R2-D2 has long reigned as the cutest, most savvy Droid in the Star Wars universe. However, as we saw at the Star Wars Celebration event a few weeks ago, the new sequel, The Force Awakens, has created a rivalry of sorts between R2 and the freshest new adorable droid on the block, the rolling BB-8. Perhaps that can explain at least part of the motivation behind R2’s Jon Wick-style bloodfest in this hilarious new fan-made LEGO animation from BrotherhoodWorkshop.
Thanks to the convenience and affordability of the effects tools available in the new digital age, we’ve seen plenty of excellent Star Wars fan films spread across the halls of the Internet. But we’ve never seen our familiar friend R2-D2 quite like this.
In the video, R2 goes on a frenetic attack, delving out some uncharacteristic — but much deserved — vengeance on the ethically bereft Droid dealers, the Jawas. Pulling out two massive six-shooters from within his tin-can interior, R2 systematically begins hunting down each Jawa, and blowing them into nothing but a dusting of LEGO bricks and body parts. The little Droid even takes to the air with the help of some enhanced jets, laying waste to the rocky terrain around him and leaving no stone — or Jawa — unturned.
There are all the essential Star Wars elements present to provide some good nostalgia here, including plenty of familiar R2 beeps and buzzes, and the same vernacular we expect from the Jawas as they scurry from the rampaging Droid, yelling out classics like “Woo-tee-di!” When all is said and done, R2 can’t leave the Jawas to their devices, deciding in a very nonchalant fashion that blowing up their SandCrawler is a necessary dolling of judgement for the Droid enslavers.
The video’s creator used a host of digital effects for this exceedingly fun R2 attack, drawing many of the video’s key elements from the Videoblocks platform. There’s even a behind-the-scenes video available, so you can see the careful design BrotherhoodWorkshop employed to make R2 fly around, and cast destruction on the small landscape.
At the end of the clip, we see R2 returning to Obi-Wan, and blowing the Jedi into pieces for daring to question his maniacal assault. Too far, R2 … too far.