The Mandalorian Chapter 22 Brings Back A Deep-Cut Death Star Droid
Contains spoilers for "The Mandalorian" Season 3, Episode 6 — "Guns for Hire"
"The Mandalorian" isn't one to shy away from references to "Star Wars" knowledge that would make even the most stringent of fans stand amazed. Besides filling in some of the histories of events that occurred between "Return of the Jedi" and "The Force Awakens," "The Mandalorian" is currently fleshing out the mysterious faction of warriors that share their name with the show, which means that Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) are attempting to unite their scattered people under one banner once again.
Landing on the beautiful and advanced planet of Plazir-15, Bo-Katan and Din seek Axe Woves (Simon Kassianides), the present leader of a faction of Mandalorians that are utilizing a massive fleet of captured Imperial spacecraft. Speaking of recommissioned Imperial equipment, one of the first droids that Bo-Katan and Din come across is an RA-7 droid, or as they are more commonly known: the "Death Star" droid. This is due to their rather distinctive look, which includes giant eyes that make them stand out from other protocol droids like C-3PO. However, the RA-7 droids have an exceptionally long-spanning history in "Star Wars" lore, and their uses are often nefarious.
RA-7 droids have existed since before the Clone Wars
Although Plazir-15 appears to be an idyllic paradise at first glance, with its fantastic domed city and surrounding marsh, both Din Djarin and Bo-Katan Kryze are immediately surprised at the presence of a black RA-7 droid and astromech unit as their welcoming party. Bo-Katan then clarifies that Plazir-15 is remote and that many planets and factions must make do with what is around. Unsurprisingly, the nickname of Death Star droid for RA-7 units is probably much more accurate, not just due to the fact that they were first spotted by audiences on the aforementioned planet-killing super-weapon.
The RA-7 first came into widespread service during the times of the Galactic Republic, which means that many of them were active right before the onset of the Clone Wars, to give a perspective. Unlike other protocol droids that often have a pleasant demeanor, RA-7s are usually arrogant or mean-spirited, and these robots have no qualms with more unsavory work like sabotage and spying. In addition to their more antagonistic usage, RA-7s are aided in their efforts with the aforementioned large eyes, which make them perfect for observation and low-light conditions, as well as a complement of sophisticated audio recorders.
Though Death Star droids aren't as advanced or as expensive as the 3PO series, their cost, equipment, and personalities make the RA-7s perfect for warlords on a budget or those in desperate need of a protocol droid who don't necessarily mind a robot being a little rough around the edges.