R2-D2 and C-3PO have been household names since the robotic duo embarked on a galaxy-saving mission with Luke Skywalker and the rest of the Millennium Falcon crew. Although Star Wars features many lovable human and alien characters, these two droids have been fan favorites due to their sassy friendship along with their dependable nature. With a protocol droid capable of over six million forms of communication and a surprisingly clever and scrappy astromech droid, no challenge was too great for the heroes in the Star Wars saga.
Some spoilers for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order ahead.
Droids fulfill a variety of roles in the Star Wars galaxy and possess varying skill sets and degrees of intelligence. From single-minded battle droids with only the most basic programming to highly advanced espionage and assassin droids capable of independent reasoning and improvisation, droids are ubiquitous and an important part of society in Star Wars. Notable, without regular memory wipes, many droids develop unique personalities and attachments, becoming true friends to their allies. While some droids are more useful in a fight than others, droids in Star Wars games tend to be trusty companions that help advance the plot in unusual ways, and these are the best ones introduced in video games.
PROXY From Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Can Be Anyone
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed tells the tale of Starkiller, Darth Vader's secret apprentice who is being trained to eventually help Vader betray and overthrow Emperor Palpatine. To ensure that he's up to the challenge, Starkiller's mission is to hone his skills by defeating Jedi who survived the purge after the Clone Wars. To assist in his training and preparation for the difficult road ahead, Starkiller is accompanied by the lethal experimental holo-droid, PROXY, along with ace Imperial pilot Juno Eclipse. PROXY and Juno Eclipse both play important roles in The Force Unleashed and its sequel, being the only true friends that Starkiller would ever know.
PROXY is one of Starkiller's most trusted companions, despite ironically being programmed to kill Starkiller as a means of keeping him on his toes. PROXY is a valuable asset to Starkiller, with the ability to take on the likeness of countless individuals and mimic their personalities and even fighting styles. One of PROXY's first actions in the game is to ambush Starkiller while disguised as Obi-Wan Kenobi, though he was quickly defeated by Starkiller. PROXY has access to the appearances and psychological profiles of many people, assisting Starkiller in identifying his targets or acting as a proxy for Vader's communications by taking on the appearance of the Dark Lord. After Starkiller's death, PROXY would continue to serve alongside Captain Juno Eclipse for the Rebellion before encountering Starkiller's clone in The Force Unleashed 2. Despite his prime directive of killing Starkiller, PROXY is highly loyal and fond of his master and expresses positive surprise at discovering Starkiller alive and well.
T3-M4 and HK-47 from Knights of the Old Republic Are an Invaluable Pair
The Knights of the Old Republic series of RPGs is beloved by fans for its terrific cast of characters which includes two very different droid companions. T3-M4 is an astromech droid who functions similarly to R2-D2, maintaining the Ebon Hawk and assisting with mechanical and electronics-related problems faced by the crew over the course of both games. T3-M4 is critical to the team's success in multiple situations, from escaping Taris amidst Darth Malak's bombardment of the planet to repairing the Ebon Hawk and saving the Jedi Exile and Kreia in Knights of the Old Republic 2. As a party member, T3-M4's large amount of skill points enables him to unlock doors, hack computers, and repair mechanical objects with unparalleled efficiency. He's also very effective in combat against other droids thanks to his shock arm attachment.
HK-47 is another droid companion present in Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2. As a ruthless assassin droid, HK-47 has the personality of a murderous spree killer, always seeking opportunities to put his highly advanced combat protocols to use. HK-47 contemptuously refers to organics as "meatbags," revels in destruction and mayhem, and takes pride in his killer capabilities. Despite all this, HK-47 is a loyal companion in both games, mostly out of respect for the combat prowess of both Revan and the Jedi Exile. He is a fan favorite due to the many hilarious interactions he has with party members and the unfortunate victims he comes across throughout the games. HK-47 would eventually be featured in both Star Wars MMOs, Star Wars Galaxies, and Star Wars: The Old Republic. This makes HK-47 one of the most long-lived and prolific characters in Star Wars Legends, spanning 4,000 years and 4 games.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order's BD-1 Is as Adorable as He Is Useful
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is the story of Cal Kestis, one of the few Jedi Knights who survived the Empire's purge. Cal is eventually discovered by the Empire's Jedi-hunting Inquisitorius and embarks on a mission to find a hidden Jedi Holocron containing the identities of force-sensitive children before the Empire gets its hands on it. Accompanying Cal is ex-Jedi Master Cere Junda, the pilot of the Mantis, Greeze Dritus, and the lovable little explorer droid, BD-1. Left behind by Jedi Master Eno Cordova to guide a future Jedi to the holocron, BD-1 would gradually reveal more recordings from Master Cordova as the droid's trust in Cal Kestis grew.
As an exploration droid, BD-1's specialty is assisting with investigating and exploring new planets. BD-1 possesses a variety of skills and tools, such as a healing stim dispenser, spotlight, and a holoprojector that can display detailed mapping information or playback holorecordings. BD-1's exploration programming causes the droid to enthusiastically scan new environments or unfamiliar objects, often to the annoyance of people like Greez Dritus who are just trying to enjoy their lunch in peace. Upgrading BD-1's capabilities is a major part of the game, with the droid eventually allowing for zipline travel, hacking enemy droids, and overcharging electrical systems. BD-1's small stature and emotional expressiveness have endeared the droid to many fans, which has led to BD-1 thankfully securing a spot in the upcoming sequel, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor.