BB-8’s bright orange design was slapped on all kinds of merchandise before the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and his round profile has only grown since Episode VII was released. The ball-shaped astromech is arguably the cutest hunk of metal to ever appear in Star Wars (sorry, R2-D2), but why does he seem to have such a special place in the Resistance? He’s apparently as key to the film as his fellow droids R2-D2 and C-3PO—but we know why that pair is important. Well now, thanks to YouTuber Jenny Nicholson’s deep dive, we now know what’s really up with BB-8: he’s the catalyst for Kylo Ren’s redemption arc. Watch:

What.

In “BB-Gate,” Jenny explores the concept that Ben Solo built BB-8 as a kid. She points out, “It’s generally accepted as canon among fans that Ben Solo was a probably a dorky and stupid child who did dumb things and had no friends.” (I wouldn’t disagree with that point). So, he built a droid just like his idol Darth Vader did when he was little baby Ani. Therefore, the droid would have sentimental value to Han and Leia, and it would be a high honor for Poe Dameron, the best pilot in the galaxy, to have BB-8—the one of a kind BB unit—as his astromech. And that’s not even all the evidence Jenny has.

After you’ve watched Jenny’s video, tell me: what are your thoughts on BB-8’s role in the overall Star Wars universe? Is he the key to everything? Leave your beeps and boops in the comments.

Image: Disney/Lucasfilm