Well played trump card. And testament to the way that droids can - like pets - reflect the best of us humans, and sometimes elicit and reveal feelings more effectively than people can.

I have a theory that cartoons, puppets, masked figures - basically anything with a face that can express emotions but isn't actually human - can be more effective at prompting emotional responses than another person.

Because we see ourselves reflected in them - they are a mirror giving voice to our own thoughts.

Another person, or an actor, is always expressing emotions through their experience. However sincere it may seem, it's not ours.

Puppets and pets are different, because we know they do not actually have human thoughts or experiences - they are what we make of them. By anthropomorphising them, we also add an extra layer of humanity to ourselves, give birth to a new life.

Maybe.