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How BB-8 stole the show
Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens
Writers: J.J. Abrams & Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt
Director: J.J. Abrams
Introducing a new set of human heroes to the Star Wars world was a tall order indeed. Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron would have to stand next to legends like Han, Leia, and (eventually) Luke. Standing Kylo Ren up next to Darth Vader was challenging as well, but at least with the villains, you can throw on a black cowl and give ‘em a red lightsaber and you’re a few steps closer to making fans happy. Creating new leads in Stars Wars was absolutely going to be a tough sell, no matter how you looked at it. However, the mammoth task of creating a new droid for everyone to love was the biggest test of all and the success of BB-8 has as much to do with the widespread affection for The Force Awakens as anything.
BB-8 needed to work. He wasn’t just up against the fandom’s affection for C-3PO, R2-D2, and, all right, any of the Gonk droids. This new astromech was up against a challenging history of getting fans to accept characters built with a little humor and whimsy in mind. Of course, the prequels had perhaps the biggest challenge with Jar Jar Binks and even young Anakin Skywalker himself. Beyond that, though, there have been characters that the fandom initially rejected for being a tad too precocious or jokey. Ahsoka Tano’s growth from snippy pre-teen to revered fan favorite is legendary now but was hard to imagine in 2008. Ezra Bridger and Chopper from Star Wars Rebels also come to mind and we’ll see where Bucket from Star Wars Resistance ends up. So, yes, BB-8 needed to work and there was a lot of pressure on that little round droid.
Lucasfilm must have felt confident or it was a galactic case of “fake it until you make it” because BB-8 was everywhere leading up to the film’s release. He was touted as a “practical effect” and paraded out for conventions. Remote control toy versions were promoted as hot ticket items. The droid was even used to sell oranges. (And, yes, I bought some.) So, maybe none of BB-8’s later success as a well-received character was surprising to them.
Yet when BB-8 first rolled into Lor San Tekka’s hut and warned his best buddy Poe Dameron of coming trouble, all eyes and ears were on the beeping ball. It seemed to work. Right? Then he fled from the trouble with an important mission—a mission not unlike Artoo’s in A New Hope—and we needed to root for him. Then BB-8 met Rey and the charm of this new droid started to work on us as it was also working on Daisy Ridley’s character. As he warbled, beeped, and rolled around Rey like a loyal dog following its new, beloved owner, you got a sense that BB-8 was working. Still, he could have still stepped in the proverbial Star Wars poopie and exclaimed, “Peeeeee yousa!”
All of this. The subtle charm, feisty nature, and resilient soul of this new droid led up to THE BB-8 moment. His first bit of Star Wars legacy. The GIF and meme-worthy moment that cemented his place in the hearts of the fandom: The thumbs-up to Finn.
A Star Wars moment in which a droid sticks out a metallic arm with a lighter on the end of it and gives another character a “thumbs-up” was, as Governor Tarkin would say, “an awful big risk here.” If the build-up is done wrong, this moment between Finn and BB-8 just might take Star Wars fans, occasionally, uh, steadfast in their views of “what feels like Star Wars,” out of the movie. Yet as Finn begs BB-8 for help in looking cool in front of Rey, we’re on board. BB-8 has our attention, our imagination, and, thanks to a sad head bob on Jakku, our sympathy. We also know that he’s smart and clued in. Well aware that something isn’t on the up and up with Finn’s sale pitch of being part of the Resistance, BB-8 has a big moral decision to make: trust this former stormtrooper with good intentions or blow his cover.
With a contemplative swivel of his head, BB-8 decides. He gives Rey the location of the Resistance base and keeps Finn’s cover. Finn gives him a thumbs-up and BB-8 returns it. There wasn’t a screening of this movie during its initial theatrical run that I saw in which the audience didn’t love this moment. The reaction was the same every time. Laughter and joy. It worked. It was funny on its own but showed us the true nature of this droid we were about to be spending a lot of time with.
Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and even Darth Vader were the big names we looked up to and followed for movie after movie, but C-3PO and R2-D2 made it all feel connected, as if you were watching the stories unfold with friends. That was a valuable part of the previous movies’ success. All that weight was placed on the virtual shoulders of BB-8. There wasn’t even another new droid to back him up. Perhaps because Threepio was still going to be fretting his way around the galaxy, BB-8 was a solo act. This was all on him, but with one thumbs-up, BB-8 stole the show and let us all know that we had a new friend for these new stories.