George Lucas once said that Star Wars was the droids story. Whether you subscribe to the 9-planned-episodes theory, or the 6-planned-episode theory, it was C-3PO and R2-D2 who were to be the thread that connected all of the films together. In the original trilogy the droids were often the lens through which the audience saw the story. C-3PO and R2-D2, who provided not only comic relief but critical roles in furthering the plots of episodes IV through VI, were but tertiary characters in the prequels. C-3PO was barely in Episode I, and was given little to do for the remaining two films. Then theres this question: at what point in the Star Wars narrative timeline did R2-D2 lose the ability to fly? C-3POs humanity and R2-D2s spunky optimism have the potential to propel the story and illuminate other characters in Episode VII. It would be a shame to see them continue to serve little or no purpose.
