Tier-3-PO

Original figure: ‘C-3PO (Removable Limbs)’ (Kenner, 1982).

Modified cardback, bespoke blister.

“The tier pun is rather UK specific. The UK government introduced a three-tier regional lockdown system for England in October 2020 to manage local COVID-19 outbreaks by matching restriction levels to regional transmission rates.

- Tier 1 (Medium) allowed indoor and outdoor socialising for up to six people, but required hospitality venues to close by 22:00.

- Tier 2 (High) banned different households from mixing indoors and only permitted pubs to open if they served a substantial meal.

- Tier 3 (Very High) banned all household mixing in private spaces and closed all hospitality venues except for takeaway services.

- Tier 4 (Stay at Home) forced residents to remain at home except for essential reasons, banned all household mixing, and shut down non-essential retail and personal care businesses.

Tier-3-PO mapped satisfyingly onto C-3PO (or See-Threepio as is sometimes written), and this being a tier of high alert also perfectly matched this character’s excitable and neurotic nature — in exquisite contrast to Tier-Wan Kenobi, who isn’t taking Covid seriously at all…”