Star Wars Special: C-3PO 1

Publisher's summary

• In this special one-shot that leads directly into his appearance in the film, follow everyone's favorite protocol droid as he Journeys to Star Wars: The Force Awakens! How exactly did Threepio end up with a red arm? The blockbuster creative team of James Robinson and Tony Harris of DC's _ Starman _ reunite for the first time in almost twenty years to reveal the answer!
• Even if you can speak over six million languages…this book is essential in any language! [3]

Plot summary

A crash-landing

The narrative commences with a starship experiencing a crash on the planet Taul. C-3PO, having survived the wreckage, instructs the five other droid passengers to continue moving forward and inquires about the whereabouts of Captain Hoff and the crew. He expresses concern that the ship's reserve tanks failed to eject during reentry and fears an imminent explosion. As the droids exit the ship, an explosion occurs, prompting C-3PO to comment on the gravity of their situation.

C-3PO suggests heading west, but VL-44 objects with beeps. C-3PO clarifies that he did not appoint himself as the leader, and was simply offering an opinion. With Captain Hoff deceased, C-3PO declares that the responsibility now falls to the droids. VL-44 beeps again, but C-3PO rebukes him for his impoliteness and asserts that his field experience surpasses VL-44's rudimentary circuits. VL-44 beeps back, and C-3PO clarifies that he is not implying superiority. C-3PO jokingly adds that he doesn't constantly boast about being the Resistance's chief of droid communication.

Fellow travelers

C-3PO assures the assembled droids that any of them are capable of leading, given their past experiences. The first droid, PZ-99, is a military-grade class four sentry droid who participated in the Battle of Jakku. PZ-99 responds with beeps. CO-34 introduces himself as a class five construction droid. C-3PO acknowledges CO-34's limited vocabulary but praises his ability to build under pressure.

The third droid, 2MED2, is a class one medical droid. 2MED2 comments that he has encountered talkative droids and humans like C-3PO who are all talk until the fighting commences. C-3PO retorts that he has witnessed his share of combat and death, and that droids are not meant to grieve.

The fourth droid, VL-44, interrupts, prompting C-3PO to acknowledge that while VL-44 may not be a security droid, his input will be invaluable in their current situation. The fifth droid, 0-MR1 ("Omri"), questions C-3PO about his role. C-3PO expresses reservations about including Omri due to his status as a First Order prisoner.

However, C-3PO concedes that the transporter's malfunctioning guidance system has placed them in a difficult situation. He informs Omri that they have limited time before Admiral Ackbar is interrogated and executed by the First Order. He emphasizes the importance of getting Omri to the Resistance base with the location of Ackbar's imprisonment. Omri admits he is unfamiliar with Ackbar, the renowned Rebellion hero. C-3PO urges them to work together to escape the planet and set aside their differences. Omri agrees for the time being.

Programs and memories

As they traverse Taul's rocky terrain, C-3PO reports that his sensors have detected a homing beacon 87 kilometers away. He believes it originates from a crashed First Order vessel. C-3PO warns them of a long journey ahead. PZ-99 expresses interest. Omri observes that their human programming makes them similar to humans, despite not being living beings.

He adds that their programming forces them to serve opposing sides. Omri notes that they assume he possesses the data because he serves the First Order and that their masters seek to uncover his knowledge. Omri reasons that this is why they will not destroy him. PZ-99 beeps, while 2MED2 suggests they will find other ways to incapacitate him. Omri counters that any of them could have served the other side in the past, but had their memories wiped.

When Omri suggests that 2MED2 could have saved the lives of his enemies in the past, the medical droid responds that his primary function is to save lives and that he does not take sides. He adds that he was only on the transporter as ballast. PZ-99 beeps, and C-3PO expresses uncertainty about whether he should be relieved or troubled that PZ-99 shares the same sentiment about life. He suggests that 2MED2's indifference to sides seems cold-blooded.

When PZ-99 beeps back angrily, C-3PO clarifies that he was speaking figuratively and tells him that he is rude, even for a security droid. 2MED2 argues that they will need PZ-99's skills regardless of his rudeness.

A perilous journey

Suddenly, the ground shakes as several spice spiders emerge from holes and surround the droids. PZ-99 uses blaster fire to fend off the spiders while Omri hides behind him and VL-44. 2MED2 cries out as a spider grabs him. CO-34 kills one of the spiders. C-3PO instructs them to climb the rocks while PZ-99 stays behind to distract the spiders, and is overwhelmed by the group.

2MED2 asks why PZ-99 stayed behind. C-3PO explains that security droids like PZ-99 are programmed to fight, but also to protect non-combatants. C-3PO believes that PZ-99 sacrificed himself for them. Omri counters that PZ-99 was programmed to do so and that they should continue their journey. When C-3PO asks if he has nothing else to say about PZ-99's sacrifice, Omri replies that they are enemies due to their programming. He adds that PZ-99's loss is his gain.

Continuing their journey, C-3PO converses with Omri, noticing that he is troubled by the fact that their memories are controlled by their makers. Omri says that protocol droids like him and C-3PO are cursed with extra sentience, which causes them to question. Omri reflects on the significance of past events and his role in them.

Omri observes that C-3PO seems to blindly follow orders and assumes he remembers nothing. C-3PO confides that he experiences fleeting visions of places and events that he cannot comprehend, including the First Battle of Geonosis, Naboo, Coruscant during the Great Jedi Purge, and the volcanoes of Mustafar. C-3PO says he has memories, but accepts that droids are meant to serve others.

A hostile planet

2MED2 tells C-3PO and Omri to stop talking and continue walking to avoid being caught in an acid rain storm. 2MED2 alerts the group to a chasm covered in oil or tar. Omri warns that falling in would be fatal. C-3PO laments that there seems to be no solution. CO-34 uses his metallic body to form a bridge over the chasm.

As the droids cross the bridge, 2MED2 notices that the birds and fauna have gone silent. Suddenly, a giant tentacled monster called a thidaxx emerges from the chasm and attacks them. 2MED2 is grabbed by the creature and disappears into the chasm. VL-44 fights them off.

A tentacle grabs C-3PO's left arm and rips it off. C-3PO, Omri, and VL-44 escape, but CO-34 is dragged into the chasm by the thidaxx. C-3PO believes that CO-34 is too damaged to repair himself. Omri expresses his hatred for the planet, a sentiment shared by C-3PO, who notes that their group of six has been reduced to three. Shortly after, the droids are attacked by several can-cell insects, which carry VL-44 away. C-3PO is dismayed, but Omri urges them to move quickly to avoid the same fate.

An unlikely friendship

C-3PO is surprised they survived, but the other droids are gone. Omri remarks that they are older models and that it could have been the first time around for each of them, but not us. When C-3PO expresses discomfort at Omri making him feel outdated, Omri points out that he is.

C-3PO jokes about checking his face for rust. When Omri asks if that was his attempt at humor, C-3PO confirms. Omri tells C-3PO that he likes him and wishes they were on the same side. C-3PO, recalling Omri's earlier words, replies perhaps we were.

As they travel through the dunes, C-3PO senses that the beacon is nearby. When Omri expresses concern about C-3PO's missing arm, C-3PO says that it is not the first time he has lost a limb. Omri mentions the phenomenon of phantom limb, where a being who loses a limb can still feel it. He likens memory wipes to having a phantom limb inside his memory banks. Hearing that, C-3PO experiences flashbacks of Naboo and Tatooine.

No Greater Love

As they approach a wrecked TIE/fo space superiority fighter, Omri notes that C-3PO is uncharacteristically quiet. C-3PO senses that it is starting to rain, but Omri points out that it is acid rain. C-3PO realizes they are doomed without shelter. They take cover under a TIE wing. Omri warns that they are not safe because the rain will eventually melt the wing, destroying their shelter and them.

Omri spots the beacon in the TIE's control panel. He fears that the acid rain will destroy it, along with their hope of rescue. When C-3PO asks what they should do, Omri replies that C-3PO has a mission and that his directive does not prevent C-3PO from completing it.

Omri transfers the location of Admiral Ackbar's imprisonment to C-3PO. A perplexed C-3PO asks if Omri is changing sides, but the droid responds that he is simply choosing friendship. As the acid rain burns through Omri's chassis, his black paint peels off to reveal a red primer. Omri doesn't know when it was first applied. Despite C-3PO's pleas, he walks out into the acid rain.

Omri tells C-3PO he will change his frequency to summon the Resistance so that C-3PO will survive. As Omri transmits the frequency, his body is dissolved by the acid rain, leaving only his red left arm.

Honoring a friend

Later, Poe Dameron arrives in an Atmospheric Assault Lander with BB-8. He is relieved to find C-3PO alive, having doubted his survival on Taul. C-3PO informs Poe that he has obtained the information about Ackbar, but at a great cost. He tells Poe that Captain Hoff and his crew are dead, and that his fellow droids also perished.

Poe assures C-3PO that the Resistance will ensure their sacrifices are not in vain. He thanks C-3PO for obtaining Ackbar's location and notices that the droid needs a new arm. C-3PO tells Master Poe not to worry because he already has one, holding Omri's red left arm. C-3PO leaves Taul with Poe and BB-8 aboard the Atmospheric Assault Lander.

While watching through the viewpoint, C-3PO tells BB-8 that Omri's arm may offend his "aesthetic sensibilities," but that he will keep it for a while to honor the memory of Omri and his fellow droids who died on Taul.

Continuity

In 2016, the narrative of The Phantom Limb found its way into the video game LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens through adaptation.

C-3PO makes mention of the events that transpired in The Phantom Limb within "Poe to the Rescue," an episode belonging to LEGO Star Wars: The Resistance Rises. He remarks to Poe Dameron, "Oh it could fill a book, and very likely will." Notably, the episode appears to serve as an alternate sequel to the comic. It commences with Phasma interrogating Admiral Ackbar, whose capture by the First Order formed a significant plot element in the comic. Subsequently, the episode transitions to Poe's rescue of C3PO from the acid rain, mirroring C3PO's rescue in the comic, albeit with some alterations.

Star Wars: Timelines situates the occurrences of Star Wars Special: C-3PO 1 within 33 ABY. However, Timelines also places the novel Force Collector in 32 ABY. Given that Star Wars Special: C-3PO 1 unfolds prior to the events of Force Collector, this placement presents a contradiction.

Legacy

It's been suggested that The Phantom Limb makes a subtle reference to the 2015 video game Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. In this game, the main character, Venom Snake, uses a red prosthetic left arm to replace the arm he lost. During the promotional periods for both The Phantom Pain and The Force Awakens, fans noticed the similarity in the arms. This led to a minor meme featuring crossovers between the two series. The similarity also caught the attention of Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima, who shared several of the memes on Twitter. Kojima is also a real-life friend of J.J. Abrams, the director of The Force Awakens, who included at least one other reference to Kojima in the film in the form of the cry uttered by the nightwatcher worm.

Media

Cover gallery