This Beloved Star Wars Character Was Originally Meant To Die a Gruesome Death

The Big Picture

• C-3PO was almost violently killed off in
  The Empire Strikes Back
  in a dark plot twist that didn’t make the final cut.
• R2-D2 and C-3PO have remained consistent throughout the Star Wars series as vital guides for the audience.
• Director J.J. Abrams also refused to kill off C-3PO in
  The Rise of Skywalker
  , opting for a more fitting send-off.

Over the course of nine main films, two spin-off features, hundreds of novels, and dozens of series split across cable and streaming, the Star Wars universe has amassed quite a roster of characters. Since the 1977 release of A New Hope, the galaxy far, far away has continued to add new players alongside its legacy heroes. Many times, the added characters have outshined the original legacy cast, such is the case with Boba Fett, who, after decades of fan intrigue, received his own Disney+ series, starring Tamuera Morrison. That popularity certainly isn’t reserved solely for characters hailing from the films, either. The Mandalorian‘s Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu proved so popular, that the show is shifting to the big-screen with the upcoming release of The Mandalorian & Grogu. The Skywalker saga itself has shuffled through numerous principal casts throughout the three trilogies to varying degrees of critical success.

But as the world of Star Wars has expanded and changed, there are two cast members who have consistently remained present throughout the primary film series: R2-D2 and his trusted sidekick, C-3PO (Anthony Daniels). No matter how dark and convoluted the main films have become, or how many cast members have exited, the droids have held the record for most big-screen appearances throughout the films, having played a role in 10 out of the 11 theatrical releases. With so much consistency, even the most loyal of Star Wars fans may be surprised to learn that one member of the duo was almost violently ripped out of the series early on. Despite the fact that he’s gone on to outlive the Skywalker Saga itself, and was integral to George Lucas‘ execution of the original trilogy, C-3PO very nearly didn’t make it out of Cloud City (or The Empire Strikes Back) at all.

Initial Ideas for ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ Involved a Grittier Showdown With Darth Vader

The Empire Strikes Back is not only considered one of the best sequels of all time, but one of the finest sci-fi films ever made. The darker nature of the picture upped the stakes, shocked audiences, and is largely responsible for making the franchise more than just a series for children. It also served as a catalyst for how Star Wars examined the role of “hero.” While Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) served as the obvious personification of the light side and the dark, newcomer, Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) is categorically a hero, but forced to betray his friends for what he thinks is the greater good.

While shocking at the time of Empire‘s release, Lando’s action is one of the most famous plot twists of all time, and, of course, puts the heroes in Vader’s clutches. In the case of C-3PO, though, that grasp was nearly literal, and final. An edition of the Star Wars Magazine revealed that C-3PO wasn’t supposed to make it out of Cloud City. In fact, his original fate was even worse than that of Han Solo (Harrison Ford). While the creative team was brainstorming the script, C-3PO was going to be dismantled, as he is in the finished project. But Vader was going to take his actions a step further by reaching into the droid’s chest, and ripping out his robotic heart. With a move similar to that of a certain Once Upon a Time villain, Vader was then going to crush the heart, effectively killing C-3PO off.

Ultimately, the scene did not make it out of the blue sky process for unknown reasons. It certainly would have made for an even darker film, one that was perhaps too dark considering the already heavy-natured script. Killing C-3PO before freezing Han, and cutting off Luke’s hand in the infamous battle that revealed Vader to be his father would have most definitely been an overload. Not to mention, a betrayal of George Lucas’ storytelling philosophy.

George Lucas Viewed R2-D2 and C-3PO as Vital to the Storytelling of ‘Star Wars’

There’s a reason R2-D2 and C-3PO have been among the series’ most consistent characters, aside from their enduring popularity. Star Wars‘ creator, George Lucas, treated the pair as guides for the audience. Lucas has always said that the original trilogy was a space opera told from the view of droids. The Independent further expanded upon Lucas’ philosophy, explaining that Lucas theorized that the story was actually being recounted by R2-D2, who is “the keeper of the Journal of the Whills.”

The Journal of the Whills Part 1 was the original title of A New Hope, and, per The Independent, R2-D2’s role is indeed canon. While it may not be obvious to viewers, the droids truly do guide them from the beginning. They’re the very first principal characters to appear in A New Hope, with C-3PO specifically delivering the first ever piece of Star Wars dialogue. While the opening crawl filled moviegoers in on the greater story, the important specifics are revealed by C-3PO. He also helps set up the trilogy’s final film, as he and R2-D2 help fill in viewers in like fashion at the start of Return of the Jedi. Had the creative team killed him off, the audience would not have only lost a beloved character, but a vital part of the series structure.

C-3PO’s Story Has Continued On Beyond the Films

Though there are plenty more Star Wars films and series to come, the Skywalker Saga came to an end with The Rise of Skywalker. Promotional material hinted a possible grim fate for the droid in a way similar to that of his originally planned demise. However, Director J.J. Abrams refused to kill-off the droid, even after actor Anthony Daniels pitched the idea, according to IndieWire. Daniels explained: “Before filming this, it seemed like the writers had slightly run out of steam with C-3PO… I didn’t want him to just become a wall decoration. I thought he should have a big send-off or send-off that gave you finality, and of course, at the time, J.J. said, ‘No way.‘”

While Rise of Skywalker proved divisive among movie goers, the decision to let C-3PO live was, once again, the right one. In fact, the droid’s story has already extended past print and digital media, thus killing him off would have proven messy. Just a few years before the Walt Disney Company released the sequel trilogy, they had already begun to up the Star Wars presence in their theme parks in prep for the films. After roughly 27 years of operation, the theme park giant closed their beloved Star Tours attraction in order to make adjustments to help the attraction better fit the changing canon of the franchise. One of the biggest changes to the attraction was replacing Paul Reubens‘ character – a droid called RX-24, who hosted the attraction – with C-3PO. The decision to add C-3PO was a no-brainer, according to the Disney+ series, The Imagineering Story. It was explained that audiences already had a relationship with the droid and his personality perfectly fit with the overall story of the ride. Indeed, the character has proven not just important to the original franchise, but is a key part of its everlasting success.

The fate of C-3PO was almost one of the most bleak endings in the entirety of Star Wars lore. The creators played around with the idea of having Darth Vader mercilessly kill the character in The Empire Strikes Back. However, this would not have only affected the film, but the entirety of the franchise, and beyond, in an undesirable way. Thankfully, C-3PO was spared. He has gone on to be one of only two characters to appear in nearly every film, and his presence is felt even beyond the three trilogies.

Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back is currently available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.

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