If you’re a die-hard Star Wars fan, then you’ve probably also dissected the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailer about a dozen times. We certainly have. There is a lot to dissect. First there is Palpatine’s confirmed return. Then there are questions surrounding Kylo Ren. Is he helping to train Rey? And who, or what, was repairing his mask? We certainly got to see a lot in those two minutes. It’s what we didn’t see, however, that concerns us. Where is R2-D2?
(Somebody is decidedly missing from the photo above.)
The Rise of Skywalker will bring a multi-chapter volume of Star Wars storytelling to a close. As we know, the Skywalker saga will come to a definitive close with Star Wars: Episode IX. We also know that JJ Abrams is seeking to tie the entire saga together with this final, episodic film. Therefore, it stands to reason that the teaser trailer would feature the Lucasfilm franchise’s major characters. For the most part it does. Original trilogy characters Luke (via voice over) and Leia each have their part, as do Chewbacca and C-3PO. So too do the sequel trilogy’s main characters of Rey, Poe, Finn, and Kylo Ren. Conspicuously absent? R2-D2.
Where is R2-D2 in The Rise of Skywalker?
C-3PO and R2-D2 are the very first characters to whom we’re introduced in the entire franchise. Artoo is especially considered one of, if not the most important character in Star Wars. Some even believe the entire saga is told from his perspective. That makes sense. From his time as a mechanic on Queen Amidala’s yacht, through The Clone Wars with Anakin Skywalker, to his time with Luke, R2-D2 has been through and seen it all. He even had perhaps one of the best scenes in all of The Last Jedi, in which he reminded Luke of how a young farm boy got involved in the first place.
Not featuring the sassy astromech droid in the first Episode IX trailer just seems… wrong. I mean, it’s not like R2-D2 won’t be in the film. The droid’s actor, Jimmy Vee, confirmed that not only will Artoo appear in the film, he’d wrapped up all of the droid’s scenes. So where is he and why is he not by Threepio’s side?
Perhaps we’ll learn more when we get the first full-length trailer. Until then, we’ll have to speculate about R2-D2 like everyone else. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens in theaters December 20.
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This seems to be something nobody wants to answer. I read the question all the time on the net, however. There is speculation that George Lucas still maintains some sort of control or is entitled to some monetary cut whenever a character he created makes money. The idea is that Disney only gets a percentage of profit when an R2-D2 toy is sold, but they get all of the cash when a BB-8 toy is sold. Hence, the scaling back of R2. Whether or not any of this is true, who knows? But it’s a good question that needs a definitive answer from the current owners of the franchise.