BB-8 and R2-D2 Go Undercover!

"BB-8 and R2-D2 Go Undercover!" is the sixth episode of the web series Star Wars: Droid Diaries. The episode was released on October 24, 2025 on the Star Wars Kids YouTube channel.^[1]

Official description

The Millennium Falcon is captured by the enemy, and BB-8, R2-D2 and Chewbacca have to get creative to hide themselves before they’re discovered! Will they be able to sneak by undetected and escape?^[1]

Plot summary

The Millennium Falcon speeds along, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and BB-8 at the helm. The trio is suddenly jostled by the ship getting caught in a tractor beam. A massive First Order Star Destroyer reels in the Millennium Falcon, forcing it into a hangar and sealing the blast doors.

Two First Order stormtroopers and a black-plated BB-series astromech droid board the freighter in search of its passengers. Chewbacca, R2, and BB-8, however, have hidden in a smuggler's compartment in the ship's floor. Unable to find the would-be prisoners, the stormtroopers and droid exit the ship, but they stay near the loading ramp to stand guard.

Chewbacca points out the door controls to the droids, recognizing that they will need to get the blast doors open in able to escape the hangar. Utilizing a secondary cargo loading lift, R2-D2 and BB-8 exit the Millennium Falcon and sneak towards the door controls. As they pass by a door, however, it slides open. This startles R2-D2, and he abruptly stops, resulting in BB-8 running into the larger droid. The noise alerts the two stormtroopers. Before they fully turn around, however, the droids quickly enter the room and hide just outside of view. Seeing nothing, the stormtroopers resume their guard.

The doors to the room soon shut, giving BB-8 and R2-D2 a modicum of safety. With time to strategize their next moves, the pair explore the supply room. R2 stumbles upon a crate of welding torches and ignites one. Meanwhile, BB-8 stumbles across a machine in which an unpainted stormtrooper helmet sits on a conveyor belt. He activates the machine, and it comes out the other side covered in a sleek layer of black paint.

This gives the droids an idea for a disguise. BB-8 is the first to hop onto the conveyor belt. He rolls through the machine, exiting with the appearance of black plating. R2-D2 is next. He has to pass through while supine, given his height. BB-8 ignites his lighter to compliment R2's appearance. When R2 turns, however, BB-8 notices that R2's back is completely unpainted.

BB-8 rushes to his friend to alert him of his incomplete disguise. R2-D2 thus spins his dome around repeatedly, trying to gauge the extent of his exposed white and blue plating. Giving up, R2 tosses his manipulator arms behind his back in a feeble attempt to cover it up.

Just then, the room's door slides open and the First Order BB unit rolls in. It notices BB-8, but R2-D2 is nowhere to be seen. The First Order droid rolls very close to BB-8 and orders the droid to get back to work. BB-8 complies by exiting the room, the First Order droid close behind. Meanwhile, R2 watches while hiding among similarly sized trash receptacles. As the door closes, R2-D2 rolls out from his hiding spot and considers the torches once more.

In the hangar, BB-8 and the First Order droid pass by the stormtroopers to get to a TIE fighter bay. The First Order droid activates a panel to raise a filthy TIE fighter from below. It thus orders BB-8 to control the cleaning system so the ship is sparkly clean.

BB-8 is unsure of how to operate the controls, but tries his best. Although he can get all of the cleaning elements poised, he fails at his aim. Instead of cleaning the TIE, he ends up cleaning himself. Unfortunately, the stormtroopers are watching as BB-8 is so thoroughly cleaned the paint comes right off and reveals his true coloring.

The First Order stormtroopers and BB-series droid approach the impostor, weapons at the ready. Before they can act, however, they are alerted by the supply room door opening. A great fog rolls out from the room, obscuring the view of the supply room. Through the smoke they see the silhouette of Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, who ignites his lightsaber, striking fear into the stormtroopers. Kylo Ren points with his lightsaber, directing the three to exit the hangar.

Alone, BB-8 is terrified of what dangerous enemy is before him. But soon the smoke clears to reveal the crafty ruse of R2-D2, who stacked a trash can and the black-painted stormtrooper helmet on top of him. He used a blanket to mimic Kylo Ren's cape, and used two welding torches to replicate Kylo Ren's crossguard lightsaber. The tower collapses, and R2-D2 turns off the torches. The astromechs thus safely get to the blast door controls, open the door, and they reboard the Falcon, rejoining Chewbacca to make their escape.