The Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian was a delight for fans of the original Star Wars trilogy. Boba Fett got a chance to start his own book, years after supposedly dying in the Sarlacc pit. There was the cameo from Luke Skywalker, who swooped in to save the heroes from certain doom. But though R2-D2 made an appearance alongside Luke, the finale also made reference to another droid.
In "Chapter 16: The Rescue," Din Djarin and his cohorts, including Fett, Fennec Shand and a group of Mandalorians led by Bo-Katan Kryze, infiltrate Moff Gideon's cruiser in an attempt to rescue baby Grogu. Quickly after boarding, Djarin separates from the rest of the group, making way for the cargo bay that contains the malevolent Dark Troopers. On the way, he passes a droid of another type — an RA-47 protocol droid, aka a "Death Star droid."
If you look closely, the droid is completely silver, save his left leg, which is golden. Between his change in color, way of walking and exposed wires, it immediately calls to mind the image of C-3PO. Threepio himself is colored the exact opposite as this RA-47, completely gold except for a silver leg. Though not initially noticed by Star Wars fans in the original trilogy, the revelation made the rounds once the droids returned for 2015's The Force Awakens.
The silver leg discourse came in response to C-3PO's red arm when he reappeared for the sequel trilogy. Though not mentioned or explained whatsoever in the films, his new body part's origin actually came from a Marvel tie-in comic. Star Wars Special: C-3PO #1 depicted a group of droids, including Threepio, attempting to survive on a hostile planet after a crash. Along the way, he strikes up an unlikely friendship with Resistance prisoner and First Order protocol droid, OMRI.
At one point, C-3PO's arm gets bitten off by a sea creature, handicapping him for rescue. But OMRI comes through in the end, sacrificing himself to acid rain to ensure his new friend's safety. Now in need of an arm, Threepio opts to use the one left behind from the protocol droid, as a reminder of those who helped him and the lesson he learned that day.
The RA-47's coloring marks a bookend on C-3PO cameos in The Mandalorian Season 2. Back in the season premiere, "The Marshal," a shot reveals scores of anti-Empire graffiti on the walls of a dark and dirty alley. An illustrated version of C-3PO's face also appears, possibly implying that his role in the Resistance has become the stuff of legends.
With The Mandalorian bringing many different Star Wars mythologies together, it would be fantastic if C-3PO and the RA-47 droid shown had decided to trade lower legs at some point in the past. Unfortunately, this doesn't look to be possible, as the RA-47 droid's left leg is gold, while Threepio's right leg is silver. However, it's a great Easter egg from Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and The Mandalorian crew that shows the droid is certainly not forgotten.
Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers and Giancarlo Esposito. Season 2 is now streaming on Disney+.