C3PO's silver leg

[Brian G Turner]

So, just for fun, I re-watched the opening of Star Wars for a quick buzz - when I noticed something I've never noticed in the gazillion times I've previously watched the opening.

In the opening shots, C3PO has a silver leg (lower right):

I've just checked some shots on Tatooine, and it's the same there as well.

Thing is, big Star Wars film rewatching fan that I am, I have never ever noticed this before.

My C3PO figure was gold all over!

So what happened? Did he eventually go all gold? Why did my toys lie to me? How did I not see this before?!

 

[Venusian Broon]

Yeah, been a big topic for a while

BTW...here he is in Return of the Jedi, clearly has a silver leg...And he was meant to have it.

The actor that played C3PO makes the point that the silver reflected everything like a mirror, so for a lot of the shots on Tatooine it's reflecting the sand back at you. Which is kinda yellow.

The reasons for your dissonance are discussed here

TL;DR the toy didn't have a silver leg, (most of the time, you can find some figurines that get it right) for cost reasons!

 

[Danny McG]

I noticed in 'The Force Awakens' he suddenly had a red arm as well.
A promotion for Collector's Edition action figures maybe? -

like the various colour Daleks that came out just in time for Christmas a few years ago

 

[Dave]

Is it the same in all the versions? You know how Lucas messed around with CGI. He could have changed it retrospectively in all of the original films. I do have Star Wars on VHS but can't really get motivated enough to check.

Edit: I never read those "bear" books, I knew Mandela didn't die, and I knew Vader said, "No, I am your father," but I don't remember the silver leg.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I noticed in 'The Force Awakens' he suddenly had a red arm as well.

That was to tie in with a backstory in the comics.

 

[Phyrebrat]

The red leg has a SW Lego episode explaining it, too.

I love little world-buildy touches like this.