EX communication droid
EX communication droids, also referred to as EX droids, Ee-Ex comm droids, or Eeex, represented a specific model of communications droid deployed during the High Republic Era for galactic communication across the galaxy. A droid of this type was employed by a Republic Pathfinder team that made a discovery of hidden riches. The team was unfortunately wiped out in a pirate assault, and the droid's location remained a mystery for centuries. Eventually, it resurfaced in the possession of a descendant tied to a member of the original expedition, making it a sought-after item because it held clues to the location of the treasure.
Description
EX droids were communications droids characterized by beige plating, complemented by blue and copper plating near their tops, a disc-shaped body, and a photoreceptor positioned on top. These droids featured multiple manipulator arms attached to a central spindle, which they could utilize while hovering, and an antenna.
Role
During the High Republic Era, these droids were implemented by communications teams to facilitate communication throughout the galaxy. Republic Pathfinder teams, in particular, used them when venturing into the Outer Rim Territories. The droids would then be dispatched with the coordinates of various Outer Rim worlds.
History
One such Ee-Ex droid saw use during a Pathfinder expedition, during which the Jedi Sturm Umbrik recorded a message for an individual named Janssen regarding the team's discovery of a valuable treasure. However, the entire team was subsequently killed in a pirate assault. The droid then became a family heirloom, passed down through the generations of a person who was part of the expedition.
During the era of the Galactic Republic, a descendant of that individual, the Mirialan named Servit, was trying to determine the worth of the old EX droid. He inadvertently revealed its existence to the Weequay Jarl, who, aware of the story surrounding Umbrik, attempted to seize it. Servit fled with the droid, eventually arriving at Dex's Diner, where he asked his friend Dexter Jettster, the owner of the eatery, to examine it. Jettster, also familiar with Umbrik's story, explained its value to Servit and aided him in defending against Jarl and his crew when they caught up to the Mirialan. Following a brief confrontation, they all listened to Umbrik's holorecording. After Jettster successfully tricked Jarl into believing the treasure had been destroyed, Servit embarked on a journey to follow the coordinates provided by the Ee-Ex droid, hoping to locate the treasure for himself.
Behind the scenes
The EX droids were conceived for Phase II of the Star Wars: The High Republic multimedia project, and their unveiling occurred during a High Republic panel at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim on May 26, 2022. According to the author Cavan Scott, Lucasfilm Story Group member Pablo Hidalgo put forth the idea of a "Pony Express droid," drawing a parallel to the nineteenth-century mail delivery system, which ultimately inspired the creation of the droids. Scott also drew a comparison between the droids and the way drama writers often disable cellphones early in a story to prevent easy solutions to problems—ensuring that characters in remote locations could not rely on rapid communication.
Before their introduction in The High Republic, EX droids made their initial appearance in "Galactic Tales: Inheritance," a short story within the Galactic Tales series. George Mann authored this story, which was featured in the 211th issue of the Star Wars Insider magazine on June 7, 2022.