2-1B surgical droid

The naming convention of the 2-1B-series—characterized by the number two, followed by another number, and then a letter—mirrored that of the 2-0A medical droid that operated during the High Republic Era. Exhibiting a Humanoid form, all droids within the 2-1B series were furnished with expansive, encyclopedic memory storage. These memory banks, in conjunction with their adaptable limbs, ensured the droids could administer optimal medical care across a spectrum of scenarios. Furthermore, these droids possessed stabilizing feet, hydraulic leg mechanisms, vocabulators for communication, transparent hydraulic coverings, and, in some instances, hypodermic injectors.

The 2-1B droids were equipped with exceptional joint flexibility and finely calibrated servogrip pincers. These pincers could be swapped out for various attachments, allowing them to adapt to diverse needs. They could undergo upgrades to specialize in areas such as neurosurgery, the study of alien lifeforms, cybernetic limb replacements, childcare, and foot-related medicine. Although primarily intended for the treatment of humans, their vast databanks enabled them to address the ailments and trauma of countless other species. They frequently collaborated with FX-7 medical droids. Due to their role in patient care, 2-1B droids were fluent in numerous languages.

The 2-1B droids gained popularity as early as the Republic Era. Several 2-1B units were part of Ajax Sigma's army during the High Republic Era. One such droid transitioned into a bartender role at Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina located on Tatooine. Other notable droids were stationed on the Resolute and the Kaliida Shoals Medical Center. The BU-series bartender droid and the DG-1B catering droid shared the same physical design as the 2-1B droid.

The droid known as TB-2, a 2-1B model, was assigned to the G9 Rigger-class light freighter Twilight during the Clone Wars. Initially a hologram, he was ultimately transferred into a physical droid body and stationed on both the Twilight and the Venator-class Star Destroyer Resolute, owing to his demonstrated value.

Other 2-1B droids of note were deployed on planets including Naboo, Alderaan, and Coruscant. On Naboo, a 2-1B droid assisted Senator Padmé Amidala, Gregar Typho, Queen Neeyutnee, Jar Jar Binks, and C-3PO in their attempt to extract information from a tactical droid named TR-350 regarding the droid's presence. Although they were unsuccessful in directly obtaining the information, Jar Jar inadvertently discovered the solution.

A 2-1B droid was present on Alderaan when Senator Amidala traveled there for a meeting about the refugees displaced by the Clone Wars. During her speech, the bounty hunter Aurra Sing attempted to assassinate her. While Padawan Ahsoka Tano intervened to prevent a fatal shot, Sing managed to wound the Naboo senator in the arm, causing her to lose consciousness. The droid provided treatment and reassured Tano that the senator's injury was minor.

A 2-1B droid was stationed within the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. This droid attended to Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi following his faked "assassination" and implemented the facial transformation program to alter his appearance to precisely resemble the bounty hunter Rako Hardeen.

A 2-1B unit was administering care to Grand Minister Stin of Clabron. The Confederacy of Independent Systems dispatched the Separatist assassin Lis Mohles to assassinate him due to his decision to align with the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars. Stin instructed the medical droid to treat Amidala's aide Moteé, who had sustained a shoulder wound.

As the Clone Wars drew to a close, a 2-1B surgical droid was present at the Grand Republic Medical Facility alongside a DD-13 medical assistant droid, FX-6, and another FX-9 surgical assistant. These droids collaborated to reconstruct the body of Darth Vader after his defeat by Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar in 19 BBY. The three droids were subsequently relocated to Fortress Vader on Mustafar.

During the Imperial Era, the Galactic Empire extensively utilized millions of 2-1B droids across its domain. One such unit achieved sentience and became known as 2-1B Delta.

The 2-1B droid designated G2-1B7 served the Partisans during the early rebellion against the Empire. G2-1B7 played a crucial role in sustaining the life of the Partisans' leader, Saw Gerrera, who was in poor health.

Another noteworthy surgical droid was 2-1B. He served the Alliance to Restore the Republic and provided medical assistance to the Alliance Commander Luke Skywalker. The droid treated Skywalker with bacta following an attack by a Wampa. Skywalker later personally requested his services again after losing his hand to Darth Vader. He then joined the crew of the Home One during the Battle of Endor. MHD-19 was another 2-1B model serving the Alliance.

During the New Republic Era, the 2-1B droid 2MED2 served the Resistance during the Cold War. He was assigned to a team of Resistance fighters tasked with transporting the First Order RA-7 protocol droid O-MR1, who was believed to possess information regarding the location of Admiral Gial Ackbar, who had been captured by the First Order. En route back to the Resistance base, the team's ship crashed on an uncharted planet, leaving only 2MED2, O-MR1, the protocol droid C-3PO, the construction droid CO-34, and the two security droids PZ-99 and VL-44 as survivors. The group collaborated to find their way home, but all droids except C-3PO and O-MR1 were destroyed by creatures native to the planet. 2MED2 was destroyed during an attack by a can-cell.

The 2-1B surgical droid made its debut in the 1980 original trilogy film Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, directed by Irvin Kershner. Its identification in canon first occurred in the 2015 reference book Ultimate Star Wars, authored by Ryder Windham, Tricia Barr, Adam Bray, and Daniel Wallace. Within Star Wars Legends, it initially appeared in the novelization of Empire Strikes Back by Donald F. Glut, which was published before the film's release.