SPECULATION NEW DROID!

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/R2-Q5

 

Maybe it's R2-D2 in an Imperial disguise? The blinky dome lights on this droid are the same colours that R2-D2 normally has too. If Chopper from Rebels has done spy/infiltration missions, then why not R2-D2 as well?

I would assume R2-D2 is at this time owned by Senator Bail Antilles (Leia's adoptive father) and part of the secret Rebel Alliance? Bail know's R2-D2 is a very special, unique and trustworthy droid because he didn't order R2-D2's memory to be wiped at the end of Episode III. (Unlike C-3PO!)

After the spying mission, R2-D2 would have his disguise removed and repainted back to his normal blue and white.

 

I can't wait for this little Astromech bro to do his best or worst, hot me thinking will a black threepio like droid could follow, give Anthony double duties

 

I'd love to see that happening and it's a very good theory. Besides, how lazy is this as a design if not? My only problem with this theory is that R2 was kinda "used" whan it appears in ANH. If it's really R2D2, I hope they have an explanation as to why he gets so damaged between its JamesBond day and ANH beginning. It could be as easy as hiding somewhere dirty.

 

I like the matte but it would have been cooler to disrupt parts of it with a black gloss finish .

 

My friend I'm sorry to disappoint you but this isn't a new droid design. There have been black R2 units in SW for a very long time. R2-Q5 is an Imperial astromech droid that has been seen in the movies and he seems to be very well liked among SW fans as he has lots of merchandise.

 

Honestly, I think it's silly that people think we need to reinvent the wheel every time a new droid is introduced. Why is it so hard to fathom that a company might manufacture a handful (or realistically, a ton) of similarly designed droids? Heck, I drive the exact same car as one of my good friends!

 

SPOILER: No, it isn't R2-D2. Sadly, I did not see this new droid in Rogue One after seeing the film twice.

 

It seem's C2-B5, the black Imperial R2 unit, was cut out of Rogue One because of the re-shoots. I wonder what role C2-B5 may have had in the story?

Perhaps the Death Star plans were downloaded into C2-B5 by the Rogue One team and C2-B5 was somehow flown up to the Rebel flagship, maybe inside a ship with space only for an astromech droid and not for members of the Rogue One crew which makes their sacrifice even more interesting? As I said, this is just a speculative theory.

With the re-shoots, C2-B5's role is now unknown and on the cutting room floor. Instead, the re-shoot has given us the scene with the transmitter tower and antenna to beam the plans up instead.

However, C2-B5's action figure still exists and that makes it quite an interesting and rare figure for collectors....

 

So he met the Constable Zuvio's fate. Hope that a similar thing won't happen to any of Episode VIII,s characters.