In defense of George Lucas, extrapolating from the technology base of the late 60ies/early 70ies, the idea that some highly developed future society wouldn’t have some more effective way of transmitting a huge amount of data than feeding them into the internal memory of some robot and physically sending it halfway across the galaxy wasn’t quite as far out as it appears from today’s viewpoint. Back then, it had some basic degree of plausibility, and just was an convenient plot-device on top of that.
Nowadays, the idea is completely ridiculous…but still a convenient plot-device. And if you value plausibility over convenience, you’re really not fit to be a B-movie scriptwriter. …well, actually not an A-movie scriptwriter either, these days. …and, well, probably not even a journalist anymore. Try scientist, it’s really the only remaining option. >_>
Anyway, here it shows up as a plot-device pure and simple…and since the Barbicianessor had already declared himself a specialist in magic/technology fusion in an earlier strip, there aren’t even any obstacles to having all of the necessary technology show up in his fantasy setting.
And Mopey really hasn’t much right to be that snarky about it, she’s done worse. >_>
More on Thursday.