Brian Jones: Hero or Villain?

Very often we hear from Jagger/Richards that Brian Jones didn't had much of a big role on Stones music besides being a versatile musician, however, Stones períod with Jones is regarded by many as the most creative and talented for the band. With classic powerfull albums such as "Beggar's Banquet", "Their Satanic Majesties Request", After-Math", "December's Children", "Between The Buttons" etc. etc. It's fair to say that the Stones still made some amazing good albums after Jones departure,"Sticky Fingers" and the famous "Exile" as an example. So in your opinion, is it true that Brian Jones didn't really had a big role for The Stones as they often say it and his departure from the band was just a coincidence that matched with the end of a great Stones era, or, did he was one of the Stones essential core members, just considered underated by his former band mates due to the Jagger/Richards imposition? I personally think Jones was an essential core member and hugely contribute to shape the Stones sound, there was already an obvious difference on their sound on "Sticky Fingers" . Truth is, we never really got back the "Jumpin Jack'Flash" Stones again...

Cheers,

David