C-3PO

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C-3PO

File:C-3PO ANH.png
C-3PO on the planet Tatooine.
Portrayed by	Anthony Daniels
First appearance	Star Wars: A New Hope
Last appearance	Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Affiliation	Galactic Republic, Rebel Alliance, Resistance
Signature Artifacts	Golden Plating, Silver Right Leg, Restraining Bolt, Comlink (Internal), Dismantled State (in Net), Detached Head (on Battle Droid), Red Arm, Ewok Deity Litter, Jabba's Palace Damage, Oil Bath
External Links
Wikipedia	Link
IMDb	Link

C-3PO (See-Threepio) is a 3PO-series protocol droid whose fussy, worry-prone personality serves as a constant source of comic relief and exposition throughout the Skywalker saga. Fluent in "over six million forms of communication," his primary function is etiquette and translation, but his adventures often force him into situations far beyond his programming. He is a loyal, if reluctant, companion to the heroes of the galaxy.

Character Overview

C-3PO was built from spare parts by a young Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine. He later came into the service of the Organa family of Alderaan, where he was given his signature gold plating. He is almost never seen without his counterpart, the astromech droid R2-D2, and their bickering, co-dependent relationship is a hallmark of the series. Despite his constant protestations and pessimistic outlook, C-3PO often plays a crucial, if accidental, role in the success of his masters' missions.

Film & Television Appearances

C-3PO appears in all nine main saga films, as well as Rogue One, The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. His role is consistently that of a translator and a worrier, providing a human-like (and often humorous) perspective on the galactic chaos surrounding him.

Signature Artifacts

Golden Plating

• Description: The polished, gold-colored plating that covers most of C-3PO's body. This was a later addition, as he was originally built with mismatched, scrap-metal plating.
• Relevance to Character: The gold plating is C-3PO's most defining visual feature. It reflects his function as a protocol droid, a high-end servant intended for diplomatic and administrative circles. The polished exterior contrasts sharply with his often undignified and chaotic situations.
• Relevance to Plot: The plating makes him instantly recognizable. In Attack of the Clones, his head being placed on a battle droid's body is made more absurd by the contrast between his golden head and the droid's rusty frame.

Silver Right Leg

• Description: From the knee down, C-3PO's right leg is plated in silver, not gold. This is a subtle detail often missed by casual viewers.
• Relevance to Character: The mismatched leg is a key piece of visual storytelling. It suggests a long history of repairs and misadventures, hinting that even before the events of the films, C-3PO has had a rough existence. It subtly undermines his pristine appearance.
• Relevance to Plot: While not a major plot point, it's a famous piece of trivia and a detail that grounds the character in the "used future" aesthetic of the original trilogy.

Restraining Bolt

• Description: A small, cylindrical device with a magnetic clamp, affixed to C-3PO's chest by the Jawas.
• Relevance to Character: Unlike R2-D2, C-3PO makes no attempt to remove his restraining bolt. This highlights his subservient, rule-following nature. He is programmed to obey, and the bolt is a physical manifestation of that programming.
• Relevance to Plot: The bolt keeps C-3PO from leaving the Lars homestead with R2-D2, forcing Luke to choose between his responsibilities and his droids, ultimately leading him on his adventure.

Dismantled State (in Net)

• Description: The collected pieces of C-3PO's body, carried in a cargo net on the back of Chewbacca after he is blasted apart on Cloud City.
• Relevance to Character: This state represents C-3PO at his most helpless and undignified. Being reduced to a bag of talking parts is the ultimate insult for a droid obsessed with proper decorum. His constant complaining from the bag is a source of classic comic relief.
• Relevance to Plot: Being on Chewbacca's back allows C-3PO to witness key events, including Darth Vader's trap. His partially reassembled warnings are crucial to the heroes' escape from Cloud City.

Detached Head (on Battle Droid)

• Description: In the Geonosian droid factory, C-3PO's head is accidentally welded onto the body of a B1 battle droid, while the battle droid's head is placed on his body.
• Relevance to Character: This is a moment of pure slapstick that highlights C-3PO's physical comedy. His horror at being attached to a "dreadful" battle droid body and forced to participate in combat is perfectly in character.
• Relevance to Plot: The mix-up provides a humorous interlude during the massive battle sequence and leads to a memorable reunion with R2-D2, who reattaches his head correctly.

Red Arm

• Description: In The Force Awakens, C-3PO's left arm has been replaced with a mismatched red one.
• Relevance to Character: Much like the silver leg, the red arm tells a story of off-screen adventures and the passage of time. It's a visual cue that the galaxy has been a rough place in the 30 years since Return of the Jedi. His line, "You probably don't recognize me because of the red arm," is a classic, self-unaware C-3PO moment.
• Relevance to Plot: The story behind the arm (revealed in a comic book) is one of sacrifice, belonging to another droid who saved him. This adds a layer of unexpected pathos to what appears to be a simple cosmetic change. He has his gold arm restored by the end of the film.

Ewok Deity Litter

• Description: A throne-like carrier constructed by the Ewoks, used to carry C-3PO through their village after they mistake him for a god.
• Relevance to Character: This artifact places the perpetually terrified C-3PO in a position of unexpected power and reverence. His discomfort with being worshipped is a major source of comedy in the Endor sequence.
• Relevance to Plot: C-3PO's status as a "god" is what saves the heroes from being the main course at an Ewok feast. Luke uses the Force to levitate the throne, convincing the Ewoks of C-3PO's power and securing them as crucial allies for the Battle of Endor.

Jabba's Palace Damage

• Description: The grime, dents, and a gouge taken out of C-3PO's right eye casing, inflicted by Jabba the Hutt's minions.
• Relevance to Character: This damage shows C-3PO's complete inability to function in the criminal underworld. His attempts at proper etiquette are met with casual violence, highlighting his unsuitability for such an environment.
• Relevance to Plot: The damage serves as a visual indicator of the danger of Jabba's court and reinforces the peril the heroes are in.

Oil Bath

• Description: A grimy, industrial oil bath used by Jawas to clean and lubricate droids.
• Relevance to Character: C-3PO's reluctance to enter the "disgusting" bath, followed by his sigh of pleasure, is a small but memorable character moment that adds to his fussy, human-like personality.
• Relevance to Plot: The scene in the Jawa sandcrawler serves as a key piece of world-building, showing the harsh, utilitarian treatment of droids on a backwater planet like Tatooine.

Comlink (Internal)

• Description: A built-in communications device that allows C-3PO to communicate over long distances.
• Relevance to Character: This is one of C-3PO's few genuinely useful, non-linguistic functions. It allows him to serve as a vital communication link for the heroes.
• Relevance to Plot: In A New Hope, Luke uses C-3PO's comlink to speak with his aunt and uncle. More importantly, in The Empire Strikes Back, C-3PO uses it to communicate with R2-D2 while dismantled, helping to coordinate the escape from Cloud City.

Behind the Scenes

Anthony Daniels is the only actor to have appeared in all nine saga films, as well as Rogue One and Solo. He not only provided the voice for C-3PO but also wore the famously uncomfortable and restrictive costume for most of his appearances. The costume was designed by concept artist Ralph McQuarrie, who was inspired by the Maschinenmensch from the 1927 film Metropolis.

Trivia

• In early drafts of the script, C-3PO was envisioned as a slick, used-car-salesman type character. His more "British butler" personality was developed by Anthony Daniels during his performance.

See Also

• R2-D2
• Anakin Skywalker
• Anthony Daniels