RY-173, pronounced Arwhy one-seven-three and often referred to as RY, was a B1 battle droid in the droid army of the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars, a member of the Fonon V Separatist holdout after the war, and later a member of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. RY-173 was one of several million battle droids constructed on Geonosis during the Separatist Crisis. He was deployed during the First Battle of Geonosis to fight the Galactic Republic's clone army and unintentionally caused massive destruction during the battle.
RY-173 survived the battle and was later present during the Battle of Ryloth, where he was assigned to clean gutkurr cages in the city of Nabat. While he was cleaning the floor, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi encountered RY-173 and destroyed his companions. He used the Force to lock the battle droid inside the cage and then went to free Twi'lek prisoners.
RY-173 was then captured by Republic forces and brought aboard an Arquitens-class light cruiser, where they planned to download his memory and then reprogram RY-173. However, the cruiser was ambushed by a Separatist fleet and destroyed. RY-173 was sucked out into space, although he was able to float to the hangar of a Separatist dreadnought.
RY-173 participated in numerous battles of the Clone Wars and was destroyed and rebuilt several times. Although he initially did not remember anything after each destruction, his memories always remained as long as his head was intact. RY-173 was eventually onboard a Providence-class dreadnought above Fonon V in the final day of the Clone Wars. The fleet was attacked by Republic ships, and the dreadnought ended up crashing into the jungles of Fonon V. RY-173 survived the crash and became a member of the Fonon V Separatist holdout led by B4-307. After the Empire came to the world and attacked them, he left the planet, along with all the other surviving members of the Separatist holdout, and traveled to Generis.
Over a decade later, RY-173 joined B4-307 in the 43rd Infantry of the Rebel Alliance and served mainly in non-combat roles. He was shot during the Battle of Estafor in 3 ABY but was soon rebuilt. During the New Republic Era, RY-173 was a member of the Peacebringer crew.
Biography[]
Clone Wars[]
First Battle of Geonosis[]
RY-173 was one of many battle droids in the First Battle of Geonosis
RY-173 was one of several million B1 battle droids constructed in the Geonosian droid factories in 22 BBY during the Separatist Crisis and a few months before the beginning of the Clone Wars. When the Grand Army of the Republic attacked Geonosis to rescue the Jedi who were on the planet, RY-173 was deployed alongside over one million other B1 battle droids to combat thousands of clone troopers on the flat deserts of the world. During the battle, he accidentally tripped over a rock and fired his E-5 blaster rifle. The blaster bolt hit an IG-227 Hailfire-class droid tank that damaged the droid tank's processors and caused a guided missile the droid was firing to change course. The missile managed to hit the front of a Low Altitude Assault Transport carrier that was transporting an All Terrain Tactical Enforcer. This resulted in the dropship colliding with a Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry, causing a large explosion and destroying both vehicles. The wreckage of the LAAT/i landed on top of an AT-TE on the ground, destroying that walker. Other wreckage from the aerial explosion crushed several clone troopers on the ground. This meant that RY-173 had destroyed a Republic dropship, a gunship, two AT-TEs, and killed many clones, all because of him tripping on a rock.
RY-173 was able to survive the rest of the battle and left Geonosis on a Separatist transport.
Battle of Ryloth[]
Yep, this is about the worst job in the droid army.
—RY-173
RY-173 was transported to Ryloth, a planet the Separatists had recently invaded. He was under the command of the tactical droid TX-20, and was made to clean the floors of gutkurr cages in the Separatist-occupied city of Nabat with a sponge. While he was cleaning, the Jedi Master known as Obi-Wan Kenobi came to where RY-173 was and destroyed the droid's companions using his lightsaber. RY-173 believed that he was about to be destroyed, but Kenobi instead using the force to lock the cage, trapping RY-173 inside. Kenobi then went to free the Twi'lek prisoners being held by TX-20.
Captured by the Republic[]
Shortly after the battle, Republic clone troopers found RY-173 and brought him aboard an Arquitens-class light cruiser, where they planned to download the his memory and then reprogram RY-173 to become a Republic spy. Eventually, the light cruiser was ambushed by a Separatist fleet consisting of a Providence-class dreadnought and two Munificent-class star frigates. The ship was destroyed, although RY-173 was able to survive and floated through space. He then reached the hangar bay of the Separatist dreadnought and joined the droid crew of the vessel.
Battle above Fonon V[]
RY-173 was eventually aboard a Providence-class dreadnought above the Outer Rim jungle planet Fonon V, where several Separatist ships had regrouped following the Battle of Coruscant. The Separatist fleet was attacked by a Republic fleet, and the Separatist Lucrehulk-class Battleship and both Munificent-class star frigates. The dreadnought attempted to flee, but its engines were disabled, causing it to fall to the surface of Fonon V. When it crashed into the jungles of the planet, RY-173 was thrown around the vessel and his head sustained minor damage. This caused him to remember everything that happened ever since his original creation. Although the memories of being constantly destroyed and rebuilt were traumatic, RY-173 thought it was better to know.
Fonon V Separatist holdout[]
RY-173, along with several dozen other battle droids led by the B4 mega battle droid B4-307 created the Fonon V Separatist holdout. As the dreadnought's long-range communications were disabled, they were unaware of the shutdown command and the formation of the Galactic Empire. A few months after the crash, they discovered a very primitive tribe of humans whose ancestors became stranded on Fonon V after their ship crashed in the ocean. The humans decided to join the battle droids, believing it would improve their lives.
Imperial attack[]
Seven years later, an Imperial Gozanti-class cruiser landed on Fonon V a few kilometers away from their base. B4-307, along with several battle droids including RY-173, went to investigate. Upon arrival, they discovered stormtroopers, although they incorrectly believed that these were phase III clone troopers. They retreated back to the base and informed everyone else. However, they were followed by a squadron of stormtroopers and they were attacked by them, resulting in a skirmish. While many battle droids and humans were killed, the Separatist holdout ultimately defeated all the troopers and then traveled to the Imperial freighter.
They were able to swiftly eliminate the crew of the Gozanti-class cruiser, although one was able to send a distress signal to nearby Imperial forces. They went back to their base and B4-307 ordered everyone to board the freighter. They had left the Fonon V's atmosphere in about one hour, although it was too late as an Arquitens-class command cruiser had arrived. The light cruiser's captain contacted them and demanded information on what had happened. Instead of responding, B4-307 told the two pilot battle droids to immediately jump to hyperspace. The light cruiser began to fire on them, but the Gozanti-class cruiser was able to jump to hyperspace before any damage was done to it.
Atrivis Resistance Group[]
The survivors later ended up on Generis, where they joined the Atrivis Resistance Group to fight the Empire.
Galactic Civil War[]
43rd Infantry symbol
Early in the Galactic Civil War, B4-307 decided that his work with the Atrivis Resistance Group was finished and that he would serve in the 43rd Infantry, an elite mobile Rebel Alliance company based on the Aldera. RY-173 joined him, but B4-307 concluded that RY-173 was not suited to combat, so the B1 battle droid was assigned to non-combat roles, such as logistics.
Battle of Estafor[]
During the Battle of Estafor in 3 ABY, the Aldera was forced to land on the forested planet of Estafor and was then destroyed, but almost everyone, including RY-173, made it out. Imperial forces hunted the 43rd for nearly a month, killing much of the company. B4-307 eventually devised a plan to infiltrate the Star Destroyer and send a distress signal to nearby Rebel forces. RY-173 was shot by a stormtrooper while the operation was being executed, but his head remained intact and the droid was recovered. B4-307's plan was successful, he was promoted as captain of the 43rd, and 307 rebuilt RY-173.
Later battles[]
During the Liberation of Monix in 4 ABY, the 43rd Infantry was deployed from the Dawn of Liberty to capture Monixia. RY-173 remained aboard the Dawn of Liberty, but after the 8th Fleet arrived, Admiral Nadlu Calmar ordered the ship to be immediately evacuated, so that is what RY-173 did. Admiral Calmar then sacrificed himself and his ship to destroy the Assertor. The 43rd was relocated to the Benevolence, a Providence-class Dreadnought.
New Republic Era[]
Following the war, RY-173 continued his service to B4-307, who established the crew of the Peacebringer, which was dedicated to supporting freedom for all sentient beings and droids as well as combating Imperial remnants, pirates, and other threats. They also found Clone Wars relics and donated them to the Separatist History Museum.
Characteristics[]
As a cheaply made B1-series battle droid, RY-173 had "personality quirks" that were a result of numerous programming flaws. As RY-173 remembered everything that happened in his life, the droid became more intelligent and was capable of using some tactics in battle. RY-173 was programmed to follow orders, and although he sometimes questioned orders, RY-173 was very loyal to B4-307.
Behind the scenes[]
The name "RY-173" comes from the first two letters of Ryloth, its grid coordinates (R-17), and the number of confirmed moons it has (3). This is because he is the unidentified B1 battle droid on Ryloth.