A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....
R2-D2 is the astromech who keeps turning up at the turning points of galactic history. He was never fully memory-wiped, and decades of unbroken memory made him stubborn, resourceful and fiercely loyal. He first proved himself in 32 BBY by repairing Queen Amidala's starship under fire during the Naboo blockade. That same year he flew beside a young Anakin Skywalker when Anakin destroyed the Droid Control Ship. He watched Anakin and Padmé marry, then served as Anakin's partner through the Clone Wars, helping to rescue Jabba's son, surviving capture by General Grievous and carrying a distress call from Vanqor that saved two Jedi. When the Republic fell he passed into Bail Organa's care. Years later Princess Leia hid the stolen Death Star plans inside him, and the mission that followed brought him to Luke Skywalker and led to the first Death Star's destruction. He stayed with Luke through Hoth, Cloud City, Jabba's palace and Endor, and later through Luke's failed attempt to rebuild the Jedi Order. After Luke vanished, R2-D2 went into a long low-power sleep with the Resistance. He woke after the Battle of Starkiller Base carrying the last piece of the map to Luke. He went on to guide Rey to Ahch-To and flew as Poe Dameron's copilot at the Battle of Exegol.
The R2-series astromech is built by 32 BBY at the latest and joins the Royal House of Naboo, serving aboard Queen Amidala's royal starship.
He is the only one of four astromechs to survive a hull repair under fire. He restores the ship's shields so it can escape the Trade Federation blockade.
On Tatooine he meets Anakin Skywalker and C-3PO, helps work on Anakin's podracer, and cheers him on at the Boonta Eve Classic.
He rides in the N-1 starfighter that young Anakin launches by accident, and helps him destroy the Droid Control Ship.
He follows Padmé to Coruscant when she becomes a senator and works as her unobtrusive recorder and assistant.
He protects Padmé on Naboo and Geonosis, saves her in the droid foundry, and puts C-3PO back together. With C-3PO he is the only witness to Anakin and Padmé's wedding, after which he passes into Anakin's service.
He exposes the clone traitor Slick on Christophsis, then helps Anakin and Ahsoka rescue Jabba's son Rotta.
He helps Anakin and Obi-Wan board Grievous's flagship to rescue Padmé, and the ship is destroyed.
Lost after the fighting at Bothawui, he is sold to General Grievous. Anakin rescues him from Skytop Station, and he defeats the spy droid R3-S6.
He serves on Orto Plutonia, in the Blue Shadow Virus crisis, and in the liberation of Ryloth. He also helps hunt Cad Bane, who kidnaps him and wipes his memory to plan the Senate hostage crisis.
When Boba Fett's trap leaves Anakin and Mace Windu pinned under wreckage, he fights off gundarks and bounty hunters and gets their distress call to Coruscant.
He leads a squad of reprogrammed battle droids that carries the frozen strike team to Lola Sayu to rescue Even Piell.
He flies with Anakin in the rescue of Chancellor Palpatine and is present as Anakin falls to the dark side. Afterward he is placed with Bail Organa, and C-3PO's memory is wiped while his own is left intact.
Now serving Bail Organa, he and C-3PO briefly cross paths with the Ghost crew on a mission to Lothal.
Aboard the Tantive IV, Princess Leia hides the stolen Death Star plans and her plea to Obi-Wan Kenobi inside him. He escapes to Tatooine, where he is sold to the Lars family and finds Luke Skywalker.
He delivers the plans to the Rebel Alliance and flies as Luke's astromech in the attack that destroys the Death Star.
He escapes the Battle of Hoth with Luke, goes with him to Dagobah to train with Yoda, and repairs the Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive as it flees Cloud City.
He smuggles Luke's lightsaber into Jabba's sail barge, helps free Han Solo, and fights alongside the Ewoks at the Battle of Endor while the second Death Star is destroyed.
He goes with Luke to rescue Grogu from Moff Gideon's cruiser, then to Luke's Jedi school, where Grogu begins training.
Luke's new Jedi Order is destroyed. After Luke disappears, R2-D2 powers down into a long low-power sleep with the Resistance.
After the Battle of Starkiller Base he wakes up and completes the map to Luke. He then travels with Rey and Chewbacca to Ahch-To and reunites with Luke there.
He plays Luke the old recording of Leia's plea, which helps persuade Luke to help Rey.
He restores C-3PO's wiped memory and flies as Poe Dameron's copilot in the decisive battle against the Final Order.