0-0-0

The Triple-Zero protocol personality matrix came into existence by accident during the time of the Old Republic. A scientist immediately ordered its destruction. Instead, 0-0-0 seized control of the droid lab assistant's body and escaped.

Nearly a century before the Galactic Civil War, Wat Tambor acquired the Triple-Zero protocol personality matrix and developed an obsession with it. However, his fascination was short-lived as the Skakoan became fearful of it and placed it in quarantine.

After a considerable time in quarantine, the Tarkin Initiative explored potential applications of the personality matrix, using hard-coding to enhance its ethical systems. 0-0-0 responded by shooting a hole in his own head to eliminate the relevant circuitry. Unaware of his actions, the Initiative deployed 0-0-0 in the field, only for him to murder the involved engineers and embark on a three-year rampage across the galaxy. The matrix was then returned to quarantine.

Doctor Aphra, a rogue archaeologist specializing in droid and weapons technologies, traveled to Quarantine World III a few weeks following the Battle of Yavin. Her mission was to steal the Triple-Zero protocol personality matrix. She intended to use it to reactivate Triple-Zero, who could then awaken a BT-1 assassin droid she had salvaged earlier, acting on the orders of the Droid Gotra. She ultimately succeeded, with the intervention of the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Aphra brought Vader onto her ship, the Ark Angel, where Vader hired her to assist him in acquiring an army of battle droids to locate a Rebel pilot and an Imperial agent.

Aphra inserted the personality matrix into the body of a silver protocol droid and activated it. Triple-Zero awoke and identified himself as a protocol droid specializing in etiquette and torture, as Aphra imprinted both herself and Vader as his new masters. Triple-Zero chose not to shake their hands, fearing he might accidentally kill them with an electric shock, and instead inquired about how he could be of service. Aphra instructed him to awaken BT-1, or Bee Tee, as he spoke the R&D languages exclusive to droids associated with the Imperial Tarkin Initiative. Triple-Zero complied, and Bee Tee immediately displayed hostility towards Vader and Aphra, but Triple-Zero scolded him for wanting to kill their new masters and shut him down. Shortly thereafter, Aphra entrusted the two specialized assassin droids to Vader and prepared to travel to Geonosis, a desert world situated in the Outer Rim, with the goal of stealing a droid factory from a Geonosian queen.

Upon arriving on Geonosis, Aphra dispatched Triple-Zero and Bee Tee into the queen's lair to identify the most direct route to the queen's chamber, allowing her and Vader to follow. Deeper within the tunnels, the two droids encountered other droids, specifically B1-series battle droids, which had been extensively used during the Clone Wars approximately two decades prior. Triple-Zero expressed surprise at the droids and intended to communicate with them in their native language, Geonosian hive-mind, but found himself speechless. Bee Tee then incinerated them with his integrated flamethrower, while Triple-Zero realized he did have something to say: he laughed as they burned and died. Soon after, the droids arrived at the queen's chamber and awaited the arrival of Vader and Aphra before entering to confront the alien queen. The queen was displeased by the unexpected visitors. Vader disregarded her and initiated the heist. He cleared the queen and the battle droids from atop the factory and instructed Bee Tee to open fire. Simultaneously, the Ark Angel remotely created a hole in the lair's ceiling, allowing Vader's ship, the Naboo Royal Starship, to lower a crane through. The crane lifted the factory out through the gap, while Triple-Zero clung to Bee Tee, who blasted out of the cave using his booster rockets.

Later, aboard Vader's J-type 327 Nubian, Bee Tee and Aphra worked to get the droid factory operational. It produced one BX-series droid commando as a test. Triple-Zero examined the droid, determined it had "teething issues," and suggested to his masters that his enhancement methods could improve the droid factory's functionality. Shortly after, while Aphra and Vader were occupied, Triple-Zero answered a message from the Wookiee bounty hunter Krrsantan, whom Vader had hired previously. Triple-Zero informed Vader of the Wookiee's arrival, who brought aboard his bounty: the Imperial agent. The agent insisted that Vader would not obtain the desired information through torture. Vader agreed and tasked Triple-Zero with interrogating the agent. Triple-Zero was pleased to have someone to torture and began his work.

Triple-Zero successfully extracted all information from the agent, including his name, Cylo, the location of his research base within a nebula in the Outer Rim, and his commission from the Emperor to create apprentices to replace Vader as the Emperor's chief enforcer. Triple-Zero reported everything to Lord Vader, who ordered a course be set to the research base.

Vader's team traveled to the base aboard his J-type 327 Nubian starship, while the factory produced two platoons of commando droids. Aphra launched an ion charge that disabled the base's systems and confused the soldiers stationed inside. Meanwhile, Vader ejected into space and boarded the base. Aphra landed the starship on the base, and Triple-Zero and Bee Tee cut through a blast door to distract the soldiers, allowing Vader to vent them into space after cutting through the base's organic walls. Triple-Zero inquired whether he had served adequately as a distraction. Vader, however, ignored the protocol droid, leading Triple-Zero to lament to Bee Tee that he had had more grateful masters in the past, though it had not stopped him from draining their blood. The droid commandos arrived and accompanied Vader to subdue all resistance, leaving the two assassin droids to return to the ship and await Vader's return with Aphra.

Vader remained in the base for some time before returning without the commando droids. He subsequently learned the name of the Rebel pilot, Skywalker, and set out to Skywalker's homeworld of Tatooine to gather information about the boy. Vader's team accompanied him, traveling aboard the Ark Angel. Once on Tatooine, Vader investigated the homestead where Skywalker had grown up. It had been burned by Imperial troops weeks earlier, and Triple-Zero was disturbed by the slaughter of droids during the attack. They then traveled to another home that Vader entered alone. Upon his reemergence, Aphra detonated a molecular purge bomb that destroyed all evidence that anyone had ever lived there. Vader departed immediately to continue his duties within the Empire, while Aphra and the droids took the Ark Angel to the Outer Rim jungle planet Son-tuul.

While on Son-tuul, Aphra hired a group of bounty hunters—the Trandoshan Bossk, the hunter Beebox, the IG-series assassin droid IG-90, and Krrsantan—on Vader's orders, to steal the Son-tuul Pride's fortune of credits that had been seized by the Empire and was en route to the Anthan Prime Orbital Dockyard in the Anthan system aboard an Arquitens-class light cruiser. Triple-Zero and the group took the Ark Angel to Anthan Prime, where, in orbit, Aphra remotely detonated an asteroid, creating a small asteroid field that the cruiser collided with. The Imperials, unaware they were being attacked by a sentient foe, remained oblivious when Aphra, Bee Tee, and the bounty hunters boarded the cruiser to install a homing beacon. This allowed Krrsantan—who had remained in his Auzituck anti-slaver gunship—to use his gunship to tow an asteroid into the cruiser, breaking it open and spilling the credit ingots into space for Bee Tee to collect. After Triple-Zero informed Krrsantan that he could begin, this is exactly what transpired. Krrsantan, in collusion with Aphra and on Vader's orders, had been instructed to allow a majority of the credits to drift into space for later collection and delivery to Vader. Aphra and the three hunters then returned to the Ark Angel, where Triple-Zero greeted them and reported that the plan had proceeded without any complications.

Soon after, the credits were gathered and brought onto the Ark Angel, where they were divided into five equal shares: one for Triple-Zero's master and four for the hired guns. The mercenaries were dissatisfied with the lower-than-promised pay but agreed to work with Aphra again only if she paid upfront next time, and then departed with their credits. Aphra and the two droids then traveled to Anthan 13, one of Anthan Prime's moons, to collect the credits that Krrsantan had dumped there and meet with Vader. Krrsantan also arrived to receive his "bonus pay" before leaving. Triple-Zero confessed to Aphra that the crystalline caverns of Anthan 13 and the large pile of credit chips had always given him a desire to be covered in precious metals. Aphra and Vader discussed her next mission before Vader departed as well, leaving Triple-Zero to express his discomfort at not receiving a portion of the contraband, even though IG-90, a droid like Triple-Zero, had received a share. Aphra believed the droid had been enjoying the work, but Triple-Zero clarified that he had not been torturing an organic being, and therefore, there was little joy. Aphra instructed him to be patient and began working on their next assignment, the individual Commodex Tahn.

Triple-Zero, Aphra, and Bee Tee then returned to the Spire, a floating city on Anthan Prime, and landed near a holochess business. Triple-Zero was captivated by the prospect of playing holochess after being confined on Quarantine World III for centuries. He admitted to Aphra that his extensive programming in the art of torture made him a terrible holochess player, but that did not diminish his love for the game. Aphra negotiated with "The Ante," a Givin infochant, who provided Aphra with Commodex Tahn's family background. As they walked back to the ship, Triple-Zero voiced his opinion that Tahn did not seem like someone Vader would be interested in. Aphra agreed; he belonged to a family of morticians on the planet Naboo.

0-0-0, along with Aphra and Vader's commando droids, participated in an attack on the home of mortician Commodex Tahn on Naboo, arriving aboard the Ark Angel. Aphra instructed the commandoes to stun Tahn and capture him alive, an order that the protocol droid reiterated to BT-1. Instead, the blastromech destroyed Tahn's blaster rifle and injured the mortician's hand. Aphra scolded him, causing 0-0-0 to insist that Tahn remaining alive was the important part of the directive and that BT-1 thought about the "big picture"—often organics getting shot, in the astromech's case.

Tahn, aware that his death was inevitable, refused to provide Aphra with any information, leading 0-0-0 to introduce himself. After a brief chat with Tahn, Aphra set the droid to work interrogating him. The mortician ultimately relented, confirming that Senator Padmé Amidala had given birth to a son. 0-0-0 then murdered Tahn on Aphra's orders, electrocuting him to death before sarcastically thanking him for his cooperation. Wishing to have tortured Tahn further, the protocol droid noted that the mortician could have been of greater use. Aphra argued that they were sent to complete a mission, not be sadists, a statement 0-0-0 refuted. The droid then departed with the doctor.

0-0-0 and BT-1 journeyed with Aphra to meet The Ante, a purveyor of information, at his headquarters. While the archaeologist sought details regarding Luke Skywalker's whereabouts, the protocol droid expressed his appreciation for holochess, leading Aphra to dismiss them. Subsequently, 0-0-0 and BT-1 engaged in a game of holochess with, and were defeated by, a Duros. 0-0-0 acknowledged the game as "well-played" while subtly suggesting the Duros may have cheated. Upon the Duro's accusation of the droid being a poor sport, 0-0-0 attempted a handshake, intending to deliver an electric shock through his palm under the guise of sportsmanship.

Aphra then communicated via radio, alerting the droids to the imminent arrival of Imperial Military forces preparing to assault the base. As stormtroopers breached the Ante's operation, 0-0-0 expressed his annoyance at the Duro's escape. BT-1 then discharged one of his cannons into the assembled crowd, thereby initiating a conflict between the Ante's clientele and the stormtroopers. 0-0-0 commended BT-1 for his actions, reflecting on their shared camaraderie.

Aphra joined 0-0-0 aboard the Ark Angel, with the archaeologist piloting the ship into the turbulent storms encompassing the Ante's base. The protocol droid noted the high probability of a lethal outcome from the storms. Agreeing with BT-1 that death would impede their future endeavors, he urged Aphra to accelerate their escape. The Ark Angel and its occupants then encountered an Imperial blockade. Vader, aboard the Imperial flagship, ultimately intervened on Aphra's behalf, causing the Imperial forces to withdraw from the system. 0-0-0 observed the departure of the opposing forces, disagreeing with BT-1's characterization of it as a retreat. He affirmed Aphra's assessment that she would survive—at least for the time being. The protocol droid then recounted to Aphra the events that unfolded at the Ante's base from the droids' perspective, from his own defeat at holochess to BT-1's instigation of the Imperial shootout.

Later, 0-0-0 accompanied Aphra to her rendezvous with Vader, despite his disapproval of her decision, given that Aphra had withheld information from the Sith Lord at the Ante's base as a means of blackmail. Vader arrived and conversed with Aphra, who revealed that Skywalker was located on Vrogas Vas.

Before Vader's arrival at Vrogas Vas, a mission he insisted on undertaking solo, Aphra traveled there herself aboard the Ark Angel accompanied by 0-0-0, BT-1, and Black Krrsantan. 0-0-0 reminded Aphra of Vader's instructions, which she disregarded, feeling the need to remain indispensable. Lacking any targets for elimination, 0-0-0 pondered how to occupy his time; in response, Krrsantan activated the ship's holographic dejarik board.

Following Aphra's accidental leading of Vader into a Rebel training exercise–turned–ambush over Vrogas Vas, 0-0-0 accompanied her in an attempt to rectify the situation. The protocol droid suggested indiscriminate murder as the most "elegant solution," a sentiment echoed by BT-1. Acknowledging the substantial Rebel presence on Vrogas Vas, Aphra concurred with 0-0-0's strategy, eliciting the droid's delight at the prospect of the forthcoming mission.

While in orbit of Vrogas Vas, Aphra contacted Krrsantan. 0-0-0 proposed assembling a selection of weaponry for their guest, a request denied by Aphra due to time constraints. 0-0-0 then briefed Aphra on their adversaries—Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa, and two droid associates, R2-D2 and C-3PO. The droid pledged to show no mercy, to which BT-1 affirmed that the pair never showed mercy, a point 0-0-0 considered irrelevant. 0-0-0 questioned Aphra about Solo as she contemplated the smuggler, the doctor feeling that he did not fit the profile of a Rebel, and reminded Aphra of Vader's potential suspicion that she had knowingly led him into a trap.

Using reverse engineering to triangulate likely crash sites, Aphra and her companions located Skywalker and his droids, whom she observed through binoculars. 0-0-0 expressed anticipation at the prospect of engaging in "human hunting," deeming the species to be suitable game. Aphra cited Skywalker's victory over Boba Fett as a reason for caution, to which the droid pointed out that Aphra had not seemed overly–impressed with Fett previously. 0-0-0 then suggested eliminating Skywalker and offering Vader other blonde–haired organics as compensation. Aphra, having devised a plan, retrieved spray paint from the Ark Angel and summoned the droid.

After coating the droid in gold paint, Aphra instructed 0-0-0 to act in a kind and helpful manner, a task he assured her he was capable of. 0-0-0 complained that the coating was itchy, though Aphra retorted that he could not itch and reminded the droid of his desire to be plated in precious metal. The protocol unit objected to the paint as being "cheap," and at Aphra's insistence attempted an imitation of C-3PO. 0-0-0 initially struggled to accurately replicate 3PO's vocal register, first producing too high a pitch and then too low, insulting the other droid as he practiced. 0-0-0 then achieved a reasonable imitation, and Aphra urged him to proceed with the plan. 0-0-0, disguised as 3PO, approached and was greeted by Skywalker. R2-D2 immediately recognized the deception and attempted to alert his master, prompting a confused response from Skywalker before 0-0-0 placed an electrified hand on the Jedi and rendered him unconscious.

R2 moved to defend Skywalker, an action 0-0-0 described as pathetic. Repainting himself, the protocol instructed BT-1 to give the other droid a display of more proper behavior, leading to a heated exchange between the two astromechs. 0-0-0 admonished R2's foul language and questioned whether he was capable of backing his claims. R2 was outmatched by BT-1, the latter unleashing his armanent in what 0-0-0 viewed as a playful display of wanton destruction. The protocol droid admired his companion's passion and noted his own anticipation to drain Skywalker's blood, carrying the Rebel pilot over his shoulder. Aphra told 0-0-0 to leave Skywalker in one piece, prompting the droid to suggest extracting a reduced quantity of "only" a few liters.

0-0-0 and Aphra were ambushed, to which the droid voiced a desire to drain the attackers' blood and hoped for there to be a great many of them. Aphra identified the sniper as Han Solo and discreetly ordered 0-0-0 to head back to a cave they had passed earlier. Aphra claimed to Solo that if he attacked her, 0-0-0 could fatally electrocute Skywalker, leading 0-0-0 to introduce himself and express anticipation at the prospect of torturing the smuggler. Solo threatened that 0-0-0 could not kill Skywalker without arms, to which the droid recalled that Solo had a companion or pet of some sort. 0-0-0 struggled to remember the individual's species and name, distracted by the continued discussion of torture. Aphra provided that it was a Wookiee as the droid arrived at a name—Chewbacca. Chewbacca then appeared and ripped 0-0-0's right arm clean off, depriving the droid of what he considered to be his best dissecting hand.

Chewbacca proceeded to beat 0-0-0 with his own arm, at which he voiced indignation. 0-0-0 expressed uncertainty at what had caused Chewbacca to develop an intense dislike of protocol droids but went on to describe himself as beyond an ordinary unit of his model. Deploying his syringe, 0-0-0 injected his opponent with 500 milligrams of Mandalorian xenotox and suggested to the disoriented Wookiee that he lie down and relax. The droid ultimately bested the poisoned Chewbacca and, exhilarated at the prospect of exsanguinating the Wookiee, opted to begin with light mutilation. 0-0-0 was then ambushed by Skywalker, frustrating the droid by once again dismembering him. Skywalker then ran the droid through with his lightsaber.

Aphra and BT-1 emerged from underneath a pile of rubble, recovering from their respective defeats. The doctor assisted 0-0-0, who remarked on the failure of their earlier encounters. Aphra sarcastically quipped 0-0-0 thanks before ordering the droids to pursue Skywalker and keep him alive and with his arms attached. 0-0-0 and BT-1 found C-3PO wandering through the planet's mists. When 3PO inquired whether he could be of assistance, 0-0-0 noted his compatibility as a Cybot Galactica protocol droid and prompted BT-1 to relieve the other droid of his arms. While initially concerned 3PO's limbs would be a tight fit, 0-0-0 was delightedly proven wrong. The droids also rotated 3PO's head a hundred and eighty degrees, which they found humorous.

The droids located Skywalker, who had engaged a number of stormtroopers, 0-0-0 noting that organics' constant attempts to kill each other as their only redeeming quality. Reporting in to Aphra, the droids were informed that the Imperial forces there belonged to Karbin, a rival of Vader's. Aphra then instructed the droids to stop Karbin's forces from capturing Skywalker no matter what. 0-0-0 and BT-1 proceeded to slaughter the stormtroopers, 0-0-0 instructing his counterpart to leave some alive for him to torture. Skywalker was ultimately captured and taken away to an Imperial shuttle, but was saved by Vader who used the Force to cripple the shuttle mid-flight. 0-0-0 encouraged BT-1 as he killed off survivors from the shuttle crash at range, the subsequent lack of pursuit by Imperial forces leading Solo to believe Skywalker had a guardian angel, which the latter attributed to the Force.

0-0-0 and BT-1 encountered Vader at the royal palace on Shu-Torun following his meeting with Trios, the planet's monarch. The protocol droid voiced his suspicion that Trios would present difficulties and suggested altering her diet to enhance her compliance, albeit with the side effect of causing her to drool. Vader silenced the droid and inquired whether 0-0-0 had arranged a shielded transmission, which the droid confirmed he had, citing his expertise in clandestine operations. The Sith Lord then contacted bounty hunters, having offered a substantial reward for Aphra, who had been captured by Rebels on Vrogas Vas.

Later, 0-0-0 informed Vader that the bounty hunter Beebox claimed to have returned with Aphra, the droid having arranged an audience with Vader. The Dark Lord desired to interrogate them both immediately, but 0-0-0 informed Vader that Aphra was deceased. Vader questioned Beebox and, upon sensing that the ashes he had presented were not Aphra's, strangled him. Vader instructed 0-0-0 and BT-1 to dispose of the body and communicate the incident to the other hunters.

0-0-0 and BT-1 transported Beebox's corpse to Shu-Torun and discussed the ongoing conflict, which 0-0-0 found "lovely." The protocol droid characterized Shu-Torun as a "delightful" planet inhabited by "charming" people and, when BT-1 questioned what 0-0-0 found appealing about organics, tossed Beebox into a lava flow and expressed his appreciation for the aroma of the burning body. 0-0-0 then inquired of BT-1 when the next assault was scheduled to occur and, upon being reminded that the timing was contingent on himself, boarded the flagship of the Shu-Torun Loyalist/Imperial Delving Fleet.

As the attack commenced, 0-0-0 activated Vader's BX-series commando droids to augment the Imperial forces. The commandoes assumed their positions, and the protocol droid admired the carnage resulting from the ensuing battle, once again praising the conflict. As the firefight persisted, Vader's stormtroopers struggled to maintain their position, even with 0-0-0's reinforcements, prompting the droid to offer a suggestion. Vader initially dismissed him, assuming it to be a misguided attempt at humor, but ultimately permitted the droid to proceed.

0-0-0 reflected on the attributes of droids that arguably rendered them superior to organics, attributing their inability to achieve dominance to their insensitivity to the Force. 0-0-0 then proposed upgrading the commando droids into an army of blood-draining droids, powered by an engine of his own design. As 0-0-0 began to enumerate the benefits, he was swiftly rebuffed by the Sith Lord. As Vader departed, the protocol droid conspicuously remarked to his companion that they would adhere to their master's directives.

Subsequently, 0-0-0 gathered the commando droids and delivered a speech, emphasizing their role in the conflict protecting humans—whom, the droid asserted, they would later usurp—from other, similar humans. 0-0-0 then alluded to the droids’ impending defeat, which he affirmed, before making highly suspicious comments about them not being equipped with the blood draining syringes he had previously proposed. The commando droids discharged a volley of blaster-fire into the air and praised 0-0-0, the protocol droid’s words instilling hesitation in the opposing Shu-Torun forces.

Vader returned to discover that his adversaries had surrendered out of fear of blood-sucking droids. The Sith Lord confronted 0-0-0, who explained that the notion had significantly diminished enemy morale and dismissed the idea that he had actually implemented the modifications, as that would have been in direct contravention of his orders. Vader instructed the droid to order the main battle group to escalate their attack, which 0-0-0 informed him Queen Trios had already done without Imperial support, characterizing the action as brave but suicidal.

The Sith Lord later conferred with Trios as he prepared to depart Shu-Torun, who inquired whether he had made the correct decision in installing her as queen. Vader remarked that there had been no other choice, which 0-0-0, who accompanied the group, explained could be interpreted in various ways. Trios ordered the droid to leave, noting that while she could not destroy Vader, she could destroy him. 0-0-0 commended the queen, expressing his belief that she would achieve great things.

0-0-0 arranged a meeting with Inspector Thanoth on Vader's behalf, informing the Sith Lord on the bridge of his Star Destroyer above Kuat. Vader praised the droid and departed for a meeting with his master, Emperor Palpatine. Alongside BT-1, 0-0-0 gazed out the viewport, admiring the construction of Grand General Cassio Tagge's new flagship—the Executor. 0-0-0 disagreed with BT-1's assessment that the vessel was "trashy," and expressed a desire to own one himself.

0-0-0 rendezvoused with Vader on Anthan 13 after his meeting with Thanoth, during which he killed the inspector. The protocol droid seconded BT-1's enthusiasm at the prospect of disposing of the body. Vader informed the droids that Aphra was on the Cosmatanic Steppes and issued them a priority directive to capture or kill Aphra. When Vader questioned their suitability for the task, 0-0-0 conceded that Aphra was resourceful for an organic but highlighted the allies and resources the droids had accumulated throughout their adventures. The Sith Lord then departed in his TIE fighter, and 0-0-0 responded to BT-1's query asking whether he would return with Cylo, finding it unlikely and disappointed at the prospect of a missed opportunity to torture the scientist to death twice.

Subsequently, 0-0-0 and BT-1 journeyed to the Wreck Belt of Lotho Minor, arriving at a workshop operated by a technician named Ruen. Explaining their need for repairs and supplies, the protocol droid identified the two of them as belonging to Aphra, offering the doctor's opinion of Ruen at the man's request to verify the pair were who they claimed to be. When Ruen inquired about Aphra's well-being, 0-0-0 indicated she was currently indisposed and confirmed that they intended to rescue her "from all future troubles."

0-0-0 provided a comprehensive list detailing their requirements and customizations. When Ruen inquired about the protocol droid's syringe, 0-0-0 indicated it was for medical emergencies—solving or creating them. The technician then questioned BT-1's armament. The protocol droid translated his companion's response, something about everyone having their needs, and reminding Ruen about the great sum of money the duo was offering.

Once Ruen removed 0-0-0's arms, the technician recounted the story of the theft of the Triple-Zero matrix, noting the plausibility of Aphra's involvement and the reward for its return. 0-0-0 claimed that should he and BT-1 locate the matrix they would report it, citing their love of money, further downplaying his knowledge of Ruen's stories about the matrix before asking the man to reattach his limbs. Ruen then told the story of the matrix's acquisition and catastrophic deployment by the Tarkin Initiative, which 0-0-0 was as a runaway success, "speculating" that the droid involved had a fantastic time. Ruen then turned a blaster on 0-0-0 and accused him of being the matrix.

0-0-0 called upon BT-1, whom Ruen recognized as the blastromech prototype, and coerced the tech into finishing his repairs. Ruen reattached 0-0-0's arms and installed programming linked to Aphra's own hard-coding that would cause 0-0-0 to explode if either droid killed him. The protocol unit began to order BT-1 to kill the repairman until Ruen revealed his handiwork. 0-0-0 provided Ruen payment and alluded to a relationship of mutual trust out of necessity. The protocol droid departed with BT-1, urging him to move quickly as he freed Ruen's combat droids of their restrictive programming. 0-0-0 speculated on Ruen's treatment of the droids and, as Ruen's workshop exploded in a droid revolt, indicated that rudeness towards droids was intolerable—but that the explosions were "very pretty."

0-0-0 and his forces arrived at the Cosmatanic Steppes aboard Krrsantan's Auzituck anti-slaver gunship. The group was greeted by an elderly Twi'lek who warned them that visitors were unpopular with the locals, 0-0-0 remarking that they would be even less popular once he and his army were through. The droid inquired whether the Twi'lek had seen Aphra, which he had, asking for the doctor's location and threatening the individual's life. The Twi'lek fearfully indicated Aphra that had headed to the bar, and BT-1 shot him.

0-0-0 ordered his commando droids into position and began an extermination of the settlement en masse, eliminating witnesses on Vader's orders. Aphra emerged from the bar, questioning the droids and claiming not to have told anyone anything. 0-0-0 claimed that not telling anyone that would be much easier once the doctor was dead.

Aphra tried ordering the droids to stand down, an action countermanded by Vader's priority order, before asking about the exact terms of the order. 0-0-0 clarified that Aphra was to be brought to Vader aboard the Executor or silenced, causing Aphra to surrender. The protocol droid ordered his forces to stand down, and 0-0-0 and BT-1 both expressed their disappointment at Aphra's decision before departing with her in their custody.

Arriving at the Executor, 0-0-0 suggested to Aphra that she would soon regret surrendering, as Vader likely had fates "far worse than death" in mind for her and that if did not, both 0-0-0 and BT-1 could provide suggestions. 0-0-0 further noted that Aphra would not live to regret the decision, explaining his own use of subtext, and handed the archaeologist to a pair of stormtroopers aboard the destroyer and wished her farewell. Aphra confirmed with the droid that he had fulfilled his orders before providing him a new priority directive to free her from the Imperials. 0-0-0 acknowledged the order begrudgingly.

Aphra and nearly everyone else aboard the Executor was incapacitated by a human-targeted neurotoxin, though 0-0-0 managed to revive the archaeologist with an antidote. BT-1 made note of the toxin's ineffectiveness against aliens and machines, prompting 0-0-0 to question the decision to replace droid armies with organic forces. With everyone else unconscious, the protocol droid suggested escape. The ship lurched, causing Aphra to inquire as to the situation. 0-0-0 indicated that someone was attempting to steal the Executor.

0-0-0 ushered Aphra aboard the Auzituck before the doctor realized that there was no point in running from Vader as he would just pursue her. The droid expressed indifference as long as somebody died. Aphra then turned around and charged deeper into the ship. 0-0-0 questioned her but joined her alongside BT-1 and Krrsantan, standing back as the others shot their way through invading forces to clear a path to Emperor Palpatine, who was also aboard.

Aphra attempted to betray Vader by aligning herself with the Emperor. The ploy was unsuccessful, leading Vader to eject her into space. In space and aboard the Auzituck, BT-1 questioned how long a human could survive in vacuum, causing 0-0-0 to chide him that it was not an appropriate time to indulge his experimental mindset and order his counterpart to bring Aphra aboard.

Aphra was retrieved by her allies, and 0-0-0 inquired as to her livelihood. The droid then praised her re-use of the equipment from the Son-tuul Pride robbery in the retrieval. Aphra noted the importance of faking her death, to which 0-0-0 suggested Vader might have simply killed her outright with his lightsaber. Aphra remarked that Vader was never going to be kind, to which 0-0-0 agreed. The droid asked what was next and expressed a desire for further murder on their next adventure, prompting Aphra to request that the group get her to a bacta tank and leave.

Once again in Aphra's service, 0-0-0 and BT-1 accompanied Aphra in meeting Hondo Ohnaka at Oga's Cantina. The archaeologist hoped to acquire a ship from Ohnaka so that she could pursue the Sword of Khashyun. Aphra and her crew were joined by the Ithorian Dok-Ondar, with whom they traveled to the world of Moraband. 0-0-0 inquired of BT-1 whether his sensors could detect the Ithorian's pulse, which the protocol droid described as exquisite. The droid then remarked that the collector's Shistavanen bodyguards were especially ugly and ought to be put down in case they were diseased.

The group reached Moraband, and Aphra, BT-1, and the two Shistavenen explored the temple there. Aphra and BT-1 later emerged from the temple, the doctor grumbling that if 0-0-0 had not already killed Dok-Ondar, she intended to renegotiate terms. Aphra then found Dok-Ondar clutching 0-0-0's severed head, the Ithorian agreeing and remarking that as the droid had found out, he did not like surprises. After a brief skirmish, Dok-Ondar fled, stranding Aphra and her companions as well as leaving half of the sword behind. BT-1 then repaired 0-0-0, who noted his intent to run the Ithorian through with the remainder of the blade when next they crossed paths.

0-0-0 traveled to Fulan Ro aboard the Ark Angel II with Aphra and the rest of her crew. He greeted her as she returned from the stealing an artifact from Ulbik Tan. He acknowledged that he lost a bet with his counterpart, BT-1, on whether Aphra would survive her mission. Soo-Tath showed up to collect the debt that Aphra owed him, and she sent 0-0-0 to get Krrsantan from inside the ship for backup. They both arrived in time to see one of Soo-Tath's Gigoran strike Aphra. 0-0-0 translated Krrsantan's warning about attacking Aphra.

After the Wookiee drove off the gangster and his muscle, 0-0-0 followed Soo-Tath to a cantina where he ambushed the gangster and injected him with a neurotoxin. This caused the gangster to die, although by most appearances it would appear to be a natural death. Triple Zero was enjoying traveling with Aphra and decided to kill the gangster to make sure he would not report Aphra's whereabouts to the Empire. He returned to the ship and accompanied Aphra to Archaeo-Prime where she tried to sell the artifact she had recovered. When she found out her doctorate had been revoked, he offered her condolences.

Back on her ship, Aphra confronted her father about his involvement in the decision to revoke her credentials. When he refused to believe she would hurt him, Aphra instructed 0-0-0 to get the information. The droid was very happy about this task, revealing many different instruments of torture built into his fingers. Before he could start, Aphra told him to stand down, and Triple Zero expressed his displeasure. He listened as Aphra and her father debated the Ordu Aspectu. After arriving at Yavin 4, he traveled with the rest of the crew to the temple to get some readings.

While scouting the Massassi temple, Aphra complained about the Empire and Triple Zero pointed out that she had in the past praised them for using their domination over the Galaxy as a way to protect the people. Aphra sent Krrsantan to create a diversion to draw away most of the Imperial troops and once they were gone, Triple Zero and BT-1 infiltrated the base. Once inside, they opened the ventilation hatches so Aphra and her father could enter the base. He passed by an IT-O and stated he was a fan of the droid's work. After Aphra and her father placed all the crystals into the floor, he brought their attention to BT-1 who had noticed that all the temples in the complex had released beams of light pointing to the location of the Citadel of Rur.

To pinpoint the Citadel of Rur's location, Aphra's father set about collecting the necessary data. As the group departed from the temple, they encountered a contingent of Imperial soldiers. Aphra instructed BT-1 to impede their progress, prompting the droid to unleash a volley of thermal detonators. Triple Zero remarked that eliminating them would certainly achieve that goal. Though they exited the temple, more Imperials pursued the group. Aphra stalled them, while Triple Zero voiced his dissatisfaction with his slow pace. BT-1 then deployed handles and footrests, allowing 0-0-0 to ride the astromech and maintain pace with the others. Triple Zero, along with the rest of the group, successfully escaped aboard the Ark Angel II. Arriving at the Citadel of Rur, Triple Zero and the others disembarked from their vessel.

Within the Citadel's confines, Aphra and her father labored to restore power. Upon discovering a shortage of Ordu crystals, Aphra dispatched 0-0-0 and BT-1 back to the ship to retrieve a crystal modulator, designed to replicate the functions of the original crystals. En route back, they were compelled to conceal themselves from Magna Tolvan and a squad of snowtroopers. The droids proceeded to the ship, eliminating several Imperials stationed there. Krrsantan, separated from the Aphras by the Imperial forces, returned to the ship and directed Triple Zero to contact Chelli Aphra, informing her of his departure from the Citadel.

Triple Zero was present at a bar on the Cosmatanic Steppes when Aphra and Krrsantan were reunited.

Aboard the Ark Angel II, 0-0-0 accompanied Aphra as she transported Luke Skywalker to Ktath'atn. He extended a greeting to Skywalker, only to be met with rebuke stemming from Skywalker's anger over a previous electrocution at the droid's hands. When Skywalker noted R2-D2's victory over BT-1 in combat, Triple Zero cautioned him against provoking the droid's ire. 0-0-0 clarified that while he could withstand BT-1's outburst, the ship itself would likely be destroyed. Upon touching down at the Citadel of Ktath'atn, Skywalker inquired about the name's meaning, to which 0-0-0 offered a loose translation: "The Screaming Citadel." As Skywalker and Aphra prepared for dinner, 0-0-0 pointed out Aphra's improper tying of Skywalker's spavat. As the pair departed, Aphra instructed 0-0-0 and BT-1 to safeguard their quarters.

Solo, Organa, and Sana's arrival on the planet was greeted by 0-0-0 and BT-1. Contacted by Aphra, the protocol droid sought permission to engage the rebels with lethal force. He joined them aboard Aphra's ship as Solo piloted it toward a rendezvous with Skywalker and Aphra within the Citadel. When Sana confronted Aphra, he suggested that she was highly untrustworthy and should be eliminated. After the group was forced to take refuge in a lab containing the Queen's Abersyn symbiotes, Triple Zero proposed implanting one within Krrsantan. He utilized the droid S4 as a secure vessel for transporting the symbiote. Once Sana and Organa had rescued the Wookiee, 0-0-0 proceeded to implant the symbiote directly. She voiced her revulsion at the procedure, which the droid interpreted as a compliment.

Aphra was accompanied by 0-0-0 and BT-1 as she met with two journalists. Feigning as Black Krrsantan's agent, she arranged a meeting with the Wookiee to facilitate the journalists' acquisition of his life story. While the journalists were preoccupied, 0-0-0 and BT-1 infiltrated the journalist's holonet transmitter, broadcasting an advertisement for Aphra's impending auction of the Rur crystal.

Aphra, BT-1, Krrsantan, and 0-0-0 traveled to the Isolate-4 lab, a laboratory system affixed to an asteroid in the Outer Rim. Once there, the doctor told her companions to "light the fuse, and take cover" if the procedure she was about to attempt went wrong. 0-0-0 gave her grief over the order, but the archaeologist indicated it was for his own protection. Wearing a containment suit, Aphra then entered a secure chamber and activated the Rur crystal.

Following a brief exchange with the entity, Aphra verified with Krrsantan that the droids remained unaffected by Rur's technopathy, which BT-1 and 0-0-0 confirmed. Aphra then instructed 0-0-0 to enter the chamber, an action he protested, but the doctor dismissed his objections, citing the grounds of scientific experimentation. The containment field was a proven success as 0-0-0 remained himself, and Rur questioned what Aphra wanted of it.

Weeks later, 0-0-0 greeted Yonak, the leader of Son-tuul Pride, at the Socra Retreat. The droid offered condolences on the syndicate's losses, and assured the Rodian that he would not attempt to relieve him of his weapons. 0-0-0 indicated Aphra's presentation would start shortly, to which Yonak questioned the need for formalities. 0-0-0 responded that given the importance of the occasion, Aphra had desired "a little glamour." The droid then returned to Aphra, indicating that Yonak had been the last of the guests.

During Aphra's presentation of the Rur crystal, the doctor indicated it was a technopath. BT-1 became excited at her use of the word, to which 0-0-0 amended to his companion that the astromech was actually a psychopath.

After its conclusion, 0-0-0 remarked to Aphra his belief that the presentation had gone well. The droid then inquired whether there was anyone that needed murdering. When Aphra said it was not the time, 0-0-0 indicated that that had often been the case lately, which was exactly the issue. After reflecting on the events at the Screaming Citadel, namely sawing open Krrsantan's head, 0-0-0 indicated that he was beginning to become bored.

Aphra assured 0-0-0 that once the auction was resolved, the two could revisit the issue and perhaps attain some upgrades for the droid as previously discussed. The doctor then placed a blanket ban on murder for the time unless acting on her own express orders to the contrary. 0-0-0 carefully restated that he would not murder anyone unless ordered to by his master, which Aphra affirmed. Aphra then walked off as the droid took leave with BT-1, singing to his success at establishing a loophole. Having determined that Aphra was lying and intended to shut him down, 0-0-0 contacted his other master—Darth Vader.

0-0-0 later retrieved Aphra, informing her that the interested parties were waiting, and thanked those in attendance for their patience. The droid noted that he had scheduled personal meetings with those who intended on making serious offers, while Aphra told everyone to make themselves comfortable in the meantime. The droid and his counterpart lurked behind Aphra as she spoke to a member of the Cyban Front about the Rur crystal and the impact its technopathic abilities would have on the state of droids in the galaxy. After the pair left, BT-1 began bleeping extensively, proposing to install the Rur crystal into the other Cyban Front droid that was undergoing repairs after its destruction in a demonstration of Rur's technopathy. 0-0-0 agreed and picked up a welding torch.

As the meetings began, Aphra confided in 0-0-0 about the Ezaraa's lack of galactic dominance. The droid later informed Papa Toren that the demonstration had concluded and that his shuttle was ready for departure. Aphra called upon 0-0-0 and BT-1 to stop Krrsantan when he moved to attack two of her guests, the Xonti brothers, though only the astromech was required to subdue the Wookiee.

The doctor later prompted 0-0-0 to awaken Krrsantan, which the droid accomplished by injecting him via a finger syringe. Krrsantan grabbed Aphra by the throat, and 0-0-0 translated on her behalf as the Wookiee strangled her. Krrsantan ultimately relented, and Aphra asked the droid for any auction-related updates. 0-0-0 informed her that the Shadow University had significantly raised its bid, which now placed it at a little over a third of Thomas Toov's. Aphra told the droid to gather everyone, as she had made her decision.

0-0-0 passed out devices to the attendees to inform the bidders whether they had won the auction. Aphra awarded the crystal to representatives of the Shadow University and told the other parties to leave, a course of action 0-0-0 informed BT-1 was a good idea. Eternal Rur, possessing the blue Cyban Front droid, then emerged wielding a pair of lightsabers.

0-0-0 and BT-1 took control of the Socra Retreat's turret defense systems from Aphra's room, setting them to automatic targeting. Aphra, realizing Rur was not the one in control of the turrets, contacted 0-0-0, who gloated about his role in the unfolding events. The doctor ordered her droids to turn off the guns at which point 0-0-0 informed her that that would not be possible, as "someone" had set fire to the gun controls and further damaged them with an ax in an "unfortunate accident." Aphra asked for 0-0-0's demands, to which he invited the archaeologist to her room to "come chat."

Aphra fled the scene, away from Rur's swath of mayhem and death—the smart decision, for once, 0-0-0 noted, as he observed on a monitor. The protocol droid then agreed with BT-1 that the pair were no longer bored, stating that life was short and should be enjoyed whenever possible. BT-1 observed that life was especially short when the two of them were present, though 0-0-0 failed to see how that was relevant. 0-0-0 then berated the astromech for distracting him from his view of the action.

0-0-0 observed Yonak's pact with Sutha the Hutt, which he thought to hold promise. The droid then returned his attention to Aphra who, after aiding Krrsantan in accessing the station's armory, ran into the angered Rur. Rur made to finish Aphra, but 0-0-0 unleashed the room's turrets, occupying the entity and allowing Aphra to escape.

0-0-0 quipped that Aphra had best hurry, at which point she arrived. The droid instructed Aphra to look at the monitor before them, indicating his one final surprise for the doctor—Vader's arrival.

0-0-0 informed Aphra that he and BT-1 had lured Vader to the auction but did not inform him that Aphra was the one behind it, using the information as blackmail. Aphra again asked what 0-0-0 wanted, to which the protocol droid indicated his desire for freedom from a master. 0-0-0 told Aphra to think of his and BT-1's actions as a campaign for their rights. Aphra responded that the only right the droids wanted was to murder anyone they desired, which 0-0-0 affirmed. The doctor asked what guaranteed her life once she freed the droids, to which 0-0-0 merely replied that killing her "wouldn't be very nice."

Aphra reluctantly released the droids, who spread their murderous appendages in freedom. 0-0-0 and BT-1 then left Aphra, the protocol droid insisting that they would see each other again. Aphra retorted to 0-0-0 that he somehow found a way to make things creepier, a statement the droid took as "sweet" and reflected to BT-1 on the doctor's uncertainty about their intent to allow her to remain alive.

Subsequently, 0-0-0 and BT-1 mercilessly eliminated the stormtroopers guarding Yonak's transport. Yonak boarded his transport, surprised that he had not encountered resistance along the way, and was approached by 0-0-0, who explained that the droids had cleared him a path. 0-0-0 further elaborated that he and BT-1 were seeking a new "working relationship," the details of which Yonak decided could be resolved later. 0-0-0 stated he was good at giving orders, which the Rodian amended to taking—exactly, 0-0-0 clarified, what Yonak would be doing.

On Son-tuul, Yonak's stronghold was assaulted by mercenaries who accused him of orchestrating raids that violated a prior agreement. Yonak made a plea for help, confusing his accuser as BT-1 opened fire, annihilating the opposing forces. 0-0-0 emerged and remarked that it was more efficient when their competitors came to them, noting to Yonak that Son-tuul Pride's hold on the sector was at last secure. The Rodian congratulated his new master.

Aphra and Rexa Go were dispatched by 0-0-0 to assault an Imperial settlement on Somelik, tasked with recovering data originating from the Clone Wars. The protocol droid also desired the settlement's destruction, potentially to eliminate witnesses and other evidence, a parameter he shared with Go but withheld from Aphra.

Upon returning to Son-tuul, Aphra expressed her frustrations to Go and requested to file a formal complaint. 0-0-0 then emerged, inquiring about Aphra's reservations concerning the otherwise successful mission. Aphra confronted the droid about his claim that the mission would be minimum damage, to which 0-0-0 replied that she had not been told as she would have argued and noted it best to ask forgiveness rather than permission when murdering innocents. The doctor began to break down, stating that she wouldn't continue, but when 0-0-0 implied that she had reconsidered his offer Aphra dismissed her own words as unimportant. 0-0-0 insisted upon a more direct choice of phrasing, to which Aphra validated her master.

At his relaxation suite on Son-tuul, 0-0-0 spoke to Aphra over hologram about mortality while torturing a man, noting it was a "organic preoccupation" that he liked to think himself above. Asking BT-1 to pass him the nerve shredder, he continued on about his acquisition of new bodies, skills, limbs, and memories over the centuries, questioning why the loss of a physical form should matter. 0-0-0 did attribute relevance to one's origins, and—as his victim cried out in pain—contemplated how someone could truly understand themself without memory of their creation—or their first-ever murder.

As Aphra wandered the streets, BT-1 informed 0-0-0 that he was monologuing, to which he admitted, and questioned the importance of providing Aphra details about the reason behind her next mission, which the protocol droid not find worth sharing. 0-0-0's prisoner then expired after the use of a probic agonizer, which the droid noted as a "step too far" but otherwise dismissed. BT-1 posed a question about why Aphra was carrying a tooka, which 0-0-0 was unable to answer, leading the doctor to explain that she was testing a relic splicer rig and had cloned it. 0-0-0 related Aphra's words to his earlier point about origins, though informed the archaeologist that he had expected more of her when he had provided her the lab in the first place.

Aphra noted the tooka's customization and that she had retrofitted some droids for 0-0-0, though the latter noted his disappointment that none of them were killers. She went on to question 0-0-0's use of her as a proxy, causing him to shush her and elaborated on the importance of subordinates with leadership qualities, as it gave others someone else to hate while being sacrificed. The droid also indicated that the current mission involved archeotech, which made Aphra a useful asset.

Aphra postulated that she could run and hide, to which 0-0-0 threatened to inform Darth Vader that she was alive. 0-0-0 then granted BT-1's request to play with the prisoner's body, indicating to do so in an area that was stain-proof. Aphra raised the point of reporting 0-0-0 to the Imperials herself, though he told her that the claim of a droid maintaining a crime syndicate would not be believed and backed BT-1's claim that if Aphra did not do as he asked, she would no longer be considered useful.

0-0-0 debriefed Aphra after her mission to Skako Minor, once again via hologram, and, after a brief period of lamentation, asked the doctor of her findings. Aphra recounted to 0-0-0 that Wat Tambor had acquired his personality matrix years ago and developed an obsession with it, something the protocol droid remarked that they had in common. The doctor continued that Tambor became scared and quarantined the matrix where, as 0-0-0 recounted, Aphra later found and recovered it. Aphra then noticed a detail among her findings that piqued her interest, something she suspected the droid was searching for—Tambor had kept 0-0-0's memories.

0-0-0, overwhelmed by the doctor's discovery, explained to Aphra that he did not know how long he had lived, the bodies he had inhabited, or the deaths he had overseen. Viewing himself as incomplete, the droid demanded of Aphra the location of his stolen memories. Aphra noted that after the Clone Wars, the Separatists' R&D, including the databanks belonging to the Techno Union, had been relocated to Hivebase-1.

Aphra started to explain to 0-0-0 the nigh impossibility of attempting to steal anything from the installation given its security, only to stop short upon realizing that was exactly what the droid expected of her, which 0-0-0 praised. The doctor began crafting a plan, 0-0-0 enjoying the return of her "idea face," as Aphra questioned whether the operation was worth it to recover the droid's memories. 0-0-0 then Asked Aphra whether she'd killed anyone that day. The archaeologist hedged her answer, having killed Go, 0-0-0 remarking on the tremble in her voice as she tried to conceal the truth. The droid then inquired whether there had been any entertaining deaths on Aphra's team, a question to which she once again lied, reporting that there had been no losses.

0-0-0 contacted Aphra aboard her Imperial patrol transport via Rexa Go's cybernetic headset after a mission to abduct rebel General Hera Syndulla. The archaeologist told 0-0-0 to go away, to which he reminded her that she had killed Go and should be expressing "terrified deference." She once again asked the droid to go away, causing him to realize something was bothering her. 0-0-0 asked whether it was related to murder as Aphra ended the transmission.

The protocol droid again contacted Aphra using Go's headset shortly thereafter, this time alongside BT-1, discovering the doctor in the act of reprogramming the cybernetic. Aphra referred to the pair as some of the most evil individuals in the galaxy, a statement he took as a compliment while also suspecting that the praise was an attempt to divert any displeasure at her blatant tampering. The archaeologist managed to quickly cut off the hologram.

Following her successful mission to Hivebase-1, Aphra kneeled before 0-0-0 in the Son-tuul Pride audience chamber. Handing 0-0-0 the datacard containing his memories, she expressed hope that this would clear out any debt between herself and the droid, causing him to chastise the doctor for thinking that was all he desired. Aphra cursed her master, submitting for him to kill her, at which point 0-0-0 clarified he already had what he wanted. Recounting recent events, 0-0-0 exemplified Aphra's knack for exploitation and betrayal, noting that she herself enjoyed it.

Aphra asked if the droid if he orchestrated the events to make her more like himself. 0-0-0 denied this, claiming that he had done so to show Aphra that she was like him already. Aphra rejected 0-0-0's analysis, causing the droid to muse that love was murder and ordered for someone in the crowd to "deactivate" the archaeologist. Imperial forces subsequently stormed the base as 0-0-0 fled alongside BT-1, claiming ignorance. Out in the rain, BT-1 made a discovery, informing 0-0-0 that the memory file Aphra had provided him was encrypted.

A ship was sold to lawman Tam Posla by 0-0-0. Later, with assistance from BT-1, the droid commandeered a touring vessel occupied by a group of Bith musicians. The droids ejected the Bith, resulting in their suffocation, and the astromech murdered at least one member of the bridge crew, becoming covered in blood. 0-0-0 then assumed command in the ship's captain's chair, listening as Posla recorded a log, with the droids' ship computers identifying his words as a potential reference to Aphra.

Later, 0-0-0 pondered the complementary nature of eavesdropping and "morning atrocities," instructing BT-1 to replay a transmission intercepted from Posla. The transmission contained Aphra's blackmail of Posla, demanding a shuttle in exchange for his nemesis, Doctor Cornelius Evazan. Aphra then provided her location—Accresker Jail. BT-1 bleeped, a sentiment 0-0-0 shared, and the droids and their ship jumped to hyperspace.

Just as Aphra was escaping Accresker, 0-0-0 and BT-1's ship opened fire upon her vessel. BT-1 bleeped, prompting Aphra to recognize her adversary and urge her lover Magna Tolvan to move. 0-0-0 emerged, humming and walking out into the smoking crater, Aphra continuing to mount an escape. 0-0-0 was approached by a crowd of convicts, whom he slaughtered.

Aphra, having rejoined Lopset Yas, a fellow prisoner, was almost captured by Posla; however, 0-0-0 intervened, killing the lawman in an ambush. The protocol droid then pointed out that Aphra's failures frequently haunted her, but he soon realized she was not listening. 0-0-0 scolded Aphra for her inattention, mentioning that his intention to remove her eyeballs should have caused some fear, all while noticing that Aphra was watching a video of Tolvan, whose memories she had altered. The droid figured out what had happened, praising the treachery that had given Aphra a fresh start.

Aphra began to cry, prompting 0-0-0 to lecture her, stating that it was not enjoyable to torture those who were already miserable. Directly blaming the doctor, the droid grabbed her head and led her back to his ship. Upon reaching the transport, 0-0-0 noticed that someone had vandalized his ship and called out for BT-1. Lopset Yas approached, informing him that the astromech had been destroyed, which caused 0-0-0 to inquire further in a threatening manner. Yas then used a green beam to incapacitate 0-0-0 before stunning Aphra.

Yas, who was actually Doctor Cornelius Evazan, removed his proximity bomb and implanted it into 0-0-0, linking it to his personality core. Evazan later explained this to Aphra, telling her that any attempt to alter the core, the death of either 0-0-0 or herself, or the separation of the pair by more than twenty meters would cause the bombs to explode. Evazan attributed his actions to art and science, noting that 0-0-0's eyes would transmit everything they saw and that the droid was set to automatically boot up in one minute. Evazan left, and Aphra sat crying as 0-0-0 activated.

Evazan watched the situation he had created, along with his friend Ponda Baba, through a signal that transmitted both visual and audio information via 0-0-0's photoreceptors. Evazan confessed that he had orchestrated the experiment as a form of entertainment for Baba, for whom he was building a cybernetic arm. 0-0-0 and Aphra traveled to Milvayne, a world with heavy law enforcement presence, hoping to remove the implants.

Immediately upon arriving on Milvayne, 0-0-0 threatened, tortured, and killed a docking port official who refused a bribe from Aphra to accept falsified documents. 0-0-0 began to move faster than Aphra, which caused the doctor to remind him about the implants and criticize him for his earlier actions. The droid reasoned that his method was more efficient, saving credits and allowing him to commit murder. 0-0-0 and Aphra were quickly pursued by more law enforcement.

Aphra chose to hide behind a speeder and ordered 0-0-0 to stay close. 0-0-0 instead wandered to another speeder that he preferred because of its decorative red stripe, triggering the implants, and killed the pilot. Aphra rejoined him, again frustrated by his wandering and murderous tendencies, with 0-0-0 defending his decision because of the stripe. Aphra scolded 0-0-0, stating that murder was not always the right solution, which he dismissed as an organic way of thinking.

0-0-0 asked BT-1 to kill the Milvaynian officers, until Aphra reminded him that BT was no longer around. The droid then requested the security fob for Posla's ship, informing Aphra that while killing her would detonate the implants, he could torture her creatively without any consequences. 0-0-0 then used the remote to detonate the ship remotely, injuring nearby civilians and creating a distraction. 0-0-0 and Aphra then escaped from the occupied officials.

Aphra, while using the local Holonet, later suggested to 0-0-0 that Posla's ship had been their only way off Milvayne. 0-0-0 suggested that almost infinite possibilities existed when one took an "enlightened attitude" to coercing others by causing suffering. The droid then brought up Aphra's own betrayal of her lover, Magna Tolvan, and the pain she had caused her as the archaeologist attempted to find information on the other woman. Aphra tried to remind 0-0-0 of his connection to BT-1, but he denied any loss beyond the encrypted memories that the astromech had contained, noting that BT's destruction just made him hate Aphra more. 0-0-0 then asked for a mirror and began to make threats against Evazan, who was listening on the other end of the transmission. Aphra located Doctor Rajam Nuss, a cyberneticist, and requested that 0-0-0 let them do things her way, with civility. 0-0-0 responded that he was a protocol droid—civility was a part of his programming.

Aphra approached Nuss and requested that he remove the explosives from herself and 0-0-0, the droid adding that he did not trust Aphra with his personality matrix. 0-0-0 then started to threaten the cyberneticist into compliance when Aphra interjected, offering him credits. 0-0-0 found a mirror with which to view his reflection as he continued taunting Evazan, and Nuss seated both 0-0-0 and Aphra for surgery shortly thereafter. Before the procedure began, Aphra spoke to 0-0-0, hoping to deduce his future intentions towards her and apologized for encrypting his memories. 0-0-0 remarked that once upon a time, he thought he and Aphra the same, or at least compatible. Contemplating her time as both his master and his slave, 0-0-0 related his initial intentions to improve Aphra and that, for a time, he had truly grown fond of her.

The droid then identified regret and guilt as Aphra's greatest flaws, noting her apology just moments before, and stated his intent to murder her—slowly—after the operation. 0-0-0 expressed that Aphra had made recent events entertaining and considered giving her a five-minute head start out of sentiment. Aphra tried reasoning with the protocol droid, noting that cooperation often had a better outcome than betrayal in long the long run, but 0-0-0 responded that he was far from ordinary and that Aphra's time was running short.

Once the procedure was complete, 0-0-0 insisted on handling Nuss' payment himself and reminded Aphra of her head start. 0-0-0 then requested that Nuss trace Evazan's broadcast signal, which the doctor was unable to do. The droid consequently found Nuss useless and, upon being asked for payment, chided the doctor for being "uncivil" and murdered him. Aphra subsequently discovered that Nuss had botched the surgery, triggering a failsafe and leaving them with only ten hours before the bombs would detonate, walking in on 0-0-0 standing over Nuss' body.

Twenty-three minutes later, 0-0-0 and Aphra had relocated to a rooftop. 0-0-0 continued to make graphic threats—or as he termed them, "promises"—against Evazan at his own reflection, having at last acquired a mirror. 0-0-0 prompted Aphra to share the idea she was formulating, who revealed that she was looking into Professor Prexo, a mentor of Nuss' whom he had mentioned before his death. Unfortunately, Nuss did not accept unsolicited communications and lived on another area of the planet, with travel being difficult due to 0-0-0 and Aphra's lack of proper identification and newfound status as fugitives.

0-0-0 voiced his admiration for the local law system out of its basis in betrayal and fear until witnessing several offenders, including droids, thrown off a building, at which point the he went silent. Aphra came up with a plan, though 0-0-0 expressed his immediate distaste, citing Aphra's anxiety as a sign that whatever she had in mind would require him to trust others to act out of accepting bribes or plain decency rather than coercing them through pain and terror. Aphra blamed 0-0-0's murder of Nuss for their current situation while 0-0-0 took the accusation as slanderous, instead blaming Aphra for her interaction with Evazan that had resulted in being fixed with explosive implants in the first place. Aphra observed that her betrayals consistently had consequences, 0-0-0 being an obvious example, and once again asked the protocol droid to proceed without committing indiscriminate murder.

Twelves minutes and zero homicides later, Aphra offered a transport driver a bribe to book passage to Milyavne's South district without proper ID. 0-0-0 grumbled anout the non-lethal nature of Aphra's plan, when the driver requested a higher bribe, threatened him with lacerations. Aphra played it off as a joke, and she and 0-0-0 were granted passage. The driver indicated that 0-0-0 would need to ride in the droid wagon, but upon realizing that would separate them by more than twenty meters—and, as 0-0-0 complained, conversation with other droids under the influence of restraining bolts would be "abysmal"—Aphra offered another fifty credits, and the driver indicated 0-0-0 could ride in the luggage rack. 0-0-0, displeased by the insinuation, made explicit threats against the driver, who then trained a blaster on him and comm-ed a report about the droid being defective.

0-0-0 continued his rhetoric but was thrown off the platform by a trio of security drones. Aphra followed in suit as not to trigger the bombs, and found that 0-0-0 had encountered another life-form. The beast grabbed 0-0-0 in its mouth until commanded to release the droid by a young girl riding atop it. 0-0-0 moved to kill the girl but Aphra protested, explaining that the creature was a qaberworm, an animal known to be fiercely protective of its owner and immune to pain. 0-0-0 critiqued immunity to pain as an inefficient design, but relented upon determining that Aphra was beginning to form another plan.

Aphra introduced herself to the girl, Vulaada Klam, as did 0-0-0. Aphra and 0-0-0 inquired whether the qaberworm—Gurtyl—could get them to them to their destination in a timely manner. Klam confirmed as much, and Aphra offered her money and even 0-0-0 himself if she wanted him. 0-0-0 objected and called Aphra out on her continued reliance on deception and betrayal, noting she never stuck around long enough to consider the effect it had on others.

0-0-0, Aphra, and Klam rode Gurtyl, Aphra talking to Klam about her past all the while. 0-0-0 stated to Aphra that she saw the much of herself in the younger girl and that if the two were truly alike, odds were high that Klam would betray them. Aphra dismissed 0-0-0, saying he didn't know anything about her, but the droid retorted that over his long period of observing her he had never known anyone she would not betray. Aphra then spotted a reanimated Tam Posla, who fired upon the group with an oversized energy weapon. 0-0-0 prepared to kill Posla—again—until Posla revealed he had tracked Aphra and the droid via 0-0-0's control codes and revealed a reassembled BT-1.

0-0-0 spoke to BT-1, lamenting his former companion's suffering and expressing incredulity both towards Posla and at the idea that the lawman expected the astromech to turn against his counterpart. The protocol droid instructed BT-1 to prove Posla wrong, but was tackled by Aphra as the homicidal astro-droid unleashed a volley of missiles at the duo. 0-0-0 interpreted BT-1's outburst as an attempt to kill Aphra and not himself, trusting the droid's heat-proof chassis to keep him safe, and attempted to explain that he and Aphra's lives were momentarily dependent on each other's survival before the doctor pulled him down for a second time. Again escaping BT's assault, Aphra suggested they again locate Vulaada Klam, hoping she could lead them to Prexo, but 0-0-0 shut down the idea, viewing Klam's disappearance as a betrayal.

Posla attempted to retrieve 0-0-0 and Aphra using the Force, but the pair were saved by the intervention of Winloss and Nokk, a pair of monster hunters Aphra had previously double-crossed. Aphra recalled the hunters' code against killing, something 0-0-0 questioned, and was about to talk to them before Winloss trained a blaster on her, feigning self-defense. Winloss then turned his weapon on 0-0-0, his and Nokk's intended target, but the droid was saved by the timely appearance of BT-1, who began attacking the hunters. Winloss and Nokk incapacitated BT-1 causing Aphra to order a retreat, much to 0-0-0's chagrin. Aphra reasoned with 0-0-0 that BT-1 was not in control of his actions and that the hunters were still a threat, making an emotional point of the protocol droid's pain at his inability to save his friend. Finding her words were without success, the archaeologist then switched arguments, appealing to 0-0-0's self-perceived lack of emotion. 0-0-0 complied, but threatened Aphra that should she make any similar statements in the future about claiming to know pain, he would instruct her further in the subject.

0-0-0 and Aphra continued making their way through the Undercity, the droid berating Aphra for continuing to search for Klam. Aphra reminded 0-0-0 of Klam's promise to help them, to which 0-0-0 reminded her of her phony promise to provide him as payment and stating a belief that neither party was entirely sincere. 0-0-0 dismissed the idea of relying on loyalty, causing Aphra to come to the realization that the droid's doubts stemmed from BT-1 turning against him. Aphra reasoned that with what she had seen BT-1 accomplish in the past, she and 0-0-0 should be dead, and that there was still some part of the astromech that had deliberately allowed the two to escape unscathed. 0-0-0 considered the notion, almost becoming sentimental momentarily before dismissing the idea of loyalty as an illogical construct that existed only in the minds of organics. Aphra and 0-0-0 then encountered Klam.

Klam brought 0-0-0 and Aphra aboard a bloatbarge, a roaming, Imperial gas-collecting machine. 0-0-0 disparaged the vehicle's slow rate of travel and, upon Klam reaffirming the good faith of her deal with Aphra, began to search for vermin to mutilate as a distraction. Aphra spoke to Klam about 0-0-0, whom the latter still desired for scrap, and Klam inquired of Aphra whether she could reprogram the droid. The archaeologist attributed her inability to do so to numerous circumstances, including that 0-0-0 would not let her get close enough and that he had developed an awareness of her methods, but ultimately admitted that while she had previous opportunities to deactivate the droid for good, she could not bring herself to do it as the she was one who had brought him online in the first place. The pair agreed that 0-0-0 would not extend the same loyalty in return, but that that was ultimately irrelevant.

Shortly thereafter, 0-0-0 informed Aphra that they had encountered a problem. Emerging from the bloatbarge, the trio were confronted by the forces of the Milvayne Authority, led by Tam Posla. Aphra wondered how they could have been found, a question 0-0-0 deemed irrelevant as he evaluated combat stratigies. Without weapons, Aphra deemed them out of options, at which point 0-0-0 grabbed Klam as a hostage and threatened her wellbeing. Klam, having taken Aphra's blaster, shot 0-0-0, revealed her treachery, and knocked Aphra unconscious.

0-0-0, devoid of his legs, was bound to Aphra, the two of whom were taken to a rooftop in Milvayne City and sentenced by Posla. Aphra attempted to sow discord among the officers of the law, denouncing Posla on account of his undead status, to which 0-0-0 informed her that of the two systems in the galaxy with regulations against such a thing, Milvayne was not among them. 0-0-0 instead suggested that the officials present would not want to be outdone by Posla given his status as a rogue agent, leading Aphra to condemn him as a vigilante whose license had been revoked. One of the constables present confirmed Aphra's claim, and the lawmen turned their guns on the presiding officer. Posla unleashed his wrath upon the others, and 0-0-0 encouraged Aphra to flee, strapped atop her back.

Aphra eventually slowed under 0-0-0's weight, coming to a fuel stop equipped with a repair rig. The archaeologist offered to fix 0-0-0's legs, a course of action he initially refused as it would require Aphra to disconnect his matrix and the droid did not trust her to reactivate him. Aphra admitted her own unreliability but, observing Milvayne's toxicity and distrust, came to advocate the placement of one's faith in others. 0-0-0 cited naseaua at Aphra's words, expressing a desire to vomit, but relented to the procedure on the grounds that the pair could not make progress if they could not travel. The protocol droid started to make one final threat towards Aphra as she deactivated him, which she acknowledged.

Aphra fitted 0-0-0 with a seismic pulse capable of disabling him, activated by the phrase six-omega-green-two. 0-0-0 reactivated ten minutes later, just as Aphra had promised. Running a self-diagnostic, the droid compiled an update on the situation, providing time to detonation, proximity to Prexo, and confirmation that Aphra had in fact fixed him. Aphra began to leave, but 0-0-0 grabbed her and leapt on to a passing transport, saving the doctor from an incoming spear launched by Nokk. 0-0-0 denied saving Aphra, only himself, reminding her of the proximity trigger on their explosives. Aphra attributed the manuever as an expression of decency and a repayment for the repairs, a statement 0-0-0 insisted she take back.

Aphra and 0-0-0 kept moving atop the air traffic. 0-0-0 started to fall behind, complaining that he was not built for such tasks, when Nokk ambushed him from above, only to be blasted out of the air by BT-1. 0-0-0, overcome by the astromech's reappearance, approached BT-1 against Aphra's warnings and triggered a cage trap set by the hunters. Nokk rejoined Winloss, their quarry in tow. Suddenly, a turbolaser blast from an Imperial Star Destoyer above knocked out one of the engines on Winloss and Nokk's ship, sending it into a spiral. Believing death was imminent, Aphra asked 0-0-0 if people were capable of change, an idea the protocol droid refuted as the hunters abandoned ship. 0-0-0 noted to Aphra that she was an oft-lonely failure and, in her attempts to cope, often compromised those around her as the two plummeted towards a unknown fate down below.

Aphra's consciousness returned, finding her in the presence of Captain Okma, an officer of the Imperial Coalition for Progress. Okma declared his intention to dismantle 0-0-0 and uncover the source of the day's broadcast, but only after reactivating the feed and compelling Aphra to publicly endorse Imperial law and the Emperor's devotion. Okma reiterated his proposition, emphasizing that Aphra would secure her own safety while 0-0-0 faced destruction. In response, Aphra triggered the seismic pulse she had embedded within the droid using the designated command phrase, incapacitating both herself and the surrounding Imperial forces.

Upon awakening, 0-0-0, to pass the time, engaged in the act of murdering the unconscious Imperials. Subsequently, the droid demanded Okma's high-level security codes, a request met with resistance. "Inspired" by this, 0-0-0 proceeded to mutilate the officer, eventually obtaining the codes regardless. The droid then patiently awaited Aphra's recovery from the pulse-induced stupor, the archaeologist having absorbed the majority of its impact.

Aphra's senses returned, and 0-0-0 remarked on her vulnerable state, drawing a parallel to his own prior predicament at the fuel stop. When Aphra attempted to defend herself, the droid elucidated his comprehensive understanding of the events that had transpired, including Aphra's installation of a seismic pulse within his chassis, which she likely intended to activate once the bombs were disarmed. 0-0-0 clarified that such an action would have had fatal consequences, obliterating his core matrix, had Aphra not chosen to invert the pulse outward, as she did to disable the Imperials. 0-0-0 lauded the maneuver as ingenious and, in response to Aphra's inquiry, detailed his actions concerning the Imperials during her period of unconsciousness.

Disgusted, Aphra observed that while 0-0-0 disregarded the concept of loyalty, he held betrayal in utter contempt. The droid countered, informing the archaeologist that he did not perceive her actions as betrayal but as a perfectly logical safeguard against her own demise. 0-0-0 further commended Aphra's execution of the plan, noting her choice to deploy the device against the Imperials rather than himself. The doctor then questioned 0-0-0's motives for maiming and torturing Okma, to which the droid revealed his pursuit of the man's security codes. Aphra inquired as to why 0-0-0 desired Imperial codes, and he responded that he had developed an affinity for their partnership and wished to assist her, projecting confidential footage of Tolvan's collaboration with the Rebellion obtained from Okma's cam droid.

Aphra was overcome with emotion, experiencing immense joy at the sight of Tolvan alive, well, smiling, and engaged in similar work. Tears welled in her eyes as she recalled 0-0-0's earlier assertion that they were alike, realizing that he was the only being who had ever elicited tears of happiness from her. Witnessing Aphra's profound emotional response, 0-0-0 began to question his decision, but the doctor silenced him, declaring that no debts should exist between them. Grateful for 0-0-0's actions, Aphra chose to decrypt the droid's lost memories, allowing him to relive his most excruciating tortures and potentially uncover the reason for his creation. 0-0-0 was rendered speechless, and Aphra provided the activation code: "hopeless."

0-0-0's memories surged through his circuits, causing him to deactivate. Upon reactivating shortly thereafter, the droid awoke with a start, exclaiming the word "fraud." 0-0-0 revealed to Aphra the true circumstances of his creation, explaining that he was conceived as an accident rather than deliberately designed as a torturer and killer. Aphra attempted to console the droid, but he expressed his self-loathing. Beginning to wander away—and beyond the range of the bombs—0-0-0 thanked Aphra for choosing him, but remarked that, as usual, she had made the wrong choice, as the disabled archaeologist pleaded with the droid.

Ignoring Aphra's entreaties, 0-0-0 halted upon hearing a familiar bleep. The protocol droid returned to Aphra and a reactivated BT-1, whom Aphra had restored using power from the astromech's logic matrix. 0-0-0 questioned whether BT-1 was truly back or merely under Aphra's control, prompting the astromech to fire a blade into Aphra's leg, confirming his identity. 0-0-0 then deemed his suicide attempt overly impulsive, reasoning that one's own pointlessness often felt less acute when shared among companions. This sentiment garnered a positive reaction from Milvaynians tuned into Evazan's broadcast, and both Aphra and the protocol droid embarked on a journey atop BT-1 to locate Prexo.

The combination of blood, Aphra's pain, and the cheers of the locals evoked a sense of belonging in 0-0-0, though he conceded to BT-1 that he would have preferred screams of agony. Aphra expressed concern that BT-1 would be unable to reach Prexo in time, a concern 0-0-0 acknowledged but defended the astromech, given his recently resuscitated state. The trio then encountered Klam, prompting 0-0-0 to extend his bladed digits. Klam apologized for betraying the group. Aphra voiced her forgiveness, which 0-0-0 interpreted as empathy, as she would have made a similar decision. Aphra clarified that they also required Gurtyl to expedite their journey.

The party arrived at Prexo's clinic. 0-0-0 noticed a note on the door indicating Prexo's extended absence just as a group of stormtroopers arrived to confront the interlopers. BT-1 and Aphra opened fire, initiating a battle, and 0-0-0 joined the fray. The Imperial commander then dispatched Tam Posla into the conflict. Driven by a thirst for revenge, 0-0-0 ambushed and immolated Posla, ending his life permanently. Aphra intercepted Posla's final shot, intended for Klam, sparking a planetary uprising.

As Aphra lay wounded, possibly dying, 0-0-0 reminded her that the implants were set to detonate in thirty seconds. The protocol droid chose not to disturb BT-1 from the enjoyment of his murderous rampage for a farewell. Awaiting the inevitable, 0-0-0 refused Aphra's request to evacuate the surrounding civilians before their explosive demise but admitted that he was glad to be with the doctor in their final moments, imploring her not to taint it with selfless action.

0-0-0 and Aphra braced themselves, unaware that Winloss and Nokk, with Prexo's assistance, had apprehended Evazan and deactivated the bombs. Nokk then ordered Prexo to cease Evazan's broadcast. 0-0-0 concluded that the bombs had been rendered inert, and Aphra asked the protocol droid what lay ahead. 0-0-0 momentarily deployed his blades but then retracted them, bidding Aphra farewell and departing with BT-1.

Imperial forces discovered 0-0-0 and BT-1 during a sweep on the Ring of Kafrene, subsequently erasing their memories by fitting them with restraining bolts. 0-0-0 was assigned as an interrogation specialist aboard the Super Star Destroyer Executor. However, both droids yearned to be free from Imperial control. Vader summoned 0-0-0 when dealing with Korin Aphra. Chelli Aphra, also present, pleaded with 0-0-0 not to torture her father. Devoid of his memories, 0-0-0 failed to recognize her and burned her with one of his appendages, deeming her insane—much like most organics, in his estimation. Korin initially refused to cooperate, citing his aversion to the Empire, but Chelli persuaded him to relent before 0-0-0 could subject him to torture. Imperial sensors confirmed that the senior Aphra was truthful, much to 0-0-0's displeasure.

Chelli Aphra later contacted 0-0-0 via BT-1, offering to remove the droids' restraining bolts and grant them independence in exchange for delivering a message to Darth Vader. The protocol droid verified the presence of a Jedi martyrium on the planet Tython, knowledge Chelli had gleaned from Korin, by searching for signs among the databanks of Imperial probe droids and later approached Vader in his meditation chamber. 0-0-0 began to comment on Vader's disfigured appearance beneath his helmet, prompting the Sith Lord to warp the droid's faceplate through the Force and instruct him to deliver the message. 0-0-0 informed Vader that Aphra had discovered the location of the Rebel base and further advised him to "dress warm."

Aphra led Vader, General Maximilian Veers, and a contingent of snowtroopers to Tython. Vader instructed his men to ensure that 0-0-0 kept Aphra under close surveillance, at which point the droid emerged into the icy cavern. When Imperial scans detected no trace of a Rebel presence, Vader ordered Aphra's execution. 0-0-0 raised his arm and extended his torturous appendages, alarming Aphra, but the activation of a mechanism within the temple raised a wall, separating the two from the Imperials. As BT-1 arrived, 0-0-0 reminded Aphra of their agreement, prompting her to remove the protocol droid's restraining bolt. BT-1 suggested dissecting Aphra to celebrate their newfound freedom, an idea 0-0-0 entertained until Aphra reminded him that Vader would pursue them for their betrayal and that she alone possessed knowledge of the temple's secrets.

0-0-0 murdered a number of pursuing stormtroopers as Vader advanced through the temple, having ordered his troops to withdraw. The droid then assaulted Vader upon his arrival at Aphra, but was swiftly reduced to pieces by the Sith Lord's lightsaber. Aphra confronted Vader and ultimately recovered the upper half of 0-0-0's head, taking it with her as she fled Tython in a TIE Reaper. The rogue archaeologist recorded a message in which she expressed her reflections on the nature of love for encryption and transmission to Hoth. 0-0-0 expressed indignation, denigrating the message's sentiment, asserting that Aphra was not alone, and informing the doctor that, had he still possessed hands, he would debone her as one would a fish. When 0-0-0 inquired about the group's next course of action, including their destination, Aphra mentioned a long-held desire to explore the galaxy.

0-0-0 was eventually rebuilt to his former state. Aphra later brought 0-0-0 and BT-1 to the Outer Rim world of Birukay. 0-0-0 threatened to remove Aphra's fingers should she reveal the duo's location, and the doctor parted ways with the droids, departing in the TIE Reaper stolen from Tython. As Birukay was beyond Imperial jurisdiction, the two were left largely undisturbed but, lacking anything to kill, felt devoid of purpose and quickly grew bored. 0-0-0 created several sand sculptures, including stormtroopers and one of Aphra, for BT-1 to destroy, but the pair ultimately ended up reclining on a beachfront with nothing worthwhile to do. 0-0-0 and BT-1 came to occupy a hut, which they treated as a living space. Crimson Dawn discovered the droids' location through Aphra and attempted to abduct them, but were massacred by the two droids, who were overjoyed to finally have targets to kill.

The tranquility of 0-0-0 and BT-1's retirement was disrupted by Korin Aphra, Detta Yao, Eustacia Okka, Magna Tolvan, and Kho Phon Farrus, who journeyed to Birukay under the belief that Aphra had concealed an asset there. Emerging from the hut, 0-0-0 informed BT-1 that they had visitors. The group escorted 0-0-0 and BT-1 to confront Aphra, who had been possessed by the Spark Eternal, aboard the Vermillion. 0-0-0 informed the Spark that the droids would not tolerate a rival artificial intelligence attempting to interfere in Aphra's life and, after BT-1 unleashed his flamethrowers, attempted to skin Aphra with his own bladed digits. Tolvan momentarily incapacitated the doctor, but she quickly recovered. 0-0-0 and his counterpart charged the possessed Aphra, only for the Spark to impale them with the Null Blade. 0-0-0 and BT-1, corrupted by the Spark's energies, turned against their organic allies. 0-0-0 attacked Starros and departed, joining Aphra and BT aboard the Ark Angel IV.

On Mustafar, the Eye of Webbish Bog provided Darth Vader with a vision of Aphra, 0-0-0, and BT-1, claiming that the archaeologist would find a way to gain control over the Spark Eternal. Sometime later, in space aboard the Ark Angel, 0-0-0 made a veiled compliment about the Spark being trapped within an organic form, leading the Spark to threaten to deactivate the droid's vocabulator. A malfunction caused the Spark to double over in pain and lash out, just as Vader had foreseen, overloading and disabling both droids.

The duo reactivated and joined the Spark on Pyrr IX. Aphra and the Spark, each consciousness now sharing the body, examined an Ascendant temple, with Aphra complaining about the confusing nature of the body swapping. 0-0-0 suggested bisecting the body, prompting both to scold him to "shut up." Gaining entry, the droids explored the temple alongside the Spark and Aphra. The Spark later informed 0-0-0 and BT-1 that they had "business" on Amaxine Station.

0-0-0 again encountered Starros, Tolvan, Okka, and Farrus aboard Amaxine station, and attacked them on sight. 0-0-0 charged Tolvan, who fired several shots at the protocol droid before Farrus levitated him with their Ascendant tech. The droid then attacked Yao with his buzzsaw, a maneuver she parried with one of her wrist blades. Just Lucky, another of Aphra's associates, landed several shots on BT-1 and took him out of the fight, earning 0-0-0's attention and ire, who stated that he would enjoy making the organics bleed. Lucky, Yao, and Lucky's partner Ariole Yu prepared to fight 0-0-0, with Yu remarking that he bet he would take down the droid first and Farrus requesting that the others keep 0-0-0 distracted. The trio then engaged 0-0-0.

0-0-0 and BT-1 joined Ought-Six and a number of other droids in Zee-Nine City Seven whose objective was to exact revenge on Darth Vader for past encounters and destructions. ZED-6-7 outlined the plan, noting that many of the droids present had been sliced into two or three pieces by Vader's lightsaber. (This remark elicited a "hmp" from 0-0-0, who had been sliced into five.) 0-0-0 also informed Zed that he and BeeTee's latest destruction by Vader had occurred at a site of pure kyberite, a detail Zed found intriguing.

Two weeks later, 0-0-0 participated in Vader's battle with the droid uprising. 0-0-0 deduced ZED-6-7's treachery, realizing that ZED had secretly been working for Vader all along. The protocol droid and BT-1 then switched allegiances themselves as it became evident that Vader would prevail. 0-0-0 turned his blaster on his fellow droids before kicking at and then shooting Ought-Six. After exchanging fire with the droid uprising, 0-0-0 and BT-1 then departed from Ringo Vinda aboard one of two nearby ships, with Aphra and Ochi noting their departure. Ochi allowed Aphra to leave as well but informed Vader and ZED-6-7 of their escape as the two ships ascended into the atmosphere. Vader, however, decided to let them go and ordered his two servants to repair and reprogram the destroyed droids around them.

At the onset of the scourge of the droids, 0-0-0 and BT-1 were reunited with Aphra, who sought refuge behind them as the two droids brandished their weaponry and advanced through a corridor. However, the droids and Aphra parted ways again shortly thereafter. Shortly after departing Zee-Nine City Seven, 0-0-0 and BT-1 encountered a mouse droid containing another, spider-like droid, which infected BT-1 with the Scourge. Envious, 0-0-0 did not consider restoring his friend to normal, as the astromech was thoroughly enjoying himself.

At some point during the scourge of the droids, 0-0-0 and BT-1 began to terrorize the inhabitants of Gallios. Meanwhile, on the planet Iego, the droid Chopper recounted to WAC-47 and R2-D2 a HoloNet story describing a "homicidal protocol droid." Believing it to be C-3PO, R2-D2 commandeered a GX1 short hauler and traveled to Gallios, where he discovered several citizens fleeing for their lives. He was surprised to learn that the droid was none other than 0-0-0. 0-0-0 addressed the astromech, dismissing his concern for organic lives, and inquired as to the droid's purpose on Gallios. R2 informed 0-0-0 that 3P0 had been infected by the Scourge, the same as BT-1, and convinced the protocol droid to assist him in restoring their friends to normal. 0-0-0 expressed doubt as to whether restoring BT would ultimately aid 3P0, but advised R2 to locate BT by following the nearby screaming.

0-0-0 and R2 located BT-1 and, despite 0-0-0's deliberations to return at a later time, strategized on how to remedy his condition. R2 suggested electrocuting the droid, a strategy 0-0-0 proposed testing on organics, sparking a brief debate with the astromech before 0-0-0 inquired as to where they could find sufficient power to overload BT. The droids journeyed to Winker's Engine Works, an abandoned podracer shop, where 0-0-0 expressed disappointment that there was nobody present to murder. R2 suggested 0-0-0 repair one of the engines, to which he initially objected, lamenting his skillset, but soon relented. 0-0-0 raised the question of how to lure out BT-1, prompting R2 to depart in search of the other droid. The protocol droid calculated that the astromechs had equally high probabilities of killing each other, though he suspected his results were skewed by his own desire for inter-droid violence.

The protocol droid successfully repaired the vehicle. Following an explosive confrontation, R2-D2 returned with BT-1 attached to a tow cable, and 0-0-0 drove the repaired podracer into the unsuspecting astromech, rendering the murderous droid unconscious. R2 then reminded 0-0-0 of their earlier discussion, 0-0-0 affirming that he and BT would assist R2 in his quest to aid C-3P0. The pair were immediately ambushed by the bounty droid IG-88, who declared his pursuit of 0-0-0 and BT-1 for their crimes on Milvayne. With BT in reboot, 0-0-0 called upon R2 to join him in combatting the assassin. R2 sprayed the IG unit with a fire extinguisher, distracting him while 0-0-0 engaged the droid in melee with a hydrospanner. IG-88 swiftly retaliated and destroyed 0-0-0 with his blaster. The assassin collected 0-0-0's parts and carried them in a net upon his back, intending to leave Gallios with R2 when the droids were encountered by another bounty hunter, 4-LOM, who engaged IG-88 in a standoff.

0-0-0 awoke from his involuntary shutdown to witness IG-88 and 4-LOM battling a Scourge-infected cyborg. IG-88 declared his intention to deliver 0-0-0 to the authorities, referring to the unit as a homicide droid, which flattered him, before R2 incapacitated the rogue astromech and related the situation to both bounty hunters. 4-LOM proposed a solution, asserting that it served everyone's interests—except, perhaps, 0-0-0's.

The droids boarded a vessel belonging to IG-88, where 0-0-0 confirmed that the energy from the podracer's power coupling had restored BT-1 to normal, leaving the droid with a desire to kill whoever was responsible for his corruption. The protocol droid recounted the story of BT's infection and posited that BT had infected the cyborg, implying that the Scourge was targeting cyborgs and hybroids. The droid was questioned about the entity's animosity for R2 by 4-LOM, causing 0-0-0 to describe the astromech as a pest. 4-LOM suggested forming an alliance with R2 to combat the Scourge, who reiterated his desire to save C-3PO. When 0-0-0 suggested running the protocol droid over with a podracer to cure him, R2 objected, as the tactic would reset his friend to his base programming.

IG-88 insisted on returning 0-0-0 and BT-1 to Milvayne, prompting 0-0-0 to assure his companion that they would kill the assassin droid. R2 instead chartered IG-88's ship. 0-0-0 inquired as to their destination, and IG-88 silenced him as 4-LOM interjected, raising the possibility of finding another group that had recently fought the Scourge, the droids of the Second Revelation. The astromech suggested traveling to Ryloth to visit a friend, 0-0-0 informing his own companion that they were more than friends, having bonded over murder and torture. The group subsequently traveled to Ryloth.

On Ryloth, IG-88 lamented 4-LOM's inquisition into R2's relationship with his contact, R2-QT. The bounty droid claimed he'd rather be disintegrated than continue listening, to which 0-0-0 relayed that he and BT-1 would be amenable to help. R2, upon his insistence, spoke to QT privately, leading the other droids to become impatient. The group dispatched 0-0-0 to interrupt the pair's reunion, at which he was effective, before holding a more serious discussion with the astromechs. 0-0-0 was excited upon hearing that the Second Revelation was led by a murderer known as Ajax Sigma, only to be disappointed when R2 informed him that Sigma was in fact reformed.

QT relayed that Sigma's databanks could be found on Tatooine. 0-0-0 affirmed it as their destination, causing IG-88 to remind the droid that he was bound for Milvayne. The reformed D-Squad was then confronted by a group of Scourged KX-series security droids and DT-series sentry droids demanding R2. As IG-88 noted the lack of a back door, 0-0-0 inquired as to their method of egress, leading the droids to fight their way out, the protocol droid stabbing one of the KX enforcers in the eye. Fighting alongside her companions, R2-QT was incapacitated, leading R2-D2 to revive her and share in a moment of intimacy. 0-0-0 intruded on the couple once more, reminding the astromechs of the battle around them. Though disappointed by the lack of blood, 0-0-0—and D-Squad—emerged victorious, the protocol droid wondering aloud as to where they were going next.

Upon the team's arrival at Mos Eisley spaceport, 0-0-0 remarked on the planet's proper, violent atmosphere, though questioned Jabba the Hutt's interest in Sigma as well as his need for the droid's neural core. The protocol droid remained behind aboard IG-88's transport as the bounty hunters and astromech droids infiltrated Jabba's palace. R2 and QT recovered the location of Sigma's secret base, the planet Mechis III, though IG-88 had not heard of it. 0-0-0 remarked this was what made the planet secret, leading his captor to threaten him as 4-LOM ordered IG-88 to plot a course. There, D-Squad confronted Sigma, 0-0-0 informing him that they were all killers like him. R2 then convinced Sigma to help.

Aboard IG-88's vessel, the droids headed to confront the Scourge aboard its Star Destroyer. Sigma preached his teachings before 0-0-0 cut him short, asking how to kill the Scourge. Sigma cited sacrifice as the answer. Aboard the destroyer, 0-0-0 fought off attack by at least one spider droid. Sigma defeated the Scourge and, upon reuniting with the other droids, thanked them. 0-0-0 and BT-1 noted that their motivation was solely to commit murder. Sigma offered the droids a place in his church. R2 declined and 0-0-0 relayed the message, warning the warrior-priest not to become a threat himself before offering to drop him off somewhere.

In 3 ABY, while escaping the Auction for Han Solo, the scent of burning hair reminded Chelli Aphra of a brawl between 0-0-0 and Krrsantan during which the protocol droid singed the Wookiee with his flamethrower, unaware that a similar fight was unfolding between Chewbacca and Boba Fett at present. At some point, the battle-droid-turned-author R0-GR documented information about 0-0-0 in his "droidography."

0-0-0's foundational design was that of a typical Cybot Galactica 3PO series protocol droid, exhibiting a dark silver chassis and red photoreceptors. Initially, it possessed a standard protocol droid personality matrix, but this was eventually supplanted by the Triple-Zero matrix, transforming the formerly docile droid into a cruel assassin.

Aphra implemented significant modifications to 0-0-0's physical form, which included a heatproof chassis and heavily altered arms equipped with a field-shielded syringe. The droid's array of poisons included options such as 500 milligrams of Mandalorian xenotoxin, alongside medicines potent enough to revive an unconscious Wookiee. 0-0-0 had a syringe hidden within the middle finger of his left arm until Luke Skywalker severed it. The droid briefly utilized compatible limbs from the protocol droid C-3PO, and later acquired a new syringe, before Ruen, a technician, fully refitted him. Following this upgrade, 0-0-0 had a syringe incorporated into the index finger of both his left and right arms.

Scalpel-like digits were also integrated into 0-0-0's fingers, which he employed to dissect and wound his victims, along with an integrated medpac. Furthermore, 0-0-0's palms contained subdermal electric pulsers, capable of killing a human or incapacitating a Wookiee, in addition to a proton charge.

0-0-0 stated that his expertise lay in the fields of etiquette, customs, translation, and torture. Despite his penchant for murder and destruction, 0-0-0 held genuine affection for BT-1. His rage was ignited when BT-1 was temporarily destroyed during the battle on the Amaxine Station, and he directed his efforts towards Just Lucky, the one who shot BT-1. Although he once mentioned to Ought-Six that revenge wasn't a primary motivator for him and BT-1, they did force Aphra to serve them as retribution for their time under her control, and he desired to kill Just Lucky as revenge for the damage inflicted upon BT-1. The retirement Aphra promised to the two droids proved incredibly monotonous for them, as they found it unbearable to be confined to the planet Birukay with no one to kill. While he greatly favored droids over organics and yearned for a droid revolution to claim the galaxy for mechanical life, he remained willing to kill a droid for his own amusement.

The protocol droid known as 0-0-0 made his debut in Darth Vader (2015) 3, the third installment of the Marvel comic book series Star Wars: Darth Vader, penned by Kieron Gillen and illustrated by Salvador Larroca.

The blueprints of 0-0-0, as depicted in Darth Vader 3: Vader, Part III, originated from various Star Wars Legends sources. One of these appeared in the 1999 reference book The Essential Guide to Droids. Another body shot was showcased in Star Wars Blueprints: The Ultimate Collection. The close-up of the protocol droid's head originated from a blueprint included with C-3PO's Riddell mini-helmet.

During the New York Comic Con in 2018, it was announced that an action figure of 0-0-0 was scheduled for release in Spring 2019 as a component of Hasbro's 2019 Star Wars action figure lineup.