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So, last night I was watching the re-released version of Episode IV, and something occurred to me that I hadn't noticed before:

In the scene where Owen Lars is purchasing the droids, he buys C3PO and a red astromech droid. It shows R2 looking "sad" as the two head off w/ Luke and then all of a sudden Red shorts out. It occurred to me that R2 might have caused the short so that he could stay w/ threepio, but it could've been a coincidence. Is there any word on whether or not this was a coincidence?

It also calls to mind the argument that Yoda/the Force downed Luke's X-Wing over Dagobah in order to move him closer to his destiny. It could have been a spontaneous act of the Force in order to maintain the order of things, and given Lucas' taste for the Campbellian and the fact that the scene brings nothing to the movie otherwise, I'd say it's at least likelier than R2 causing the short.

Artoo did indeed cause it; this is noted in the original trilogy Visual Dictionary. I am uncertain whether that is the original source, however; the information may originate elsewhere.

There was an EU story about the red droid, who upon hearing of R2's mission, sabotaged himself so that R2 would be chosen.

I remember reading long ago in one of the kiddy versions of the SW books that it was actually Threepio who messed with the other droid so that he could keep Artoo with him.

Deathstalker wrote:There was an EU story about the red droid, who upon hearing of R2's mission, sabotaged himself so that R2 would be chosen.

Ah, yes, I remember that one... The red droid (Skippy IIRC) was force-sensitive (!) and the Force revealed the future to the droid, showing how important it was that R2 and Luke met each other...

Something like that, weird story.

Annatar Giftbringer wrote:The red droid (Skippy IIRC)

R5-D4

Annatar Giftbringer wrote:

Deathstalker wrote:There was an EU story about the red droid, who upon hearing of R2's mission, sabotaged himself so that R2 would be chosen.

Ah, yes, I remember that one... The red droid (Skippy IIRC) was force-sensitive (!) and the Force revealed the future to the droid, showing how important it was that R2 and Luke met each other...

Something like that, weird story.

No, the droid was supposedly a powerful, long forgotten Jedi named Skippy.

Darth Servo wrote:

Annatar Giftbringer wrote:The red droid (Skippy IIRC)

R5-D4

Starwars.com wrote:According to the National Public Radio Dramatization of Star Wars, R2-D2 sabotaged R5-D4's motivator to ensure that it would break down. Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope, a roleplaying game supplement, states that R5-D4 blew his own motivator so that Artoo and Threepio would not be separated. In Star Wars Tales, R5-D4 is actually a great forgotten Jedi named Skippy.

You decide.

I can't help but read a certain snarkiness into that entry, and it makes me laugh.

"We're technically not supposed to call parts of the EU retarded, but we hope you can make the right call."

The Vortex Empire wrote:

Annatar Giftbringer wrote:

Deathstalker wrote:There was an EU story about the red droid, who upon hearing of R2's mission, sabotaged himself so that R2 would be chosen.

Ah, yes, I remember that one... The red droid (Skippy IIRC) was force-sensitive (!) and the Force revealed the future to the droid, showing how important it was that R2 and Luke met each other...

Something like that, weird story.

No, the droid was supposedly a powerful, long forgotten Jedi named Skippy.

This thread as me all kinds of confused. Either C3P0 and R2D2 inflict harm on other sentient beings just because they are that much of good pals, or some droids somehow decide to kill each other for a greater cause, or Jedi are somehow trapped in droid bodies, or droids are Force Sensitive.

IIRC the Skippy story was in the Star Wars Tales anthology series, which at the time was not considered canon.

Old Plympto wrote:IIRC the Skippy story was in the Star Wars Tales anthology series, which at the time was not considered canon.

They're still not canon.

Mange wrote:

Old Plympto wrote:IIRC the Skippy story was in the Star Wars Tales anthology series, which at the time was not considered canon.

They're still not canon.

Sorry I wasn't clear. I meant the Star Wars Tales series instead of the Skippy Story. When they ran the story, the comic hadn't reached the issue number (which I can't remember off the top of my mind) when it lost its Infinities tag.

Darth Ruinus wrote: This thread as me all kinds of confused. Either C3P0 and R2D2 inflict harm on other sentient beings just because they are that much of good pals, or some droids somehow decide to kill each other for a greater cause, or Jedi are somehow trapped in droid bodies, or droids are Force Sensitive.

No, the Jedi isn't trapped inside the droid, the droid force sensitive.

Ive read the 'droid blew his motivater after talking to R2' story the most often. Ive seen the R2 sabotage once or twice, but ive never heard of the other ones.

Going purely by order of canon, R2 sabotaging R5-D4 would be the correct occurrence of events, since it happened in the radio drama.