Editing C-3PO (section)

== Creation and development ==
[[Ralph McQuarrie]], a concept artist for the original 1977 ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' film,{{Efn|The film was originally titled ''Star Wars'', then was later retitled ''Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope''.}} based the initial design for {{nowrap|C-3PO}} on the [[Maschinenmensch|female robot]] from the [[Fritz Lang]] film ''[[Metropolis (1927 film)|Metropolis]]'' (1927).{{Sfn|Rinzler|2007|p=103}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Eisner |first=Lotte |title=Fritz Lang |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1977 |isbn=0-306-80271-6}}</ref> When Anthony Daniels saw one of McQuarrie's paintings of {{nowrap|C-3PO}}, he was struck by the vulnerability in the droid's face, and he wanted the role.<ref name="Dreams">{{cite AV media |title=[[Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy]] |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox Home Entertainment |year=2004}}</ref><ref name="Daniels">{{cite web |title=Biography: Anthony Daniels |url=https://www.starwars.com/bio/anthonydaniels.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061111180214/http://www.starwars.com/bio/anthonydaniels.html |archive-date=November 11, 2006 |access-date=October 3, 2006 |website=[[StarWars.com]]}}</ref> George Lucas, who created the ''Star Wars'' franchise and directed ''Star Wars'', selected Daniels for the physical performance. He was planning to hire another actor for the droid's voice, because he was hesitant to give the character Daniels's British accent.<ref name=":1">{{cite magazine |last=Scanlon |first=Paul |date=25 August 1977 |title=George Lucas: The Wizard of 'Star Wars' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/george-lucas-the-wizard-of-star-wars-2-232011/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403172550/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/george-lucas-the-wizard-of-star-wars-2-232011/ |archive-date=3 April 2019 |access-date=13 February 2019 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref> According to Daniels, Lucas wanted {{nowrap|C-3PO}} to have a "sleazy New York second-hand car dealer" type of voice.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |last=Mackenzie |first=Steven |date=December 17, 2019 |title=We meet Anthony Daniels: the man behind C-3PO |url=https://www.bigissue.com/interviews/we-meet-anthony-daniels-the-man-behind-c-3po/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817131633/https://www.bigissue.com/interviews/we-meet-anthony-daniels-the-man-behind-c-3po/ |archive-date=August 17, 2021 |access-date=May 10, 2024 |website=Big Issue}}</ref> Daniels recalled that thirty well-established actors auditioned for the voice role—including [[Richard Dreyfuss]] and [[Mel Blanc]]—but Daniels ultimately received the part after one of the actors suggested the idea to Lucas.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=McCluskey |first=Megan |date=December 18, 2017 |title=20 Actors You Never Knew Were Almost Cast in Star Wars |url=https://time.com/4936666/star-wars-actors-almost-cast-leonardo-dicaprio/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726070207/https://time.com/4936666/star-wars-actors-almost-cast-leonardo-dicaprio/ |archive-date=July 26, 2021 |access-date=February 29, 2024 |magazine=TIME |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Dreams" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Romano |first=Steven |date=20 August 2015 |title=Actors Who Almost Appeared in Star Wars |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/actors-who-almost-appeared-in-star-wars |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108134137/https://www.starwars.com/news/actors-who-almost-appeared-in-star-wars |archive-date=8 November 2020 |access-date=23 April 2019 |website=StarWars.com}}</ref> With Daniels voicing him, {{nowrap|C-3PO}}'s persona transformed from oily used-car salesman to neurotic English butler.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<br><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name="Guardian" /><ref name="Independent">{{cite web |author1=Louis Chilton |date=1 November 2019 |title=Sidelined, suffocated, and nearly baked alive: The story of the man who didn't want to play C-3PO |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/anthony-daniels-star-wars-c3po-memoir-book-inside-story-a9178096.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210020611/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/anthony-daniels-star-wars-c3po-memoir-book-inside-story-a9178096.html |archive-date=10 February 2021 |access-date=1 January 2021 |website=The Independent |publisher=}}</ref>}}

For the second film, ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' (1980), Lucas wanted to create audience sympathy for {{nowrap|C-3PO}} by having him get dismantled.{{Sfn|Rinzler|2010|p=132}} He considered having the villain Darth Vader destroy the droid's heart or "turn it into an alarm clock".{{Sfn|Rinzler|2010|p=133}} In the finished film, {{nowrap|C-3PO}} is blasted into pieces by an offscreen foe, then rescued from a scrap pile by Chewbacca.{{Efn|''The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia'' reveals that the droid's assailant is an Imperial stormtrooper.{{Sfn|Hidalgo|Sansweet|2008|p=102}}}} Because both {{nowrap|C-3PO}} and Chewbacca were likeable characters—and disliked one another—Lucas wanted them to have a bonding experience. Towards this end, the [[Wookiee]] carries and then repairs the dismantled droid.{{Sfn|Rinzler|2010|p=133}}