Solo: How R2-D2 and C-3PO Could Cameo

The story of the Star Wars saga may typically be referred to as the "Skywalker Saga," but no single Skywalkers has actually appeared in every Star Wars movie. Sure, it follows the family line, but there's only 2 characters that have actually showed up in every single movie so far: R2-D2 and C-3PO. Even Rogue One, the first Star Wars anthology film, featured a cameo from Artoo and Threepio. That gives the droids quite an impressive streak. But with another spin-off fast approaching, it looks like that streak could be broken. Will R2-D2 and C-3PO appear in Solo: A Star Wars Story?Solo explores the history of the galaxy's most famous smuggler, and it's unlikely Artoo and Threepio will play any role in the film at all. This movie is heading to corners of the galaxy that have never been seen on the big screen before, with Lucasfilm exploring the criminal underworld through the eyes of Han Solo. On the face of it, it really wouldn't seem appropriate for Artoo and Threepio to crop up. Any encounter with Han would create continuity problems; a major appearance would have the effect of making the galaxy feel smaller rather than larger.RELATED: Star Wars: Rogue One Writer Wanted Fewer CameosBut does that absolutely rule out a cameo of some kind? Or is it possible Lucasfilm could still find ways to honor this particular Star Wars tradition? If there were a way for Solo to tip its hat at the droids' perfect attendance record, it's at least worth considering. It's admittedly a long shot, but for the sake of keeping their streak going, here are three ways Artoo and Threepio could still appear in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

This Page: The Kessel Connection

The Kessel Connection

Solo is certain to reveal the truth behind Han Solo's boast that the Falcon made the Kessel Run in "less than twelve parsecs." Surprisingly, though, the first mention of Kessel in Star Wars canon didn't come from the braggadocious smuggler, but actually from a throwaway comment by Threepio; the nervous droid feared that he and Artoo would be sentenced to Kessel's "spice mines." But why would Threepio even be familiar with those mines? His memory of Jedi service was wiped after the events of Revenge of the Sith, and he then spent the next couple of decades working for Alderaanian Senator Bail Organa. He has a vast database, so a cursory knowledge of Kessel's reputation is to be expected, but maybe there's something more behind that line.

Here's the catch; Bail Organa was no ordinary senator. He was also a key figure in the Rebellion; the new Star Wars canon has emphasized his role more than ever before. Bail actually used his two droids on a number of undercover operations; in fact, that was the role Artoo and Threepio were playing when they were integrated into Star Wars: Rebels. It's quite possible that Artoo and Threepio were sent on a secret mission to Kessel for some reason.

It wouldn't actually be a surprise to see Han interact with the Rebels in Solo. When audiences were introduced to Han in A New Hope, he was a bitter cynic who didn't really want to take a side in the war with the Empire. But that cynicism has to come from somewhere. In the old Expanded Universe, it was an unfortunate result of the young Han's falling in love with a Rebel named Bria Tharen. Tharen used Han to her own ends, leaving the smuggler as distrustful of the Rebels as he was of the Empire. Many fans believe Emilia Clarke's mysterious character Qi'ra will play a similar role in Solo. If Han does come across the Rebels, though, it is important that he not personally encounter Threepio and Artoo, keeping their role to more of a passing cameo.

Han's Time In The Empire

Solo appears to borrow heavily from Han's backstory in the old Expanded Universe. There, Han initially wound up pressed into Imperial service, but quickly learned it wasn't for him. Han was no bigot, and he objected to the Empire's treatment of Wookiees in particular. That was actually how Han came to earn a Life Debt from Chewbacca, who he saved from the Empire. It's unknown how much of that backstory will make its way into Solo; certainly Han's story appears to lead him into Imperial service though.

It's possible Solo will give viewers their first big-screen experience of an Imperial Academy, where the Empire's best and bravest are trained in the art of war. If so, it really wouldn't be hard to fit Artoo and Threepio into a cameo. All it would take is for the Imperial Academy to be visited by some dignitaries, including the Senator of Alderaan. No doubt Bail Organa did the rounds in such Imperial installations, quietly gathering as much intelligence as he could. It would make sense for him to travel with his two droids. That's especially the case for Artoo, who could easily hack his way into the local computers and extract information.

Again, this wouldn't really need to be fleshed out. All it would take is a line about "visiting dignitaries," perhaps even with Jimmy Smits making a small cameo too.

Random Background Characters

Those are two easy ways Artoo and Threepio could make a cameo, but the reality is that there doesn't need to be a fanfare about them. Viewers know they're important, but they're not important to the story of Solo. It may be better to simply give them a background presence. A similar cameo approach taken in Rogue One, which carefully woven some characters and concepts from Star Wars: Rebels into key scenes. The film made specific mention of "General Syndulla," and eagle-eyed fans swiftly spotted Chopper and the Ghost. Solo could use the same approach for Artoo and Threepio. Given Han travels the galaxy as a smuggler, he's sure to visit a wide range of spaceports. Artoo and Threepio could easily be part of a spaceport's hustle and bustle, with the movie avoiding calling them out, and instead leaving the fans to spot this as an Easter egg.

In truth, that may well be the most natural and unforced way of doing a cameo. The other two methods carry attendant risks; they shrink the galaxy, rather than enlarge it, suggesting that a small number of characters were forever slipping in and out of each other's orbits. This approach would neatly avoid that risk, with the droids' cameo instead becoming a subject of delight for the fans.

The purpose of these anthology films is, in large part, to broaden the Star Wars galaxy out. There are rumors Alden Ehrenreich has actually signed up to a three-movie contract, suggesting Lucasfilm hope to tell more stories set in the galaxy's underworld. If that is indeed the case, any cameos will need to be carefully done so as not to damage the sense that this is an ever-widening galaxy. But that doesn't mean cameos are impossible, and it certainly doesn't rule Artoo and Threepio out of Solo.

MORE: Solo: A Star Wars Story Character Guide