sonofjones said:

I honestly don't like the idea of having R2 in the prequels. I do like the idea of having astro droids as sort of standard sidekicks for the heroes throughout all the films, like Obi-wan already having R4 and possibly Anakin having another that isn't R2. However, it makes the galaxy seem too small to have R2 be connected with the heroes of the PT then also just happen to be the one Leia entrusts with the Death Star Plans just by pure luck.

I am a bigger George defender than many on this site. He has said (yes, he's said lots of things) that he intended to have the droids in all 9 films, even years ago before he began denying that he ever had plans for 9 films. I'm a bigger fan of George's true original vision than the one he has promulgated in more recent years. I think it's not such a bad idea. It's sort of a link between movies. The problem is that the droids probably should have somehow introduced us to the main characters as they did in ANH. Somehow the plot follows them for a bit till we met Obi-Wan (who should have been the main character of the whole PT anyway). Sadly, I see no way to pull this idea off, but it would have been the best way to use them if one were to use them in the PT.