ST Was R2D2 explained?

Maybe I'm missing something but this is the biggest issue with me in this movie. R2D2 coming to life at the most conveinent time of the movie is nothing more than Ex Machina. To top that off 3P0 shows the map to Leia for the FIRST time at that point which is even more mind boggling.

Its almost like from a merchandising standpoint they wanted to drill BB8 in our heads so people can get BB8 toys and have r2 take a backseat. Then from a movie standpoint they not only made R2 pretty much useless but really killed off his character for this film and it made no sense whatsoever.

Abrams dropped the ball on this plot choice

 

R2 came to life when Rey showed up at the base.

 

As I understood it, when BB-8 & 3PO(3PO mentions R2 is in low power mode, not completely shut down) are talking about the missing pieces of the map being in R2's data banks, R2 begins to search through his logs and finds what he needs after Star Killer is destroyed.

Also a possibility.

 

That was it, yeah. I didn't catch it the first time though since I could have sworn Rey had been at the base earlier.

 

My theory is that Luke transfered onfo to R2 to only wake up when his daughter arrived or even if she arrived.

 

From the novel:

No one was more surprised than C-3PO when R2-D2 came rolling forward to join the assembly. “Artoo! What—what is it? I haven’t seen you
this functional since—” He was interrupted by a fresh farrago of beeping that all but drowned him out. “Slow down! You’re giving me data overload!” Whether the mechanical hand that rose to the side of the golden head to indicate a headache truly reflected what the protocol droid was feeling or was simply a gesture for the benefit of watching humans, only C-3PO knew. An excited Leia moved closer. Of all the organics in the room, no one had a more personal relationship to the little droid than she did. “What’s he saying?” she asked. The protocol droid explained. “If the information you are seeking was in the Imperial archives, he believes he may have catalogued that data. He’s scanning through it now.”

 

R2-D2 is literally the force that awakens

 

The novel clarifies, and thank you for that. But also, I think Darth Doop got it right -- either that, or Luke programmed R2 to wake up only when the missing piece of the map arrived -- and maybe the novel doesn't reveal that secret because it will be revealed in the sequel.

Also, it's perfectly fine from a storytelling perspective. R2D2's character has always been likened by Lucas to "the family dog"...an homage to the animal hero epitomized by Lassie and Rin Tin Tin. R2 was an old dog, mopey, lethargic and sad at the loss of his master. He laid around, floppy eared and sad-eyed all the time, in "low-power mode" or however C3PO described it, because Luke was gone. When BB-8 showed up with (literally) the last piece of the (holographic) puzzle to find Luke, R2 was inspired to perk up.

 

The issue with that theory is that R2 did not wake up when BB-8 initially showed up and bumped into him. It wasn't until Rey showed up that he was activated.

 

But was it revealed to R2 that BB-8 had the map before Rey showed up?

 

The only sloppy part of this theory though is that its not like R2 woke up when Rey walked into the room. She was nowhere near R2 and suddenly woke up.

-C

 

Considering they had a big conversation in the room Artoo was in, about the incomplete map that Beebee brought? Yeah...he woke because Rey walked in.

 

Lol, it is clearly said he wokes up when the thing about the imperial archive is said. And that is not said until Rey gets to the base because it is Kylo the one who tells her.

Rey is probably her daughter guys, but your are trying so hard to find whatever the evidence is nothing but funny.

 

No, in the end Artoo turned out to be extremely important, as usual.

 

Is that how it went down? I honestly don't recall the exact chronology of events too well, having only seen it once. If so, then it does support the theory that it's R2's knowledge of the arrival of the missing map piece that perks him up.

But really, either way, we're splitting hairs here. Whether it's the arrival of Rey, or the arrival of the map piece, or what...it all happened pretty much around the same time. So it doesn't much matter. Basically, it seems like a safe assumption that Luke programmed R2 to perk up when one or more of these events happened.

 

No which is the problem I have with this whole angle. It still is only ex machina at this point. It makes zero sense. R2 as the family dog and old? Really? R2 has been around since anakin was a baby and now he is suddenly an old lap dog?

 

This angle couldve and shouldve been thought out a little better.

R2 shows leia for the 1st time ever the main map piece to Luke when it matters to the plot and storyline?

 

She arrived on the planet. That was enough, he was waiting for her.
They had both map pieces. R2 had the bigger part and the bb8 one was in the main computer.
R2 allowed them to see the map because it was for Rey.
That's why she went to see Luke alone. It's meant for Rey. Rey was meant to find Luke.

 

if there's a map , and there's a hole in that map - well why would the missing bit be needed ? , if you see what I mean .

I mean if the larger bit of map which they already have is known to them then they know what is in the missing bit .

unless none of the map is known to them , in which case what good is any of it ?

 

I think it was explained - R2 went into the 'low power mode' after Luke disappeared. But it does not really satisfy as an explanation. Does a droid 'shut itself down' because it looses its master?
I think a bigger question is : how and why does R2 suddenly "wake up"?
Maybe all this will be explained in the novelisation....

 

There is a new visual dictionary that explains R2 was in sleep mode so he could process information gathered over 70 years.

 

Um, yes..lt is "ex machine" because Artoo is a machine, so it came from the machine.

Now, assuming we mean "deus ex machina" I don't think that applies here. That critique normally implies the introduction of some new character, object, or element that was otherwise unpredictable, only for the purpose of solving the problem. Artoo was there the whole time; if one didn't think he would end up playing a part in finding Luke, they must not watch much Star Wars.

Too coincidental? Maybe..probably. Deus ex machina? No, not really.

 

Luke programmed R2, in the vision Rey saw after touching light saber, to remain in low power mode until after the first order could no longer be a threat to tract anyone who would come in search of him.

 

An old dog, yes. I didn't say "lap."

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"Mechanically, he is completely healthy. For reasons we can't explain. We don't know why. R2D2 has lost the will to live."

Seriously though BB8 had the map the first time he saw R2. They could have put the map together then and went and got Luke. Brought him back and had him fight Ren. Nut JJ didn't bother asking my opinion of what should happen.