4-A7

Biography

Assault on Teth

4-A7, a RA-7 protocol droid and prototype spy droid, was created early in the Clone Wars in 22 BBY by Confederacy of Independent Systems supporters within Arakyd Industries, a company secretly aiding the Confederacy. The Clone Wars marked a significant galactic conflict between the Confederacy and the Galactic Republic. During that year, as part of a scheme to persuade the Hutt Clan to join the Confederacy, giving the Separatists exclusive access to the Hutts strategic hyperlanes and area of space, 4-A7 was gifted to the Separatist Head of State, Count Dooku. Dooku, with the intention of the droid assisting in the operation, then passed 4-A7 on to his personal assassin and apprentice, the Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress, who had also abducted Rotta, the son of the Hutt crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure.

Ventress journeyed to the Wild Space planet Teth and promptly brought the kidnapped Huttlet to a deserted B'omarr Order Monastery previously used by Ziro Desilijic Tiure's criminal faction, with whom Dooku had collaborated to plan Rotta's abduction. With Confederate forces occupying the monastery, Ventress also brought 4-A7 to the monastery, where he remained stationed alongside a contingent of battle droids. A platoon of battle droids was assigned to guard the spy droid, but 4-A7 proved to be significantly more capable than his security detail. As the Separatists had anticipated, the Republic eventually discovered Rotta's location, leading to the Battle of Teth. In an attempt to rescue the infant and secure their own alliance with the Hutts, the Republic's Torrent Company launched an assault on the Separatist base, rapidly overcoming the droids' initial defenses. However, this assault was part of the Confederate strategy; with the battle droids having fulfilled their purpose, Ventress, standing alongside 4-A7 on a balcony overlooking the battlefield, directed the spy droid to engage with the Republic forces.

To deceive their opponents and create a false sense of security, 4-A7 was instructed to gain the trust of the Republic forces, particularly the Jedi, before Ventress allowed them to proceed further into the monastery. Assuming the guise of the monastery's former caretaker droid and guardian, he approached the Republic forces, announcing his presence with a loud noise, and greeted their Jedi General, Anakin Skywalker, claiming that the Republic had freed him from the Droid Army and informing them that Rotta was located in the monastery's dungeons. After warning the Jedi Knight about the dangers of the prison level, 4-A7 pretended to mistake Skywalker's Padawan, Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano, for a servant girl and suggested she should not go down; she responded by activating her lightsaber—which startled 4-A7—and stating she was a Jedi. As their presence at the monastery carried on, the clones and even the two Jedi largely ignored 4-A7 and remained unaware of his status as a secret agent.

Recording the Jedi

Beyond creating a false sense of security for the Republic, 4-A7's crucial role in the Separatist strategy was to frame the Jedi Order for Rotta's kidnapping and imply their intention to harm him. As the Republic forces paid little attention to the droid, 4-A7 returned to Ventress and concealed himself from their enemies on a balcony. Upon Ventress's command, the droid secretly began recording Skywalker and Tano after they rescued Rotta from the dungeons. As the two Jedi struggled to put the uncooperative and screaming infant into a backpack, 4-A7 recorded their actions and conversation, specifically extracting several sentences from Skywalker. Due to his past as a slave to crime lady Gardulla the Hutt, Skywalker expressed considerable anger towards Rotta and Hutts in general.

While extracting Skywalker's sentences, 4-A7 also employed editing software to fabricate the impression that the Jedi were responsible for the kidnapping. He created entirely fabricated images of the Jedi and ultimately ensured his doctored footage showed the Jedi apparently planning to murder the Huttlet. He then stood by Ventress when she spoke with Dooku via hologram and sent the count the recording, which had also been further edited by her and 4-A7 into a montage that made it seem like Rotta was being abused. On the Outer Rim desert world Tatooine, Dooku presented the footage to Jabba and used it to claim the Jedi were the ones behind the kidnapping of Rotta, earning the desired effect as Jabba quickly became angry. Due to their confidence in 4-A7's abilities, Ventress and Dooku knew the droid's recording was ready to be shown to Jabba without even double-checking it.

Fortunes change

Another detachment of the Droid Army arrived at the monastery, aiming to recapture Rotta under the pretense of rescuing him, triggering another conflict with the Republic. Having completed his mission, 4-A7 was then instructed to prepare an old G9 Rigger-class light freighter—a starship known as the Twilight owned by Ziro the Hutt—for departure from a landing pad on a building across from the monastery. Accompanied to the docked ship by an escort of three B1 battle droids from his platoon, the droids began to load the craft and prepare to depart. However, Skywalker, Tano, Rotta, and Skywalker's astromech droid R2-D2 escaped from battle after spotting the Twilight, which they assumed to be abandoned. Just as the B1s were finishing loading everything they needed before takeoff, the two Jedi arrived on the landing pad atop a can-cell.

As 4-A7 walked beside the light freighter and inspected a box, Tano spotted the protocol droid, claiming to have wondered what happened to him but continuing to assume he was a caretaker droid. Although 4-A7 had been surprised to hear her voice again, he initially tried to continue his caretaker act, but Tano discovered the spy's true loyalties when the three battle droids entered her gaze, one of which reported that everything was aboard and that they could leave. In an attempt to stop Rotta's rescue, 4-A7 ordered the combat droids to shoot Tano and then tried to flee up the ship's ramp. However, the three B1s were quickly destroyed by the Padawan, who glowered at the droid as she pointed her lightsaber directly at him. Despite 4-A7 demanding that she not destroy him, Tano quickly decapitated the protocol unit. Repeating his last words, 4-A7's head fell down the ship's ramp and landed in front of Skywalker. Tano, Skywalker, R2, and Rotta then boarded the freighter, with the astromech knocking 4-A7's head out of his way, causing it to utter a final groan.

Legacy

Although 4-A7 had been very successful in carrying out his part of Dooku's plot, the Republic ultimately won the battle for the Hutts' loyalties; flying the Twilight off the platform and eventually to Tatooine, Skywalker and Tano returned Rotta to his father, and after learning the Jedi were not behind the kidnapping, Jabba allowed the Republic to travel through his territories. 4-A7's remains were collected and transported back to the Jedi Temple on the city planet Coruscant in the Core Worlds to be analyzed, securing the Republic with intelligence that helped it establish the finalized treaty with the Hutt Clan. The analysis also gave the Jedi new information about other Confederate plots.

Nonetheless, due to his successes in his mission on Teth, 4-A7 was remembered as an early success of the RA-7 line, although the droid model never succeeded in making a headway in the protocol droid market. Despite that, Arakyd Industries later managed to secure a close business relationship with the Galactic Empire, the successor state of both the Republic and the Confederacy at the end of the Clone Wars. Likely inspired by 4-A7's effectiveness during the Battle of Teth, the Empire purchased large quantities of RA-7 units to spy on its own personnel.

Characteristics

RA-7 traits

4-A7, a protocol droid from the RA-7 series with masculine programming from the early Clone Wars, stood at a height of 1.7 meters and featured a gray body with the plating design of a 3PO-series protocol unit. Although he was loyal to the Separatists, 4-A7's appearance did not immediately reveal his allegiance, leading Tano to question whether he was a foe or an ally upon their initial encounter. Upon discovering his true loyalties, she disparagingly compared the droid's plating to tin. Thanks to his stealth, intelligence, and ability to operate independently, 4-A7 proved to be an exceptional spy, significantly outperforming the battle droids assigned to escort him. Having grown to dislike working with the Confederacy's droid forces, Ventress found 4-A7 to be different; she could be certain the droid was capable of carrying out missions in a reliable manner, which quickly earned him her trust.

Equipped with specialized components and programming, 4-A7 was programmed for espionage but retained the RA-7's distinctive, albeit ominous, insectoid head, which housed a vocabulator containing a sounding box. Consequently, he was capable of speaking in various dialects and languages, despite the cheap components of his vocabulator. Furthermore, possessing large broadband photoreceptors, he could see across a broad spectrum and operate in near-total darkness. These photoreceptors were among 4-A7's more impressive components. Additionally, 4-A7 was equipped with a holographic recording camera known as a holocamera, which was integrated into his head. 4-A7's large photoreceptors hid the camera and a narrowband communication system for encrypted transmissions. The suite of editing functions included in 4-A7's software gave the droid the ability to manipulate recorded footage whenever he wished to doctor a recording for his masters.

Personality

4-A7 was a basic yet effective droid who was a loyal servant of the Separatist Alliance, following Ventress's orders and readily deceiving his enemies by posing as an innocent and humble caretaker droid. Speaking in a low voice, he criticized the Confederate battle droids as dreadful and expressed his gratitude for being freed. Attempting to appear as a droid willing to reveal the Huttlet's location, 4-A7 showed respect toward Skywalker, addressing him as mighty and a friend. When the Jedi Knight inquired about Rotta's whereabouts, RA-7 was willing to answer and even cautioned him about the dangers of the dungeons. 4-A7 also pretended to mistake Tano for a servant girl and, after she ignited her lightsaber, offered a thousand apologies.

Having information that could incriminate the Republic in Rotta's kidnapping was a vital part of the Separatist plan on Teth, with Dooku even stopping Ventress from killing Skywalker and Tano, as he still needed the data. 4-A7 fulfilled that part of the plan by recording the Jedi with his built-in holocam and using his suite of editing software. He was later surprised to hear Tano's voice again and, after calling her "young one" and correcting himself, attempted to keep up his caretaker masquerade. After his true loyalty was revealed, Tano accused him of treason, but 4-A7 raised his voice and showcased that he was willing to kill his enemies as he told the B1 battle droids to open fire. His show of force was short-lived, however, as he then attempted to flee before being confronted by Tano. He showed defiance in his last moments, ordering Tano to not kill him, which his severed head repeatedly uttered as it fell.

Behind the scenes

Development

4-A7 made his debut in the new Star Wars canon with a small part in the 2008 animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which premiered on August 15, 2008. Before the movie's release, the droid was featured in its second theatrical trailer, also known as the "dark trailer." James Arnold Taylor, who also provided the voice for Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi in both the film and the television series, voiced the character. The droid's designation was revealed in the film's closing credits. In the Star Wars Legends continuity, however, the character was identified as 4A-7. Prior to the film's release, 4A-7 saw his first appearance through its novelization and its junior novelization, which were both released on July 26, 2008.

In the DVD commentary for the film, Jason Tucker, the editor, remembered that completing the scene where 4-A7 records Rotta was challenging. This was due to numerous crew members offering suggestions on how to stage it. As a result, Dave Filoni, the Director, mentioned that the original plan was for 4-A7 to be concealed behind pillars. When George Lucas, executive producer and the creator of Star Wars, expressed his desire for Ventress and 4-A7 to be situated on a balcony, the team was required to create a balcony design for that specific scene. Filoni later noted that 4-A7's death scene was a later addition because they felt it was a shame that his ultimate fate was not shown. He characterized the protocol droid's demeanor in the scene as somewhat sarcastic. Catherine Winder, the Producer, revealed that Ahsoka Tano's final line to 4-A7, "Why, you tin-plated traitor!," was considered an "Ahsoka-ism." These "Ahsoka-isms" were encouraged by Lucas and involved Tano using what Winder described as "pretty funny nicknames" against her adversaries, even during serious battles and moments of sincerity. Winder clarified that Tano invented these nicknames herself.

The animation models employed for the RA-7 series in different episodes of The Clone Wars bear a strong resemblance to 4-A7's model. Specifically, the color scheme of a model featured in the Season One episode "Downfall of a Droid" and another model seen later in the Season Three episode "Evil Plans" closely matches that of 4-A7. For the Season Five episode "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much," the animation model for 4-A7 was updated to more accurately reflect the RA-7 units that appeared in the original Star Wars film, Episode IV A New Hope, from 1977. This revised model was subsequently used for the droid R-A7 in "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much." The character illustration for R-A7 was created by Chris Glenn and is marked with the date November 2011 under the title "4A7 Droid asset."

Errors and contradictions

Despite not making an appearance in the episode, 4-A7's name was included in the credits of the The Clone Wars Season One episode "Rising Malevolence," which was initially broadcast on October 3, 2008. The 2017 Droid Directory featured in the eleventh issue of the Star Wars: Build Your Own R2-D2 magazine and the 2022 reference booklet "Assassin, Security, and Other Droids of War" later asserted that 4-A7's involvement in the Separatist scheme concerning Rotta was to frame the Jedi for the Huttlet's abduction and murder. However, in the film, 4-A7 only records evidence supporting the former falsehood, as the Confederacy's intention was to "rescue" Rotta from the Republic. Dooku's plan to eliminate Rotta was only devised after the Jedi had escaped Teth, by which time 4-A7 had already met his demise. Consequently, this article adheres to the film's depiction of events. The reference booklets "Assassin, Security, and Combat Droids" and the 2021 "Boba Fett and Other Characters of the Underworld" also erroneously refer to 4-A7 as "4A-7," which was the character's designation within the Star Wars Legends continuity.

The reference material "Boba Fett and Other Bounty Hunters and Criminals" also asserts that 4-A7 initiated the broadcast of footage that portrayed the Jedi as actively kidnapping the Huttlet. However, the film clearly establishes that his footage was used to claim the Jedi had already completed the kidnapping. The Highlights of the Saga section of the Star Wars Helmet Collection magazine's forty-fifth issue, released in 2017, stated that 4-A7 recorded and edited footage to create the impression that the Jedi were holding and planning to kill Rotta while Ventress launched a droid counterattack. In contrast, the film portrays Ventress alongside 4-A7 as he records the video, with her launching the counterattack afterward. This article follows the movie's version of events. Later, the 2021 reference booklet "The Clone Wars Begin" claimed that Ventress was alone when she concealed herself from the Republic to film and edit the footage, despite the film and previous sources unequivocally establishing 4-A7's participation in these events.

Furthermore, "Assassin, Security, and Other Droids of War" posits that 4-A7 was among the initial prototypes of the RA-7 protocol droid series. Based on timeline details provided by Star Wars: Build Your Own R2-D2 11 and Star Wars: Timelines, 4-A7's creation date can be estimated to be around 22 BBY, suggesting that the RA-7 was still a relatively new model at that time if "Assassin, Security, and Other Droids of War" is accurate. Nevertheless, the Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi episode "Justice"—which originally aired on October 26, 2022—features an active RA-7 unit several decades prior to 22 BBY. Consequently, this article operates under the assumption that "Assassin, Security, and Other Droids of War" is factually incorrect.