The Lost Prince

R2-D2 and C-3PO arrive on Tyne's Horky, a world known for its mining operations. Following guidance from an employment agency, the two droids seek employment at Doodnik's Café. C-3PO anticipates a role involving maintenance and translation. Instead, they are assigned as waiters, serving customers. C-3PO struggles to accurately recall orders, which include items like photon fizzles, a portion of Giva jumbo, and a pair of supernovas. R2-D2 steps in, delivering a tray of items meant for C-3PO.

Doodnik Sharpelz, the café's four-armed chef, grows impatient with C-3PO's slow service. He instructs him to attend to Kleb Zellock, a crime lord who owns various local businesses, including the café. A man with a beard challenges Kleb over altered agreement terms, but Yorpo Mog, Kleb's assistant, removes him. C-3PO approaches Kleb, but the crime lord, already waiting, demands his usual order. C-3PO stumbles over R2-D2, causing a spill and creating a mess.

Sollag Den walks into the café and offers Kleb 40,000 keshels to locate Mon Julpa before IG-88, a deadly assassin droid, does. Kleb inquires about Julpa's importance. Sollag provides a picture, stating that it's all Kleb needs to know. Kleb accepts, confident that if he can't find Julpa, no one can.

R2-D2 delivers a bowl of stew. Yorpo trips over R2-D2 and falls headfirst into the stew. Enraged, Yorpo throws R2-D2 into various dishes and trays, making a mess. After numerous mishaps, Doodnik fires them and forbids their return. C-3PO wonders about their next course of action, given their dependence on a master. R2-D2, using Binary, suggests they auction themselves. C-3PO initially disagrees but eventually concedes.

The two droids proceed to a nearby auction site to put themselves up for sale. The auctioneer starts the bidding at 500 keshels for the pair, which C-3PO finds insulting, believing they're worth 5,000 keshels each. When the crowd shows little interest, the auctioneer presents a worn-out work android. However, the crowd remains uninterested. C-3PO appeals to Jann Tosh, a young human miner, insisting on their 5,000 keshels value.

Jann sympathizes but has already spent his uncle's money on a green humanoid mining droid. The auctioneer sells the work android to Yorpo Mog for 60 keshels. Seeing the android struggling to walk, Jann helps him and tells Yorpo to leave him alone. Jann feels sorry for Yorpo, who appears to be in disrepair. C-3PO translates for Yorpo, who dismisses the android as worthless. Jann offers to trade his new mining droid for 3,000 keshels in exchange for the android, C-3PO, and R2-D2.

Yorpo accepts the deal, pleased with the mining droid. Yorpo presents the new acquisition to his boss, Kleb Zollock. Kleb realizes the android is Mon Julpa, worth 40,000 keshels to him. Driven by greed for the reward, they give chase. Jann and the others, unaware of the android's true identity, escape Kleb and Yorpo on a wheel bike. Yorpo grabs onto the vehicle, but Jann kicks him off after a short pursuit. Kleb retrieves Yorpo, vowing that nothing will stand between them and their target for long.

Jann takes the droids to his uncle Putch Gundarian's mine. Initially excited, Uncle Gundy becomes furious that Jann traded the work droid for two droids and an android. Gundy scolds Jann for prioritizing the galaxy's needs over their own. He cautions Jann about his naivety and the likelihood of others exploiting his kindness. R2-D2 returns Uncle Gundy's hat, earning a thank you.

When Mon Julpa falls from his seat, Jann and R2-D2 assist him. R2-D2's sensors reveal that Julpa is not an android. C-3PO confirms the absence of any non-organic components, identifying him as a complete life form. Jann removes Julpa's mask and hood, revealing a purple-skinned Tammuz-an. Uncle Gundy is angered by the addition of another mouth to feed. Losing his temper, he kicks R2-D2 but injures himself. C-3PO worries about their poor impression on their new master.

Later, C-3PO prepares stew and fends off rodents. Jann and Uncle Gundy arrive with the Tammuz-an. As C-3PO serves Gundy soup, he warns him about R2-D2's hard exterior. While the Tammuz-an eats, Jann asks C-3PO what they should call him. C-3PO suggests "hungry." Later, the alien assists C-3PO by carrying two pails on a pole. Uncle Gundy warms up to the alien, who proves helpful around the mine.

Soon after, Kez-Iban saves Gundy's life during a cave-in, carrying him to safety. Gundy expresses his gratitude, addressing the alien as Kez-Iban. C-3PO explains that Kez-Iban is a Bocce term meaning "he who returns from the dead." Jann decides to call him Kez-Iban.

Later, at Doodnik's Café, Max Rebo, Droopy McCool, and Sy Snootles provide entertainment. Yorpo stands guard while Kleb samples dessert. Yorpo presents a sample of Nergon-14, an element recently discovered in Zellock's mining station. Zellock recognizes the unstable mineral's value in proton torpedoes and intends to sell it to the Galactic Empire.

The gangsters spot Jann and the others arriving on their wheel bike. Eager to claim the 40,000 keshels, Kleb reminds Yorpo of his instructions. At the medcenter, Jann and C-3PO are relieved to see a recovering Uncle Gundy being wheeled by a medical droid. Jann remarks that it will take more than a cave-in to defeat Uncle Gundy. Suddenly, R2-D2 signals that Kez-Iban is missing. C-3PO fears Yorpo has kidnapped him.

Sollag Den argues with Kleb, who is demanding more money for Mon Julpa. Kleb claims others are interested in Julpa, but Sollag warns they would harm him and insists he's there to protect him. Kleb demands his price, leading Sollag to attack. Yorpo restrains him. Jann demands Yorpo release Sollag and asks about Kez-Iban's whereabouts. Kleb reveals he was expecting him and orders Yorpo to attack.

Upon C-3PO's cue, R2-D2 sprays a simian customer with water, causing him to charge at Yorpo. A brawl erupts in the café. The simian customer attacks Jann and the droids but is stunned by Jessica Meade, a dark-skinned human woman wielding a miniature stunner. They exchange thanks and names. Jann attempts to leave. However, Yorpo and Kleb gain the upper hand and capture Jann, Kez-Iban, and the droids.

Kleb forces them to mine Nergon-14, describing it as the most unstable raw element in the universe. C-3PO and Jann warn Kleb about Nergon-14's volatility. Kleb advises caution and orders his mining droids to take them away.

Later, Jann finds Kez-Iban in a cell but discovers C-3PO and R2-D2 have escaped. C-3PO detached his lower right leg to reach the power connector and disable the cable restraints. A mining droid tries to intervene, but Sollag shoots it. He tells Jann and his companions that he's there to help them, as they have helped him.

Soon, Sollag locates Kez-Iban and presents him with the royal scepter of Tammuz-an. Upon receiving the scepter, Kez-Iban regains his memories and confirms his identity as Mon Julpa, the rightful heir to the throne of Tammuz-an. An evil vizier had used magic to erase his identity and seize the throne. R2-D2 also repairs C-3PO's leg.

Mon Julpa and the others decide to flee the mines. They discover Kleb's ore-cutters are creating pockets in the bedrock, releasing flammable gas into the caverns. Excessive gas will ignite the Nergon-14, causing a massive explosion. They battle Kleb's miner droids, with Mon Julpa using his scepter in the fight.

They commandeer a mining machine and take a turbolift to the criminal's control platform. On the lift, C-3PO relays R2-D2's warning that the Nergon gas is reaching critical levels. At the platform, Kleb immobilizes the organics with a wave that stings their ears. C-3PO urges them to stop the ore-cutters to prevent the gas from igniting the Nergon.

Kleb advises Yorpo not to trust a droid. Suddenly, the Nergon element activates, damaging the control platform. Kleb and Yorpo escape through the tunnels, pursued by C-3PO, R2-D2, Jann, Sollag, and Mon Julpa. C-3PO and R2-D2 confront Kleb and Yorpo as they prepare to escape on an airspeeder. Kleb plans to abandon Yorpo and keep all the money. Yorpo is angered by Kleb's betrayal. Before Kleb can stun Yorpo, C-3PO knocks the stunner from his grasp, allowing the droids and organics to subdue him. Together with Yorpo and the unconscious Kleb, they escape the mine before it explodes, discarding the cargo.

Aboard the airspeeder, Yorpo commends the droids for choosing the right master. Jann responds that he knows how to pick droids. R2-D2 points out that Kleb will be furious because the speeder's cargo was all his keschels. After dropping Kleb at the nearest security station, they return to Jann and Gundy's camp.

Gundy is thankful to Mon Julpa for saving his life and unintentionally helping him discover a keschel vein during the cave-in. He anticipates becoming rich with Jann. Mon Julpa expresses gratitude to his new friends for helping him regain his memories. He prepares to return to Tammuz-an to reclaim his throne. Jann decides to stay with his uncle.

C-3PO and R2-D2 receive an oil bath. Gundy issues orders to the droids but hurts his foot when he kicks R2-D2. While Gundy cries out in pain, R2-D2 repairs C-3PO's loose ankle joint. Gundy then makes amends with the two droids.

J2 Communications released this episode on VHS in two different formats: as a standalone tape and as part of "Droids Volume 2" alongside the episode "The New King." CBS-FOX also released it on a VHS tape titled "Droids 2: The Pirates and the Prince," which included other episodes. The episode was released on VHS in 1999 and on DVD in 2004 as part of the movie The Pirates and the Prince.

Ellen Weiss adapted this episode into a children's storybook called The Lost Prince: A Droid Adventure.

The wheel bike used by Jann Tosh to escape the auction block bears resemblance to the vehicle used by General Grievous in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.