Since his first appearance at the start of the original film, R2-D2 has saved the other Star Wars heroes countless times over his long life. This includes his involvement in every episodic film and countless TV episodes, books, comics, and other spinoff material. R2-D2 was always the one that the other characters could count on to get them out of a tight spot, from accessing important information to fixing something just in time. The little droid is the ultimate embodiment of “Size matters not,” always saving the day despite being small and having limited movement, a loyal friend for each generation of Skywalkers.
R2-D2 also set the precedent for every other small droid in Star Wars, from BB-8 in the sequel trilogy to Chopper in Star Wars Rebels. While he may have had a smaller role in the Star Wars sequels, R2-D2’s legacy will always be an important part of the franchise, as his acts of heroism demonstrate. Several of the saga’s key moments only happened because of R2-D2’s actions, shaping the stories of each Skywalker who took him under their wing. While the lovable astromech has had countless adventures across all Star Wars media, here are twelve times R2-D2 saved the other Star Wars heroes.
12 Fixing The Naboo Cruiser’s Shields (The Phantom Menace)
R2-D2’s first chronological appearance in the Star Wars saga was also his first display of heroism, saving the main heroes in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Despite his fellow astromech droids being blasted into oblivion, R2-D2 remained focused and kept working, restoring the shields that allowed the other characters to escape the Trade Federation blockade. He even received special commendation from the Naboo, a rare occurrence for any droid, leading to his first meeting with Padmé. R2-D2’s role in The Phantom Menace quickly established him as one of the best heroes in Star Wars, setting the stage for his heroics in later movies.
11 Saving Padme From Being Burned Alive (Attack Of The Clones)
R2-D2 saved Padmé again in the Separatist battle droid factory on Geonosis in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. When it seemed that he would be stuck on a nearby platform, R2-D2 revealed the jets that allowed him to fly, demonstrating how the little astromech always has a new trick to unveil. He managed to turn off the assembly line just as Padmé was about to be killed by molten metal, releasing her at the same time. This was the first of many instances where R2-D2 would save the other heroes of his own accord, ironically giving a droid one of the strongest spirits in Star Wars.
10 Reattaching C-3PO’s Head (Attack Of The Clones)
Another trend in later films would be R2-D2 saving C-3PO, which began in the Battle for Geonosis in Attack of the Clones. R2-D2 tracked C-3PO in the middle of a battle to find his head and reattach it to his body, despite the protocol droid arguing with him the entire time. The astromech had barely been reacquainted with C-3PO for a day, yet he still went out of his way to save him despite the danger all around them. This was another great example of R2-D2’s heroic nature and the beginning of his strange, yet strong friendship with C-3PO that would last all the way to the end of the Skywalker saga.
9 Helping To Rescue Chancellor Palpatine (Revenge Of The Sith)
Near the end of the Clone Wars, R2-D2 helped rescue the captive Chancellor Palpatine at the start of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. R2-D2 provided Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi with the Chancellor’s location and controlled the elevators as they made their way through General Grievous’ ship. He even provided a distraction while the Jedi retrieved their lightsabers from Grievous’ collection, making him an essential asset on their mission. Of course, Palpatine would soon be revealed as Darth Sidious, but none of the characters knew at the time, and R2-D2 saved the lives of his friends once again.
8 Taking The Death Star Plans From Leia (A New Hope)
R2-D2’s heroism was first displayed in the original Star Wars film, where he agreed to deliver the Death Star plans to Ben Kenobi after Princess Leia was captured. The Battle of Yavin was considered to be the true turning point in galactic history, and it never would have happened without R2-D2. Had he not delivered the Death Star plans, Leia would have been executed, Luke Skywalker would never have become a Jedi, the Death Star would have destroyed more worlds, and the Rebels’ sacrifice on Scarif would’ve been for nothing. R2-D2’s actions helped change the fate of the galaxy, saving every other Star Wars hero in the process.
7 Shutting Down The Trash Compactor (A New Hope)
Before delivering the plans on Yavin 4, R2-D2 saved the other heroes on the Death Star when they found themselves trapped in a trash compactor. He even shut down all the trash compactors at C-3PO’s request and rescued the others at the last possible instant before they were killed. Just as he had saved Padmé at the buzzer on Geonosis two decades earlier, R2-D2 now saved both of her children, honoring her legacy long after she was gone. The astromech stayed with Luke once the plans were delivered, fighting alongside him in battle just as he had with Anakin during the Clone Wars.
6 Overriding The Security System On Cloud City (The Empire Strikes Back)
Although Luke went to Cloud City to save his friends, it was R2-D2 who truly saved the day by helping them escape. If R2-D2 hadn’t shown up, the other heroes may not have been able to override the security system to get to the Millennium Falcon. He also left a cloud of smoke to confuse the stormtroopers and give the others extra time to escape, which they did thanks to the little droid. Tapping into the city’s central computer gave R2-D2 access to important information on the Millennium Falcon‘s hyperdrive, which would help save everyone again only a few minutes later.
5 Fixing The Millennium Falcon’s Hyperdrive (The Empire Strikes Back)
R2-D2’s biggest moment of heroism in The Empire Strikes Back came at the end, fixing the Millennium Falcon‘s hyperdrive after learning it’d been deactivated. All the other heroes had been trying, and failing, to fix the hyperdrive since the start of the movie, and it looked like it would finally be their undoing. However, R2-D2 managed to fix it when no one else could, saving everyone by triumphantly sending the ship into lightspeed. R2-D2 fixing the hyperdrive was the last heroic deed in The Empire Strikes Back, arguably making him the movie’s greatest hero.
4 Tossing Luke His Lightsaber On Jabba’s Sail Barge (Return Of The Jedi)
R2-D2 helped save the other heroes again in Return of the Jedi by tossing Luke his green lightsaber on Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge. This helped turn the tide when Luke defeated most of the guards, allowing the others to finally rescue Han Solo and defeat Jabba once and for all. R2-D2 also saved C-3PO again in the process, first from being torn apart by Salacious B. Crumb, then by pushing him off the sail barge before it went up in flames. The droid played a key role in infiltrating Jabba’s Palace from the start of the movie, seeing Han’s rescue through to the end and saving the other heroes, as well.
3 Cutting The Net On Endor (Return Of The Jedi)
The little astromech saved the other heroes again in Return of the Jedi when they were trapped in an Ewok net on Endor. R2-D2 always had another ability or hidden tool in one of his compartments, and his latest was a saw that could cut through the ropes. This one scene provided more evidence that R2-D2 is one of the most resourceful heroes in Star Wars, freeing the others when Luke couldn’t reach his lightsaber. R2-D2 bravely attempted to save everyone again during the Battle of Endor, and while he was damaged before he could open the doors to the Imperial bunker, his actions still played a key role in the Rebels’ final victory.
2 Finding The Trapped Resistance (The Last Jedi)
Although R2-D2’s role was more limited in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, he still had opportunities to help save the other heroes. One of his most significant moments was near the end of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, when R2-D2 used Rey’s cloaked binary beacon to track down the trapped Resistance while Luke Skywalker dueled Kylo Ren. It took a while for R2-D2 to locate their signal, so if even he had trouble finding them, there’s little chance that Rey and Chewbacca would’ve found the Resistance without him. R2-D2 ultimately located the very last of the Resistance, preserving the spark to light the fire that would burn down the First Order.
1 Restoring C-3PO’s Memories (The Rise Of Skywalker)
R2-D2’s last big save of another hero in the timeline came in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, when he restored C-3PO’s memories. After C-3PO’s own heroic sacrifice to track down the Emperor’s Sith Wayfinder, R2-D2 used his backup of C-3PO’s memories to restore his friend to his old self. R2-D2 had been saving the protocol droid since Attack of the Clones, and after witnessing C-3PO’s previous memory wipes, there was no way he would let it happen again. R2-D2 saved C-3PO and the other Star Wars heroes over a dozen times throughout the saga, making him one of the franchise’s all-time greatest heroes.
