While taking his umpteenth stroll down memory lane during a live appearance at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 in London, Anthony Daniels recalled the scene where a partially reconstructed C-3PO has to upbraid his troublemaking droid companion R2-D2. According to Daniels:
“[O]ne of my least favorite moments was in the Millennium Falcon, where I’ve been exploded in Cloud City and gradually got put back together. They said ‘You’ve got to stand there on one leg in the suit holding the other leg.'”
The 77-year-old Daniels then got up from his seat to reenact the moment, which challenged his shaky sense of balance (he used the moderator to simulate the wall against which he leaned). He did the best he could at his age, and, to the delight of the audience, delivered one of his character’s most quotable lines from “The Empire Strikes Back”: “I’m standing here in pieces, and you’re having delusions of grandeur!”
The unfailingly good-humored Daniels received a warm round of applause from the fans in attendance and then continued his well-rehearsed raconteur act. As for C-3PO’s journey in the original trilogy, he was rewarded in “Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi” by being treated as a god by the furry Ewok race on Endor. For once, Threepio’s companions realized just how crucial the fussy droid was to ensuring their survival.