Could a Droid be the hero? (Star Wars)

[Atary77]

With all the talk about a new Star Wars film I couldn't help but think of what I'd like to see done and the potential stories that could be made. I know there's a ton of content that could be used from novels and comics and the like but I'm only familiar with the movies.

One of my favorite things about Star Wars and sci-fi in general has always been robots. Don't know why but robot characters have always been so awesome to me. In Star Wars when it comes to droids R2-D2 and C-3P0 come to mind right away. I've always loved these two as they have always been my favorite characters in the films. With a new movie being made though I do wonder about the possibilities of what kind of large scale conflict could drive another trilogy? What kind of hero other could we have? But here are the questions that I have for you fine folks.

1. Could a droid serve as the main hero?

2. Do you think they could explore the idea of the possibility of a droid having a soul? Maybe explore what rights does a droid have in the Star Wars universe?

3. What if there could be a possibility just maybe, that a droid could use the force?

Me personally I think these would be awesome ideas! Of course this is just my opinion and you're all welcome to disagree with me as I know this all may sound really silly to many folks but hear me out. What if there could be some heroic droid that was more than just a machine, but was actually alive and even more so, could use the force? Cause in my mind, if a droid could be a force user, that would blow Midi-chlorians out of the equation and in a good way if you ask me.

But I digress, what do you folks think?

 

[Basement Cat]

Some people would argue that R2-D2 is perhaps the penultimate hero of the six movies.

With modern CGI I can see them developing a Droid Hero, but with the midichlorian bit in the official cannon I doubt they'd try to give it Force Powers because fanboys (and even people off the street) would roll their eyes at such a contrived plot hole.

 

[twistedmic]

2. Do you think they could explore the idea of the possibility of a droid having a soul? Maybe explore what rights does a droid have in the Star Wars universe?

I don't see Star Wars, regardless of who is at the helm, ever tackling the whole 'Can I robot/droid/synth/etc. have a soul' angle. It's just too philosophical a question for the type of movie that Star Wars is. The same goes for what rights do droids have, if any, idea. It just wouldn't fit in the Star Wars genre.

3. What if there could be a possibility just maybe, that a droid could use the force?

While potentially interesting, a Force wielding droid would tie in too closely to the 'do droids have souls' thing to work in one of the movies. It might work in a comic book/graphic novel or in a novel though.

 

[Gatx]

Some people would argue that R2-D2 is perhaps the penultimate hero of the six movies.

With modern CGI I can see them developing a Droid Hero, but with the midichlorian bit in the official cannon I doubt they'd try to give it Force Powers because fanboys (and even people off the street) would roll their eyes at such a contrived plot hole.

Supposedly one of the ideas Lucas had for Star Wars was that ultimately all the movies were R2-D2 telling a story to this all powerful alien race some time in the far future.

And a droid wouldn't necessarily have "Force" powers. You have various droids that are powerful enough to fight on par with Jedi, and Proxy from the Force Unleashed, using various tools and mechanical functions, is able to mimic Jedi powers to a degree.

 

[Atary77]

I kinda discussed some of these things with a few friends of mine I know locally, and from what I gathered, yeah idea 2 and 3 sound kinda silly and in retrospect may very well go against what Star Wars means and the idea behind the universe and fiction. So yeah those ideas were pretty much me snowballing and in retrospect, not very great.

I still like my first idea though of just having a droid be the main hero. Yeah it may just be my droid loving fan-boyism talking here but I think it'd be an original idea. I know some would complain about not being able to relate to a character that's not human or even alive for that matter. But I still think a droid could be a relatable character if you put it in the right situation and tell a good story. And even if we don't relate it could still be a likable character.

Also I want to point out that I use the word "it" simply because the idea of droids not having gender or to just assume that it would be a droid with male characteristics. What about one that would have female characteristics? Yes droids don't have gender but we still identify them as such. We all refer to C-3P0 as "he" and the same with R2-D2 (course I've had some friends refer to R2 as a "she" but let's not get into that. I'd rather not argue).

 

[Hero in a half shell]

With modern CGI I can see them developing a Droid Hero, but with the midichlorian bit in the official cannon I doubt they'd try to give it Force Powers because fanboys (and even people off the street) would roll their eyes at such a contrived plot hole.

While potentially interesting, a Force wielding droid would tie in too closely to the 'do droids have souls' thing to work in one of the movies. It might work in a comic book/graphic novel or in a novel though.

But there are already jedi droids: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Iron_Knight

I don't really know if a droid would work, but what I do know I want to see is something different!

New central species, instead of a galaxy apparently filled with 5 different sentient powerful races all of which look like humans in makeup.
New force powers, because Jedi aren't electric pokemon.
New fantasy locations, not just Volcano planet/ice planet/forest planet, something we haven't seen before

(Why was this awesomely unique planet given 6 seconds of screentime compared to the rest of the prequels happening on a desert, a sea and regular earth type planets?!?)

Spoiler

New ships and technology styles, not just more star destroyers and clone trooper armour.

It's supposed to be a huge galaxy filled with competing races, trading and fighting each other, forming alliances, helping each other out, combating the great unknown in a universe of endless possibilities.

I had to roll my eyes at the content in The Old Republic MMO. A universe of possibilities and they returned to exactly the same already established technology, the same already established aesthetics, the same already established plot, right down to including an Emperor of the Sith!

I don't want them to throw all the already established stuff out and have it all completely different, I just don't want to spend another film watching the same people wander about the same planets annoyed because the same bad people are trying to do the same bad thing they've attempted in every Star Wars story since A Long Time Ago.

 

[Valis7]

I honestly don't think it fits Star Wars very well, the whole robots, android & cyborgs with a soul angle is more into Blade Runner / Star Trek territory. As twisted mentioned earlier - it's too philosophical for the light vs dark mantra of Star Wars imo.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Not really since as far as I seen and read in the Star Wars universe, droids are not sentient as human per say. The ones I always seen are either to served or program to do something. Granted a bounty hunter droid (IG-88) is different but do they socialize with others when there is no hunt?
If they want to establish that angle then I guess it would be post 4-6 era (I did read that R2-D2 and C3PO somehow started a driod rebellion in one of the book bu I don't know if that is canon).

 

[Occams_Razor]

I can't see a droid taking the place of the main character, simply because its a lot harder for an audience to connect with a non-humanoid character. The reason that C3PO and R2-D2 worked so well in the originals is that you had the main cast doing all the relate-to-the-audience, character arc, plot device type of thing, and you had the droids on the outside being able to make their observations with a fairly unwavering sense of character.

Also, Episode I has basically established that droids can't use the force, because of the whole (gag) mediclorian stuff. The micro organisms that live in your cells that can give you your connection to the force.....so ya, a droid with no cells = no mediclorians = no connection to the force.

Unless they retcon or simply ignore half the stuff stated in the prequels. I'd be cool with that too.

 

[Heronblade]

Also, Episode I has basically established that droids can't use the force, because of the whole (gag) mediclorian stuff. The micro organisms that live in your cells that can give you your connection to the force.....so ya, a droid with no cells = no mediclorians = no connection to the force.

Unless they retcon or simply ignore half the stuff stated in the prequels. I'd be cool with that too.

Droids being dead to the force was established in the lore long before Lucas introduced midichlorians. They can't even be directly sensed in that way.

 

[silver wolf009]

Silly person, a droid has already been the hero in Star Wars media.

[HEADING=1]

HK-47!​

[/HEADING]

Best character in the history of ever.

In all seriousness though, I could see a droid being pulled off as a protagonist. To call upon another Old Republic machine, the Sith Assassain Droid from the tomb on Korriban is an example of a good character, and could be the basis for a story.

As for the soul thing, maybe if they wanted to fudge it. I mean, my way of rationalizing an inanimate object having a soul is by defining a soul as some sort of psychic imprint left on creation by a conscious' presence.

But no droid could have the force. It flows through all living things, keyword being living. Droids are not living, they're machines.

 

[Jaeke]

Spoiler: *COUGH* AGH *COUGH*

Bah, you know what I mean.

Well, Star Wars seems to be "If the force don't touch it, it ain't worth seeing" kind of view on all their heroes.

Not that I'm going to care about... ugh... Ep. VII (Man it's so hard to even type that.)

 

[launchpadmcqwak]

I'm not sure if Disney will make a film about an emotionless droid that will easily fall when Yoda looks at it funny...
Unless we add a droid princes...

That uhh...that wouldn't be fun i don't think...

 

[launchpadmcqwak]

I'm not sure if Disney will make a film about an emotionless droid that will easily fall when Yoda looks at it funny...
Unless we add a droid princes...

That uhh...that wouldn't be fun i don't think...

woops wrong post, i was quoting the guy who made the thread...

 

[janjotat]

No I don't think they would use a droid as a protagonist because the media viewers would not be able to connect to it.

OH and some specially designed droids can be made to use the force in the expanded universe. If any one cares enough I could tell them the back story and such.

 

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

Unlikely, a droid protagonist will be always less-relatable than a human character, just the way audiences are. You could certainly expect a new droid sidekick, although the lazy way I'm expecting would be to just use 3PO and R2 again, the only characters that could survive across any number of years due to not being organic.

There was one comic book story I liked from a while back where Guri, a female assassin droid in synthetic human skin, tries to undo her programming to be free. Replica droid characters in movies can be interesting, like the one in the Alien movies or Data in Star Trek or even the Terminator.