PD-28 was a pilot droid who was forced to serve the Galactic Empire's Doctor Raygar. In 3 ABY, Raygar tried to steal the artifact known as the Sunstar from the Ewoks of the Forest Moon of Endor. On his way there, he captured several young Ewoks—Wicket Warrick, Latara, Kneesaa a Jari Kintaka, and Teebo—who ended up imprisoned on Raygar's freighter. PD-28 tried to bring some food for the prisoners, but an Imperial droid forcibly stopped him. Feeling bad for the Ewoks, PD snuck into their cell a different way and brought them food nonetheless. Thankful, the Ewoks devised a plan with the droid to escape together, getting out in an escape pod.
The party flew to the Ewoks' Bright Tree Village, but they were too late: Raygar had already invaded and stolen the Sunstar. Afterward, while discussing the possibility of retrieving the artifact, Latara accidentally activated the pod once again, leading PD and the other young Ewoks to jump in before it flew away. PD helped them navigate to Raygar's Star Destroyer, which they boarded.
Once onboard, PD tried to claim that his lateness was due to the Ewoks capturing him, but Imperial Admiral Kazz was unimpressed and ordered him recycled. The four Ewoks who had accompanied him split up, with Warrick and Kintaka heading to save PD and Latara and Teebo going to try and recover the Sunstar. Following a short skirmish with Raygar, the Ewoks, along with PD-28, got the Sunstar back and brought it home to Bright Tree Village. PD then left the Ewoks to try and find his original master.
PD-28 was a pilot droid who served a male master prior to 3 ABY. By that year, PD had been taken away by the Galactic Empire and forced to serve Doctor Raygar, who mistreated the droid every opportunity he got. That year, Raygar devised a plot to steal the magical artifact known as the Sunstar from the Ewoks of Bright Tree Village on the Forest Moon of Endor. PD-28 accompanied Raygar to his starship, leaving the Star Destroyer—where they had been orbiting Endor—and approaching the Ewoks' village.
PD-28 receives a scolding.
Prior to invading the village, Raygar captured several young Ewoks: Wicket Warrick, Kneesaa a Jari Kintaka, Teebo, and Latara. After bringing them aboard his ship, PD-28 attempted to bring them some fruit so they would not go hungry. However, an Imperial droid informed PD that according to Raygar's orders, the prisoners would receive no food, throwing the little droid against the wall and splattering the fruit all over him. The Ewoks saw this and felt bad for him, and a moment later, a panel inside their cell opened, with PD popping out to give them the fruit anyway. Warrick thanked him and asked if there was any way the droid could help them escape; although PD wished to do so, he was afraid of Raygar's wrath were he to disobey him. Warrick countered by suggesting that PD-28 escape alongside the Ewoks, which he readily agreed with.
PD-28 while discussing a potential retrieval plan on Endor
PD opened a hidden door and hurried the Ewoks out of it, helping them sneak outside while being careful not to run into any more Imperial droids. However, too many droids were standing guard by the conventional exit to get out that way. Warrick swore in Ewokese, which confused PD-28, who was unfamiliar with the phrase. Teebo then found another door they could use, but it was not a normal exit and was instead a shuttle pod, which they entered.
Once Latara noticed that the pod was not a way out, she accused PD-28 of being just as bad as the rest of Raygar's staff. Kintaka defended him, however, and the droid explained that they were in a transportation vessel, leading Warrick to compare it to a canoe. A confused Latara then sat on a button that started up the pod, causing it to fly in an uncontrolled manner until Warrick grabbed the controls at PD's behest. The woklings were too late, however, as Raygar had already gotten to the Ewoks' village, whose defenses were largely no match for Raygar; once the medicine man Logray brought out the Sunstar, Raygar acted quickly, stealing the valuable gem and flying away.
PD and the Ewoks in the pod
Just as Raygar left, PD-28 and the woklings arrived, but Chief Chirpa, unable to see who was inside, assumed it was another attacker. Kintaka burst out and tried to warn her father that Raygar was coming, but he lamented that the Sunstar already seemed gone forever. Warrick held out hope, asking PD if there was any way to follow Raygar in the pod they had just arrived in, which the droid confirmed was possible. Latara tried to prove to Warrick's mother, Shodu Warrick, that the "flying canoe" was safe by demonstrating its operation, accidentally activating it and forcing PD, Wicket, Teebo, and Kintaka to hastily get onboard. Kintaka noted that it would be wiser if they had warriors with them, but PD noticed that Raygar was moving to space too fast for them to double back as they would otherwise lose him.
As they approached Raygar's ship, Kintaka remarked how happy she was to have PD along for the ride with them; the droid simply repeated advice from his first master, who had taught him to help others, for someday they might return the favor. Teebo inquired about the whereabouts of PD-28's master, with PD lamenting that the Empire had stolen him away from him and that he hoped to one day be reunited with him. They then entered deep space and lost gravity, causing everyone to float until PD activated the gravity stabilizers. Once they got near the Star Destroyer, PD instructed the Ewoks to hide and stay quiet and informed the destroyer that he was returning to serve Doctor Raygar. PD exited the pod and told Admiral Kazz that the Ewoks had captured him and he had escaped and returned via the pod. Kazz was displeased with his service, opining that a proper droid of the Empire would have avoided capture altogether. He ordered a larger Imperial droid to recycle PD-28, who gleefully affirmed that he would.
PD-28 is saved from being recycled by his Ewok friends.
The Ewoks watched the whole affair, deciding it was up to them to save PD. Disguising themselves as droids, they split up, with Warrick and Kintaka going for PD and Teebo and Latara searching for the Sunstar. They arrived just in time, removing PD from the conveyer belt and running to Raygar's lab, where their companions were about to be destroyed by Raygar's newfound Sunstar powers. PD, trying to ensure his friends were left unscathed, ran in but was hit by Raygar, crumpling up against the wall. Warrick leaped at the doctor, causing his weapon to misfire and hit Emperor Palpatine's shuttle, which was arriving for an audience with Raygar regarding the Sunstar. Kintaka then grabbed the Sunstar and used it to fire on Raygar; as she and Warrick ran around, they scooped up a dazed PD-28 and saved Teebo and Latara by picking them up with the shuttle pod.
The return of the Sunstar was greatly celebrated back in the village, and despite PD's friends' insistence that he stay, the droid maintained that he had to return to his true master. He assured them that he would miss them, and when Kintaka and Latara each gave him a kiss on his cheeks, he blushed, warbling in Ewokese. He then took off in the pod, with the Ewoks waving goodbye.
PD-28 is embarrassed.
PD-28 helped others as his master had taught him. For that reason, he was willing to disobey Imperial orders to bring food for the captured Ewoks and escape alongside them, later risking his life to help their cause. When Kintaka and Latara kissed PD before saying goodbye, he became thoroughly embarrassed, and despite the fact that he was a droid, his cheeks blushed.
A pilot droid, PD-28 had three legs—one of which acted as a key to unlocking the Ewoks' cell—and two arms with three fingers each. He possessed two blue, eye-like sensors along with an antenna on his head. PD had silver-colored plating and masculine programming.
PD-28 was created for "Battle for the Sunstar," the twentieth episode of the second season of the animated series Ewoks, which first aired on December 6, 1986.
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia