Star Wars Loves Droid Deaths, So Why Treat Them So Poorly?
Warning: Contains possible SPOILERS for Obi-Wan Kenobi
One of Disney-era Star Wars' most defining traits is its obsession with heroically killing off droids, but the studio actually needs to change how it treats the franchise's various robotic companions. Over multiple movies and TV shows, the saga has recreated near-identical moments of heroic self-sacrifice, in which droids save their human friends by letting themselves be destroyed. By continually repeating this trope, however, Star Wars is actually moving away from the intention to highlight droids' heroism and turning these moments into parody.
The obsession with sacrificial droid deaths arguably began in the original trilogy, with R2-D2 being variously blasted and shocked before being repaired. However, more modern entries into the saga have significantly upped the ante. Droids such as L3-37, K2-SO and NED-B all end up being obliterated in an effort to help their human compatriots – sharing remarkably similar fates. Rogue One's K2-SO, for instance, is killed holding off a band of stormtroopers in the Battle of Scarif, while NED-B performed an identical role in aiding Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Path's escape from Jabiim. In each case, the droid's sacrifice is intended to be a somber moment.
Related: Disney's Star Wars Canon Hints At The Existence Of...Sex Droids?
Unfortunately, for all the heartfelt emotion around losing a trusted ally, the repetition of this trope is creating serious problems for Star Wars. The biggest issue is probably the unintended impact that repeating the same scenes over and over again can have for a viewer. Not only does it lessen the emotional stakes of a particular moment, but it risks turning what should be a tragedy into a joke. With NED-B's
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