As it turns out, R2-D2 may be the main character of Star Wars after all. Not only that, but he could actually be the story's narrator, recounting the entire saga a hundred years after Star Wars: Episode VI.

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According to Chris Taylor, author of How Star Wars Conquered the Universe , the theory of R2-D2 being the narrator comes from creator George Lucas himself. Lucas shared the idea -- calling it "his ultimate framing device" -- with animation director Rob Coleman on the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith."The entire story of Star Wars is actually being recounted to the keeper of the Journal of the Whills -- remember that? -- a hundred years after the events of Return of the Jedi by none other than R2-D2," Taylor writes (via io9 ).The theory makes sense, according to Taylor, because R2-D2 is prominent in every movie, never gets his memory wiped like C-3PO, and is determined to get to Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode IV because he knows Obi-Wan's true history.Perhaps most importantly is that if R2-D2 is telling the story, that may be why he appears to always be the hero, Taylor writes.Whether that's stopping a free-falling elevator in Revenge of the Sith, shutting down the garbage compactor in A New Hope, or repairing the Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive in The Empire Strikes Back, it's hard to argue that R2-D2 hasn't saved the lives of major characters throughout the Star Wars story.Of course, R2-D2 being the narrator of Star Wars isn't the only theory floating around about the popular space opera. J.J. Abrams recently stoked the fire by offering cryptic comments about Rey's parents

Michael Passalacqua is a freelance writer for IGN. Chat with him about the New York Giants' offseason spending spree on Twitter @mikepass20