# The Great Droid Amnesia & Other Questions SITH Must Answer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2005, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369 "2005-05-18T06:59:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/41 "2005-05-18T18:57:27Z")
Wait a minute. I only saw _AotC_ once, so I’m relying on faulty memory. Shmi Skywalker was purchased by Owen Lars’s father, manumitted, and married _after_ Anakin left Tatooine. Did C3PO stay behind on Tatooine? And stay with Shmi? Who owned C3PO? Anakin or Watto? If Anakin, I could understand him giving the droid to his mum. But if Watto owned it, it’s difficult to picture him giving C3PO, or anything else, away. Unless Lars, _pere_ bought it as a wedding gift for Shmi… Anyway, did Obi-Wan know he was eventually going to age gracefully into wearing that goatee without looking like a doofus? ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/42 "2005-05-18T19:08:45Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Wait a minute. I only saw _AotC_ once, so I’m relying on faulty memory. Shmi Skywalker was purchased by Owen Lars’s father, manumitted, and married _after_ Anakin left Tatooine. Did C3PO stay behind on Tatooine? And stay with Shmi? > > Who owned C3PO? Anakin or Watto? If Anakin, I could understand him giving the droid to his mum. But if Watto owned it, it’s difficult to picture him giving C3PO, or anything else, away. Unless Lars, _pere_ bought it as a wedding gift for Shmi… > > Anyway, did Obi-Wan know he was eventually going to age gracefully into wearing that goatee without looking like a doofus? Ani said he was building the droid for his mom. Apparently Watto let Ani & Shmi keep the droid. He was a gambling fool who sold high and took advantage of well-to-do off-worlders who were stranded in Mos Bumfuck, but apparently he had a soft spot for the kid & his mom. Another question: Shmi’s last name was Skywalker in episode I. Wasn’t it also Lars’ last name? That leads me to believe that it was a common name, at least on Tatooine. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/43 "2005-05-18T19:12:36Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > Another question: Shmi’s last name was Skywalker in episode I. Wasn’t it also Lars’ last name? That leads me to believe that it was a common name, at least on Tatooine. No, Lars _is_ the last name. Shmi married Clieg Lars, and Luke was raised by Owen and Beru Lars. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/44 "2005-05-18T19:15:41Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > > [@Hampshire](#): > > > > But [Yoda] looked pretty angry, hateful, and aggressive when he fought Dooku. > > I sure didn’t think so. He looked very calm and focused to me. I thought he looked like a frog on amphetamenes. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/45 "2005-05-18T19:20:14Z")
[QUOTE=BMax Another question: Shmi’s last name was Skywalker in episode I. Wasn’t it also Lars’ last name? That leads me to believe that it was a common name, at least on Tatooine.[/QUOTE] No, his last name is Beru. I feel that the Beru’s lack of knowledge of C3PO can ber attriputed to most people seeing droids as things, not people. So when hwe say C3PO at the Jawa’s, his reACtions would be more liike, “Hey, I had one of these ones, was pretty good. I guess I’ll get another” As oppossed to, “Wow! The exact same droid!” I think that C3PO got a memory wipe, but not R2…maybe he jsut has an accident where some of his memories get erased/messed up, thereby he thinks he was owned by Obi Won. Also, didn’t C3PO mention sometihng at the beginning of Ep. IV about R2 acting all important because he served on the Queen’s sail abrge? Or am I remembering things that weren’t there? ---
**Author:** ![AdmiralCrunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@AdmiralCrunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdmiralCrunch)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/46 "2005-05-18T19:22:44Z")
I don’t think Skywalker is a common name at all. Yoda’s dying words are: “There is another Skywalker.” The Emperor says, “The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi.” I think it’s pretty clear that the name is distinctive. Interesting note: In an earlier version of the script, it was Luke Starkiller. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/47 "2005-05-18T19:23:49Z")
> [@Monstre](#): > > I thought he looked like a frog on amphetamenes. Besides that. 😃 > [@bouv](#): > > I think that C3PO got a memory wipe, but not R2…maybe he just has an accident where some of his memories get erased/messed up, thereby he thinks he was owned by Obi Won. I don’t think R2 got his memories erased. No backup for that, just a hunch. C3PO is such a bumbling fool that even if he hadn’t gotten a memory wipe he probably wouldn’t’ve even remembered being on Tattooine before. He forgot he had a comlink in his hand, fer cryin’ out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/48 "2005-05-18T19:24:23Z")
> [@Monstre](#): > > I thought he looked like a frog on amphetamenes. But a really, really cool frog. Hi, **Monstre**! How ya been? Long time no see! ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/49 "2005-05-18T19:31:40Z")
Yoda hobbling away on his cane after the saber duel was such a nice touch it _almost_ atoned for C3P0’s “this is such a drag” line (but not quite- that was the ultimate _Star Wars_ groan moment. BTW, Lucas is making a cameo in this film during a crowd scene (as are his daughters). I don’t know if there’ll be a close-up or not. I hope James Earl has more than a single sentence. I was amazed when I saw _Shattered Glass_ and, while Hayden didn’t deserve an Oscar or anything, he wasn’t half-bad. _Clones_ is easily in the top 5 worst performances in a movie with a budget of the century. I wonder if that was him, the direction, the dialogue or what exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/50 "2005-05-18T19:41:13Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I was amazed when I saw _Shattered Glass_ and, while Hayden didn’t deserve an Oscar or anything, he wasn’t half-bad. _Clones_ is easily in the top 5 worst performances in a movie with a budget of the century. I wonder if that was him, the direction, the dialogue or what exactly. See _Life as a House_. Depressing as hell, but it’ll restore your faith in him. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@The\_Hook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hook)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/51 "2005-05-18T19:41:18Z")
> [@Tarrsk](#): > > […] I can’t imagine Owen not at least doing a double-take at hearing that familiar designation (“I am See-Threepio, human-cyborg relations”) come out of another protocol unit. He says that to Luke, not Owen. Owen asks him if he’s a protocol droid, that he doesn’t need a protocol droid, and that what he needs is a droid who can speak “bosche” (?). “It’s like a second language to me”. So he’s in. What I do find fishy is that, even though 3PO got a memory makeover, he remembers his primary function as handling vaporators, “much like yours”. Hmm… > [@Sean Factotum](#): > > Maybe because Anakin knew that Padme was preggers, but didn’t know they were going to be twins. Perhaps nobody has sit down with Anakin and explained to him the world of the birds and the bees. After all, he was born without a dad involved. To Anakin, it would be normal for Padme to just show up with a newborn and not even know it’s his. “You too, huh? Those rascall midichlorians! I will kill them all! Even the children! I hate them!” and then he gets zapped by the 20.000 critters in him. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/52 "2005-05-18T19:41:46Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > I don’t think R2 got his memories erased. No backup for that, just a hunch. C3PO is such a bumbling fool that even if he hadn’t gotten a memory wipe he probably wouldn’t’ve even remembered being on Tattooine before. He forgot he had a comlink in his hand, fer cryin’ out loud. He didn’t forget he had it in his hand; he turned it off. Pretty dumb thing to do, actually. But then, so was not having it installed directly into his I/O sectors. ---
**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/53 "2005-05-18T19:42:52Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > …_Clones_ is easily in the top 5 worst performances in a movie with a budget of the century. I wonder if that was him, the direction, the dialogue or what exactly. It’s well known that Lucas can’t: 1. Direct actors, or, 2. Write dialog worth a damn, leaving the entire responsibility for a good acting performance on the shoulders of the actor. Which still, however, leaves me scratching my head over Episodes I and II. If we assume for the moment that Lucas is paying absolutely no attention to the “acting” in the scene, and is only concerned about pacing and blocking and things like that, it still means that Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman read their lines in a monotone more often than not. I just can’t believe there wasn’t some way to put a little more life into those performances, bad dialog and all. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/54 "2005-05-18T19:46:09Z")
I also believe that R2 D2 had complete memory with no wipes. It just seems to make sense in a gut feeling way to me. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/55 "2005-05-18T20:06:36Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > He didn’t forget he had it in his hand; he turned it off. Pretty dumb thing to do, actually. But then, so was not having it installed directly into his I/O sectors. Yes, here’s something that drives me crazy: robots & automation. When there are nothing but robots onscreen, why do they need to talk to each other? Shouldn’t they be able to communicate through, I dunno, radio waves or something? Electronic communication??? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/56 "2005-05-18T20:17:53Z")
Artoo has an intact memory. But unlike Threepio, he has enough sense to know when to keep his piezoelectric buzzer shut. I mean, Artoo is always the one who knows what he’s doing. And Threepio says that his first job was with power loaders or somesuch, “very similar to your moisture vaporators”. But his actual first job would have been something more like a maid: Anakin wanted to make a droid to help his mom out with the housework. Presumably, he would have kept on in this capacity after Lars married Shmi. This is one more piece of evidence for a memory wipe: Presumably, the power loaders was Threepio’s first job after the wipe. But this also makes it a bit more puzzling that Owen doesn’t recognize Threepio. Yeah, he had plenty of droids (we see at least half a dozen in the background, working), but most of them would be out in the fields, and only come back to the house when they needed maintenance. Threepio, though, would have been working closely with the humans, in the house. And he probably had sentimental value to Shmi, which would probably translate to sentimental value to the rest of the family after she died. I can see Owen forgetting about Harvest Droid #47, but it’s a bit tougher to forget Mom’s Favorite Droid who Helped Out with the Chores. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/57 "2005-05-18T20:25:58Z")
> [@The Hook](#): > > He says that to Luke, not Owen. Owen asks him if he’s a protocol droid, that he doesn’t need a protocol droid, and that what he needs is a droid who can speak “bosche” (?). “Bocce.” \ > [@The Hook](#): > > What I do find fishy is that, even though 3PO got a memory makeover, he remembers his primary function as handling vaporators, “much like yours”. Hmm… Nah, 3PO was saying any darn thing he had to say in order to close the sale. If Uncle Owen had said he needed a self-propelled MP3 player, C-3PO would have immediately claimed compatability with WMA, AAC, MP3, Real, Sirius Satellite, and also admitted that he had an iPod connector in his shiny metal ass. 😃 > [@carlb](#): > > If we assume for the moment that Lucas is paying absolutely no attention to the “acting” in the scene, and is only concerned about pacing and blocking and things like that, it still means that Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman read their lines in a monotone more often than not. Reportedly, the only direction Lucas gives his actors is “Faster, faster.” > [@MikeG](#): > > I also believe that R2 D2 had complete memory with no wipes. It just seems to make sense in a gut feeling way to me. Sure, because it means he’s the only character in the entire hexilogy who knows exactly _what the hell_ is going on. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/58 "2005-05-18T20:37:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And Threepio says that his first job was with power loaders or somesuch, “very similar to your moisture vaporators”. Binary load-lifters. \ ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/59 "2005-05-18T20:39:24Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Sure, because it means he’s the only character in the entire hexilogy who knows exactly _what the hell_ is going on. 😉 And there has to be some character that fulfills that function…R2 just knows when to shut up. ---
**Author:** ![Aguecheek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Aguecheek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aguecheek)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369/60 "2005-05-18T20:42:15Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Reportedly, the only direction Lucas gives his actors is “Faster, faster.” “Faster, more intense.” \ 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-droid-amnesia-other-questions-sith-must-answer/304369.md?page=4)