C3PO: the most misused character in PT...

Now that we can look upon all 3 prequels, it's fairly obvious that 3PO is completely insignificant to the story of the prequel trilogy, and is there simply for the sake of nostalgia.

Unlike his turn in the OT, where although he's often a burden he's at least offering sound advice, or helping the heroes communicate, or even tricking the Imperials in various scenes to help his friends succeed, or at least is a welcome comic relief in times of darkness, he does nothing remotely helpful or heroic in the PT, he's hardly even in the PT at all, and his comic relief doesn't quite fit in as well this time around.

Lucas figured he could get off easy letting 3PO be Ani's hobbie project, give him a flag to hold for a podrace, and then leave him on Tatooine until the 3rd act of the NEXT film. There he gets picked up and taken to Geonosis, where for the little screen time he has he gets beheaded, swapped into an enemy droid, and literally tries to kill Jedi. And in the last film, Strilo edit: No spoilers

The thing is, 3PO could have been given a substantial role in the PT, but it seems Lucas didn't know where to fit him. Jar-Jar in TPM is to partially to blame for this, as Lucas created a new comic-relieving character to focus all his energy on:

What if in TPM, that TC14 protocol droid who introduced himself to Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had been gold, shiny 3PO already? Then when the Jedi get in trouble, they use 3PO's knowledge to help them escape the ship, and steal the droid for further use on Naboo. They know the droid has information on the Trade Federation, so will come in handy. There on Naboo, 3PO can help them communicate with the Gungans (who don't speak English now), and 3PO can be a substantial comic-relief who hates all this adventure and danger.

Naturally they take 3PO to Tatooine as well, as he still is a great translater, and he still does have information and/or evidence on the Trade Federation. He meets R2-D2 on the Naboo cruiser, and tries to make friends with the only other droid he's met so far on his adventure. He gets in all sorts of trouble on Tatooine, but it's far subdued compared to what Jar-Jar does there (who had no reason to go to Tatooine in the first place), while he helps our heroes speak with Hutteese-speaking aliens. He also gives odds on Anakin's winning the pod-race, to which Qui-Gon can say, "Never give me the odds," or something like that.

On Coruscant he play a minor, subdued role, and then once he gets back to Naboo, he's further forced to get in harm's way and inadvertently help save the day in some capacity, i.e. communicating with and helping to convince the Gungans to join the Queen in the battle (nice allusion to his relationship with Ewoks), tricking Federation droids with false orders, etc.

Perhaps the Queen or Obi-Wan chooses to take on 3PO as their official protocol droid, and in AOTC, he would immediately have a larger role. He would be with Senator Amidala and her ship, wherever it goes in that movie (Tatooine, Geonosis), and his comic-heroics would come into play in various ways. And then in ROTS, his role would be subdued, Strilo edit: Wow. No spoilers!

These are broad strokes, but the point is 3PO really is a missed opportunity in the prequel trilogy.

 

wow. You completely blew me away. Your absolutely right--C3P0 not only would have filled the same role as jar jar, he could have been even better! Personally i like jar jar (*gasp!*) but what you have said i never even considered. My only complaint is that i like having a new character--jar jar at least added some variety to the series, and i'm afraid that we'll begin to grow sick of C3P0 by the time the OT comes around, especially if he is highlighted so much in EpI. But i suppose it could be done in a nicely balanced way. interesting thoughts...

 

I agree wholeheartledly with the above poster. This is an incredible idea! You're 110% right! If only Lucas had thought of that.

Remember, the generations after ours will be watching TPM FIRST! I think starting 3PO out as an enemy droid would only enhance and add depth to his character later on, which is supposed to be the point of the Prequels, to add depth to the characters that have already been established. It also would have given the audience more of an emotional connection to the film, by seeing another character they are familiar with. Instead we get the implausible and ridiculous notion that Anakin is also C-3PO's father. Amusing right? No. Just stupid.

It's almost too perfect. Screw Jar-Jar. I think he should be completely digitally replaced by C-3PO. Now, get Anthony Daniels and a really good special effects guy in here immediately!

 

I hate that I ignored this thread. "dsk2" is SPOT-ON.

 

Yeah, that would have been better. It's obvious his place in the new movies wasn't really planned out that well.

He was so much better in episode 1 than in episode 2 and in RotS, he's probably totally maybe as good as an ordinary extra like Jar Jar is, I think.... maybe, probably.....

A more active role in the story would have been Super duper.

 

You're absolutely right, dsk2.
Overall, my impression is that the droids, in the OT, were ?part of the gang?.
It always was Luke, Leia, Han, Chweie and the droids.
In the PT there was not the sense that ther main characters were bonded with the droids.
Por once we never see Padmé interact with the droids like Luke or Leia did.