Given R2-D2's countless heroic antics throughout the Star Wars saga,
everyone just assumes all astromech droids are equally as selfless and noble.
However, there was at least one member of the line who couldn't care less about anyone...
...or anything – including other droids.
But behind Chopper's battered and somewhat uncaring exterior,
lay a mess of wires capable of showing tiny bursts of empathy.
And as far as AP-5 was concerned, he made for one hell of a friend...
Welcome to TheCancrizans' Star Wars Lore Episode 192 – The Backstories of Chopper and AP-5
Otherwise known as Chop and Chopper, C1-10P was an astromech droid truly like no other.
Firstly, he saw himself as anything but old,
and was quick to rebuttal anyone who stated otherwise,
despite outliving his manufacturer's expiry date by a few decades.
And secondly, he was self-centred, childlike and argumentative,
yet brave, independent and empathetic.
Such an unusual balance of both positive and negative traits...
...derived from his time as a navigational aid for the Galactic Republic.
In fact, Chopper played an integral role throughout the Clone Wars,
with the Ryloth campaign acting as a showcase of his incredible skill and resourcefulness.
Following the crash landing of his Y-wing during the aforementioned Battle of Ryloth,
Chopper was discovered by the daughter of Twi'lek Resistance leader Cham Syndulla.
Of course, the astromech droid appeared useless at first –
what with his mismatched leg cowlings, worn paint, and scrambled internal circuitry –
but Hera quickly came to realise his true worth.
She also knew he would be the perfect companion upon one day leaving Ryloth.
And so, after years of neglect from her father in his very own quest against the Galactic Empire,
Hera and Chopper joined the Rebellion.
One of their very first actions as fully fledged members of the Rebel Alliance...
...saw the pair acquire an old yet reliable craft.
The modified VCX-100 light freighter quickly became known as the Ghost,
thanks to Hera's ability to evade Imperial scanners,
and Chopper's never-ending customisations as the chief mechanic.
But for every tweak and alteration,
the Ghost became more and more reliant upon him.
For example, Chop was the only being capable of accessing the ship's computer.
Which, while great for security, was less than ideal.
Hoping to expand and diversify her very own rebel cell,
Hera began enlisting a wide array of like-minded freedom fighters.
And before long,
the Ghost was feeling more like a home, rather than an empty shell of metal.
Each new recruit -
whether it be Kanan Jarrus, Garazeb Orrelios, Sabine Wren, or Ezra Bridger -
offered entirely unique skill sets and personalities from one another.
They also complimented the existing crew well,
helping Chopper to display some of his kinder traits.
Unfortunately, the droid's happy existence as a Spectre was quickly shattered by the emergence of AP-5.
In addition to his carefree attitude regarding the thoughts of others,
Chopper often treated fellow droids with disdain.
So when AP-5 found his way to the Spectres,
the astromech droid was not best pleased.
But little did he know how much he would come to trust and bond with the Imperial inventory droid.
In fact, having also served as a navigator during the Ryloth campaign,
AP-5 and Chopper became somewhat close friends.
And while their future relationship was far from plain sailing,
they did become a rather formidable pairing...
Now it's time for this week's question:
which droid do you prefer, Chopper or AP-5?
Let us know in the comments below!
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