R5-M2 (Arfive-Emmtoo) was an R5-series astromech droid
owned by Rebel Alliance Captain
Shawn
Valdez, an evacuation officer assigned to Echo Base on the ice planet Hoth
during the Galactic Civil War. R5-M2, specially programmed
to
plot sublight tactical courses for starships,
played an extremely valuable role during the Battle of Hoth in 3 ABY by
assisting Valdez in planning evacuation routes from Echo Base.
R5-M2, or
Arfive-Emmtoo,
was a member of the R5-series astromech droid line, which proved to be
commercially unsuccessful but was nonetheless in high demand during the
Galactic Civil War for use in combat starships. By
early 3 ABY, R5-M2 was owned by and served alongside Rebel Alliance Captain
Shawn Valdez, a popular and charismatic evacuation officer stationed at the
Alliance High Command headquarters of Echo Base on the ice planet Hoth.
R5-M2 was
present inside Echo Base's central hangar,
chirping melodiously, when Rebel accessory Han Solo returned from conducting a
routine scouting mission of the base's exterior with Commander Luke Skywalker,
in which Skywalker ultimately went missing after falling prey to an ambush
from a native wampa ice creature. The droid passed in front of Solo's path as
the latter passed through the congested hangar. During the Battle of Hoth days later, R5-M2 played a small
but pivotal role in helping the Rebellion successfully evacuate Echo Base
immediately in the face of overwhelming Imperial assault. R5-M2, who was
specially programmed to plot sublight tactical courses for space travel,
proved extremely valuable by coordinating plans, providing tactical support to
Valdez, and planning evacuation routes from the base during the battle. The
astromech droid R5-M2 became but another droid who played an invaluable role
in the Rebel Alliance's
struggle against the Empire
when the Rebellion effectively put R5-M2's special sublight course-plotting
programming to good use during the
Battle
of Hoth. R5-M2 assisted in the Rebel escape from Hoth by planning evacuation
routes from Echo Base. A battlepack depicts the Echo base crew and events,
which is called Hoth Recon. It contains an old Han Solo, an old K-3PO, a
Chewbacca, and this R5 unit. All were seen previously. The probe droid also a
previously introduced figure, but this newer version is cooler, its paint is
much more authentic, silver, metallic, and the orange disguisting parts were
removed. However this new probe is very cool, buying a battlepack for it is
worthless.
R5-M2's exterior plating
included a black head and a blue-and-white color scheme. However, one of
R5-M2's forward manipulator arms was missing from its body during its service
time at Echo Base. R5-M2 first appeared briefly in the 1980 film Star Wars
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back as one of the many droid extras populating
the Echo Base central hangar during the scene in which Han Solo first enters
the base following his patrol of the Hoth wastelands with Luke Skywalker. The
droid was later identified by number and given a brief role with the Rebels of
Echo Base on the "R5-M2 (Arfive-Emmtoo)" card of the November 1996 Hoth
Limited expansion set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game.
R5-M2
was only a droid in the background. It was only a decoration, which was sent
there not to let the background empty. I bet it hadn't got a name, an owner, a
function, a background story. This was ALL created afterwards, when a figure
was released, and when the moneyfactory decided to gain some more from it. It
is an interesting and cute R5 unit, who is a good figure for astromech lovers,
or those fans who plan to build a Hoth diorama. But nothing more, then a white
torso, and a black headed R5 unit in the background. I wouldn't spent a dime
on it, I wouldn't buy it, rather built it from BAD parts. Customizing it was a
good task, which gave good goal for me, when I was wondering what to make from
the Build-A-Droid parts.
Take a look at my custom R5-M2 figure!
Custom
R5-M2 droid figure
front

Custom R5-M2 B-A-D figure back

Custom R5-M2 B-A-D figure in a Hoth diorama

Thanks for your attention, come back soon, there are and will be some more other interesting things here, waiting for you!
written and translated by: Norbert Rostas 2013.09.16.