C-3PO

"Don't you call me a mindless philosopher, you overweight glob of grease!"

- Threepio

C-3PO (or, See-Threepio) is one of the central characters featured in the Star Wars franchise. Played by British actor Anthony Daniels, Threepio first appeared in the 1977 film Star Wars. Daniel reprised the role for the film's two sequels, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Following the first Star Wars film, Daniels also played the character in the critically-reviled 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. He also played Threepio in episode 17 of season 4 of The Muppet Show where he was reunited with several of his Star Wars co-stars. In the episode, Threepio performs a dance routine for the audience with R2-D2. In 1985, Anthony Daniels took a break from wearing the uncomfortable droid costume, but wasn't quite ready to retire the character of Threepio altogether. He provided the voice for Threepio in all thirteen episodes of the Droids animated series. More than fifteen years after the release of Return of the Jedi, Daniels was back in costume for the three-film prequel trilogy beginning with 1999's Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. As before, Daniels reprised the role for the film's two sequels, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, albeit in a diminished capacity. Daniels also provided the voice for the character in the Star Wars: Clone Wars micro-series and the ''Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series. Along with co-star Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Anthony Daniels is the only other actor from the franchise to appear in all six Star Wars feature films.

Biography
C-3P0 was originally constructed by nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker in the year 32 BBY. Built from scrap materials found in Watto's junkyard on Tatooine, Anakin designed Threepio as a service droid to help his mother Shmi with her chores. Anakin only partially completed construction on the droid, and had only programmed him with rudimentary functions and a voice actualizer. It was at this time that C-3P0 first met astromech droid R2-D2, a spunky robot that would one day become Threepio's lifelong partner. As it turned out, Anakin left Tatooine to go to Coruscant to learn the ways of the Jedi and was unable to complete construction on Threepio. Threepio remained on Tatooine for the next ten years with only mild upgrades made to his systems.

As time passed, Threepio was programmed with the primary functions expected of a 3P0 model protocol droid. In addition to general etiquette, Threepio specialized in Human/Cyborg relations and was fluent in over six-million forms of communication, including computer languages and extinct dialects.

In 22 BBY, Threepio became an unwilling participant in a skirmish known as the Battle of Geonosis - a conflict which precipitated the Clone Wars and the fall of the Old Republic. At this time, Threepio was reunited with R2-D2 and they became trapped within a droid factory on Geonosis. While navigating through the conjested network of factory equipment, Artoo pushed Threepio from a ledge onto an assembly line belt. The machinery could not distinguish between 3PO model parts and Battle Droid parts, so it mistakenly removed Threepio's head and placed it onto the body of a Battle Droid. Threepio was sent out into battle and even adopted some of the behaviorial aspects of a typical a Battle Droid's, including shouting threats such as "Die, Jedi dogs!" Threepio likely would have been blasted to bits in the crossfire, but for the timely arrival of Jedi Kit Fisto who force-pushed Threepio to safety. Artoo arrived on the scene and removed Threepio's head from the Battle Droid body.

Threepio's head was eventually returned to its rightful place and he even received upgraded golden-colored body plating to replace the gun-metal grey of his previous coverings. Threepio attended the secret wedding of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Naberrie Amidala on Naboo, following which, he remained in Padmé's care, while Artoo went off to have adventures with Anakin. Threepio divided his time between servicing Padmé's family on Naboo and attending her as her official aid in the Galactic Senate.

Notes & Trivia

 * C-3P0 speaks the very first lines of dialogue in Star Wars: A New Hope.


 * Clips of C-3P0's dialogue were included in the Star Tours theme-park attraction.


 * Voice actor Tom Kane provided the voice for C-3P0 in several of the LucasArts Star Wars video games.


 * C-3P0 has also appeared on three episodes of the children's television series Seseme Street.

Parodies

 * Threepio was lampooned in a Saturday Night Live sketch which involved casting calls for Star Wars. One of the performers (mimicking actor Richard Dreyfuss) tried out for the part, but was denied.


 * A pastiche of Threepio, voiced by Billy West, appeared on the "Crimes of the Hot" episode of Futurama.