How R2-D2 Reacted to Anakin’s Fall to the Dark Side and Attack on Padme [Legends]

Long before the Empire, R2-D2 was more than just a droid in Anakin Skywalker’s service. He was a partner. Padmé gave R2 to Anakin after he became a Jedi Knight, and the two formed a bond that went far beyond orders or missions. Through every battle of the Clone Wars, R2 was there — loyal, brave, and always at Anakin’s side.

But that loyalty was tested in the final days of the Republic. In Legends, R2 wasn’t spared from the chaos that followed Anakin’s turn. He felt the change, saw the distance growing, and tried to make sense of what no one was explaining to him. And when it all reached its end on Mustafar, R2 was there again — watching the man he trusted become someone unrecognizable.

R2-D2 Told C-3PO That Anakin Stopped Speaking to Him

The Revenge of the Sith novel gives a rare look at what R2-D2 was thinking during Anakin’s fall. In one short scene, the story slows down and shifts to the droids’ perspective, letting us see the chaos through their eyes.

While Anakin was away, C-3PO tried to understand what was happening. He asked R2 about the rumors of the Jedi turning against the Republic, hoping his friend knew something more. But R2’s response was quiet and heavy: “I don’t know. Anakin doesn’t talk to me anymore.”

Their conversation continues with mentions of the reports about Mace Windu attempting to assassinate the Chancellor, and another rumor about a new law to ban droids across the Republic. R2 dismisses it, telling C-3PO not to believe everything he hears. The moment ends quietly, with both droids still uncertain about what’s true, unaware of how much worse things are about to become.

R2-D2 Recorded What Happened on Mustafar and Revealed It to Luke Years Later

What many don’t realize is that during the final day of the Clone Wars on Mustafar, R2-D2 recorded everything that happened between Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker. From the moment Anakin tried to convince Padmé to join his new Empire to the instant he turned on her and used the Force to choke her, all of it was captured and stored inside R2’s memory.

Years later, those recordings would finally be seen by Luke Skywalker in the Legends novel Star Wars: Dark Nest I – The Joiner King. It was through R2’s hidden footage that Luke learned the full truth about his parents, seeing his mother’s last moments and witnessing his father’s fall with his own eyes.

While on Mustafar, R2 remained near the starfighter as Anakin and Padmé confronted each other. He saw the argument unfold and began recording as the situation spiraled out of control. From his position, he captured Anakin’s attempt to convince Padmé to follow him, her refusal, and the moment he turned his anger on her.

When Obi-Wan Kenobi arrived and the fight began, R2 helped C-3PO carry Padmé back to her ship, continuing to record every moment. He also stored the final images of her on Polis Massa, during the birth of Luke and Leia.

Those files stayed locked away for years. R2 kept them hidden, unwilling to show anyone — not even Luke — what really happened. It wasn’t until much later that Luke convinced him to reveal the truth, finally seeing the moment his parents’ lives came apart and understanding the cost of his father’s fall.