Mark II reactor drone/Legends
- "And what's this, a Mark II reactor drone? Haven't used these clunkers in twenty years!"
- ―Owen Lars mistakes R1-G4 for a Mark II reactor drone
The Mark II reactor drone was a model of utility droid manufactured by Industrial Automaton whose body shell was reused for the R1-series astromech droid.
Characterisitics
A model of utility droid, the Mark II reactor drone was built and programmed for menial labor[2] in the engine rooms of large starships.[6] Featuring a tall,[7] black body shell,[1] its heavily shielded outer casing protected its sensitive internal circuitry[2] from harsh external conditions,[8] including the most intensive radiation.[9] However, it also gave the droid a lumbering, cumbersome appearance.[2] The Mark II reactor drone was equipped with a magfield sensor ball.[4]
History
A successful series manufactured by Industrial Automaton, the Mark II reactor drone's body shell was reused for their R1-series astromech droid, when legal hassles prevented the company from directly transforming their P2-series astromech droid into a consumer product.[9] As a result, R1 units were commonly mistaken for Mark II reactor drones.[source?]
Beyond repair, a Mark II reactor drone was cannibalized for its magfield sensor ball by Jawa scavengers on the planet Tatooine.[6] In the year 0 BBY,[10] Owen Lars mistook[5] R1-G4[11] for a Mark II reactor drone, having discontinued their use on his moisture farm twenty years prior.[5]
Behind the scenes
The Mark II reactor drone was first mentioned in NPR's 1981 Star Wars Legends radio dramatization of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.[5]
Appearances
- Star Wars radio dramatization (First mentioned)
Sources
- The Essential Guide to Droids ("Mark II Reactor drone")
- A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded
- Star Wars: The National Public Radio Dramatization
"The History of R-Series Astromech Droids" – Star Wars Adventure Journal 7
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – Premiere Limited (Card: R1-G4) (backup link)- Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary
- The Essential Guide to Droids ("P2 and R1")
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The New Essential Guide to Droids
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, Third Edition, Revised and Expanded
- ↑ According to The New Essential Guide to Droids, utility droids are classified as second-degree droids.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, Vol. II ("magfield sensor ball")
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Star Wars radio dramatization
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary
- ↑ "The History of R-Series Astromech Droids" – Star Wars Adventure Journal 7
- ↑ Star Wars Encyclopedia
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Essential Guide to Droids ("P2 and R1")
- ↑ The Essential Reader's Companion
- ↑
Visual Guide — Chapter 8: Droids for Sale on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)