The franchise, which began with the 1977 film
Star Wars, features a variety of droids designed to perform specific functions. According to background material, most droids lack true
sentience and are given processing abilities sufficient only to carry out their assigned function. However, over time droids may develop sentience on their own as they accumulate experience. Periodic memory wipes can prevent this from happening, but those who manage to escape this fate will begin to develop their own personalities. Within the
Star Wars universe, a class system is used to categorize different droids depending on their skill-set: first class droids (physical, mathematical and medical sciences), second class droids (engineering and technical sciences), third class droids (social sciences and service functions), fourth class droids (security and military functions), and fifth class droids (menial labor and other non-intelligence functions).
Protocol droid A
protocol droid specializes in
translation,
etiquette and
cultural customs, and is typically humanoid in appearance. Protocol droids are used to aid in communications during diplomatic or business negotiations and often function as personal assistants to their owners. Protocol droids are also used for military service, whether as administrators, couriers or spies. However, they do have a tendency to be eccentric and fussy. The most notable example is
C-3PO, introduced in
Star Wars and featured in all sequels and prequels.
4-LOM is a protocol droid turned bounty hunter who responds to
Darth Vader's call to capture the
Millennium Falcon in
The Empire Strikes Back (1980). TC-14 is a droid with feminine programming that appears in
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), and
ME-8D9 is an "ancient protocol droid of unknown manufacture" that resides and works as a translator at
Maz Kanata's castle on
Takodana in
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).
Astromech droid An astromech droid is one of a series of "versatile utility robots generally used for the maintenance and repair of
starships and related technology". These small droids usually possess "a variety of tool-tipped appendages that are stowed in recessed compartments".
R2-D2 is an astromech droid introduced in 1977's
Star Wars and featured in all subsequent films. The malfunctioning droid
R5-D4 also makes a brief appearance in
Star Wars.
U9-C4 is a timid droid sent on a mission with D-Squad, an all-droid special unit in
Star Wars: The Clone Wars,
C1-10P (nicknamed "Chopper") is an oft-repaired, "outmoded" astromech who is one of the main characters of
Star Wars Rebels, and
BB-8 is the astromech droid of
X-wing fighter pilot
Poe Dameron in
The Force Awakens.
Battle droid '' A battle droid is a class of
war robot used as an easily controlled alternative to human soldiers, most notably seen in the
Star Wars prequel trilogy of films and the
Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series, in which 'B1' and 'B2' models are frequent antagonists. Due to their ubiquity, the terms 'B1' and 'battle droid' are used interchangeably; 'B2' models are also referred to as 'super' battle droids. These droids are mainly used as the primary troops of the
Confederacy of Independent Systems or Separatist Alliance, acting as the counterpart to the
clone troopers of the
Galactic Republic during the
Clone Wars. Designer Doug Chang stated the design of the B1 battle droid was inspired by African figurine sculptures. The tall, thin B1 model resembles the
Geonosian species, whose Baktoid Armor Workshop designed and built the droids for the
Trade Federation and later the Separatists. Standing tall, B1 battle droids were given a humanoid appearance so they could operate existing machinery and weaponry, and are meant to be cheaply mass-produced in large numbers. During the
Battle of Naboo, battle droids were controlled from a central command computer as a cost-saving measure. By the time of the Clone Wars, this drawback was rectified by giving them the capacity for limited independent thought as these self-described "independent thinkers" were deployed alongside older models that required central computers. The B2 super battle droid, introduced in the
Battle of Geonosis, was designed by the Techno Union and manufactured by Baktoid as an improvement of the original B1 model. Heavily armored and capable of limited independent thought, it features an integrated dual laser cannon in its right arm. B1 battle droids have been criticized for being ineffective and boring opponents in the
Star Wars films, easily destroyed and devoid of any personality. However, Rafael Motamayor of
SyFy Wire argues that the
2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series rehabilitated their image by giving them distinct personalities. With the in-universe explanation that battle droids were upgraded to have independent thought, battle droids in the series are shown with self-awareness of their
cannon fodder nature. This is often used as comic relief as battle droids comment on their tragic situation and even question orders that would get themselves or other battle droids killed. Beyond the B1 and B2 models, multiple other types of specialized battle droids have been featured in the
Star Wars fictional universe. The droideka is a three-legged
heavy infantry unit designed by the Colicoids, a bloodthirsty insect-like species which it resembles. It is equipped with twin blasters and a
deflector shield generator and can transform into its wheel form, allowing the droideka to roll towards the enemy at speeds of up to . BX-series
commando droids are superior versions of the B1 battle droid, built sturdier with armor to withstand blaster fire and more
advanced combat programming and battlefield awareness. The T-series tactical droids serve as advisors to Separatist commanders or command groups of other battle droids, while super tactical droids serve as generals of droid armies and fleets. Droid vehicles and spacecraft include
Vulture droids,
Dwarf spider droids and
Hailfire droids. After the Clone Wars, the Imperial Senate banned the manufacture of battle droids, but with loopholes for the building of "security" droids and experimental combat droids. This includes the Imperial military's KX-series of which
K-2SO is an example,
Probe droid Probe droids are deployed by the Empire in
The Empire Strikes Back to search for hidden rebel bases. They are described as traveling via
hyperdrive-equipped pods to almost anywhere in the galaxy in order to search for their target. Also called probots, they are in height, floating above the ground on
repulsorlifts and propelled by silenced thrusters. Probots are equipped with a variety of sensing equipment, including
motion detectors and
ultraviolet sensors, a
blaster for self-defense, and a HoloNet transceiver to transmit any discoveries to Imperial forces. During the production of
The Empire Strikes Back,
Joe Johnston drew storyboard panels influenced by
Dan O'Bannon and
Moebius's short comic "
The Long Tomorrow" (1975), one of which repurposes a pose Johnston admitted he borrowed from said work. The same panel of the comic features a robot design by Moebius, which may have been the basis of the probe droid (or "probot") design that concept designers Johnston and
Ralph McQuarrie created for the film.
Other droids Labor droids are used for a variety of tasks, from the very simple such as lifting heavy objects to the complex such as repairing machinery or administrating entire facilities, though their programming is very task-specific. Examples include mining droids which extract valuable resources, often from hazardous environments, and power droids, mobile
fusion reactors which recharge ships, machines and other droids. Interrogation droids utilize a variety of devices, chemicals and techniques to exploit a prisoner's weaknesses in order to extract information from them. Assassin droids such as the IG-series act with ruthless efficiency to hunt down their targets; while some serve other masters, others may operate independently. Medical droids on the other hand work tirelessly to heal people who have been harmed, whether as medical assistants,
midwives or doctors. Many possess an encyclopedic knowledge of different species'
physiologies so that patients can be properly diagnosed and treated. ==List of droid characters==