The “Father” of R2-D2 Dies at 68

Most of you have heard about R2-D2 but it’s probably safe to say that not all of you know who exactly created him. It’s true that the renowned Star Wars droid was first envisioned by George Lucas and sketched out by Ralph McQuarrie, but it was actually Tony Dyson who gave it its final form. Apart from working on Star Wars, Tony also put together a mini space battle for the Moonrake Bond movie, he created a large robotic dragon for the Dragon Slayer and he even worked on Superman II at a certain point. As for R2-D2, the robotics expert was originally contracted by the film’s creators in order to assemble eight cylindrical models, some of which were actually hollowed out in order to make room for actor Kenny Baker.

After its original success, R2-D2 became one of the most recognizable symbols of the Star Wars franchise, as it appeared in all seven movies, several video games, numerous books and comics. Tony even got to see the droid‘s potential successor, BB-8, in action, and it’s a real shame that he didn’t live long enough to see the next Star Wars movie. Tony Dyson has recently passed away at the age of 68, but it’s comforting to know that he will always be remembered thanks to his work. Hopefully, R2-D2 will remain a part of Star Wars for years to come.