C-3PO a little too excited? If you don’t know the mystery of the famous card #207 from the Topps collection, we’ll enlighten you on the subject – prohibited for under 18s, please!
Before Star Wars became a global phenomenon, and coinciding with the release of the first feature film in the saga, later subtitled A New Hope, the legendary Topps Company released a collection of sticker cards in 1977 dedicated to the film that created the controversy. The reason ? Card #207, namely THE most famous Star Wars trading card of all time, the one where C-3PO seems to have… an erection!
Since its release on the market, the card has simply become an obsession for fans of the universe created by George Lucas, opening the door to all kinds of speculation about the origin of this “error” – especially after Topps released it. was deleted in later editions of his collection. Let’s clear up the mystery.
Where does this “error” come from?
According to Gary Gerani, who oversaw the selection of images for Topps at the time, the film’s master prop masters had fun on set giving C-3PO a “little” extra piece, before taking a photo that then had to be airbrushed for future editions of the map.
20th century Fox “Obscene” version
In 2007, however, the official Star Wars website explained that the image was nothing more than a coincidence. According to the Lucasfilm-approved explanation, a piece of the costume had come loose at the precise moment the photo was taken, giving the character the appearance of “mechanical excitement”:
“[Il] seems that the extra appendage is not the work of an artist, but rather an effect of timing and light. The intact stock photo shows the image as it appears on the card. The current theory is that at the moment the photo was taken, a piece fell off C-3PO’s costume and just happened to line up in a way to suggest an image of debauchery. The original contact sheets from the photo shoot bear witness to this. They are not retouched in any way, but always contain the same image. Whatever the real explanation, the ‘mischievous airbrush artist’ scenario just doesn’t cut it.”
20th century Fox
Corrected version
The main interested party’s version
However, neither explanation appears to be the truth – and Anthony Daniels says so! Stating both theories “absurd”, the actor who slipped into the costume of the mythical droid explained what happened (via Mental Floss).
According to Daniels, the phallic incident occurred on set at Elstree Studios in London, during the filming of the scene in which C-3PO is immersed in an oil bath. “It was really oil”, he says. “I stood on a platform that lowered me gently into the green liquid. The team was kind enough to warm it up. Not as much as the steam indicated. This was achieved with two electric kettles hidden behind me.”
But this oil had an unexpected consequence. “Oil permeated the interior spaces, between me and the legs of the suit, as I chatted with my new master, Luke Skywalker. I eventually got up, dripping but without incident. At least that’s what I thought.”
Lucasfilm Ltd.
Daniels finished the scene – and the film – without thinking further about the shot in question. Years later, he came across the map and realized what had happened.
“At that time, the pants portion of the suit was made from two pieces of thin plastic. Front and rear. A strip of gold tape secured them together, [ce qui était] Alright. But immersion in vegetable oil dissolved the adhesive and the two parts separated. At the same time, C-3PO’s left leg fell on the shoe. All this has led to overexposure of plastic in this region. This created this bulging crease.”
Anthony Daniels think a mischievous Topps employee then took the photo with the crease and accentuated the protruding part to make it appear larger and with some extra anatomical detail. What happened next is still subject to some interpretation. Lucasfilm’s previous explanations have disappeared from the Star Wars homepage, and the company has finally approved this new narrative.
No, Anthony Daniels will not sign your card
The “X” version of the card is not particularly rare and can usually be purchased for between $30 and $100, depending on its condition. However, don’t expect thatAnthony Daniels the dedication for you: “If you see one signed by me, it’s a fake”said the actor. “I will never autograph it. Say I’m not funny, but, as clever as it is, I find it an insult to a good friend of mine who can’t speak for himself on this planet.”
In addition to finding it juvenile, Daniels thinks the card commits a sin worse than one might think: it contradicts the very essence of C-3PO’s character. “As a protocol droid and an expert in the intricacies of etiquette, C-3PO would never appear as excited as this in public. And that’s a fact.”
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Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) attempts our blind test on the creatures from the saga: