Why R2-D2's Third Leg Made The Star Wars Character A Lot More Complicated
Every movie is a miracle, and few movies are as seminal but also as well-documented almost-disasters as the original "Star Wars" trilogy. From actors almost quitting, to inventing visual effects and barely delivering on time, and much more as the trilogy went on, it's shocking that "Star Wars" has become the cultural juggernaut that it has.
Thankfully, the movies were released, and they became a huge turning point in American blockbuster cinema. Part of why "Star Wars" works as a franchise is that it features a fully fleshed-out world. The galaxy far, far away is one with vast, unique, and lived-in worlds with their own cultures, their looks, and ecosystems. There are countless creatures with intricate designs that make this feel like a real world filled with real people. Part of why this worked so well is that George Lucas was intentionally vague when it came to the look of the world, allowing the crew to bring in their own ideas.
Take R2-D2 (or "Little Arthur" if you are Diego Luna or speak Spanish). He is more than a robot mascot for the franchise. R2-D2 is really the perfect character. His design is straightforward, yet instantly memorable, and rich with details that inform the technology and the larger world of the franchise. His characterization is also rather simple, given he doesn't have dialogue, but he is still rather fleshed out — it helps when you realize that R2 canonically has a sailor's mouth. There's a reason why R2 (together with C-3PO) are the only characters to appear in every single "Star Wars" movie.
And yet, as simple as R2's look may be, it caused a lot of problems behind the scenes.
R2-D2's third leg caused plenty of problems
In an interview with Star Wars Universe, robot designer Tony Dyson (who created the R2-D2 units for "The Empire Strikes Back") talked about the biggest challenge when working with R2 — the robot's third leg.
"The overall design of R2 tends to be a little unstable, due to the fact that the legs are connected to the highest part of the body," Dyson said. "Therefore, when the third leg extends, the whole unit has to be restrained from moving forward." Dyson explained that the third leg is pushed down by electronic activators and that the foot has a drive wheel that moves the leg forward when in contact with the ground, which in turn twists the body until it reaches its stopping point. "When it locks off, this forms a tripod configuration and should also allow the droid to drive on rough ground and even mount stairs," he said. "That's the theory anyway."
R2 was not the only droid that caused problems for its designers, or its actors. Just like Kenny Baker had a very uncomfortable time in his two roles in the "Star Wars" movies, "The Empire Strikes Back" caused Anthony Daniels plenty of discomfort while playing C-3PO. During the scene in the Millennium Falcon where C-3PO was still being put back together, Daniels had to stand on one leg while wearing the full suit.