were based on scavenged stormtrooper lenses. The streaming series The Mandalorian , which

5046-483: The film series, there have been a few exceptions. In Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005), the clone troopers, which serve as the basis of what would initially become the Empire's stormtrooper force, were computer-generated images and voiced by Temuera Morrison , who played the bounty hunter Jango Fett , the template of the clone army. The child clone troopers were played by Daniel Logan , who also played Jango's clone son Boba Fett , and

5133-425: The final assault, and is later shown joining the others in celebrating the defeat of Palpatine and the Sith Eternal. R2-D2 makes a cameo appearance in Rogue One alongside C-3PO. R2-D2 and C-3PO had their own animated series , Star Wars: Droids , set before they came into Luke Skywalker's possession. This was excluded from the new canon in 2014. They also appear in both the live action and animated segments of

5220-461: The former being mainly limited to the Jedi and Sith factions. While outlining his franchise in 1977, George Lucas said there were numerous female stormtroopers in some units, but few were stationed on the Death Star . While stormtrooper performers like Michael Leader ( Episode IV ), Laurie Goode ( Episode IV ), Peter Diamond ( Episode IV-VI ), Stephen Bayley ( Episode IV ), and Bill Weston ( Episode IV ) have generally been uncredited in

5307-454: The galaxy where they undergo intense conditioning that instills fierce loyalty, strict discipline and ruthless efficiency while removing any sense of individualism or empathy. As the backbone of the Imperial Army, stormtroopers are dreaded for their brutality, carrying out atrocities in the name of Emperor Palpatine , and their fanaticism, engaging the enemy with no regard to casualties. Inevitably, some use their position for personal gain against

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5394-476: The helmet, while Brian Muir sculpted armor pieces for the stormtrooper costume. Muir, who was also responsible for sculpting the Darth Vader costume, worked out of the Art Department at Elstree Studios. The suit was molded and initially cast in plaster, with Muir sharpening the detail at the plaster stage. The plaster casts were then remolded and cast in fiberglass to use as the "tools" for the vacuum forming process. The suits were produced in house by Tashy Baines,

5481-436: The material used, the two designs can be differentiated by differences in the eyes, the ears, and the mouth area. The copyright status of the armor design has undergone legal challenges. A 2004 lawsuit by Lucasfilm against one of the original prop designers, Andrew Ainsworth, who had been selling helmet replicas, confirmed the design to be under copyright in the US. However, a 2011 UK court decision in Ainsworth's favor deemed

5568-683: The new canon . R2-D2 also appears in Star Wars Rebels in the episodes "Droids in Distress" and "Blood Sisters", and in several episodes of Star Wars Forces of Destiny . In the second season finale of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian , R2-D2 accompanies Luke Skywalker as he goes to retrieve Grogu to be trained as a Jedi. R2-D2 appears in the sixth and seventh episodes of The Mandalorian spin-off series The Book of Boba Fett . After Grogu decides to abandon his Jedi training, Luke has R2-D2 fly Grogu to Tatooine in his X-wing starfighter so that he may be reunited with his guardian, Din Djarin ( Pedro Pascal ). The novelization of Attack of

5655-413: The original Star Wars film , the stormtroopers are the shock troops / space marines of the autocratic Galactic Empire , under the leadership of Emperor Palpatine and his enforcers, most notably Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin , during the original film trilogy (1977–1983) and Rebels (2014–18). The prequel trilogy (1999–2005) and The Clone Wars (2008–2020) explores their predecessors in

5742-423: The original trilogy, only a few stormtroopers are clones, with the only known legion to still contain a significant number of clones being the 501st Legion , a.k.a. "Vader's Fist", with many stormtroopers remaining in service to Imperial remnants following the Empire's fall under Moff Gideon and Grand Admiral Thrawn in The Mandalorian (2019–present) and Ahsoka (2023). In the sequel trilogy (2015–2019),

5829-404: The originating 1977 film Star Wars were rebranded as Star Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the franchise in April 2014. Along with the Star Wars films, R2-D2 makes non-canon cameo appearances in several other films, including: Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness , where he was seen flying in debris; Close Encounters of the Third Kind , in which he is seen on the underside of

5916-409: The planet highlighted on the map, where they find Luke in self-imposed exile. In the credits, Kenny Baker was credited as 'R2-D2 consultant,' while Jimmy Vee provided an uncredited portrayal in some scenes. R2-D2 appeared in Star Wars: The Last Jedi , with actor Jimmy Vee taking over the role from Kenny Baker, who retired from the role due to his age and health. Baker died in August 2016. R2-D2 has

6003-433: The plans for the Death Star battle station, and encodes a distress message on the droid's holographic projector. The droids then escape in a pod that crashes on Tatooine near Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi 's ( Alec Guinness ) desert abode. R2-D2 and C-3PO are then abducted by Jawas and bought by Owen ( Phil Brown ) and Beru Lars ( Shelagh Fraser ), uncle and aunt of Luke Skywalker ( Mark Hamill ). While Luke cleans

6090-497: The resident vacuum former, but then a problem developed with the machine. As Shepperton Design Studios had already been used to vacuum form the helmets, the fiberglass molds for the armor were then sent to them for vacuum forming the suits. By the end of production, two different helmets were produced; one for the common stunt trooper and a second design for close-ups. Fifty stunt helmets were produced in white-painted HDPE and six hero helmets were produced in white ABS plastic . Besides

6177-556: The role beginning in The Last Jedi . In The Rise of Skywalker , puppeteers Hassan Taj and Lee Towersey perform the role of R2-D2, replacing Jimmy Vee, who had played the role in the previous two films. His sounds and vocal effects were created by sound designer Ben Burtt . R2-D2 was designed in artwork by Ralph McQuarrie , co-developed by John Stears and built by Peteric Engineering. The revised Empire Strikes Back droids had fibreglass shells built by Tony Dyson and his White Horse Toy Company. George Lucas's creation of R2-D2

6264-485: The ruthlessly cunning General Maximilian Veers and composed of the best trained soldiers in the Star Wars galaxy, the legion earned a fierce reputation for completing missions considered unwinnable or suicidal. The 501st serves as Darth Vader 's personal death squadron, whom he notably leads in the Jedi extermination . The 501st spearhead the assault upon the Tantive IV consular ship, and capture Princess Leia . During

6351-421: The same type of Phase III armor as normal stormtroopers but not white in color, but rather a mixture of silver, grey and red detailing. These troopers also possess the invisible feature and use this tactic to ambush their enemies, but only if stormtrooper officers call out for support. In Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy , Speedo -clad and stormtrooper-helmet-wearing "Beach Troopers" appear relaxing at

6438-430: The sand out of R2-D2's gears, he discovers a fragment of Leia's message, and removes the droid's restraining bolt to see more; once free of the bolt, R2 claims to have no knowledge of the message. That night, R2-D2 leaves the farm to seek out Obi-Wan. When Owen and Beru are killed by Imperial stormtroopers , Luke is forced to leave Tatooine with Obi-Wan, Han Solo ( Harrison Ford ), and Chewbacca ( Peter Mayhew ) on board

6525-447: The scene where the droid was shot from the swamp onto the shore on Dagobah . In Star Wars , R2-D2 and C-3PO ( Anthony Daniels ) are both introduced on board the Tantive IV , along with Princess Leia ( Carrie Fisher ) of Alderaan , when they are being pursued upon by Darth Vader (portrayed by David Prowse , voiced by James Earl Jones ) aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer . Leia inserts into R2-D2 an information disc containing

6612-445: The utterance which sparked the name for the droid. Murch asked for Reel 2, Dialog Track 2, in the abbreviated form "R-2-D-2". Lucas, who was in the room and had dozed off while working on the script for Star Wars , momentarily woke when he heard the request and, after asking for clarification, stated that it was a "great name" before going back to writing his script. R2-D2 stands for Second Generation Robotic Droid Series-2, according to

6699-490: The vacuum of outer space, such as the zero gravity Spacetroopers depicted engaging in extra vehicular battle in the 1991 novel Star Wars: Heir to the Empire , and its 1995 Dark Horse Comics adaptation. A distinct variant known as "Shadowtroopers" appear in Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast , wearing black armour that incorporates a lightsaber-resistant mineral called cortosis. As a project of

6786-613: The vacuum of space for a short period of time. Their helmets are fitted with filtration systems for polluted environments, with hookups for incorporating an external atmospheric tank while operating in space or to filter potent toxins. The helmets also include built-in communication system and multi-frequency targeting and acquisition system linked to in-lens displays that provide tactical information, protection from excessive brightness, and vision modes for seeing through smoke, fire and darkness. Based on conceptual drawings by Ralph McQuarrie, Liz Moore and Nick Pemberton sculpted designs for

6873-553: Was also one of the two puppeteers, along with Hassan Taj, who operated the droid in The Rise of Skywalker . Ewan McGregor , who portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, said in an interview, "As soon as R2-D2 comes on the set, everyone goes a bit silly." He said "there is something about him that makes you feel great affection for him". In the DVD audio commentary for Revenge of

6960-897: Was an English actor, comedian and musician. He portrayed the character R2-D2 in the Star Wars franchise and also appeared in The Elephant Man , Time Bandits , Willow , Flash Gordon , Amadeus and Labyrinth . Baker was born and educated in Birmingham , Warwickshire , and at a boarding school in Kent . He was the son of Ethel (1906–1990), a pianist and dress maker, and Harold Baker (1908–1949), an artist, musician and draughtsman. He went to live with his father, stepmother, and half-sister in Hastings , Sussex . Due to his dwarfism, Baker stood 1.12 m (3 ft 8 in) as an adult. Both his parents were of average height. In 1951, Baker

7047-459: Was approached on the street by a woman who invited him to join John Lester 's theatrical troupe of little people . This was his first taste of show business. Later, he joined a circus for a brief time, learned to ice skate and appeared in many ice shows. He formed a successful comedy act called the Minitones with entertainer Jack Purvis and played in nightclubs . While working with Purvis and

7134-501: Was developed and manufactured by the Imperial Department of Military Research, and consists of 18 white plastoid armor plates magnatomically attached to a black body glove. These plates are generally impervious to most projectile weapons and blast shrapnel, and will protect against glancing hits by other blaster rifles though a direct hit will penetrate. The armor also provides protection against inhospitable environments, including

7221-408: Was influenced by the peasant Matashichi from Akira Kurosawa 's 1958 film The Hidden Fortress . Lucas and artist Ralph McQuarrie also drew inspiration from the robots Huey, Dewey, and Louie from Douglas Trumbull 's 1972 film Silent Running . The name derives from when Lucas was making one of his earlier films, American Graffiti . Sound editor Walter Murch states that he is responsible for

7308-555: Was married to actress Eileen Baker (who co-starred with him in the 1977 film Wombling Free ) from 1970 until she died in 1993. Although Eileen also had dwarfism , their two children did not inherit their parents' dwarfism. Baker was invited to attend the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Los Angeles in December 2015, but was too ill to travel to the US. He had been living with

7395-482: Was still used in some scenes. R2-D2 had three principal operators: Don Bies, Jolyon Bambridge and Grant Imahara . The sound effects for R2-D2's "voice" were created by sound designer Ben Burtt , using an ARP 2600 analog synthesizer , as well as his own vocalizations processed through other effects. Original props of R2-D2 and C-3PO are used as Audio-Animatronics in the queue area of Disneyland 's Star Tours–The Adventures Continue attraction. Although Kenny Baker

7482-579: Was surveyed as being the most popular movie robot in the United States. R2-D2 and C-3PO guest starred in a two episodes of Sesame Street in 1980. The two droids were featured as presenters at the 50th Academy Awards . The telescope dome of Zweibrücken Observatory in Germany was repainted to resemble R2-D2 in 2018. In the Latin American Spanish dubbing of the Star Wars films, the name R2-D2

7569-605: Was unavailable. The original props for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope were designed by John Stears and built by Stears' team and Peteric Engineering. The revised fibreglass droids used in The Empire Strikes Back were built by Tony Dyson and the White Horse Toy Company. The radio controlled R2 was operated by John Stears in A New Hope , Brian Johnson in The Empire Strikes Back and by Kit West in Return of

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