Would it be possible to trim out 3PO’s line “I have read it…I know exactly where the Wayfinder is,” and focus instead on the “My programming prevents me from translating Sith Speak” aspect? I wonder if that whole thing might feel less contrived if 3PO actually can’t translate the dagger until he gets “patched” by Babu. Why would they program him with an Ancient Sith dictionary, and then tell him not to use it?
“There’s writing on it.”
“Perhaps I can translate it. It’s the clue that Master Luke was looking for!”
“And? Where’s the Wayfinder?”
“I am afraid I cannot tell you.”
“20.3 fazillion languages, you can’t read that?”
“Unfortunately, it is written in the runic language of the Sith.”
“So what?”
“My programming forbids me from translating it.”The only slight problem I see with this is that 3PO doesn’t actually look at the dagger to read it when they bypass the restriction, which would imply that he already had the text memorized. I suppose you could argue he had the runes memorized and was able to instantly translate them once the process was completed.
I will say that it does seem a bit strange that 3PO’s programming prevents him from translating the dagger directly, but he himself admits that he knows where the wayfinder is located… like what’s stopping him from just telling the trio, “Hey, Endor is a nice place this time of year.” wink wink
Jar Jar…
I’m just kidding, man. No, but seriously, I think it does make sense that a computer would be able to store a “snapshot” of the text, even if it was unable to translate it at the time. Kind of like scanning a document and storing it as a PDF, then running it through an OCR service later on. He even has a line that “The inscription lives only in my memory bank now.”
For me, it would still have that “tantalisingly close to their goal” feeling that Cap points out - that Mr. Translator has finally found a language he can’t read - but just a bit less contrived in how that’s explained.