BB-8

The balldroid that rocks

THERE IS A temptation to dismiss BB-8 as merely cute. And, well, yes, the Bb-series astromech droid with a heart of expertly programmed gold is, admittedly, pretty darn adorable. From the minute the world first saw him scuttle along the sands of Jakku in the first Force Awakens teaser trailer, we fell in love him, and only the steeliest Sith heart could not be charmed by his winsome beeps, his wobbly movements, and his improvised ‘thumbs up’ via a pop-out lighter.

But all talk of cutesiness belies how crucial he is to the Resistance cause — and the plot of the films themselves. Just like R2-D2, his older, less mobile droid cousin, BB-8 is an essential cog in the machine, holding the map to Luke Skywalker’s whereabouts and setting in motion the events that will change the galaxy forever. Call him cute, if you like — but don’t underestimate this little droid.