Bingowings said:
P.S. On the subject of Threepio I remember that Lucas originally intended to give him a used car salesman voice and we are short of a Han Solo style positive cynic it might be possible to keep Threepio but give him a very different way of expressing himself (something like Bender from "Futurama") which would explain why Owen doesn't recognise him (he looks different and he sounds different too).

Then 3PO would be unrecognizable by the audience! I say just cut 'im out.