Editorial: The Tragedy of Jar Jar Binks (Aftermath: Empire’s End SPOILERS)

jar jar's first appearance

Yes, weesa going there…

 

 

Star Wars fans are tearing into the last installment in Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath trilogy, Empire’s End. There’s no doubt many questions fans will hope to find answers or hints to. Is any character standing out to be Snoke? Is Luke going to finally show up? Are there any hints at Rey’s origins? You’ll have to dig into the pages to find out, but I think what many fans will be surprised at is the answer to a question few Star Wars fans have asked:  What was the fate of Jar Jar Binks?

 

jar jar uh oh

 

When we last saw Jar Jar, he was in the solemn funeral procession for Padme. If you have Prequel Trilogy amnesia, you’ll remember Jar Jar hails from Naboo and is a member of the Gungan species. The Gungans are an amphibious culture that mostly dwell in deep underwater cities. After the events of The Phantom Menace, Jar Jar was made a representative in the Republic. Aside from a few appearances in The Clone Wars, fans did not hear from Jar Jar Binks again.

 

What’s clear is that Jar Jar probably won’t go down in Republic history as a distinguished political figure, at least for anything good.  Jar Jar, shortly before the Clone War broke out, was responsible for calling a vote that gave Sheev Palpatine complete authority over the Republic, just a stone’s throw from being Emperor. Jar Jar’s story never continued after the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire. I guess we all assumed he left Coruscant in disgrace and went back to Naboo, at least that’s what I thought.

 

Before I continue, let’s just talk about the 500-pound elephant in the room. Many fans HATE Jar Jar Binks. I know hate is a strong word, that’s why I’m using it. The prequels are far down my list of favorite Star Wars films, but I don’t dislike them or feel like George Lucas destroyed my inner child. I’ll be honest with you, and although the prequels have grown on me over the years, I still did not like Jar Jar Binks. I wouldn’t say hate, but his stupidity was not comic relief…it was just annoying. If there is a character in Star Wars I could not have cared less about, it’s Jar Jar Binks.

 

 

After reading the interlude in Empire’s End, my entire view of Jar Jar changed. When myself and two others on the staff began reading Empire’s End and writing our reviews, one thing Jelena (Lady Musashi) immediately pointed out was Chuck Wendig’s success in giving Jar Jar a proper ending. I never saw Jar Jar as a tragic character and often forgot he was manipulated into giving Palpatine the governing powers that lead to oppression. “HE DID IT!”, Jelena exclaimed in an email. I had not yet read the interlude, so when I got there I was taken aback that Wendig chose to include such a polarizing Star Wars character.

 

When we meet Jar Jar, he is back on Naboo, in the capital city of Theed. Naboo has welcomed refugees from around the galaxy, specifically the children.  A boy who is curious about becoming an entertainer himself encounters Jar Jar, who is something of an entertainer for the children refugees. The boy has been disfigured and has little hope that he will be adopted. Jar Jar befriends the boy immediately.  We find that Jar Jar keeps scheduled performances and is referred to as only “the clown”. From the brief descriptions, it sounds like the performances include an ensemble of his greatest hits from The Phantom Menace; falling, spitting up water, etcetera. “The clown” is Jar Jar’s only designation, and it’s simply stated that no one on Naboo, especially Gungans, acknowledge his existence. After everything the Gungan has been through, he is relegated to amuse children as some sort of court jester or birthday clown. One could say that’s an honorable profession; entertaining refugee children who are coming from the most war torn regions of the galaxy, and I think that it is. It’s the loss of belonging that haunts this interlude. Neither Gungan nor human allow Jar Jar an identity beyond the fool.

 

 

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Wendig wrote Jar Jar’s fate as being entertainment for children, while suffering the disdain from adults. It’s the adults of Naboo that have shunned Jar Jar –all the children think he’s great, which I’m sure sounds familiar to those of you who’ve watched The Phantom Menace with children.  We have to remember George Lucas intended for Jar Jar to be comic relief. It wasn’t until years later, when I watched the prequels with my son when he was very young that I got Jar Jar’s appeal. I think it’s very clever of Wendig to mirror the disregard fans have for Jar Jar with this interlude, while reminding us that kids love him.

 

Jar Jar lives in a galaxy where no one wants him. It’s almost as if Wendig channeled the collective disdain Star Wars fans feel and injected it into the galaxy far, far away. Whether fans like it or not, Jar Jar is canon, but many fans would just prefer to pretend he does not exist, much like the hypocrites on Naboo. Wendig took a huge risk writing this interlude and giving Jar Jar an end, but it certainly paid off (in my opinion). I’m a big fan of connective tissue in saga storytelling; and although Jar Jar isn’t a Jedi or holds the key to Snoke’s origins, I was pleased that Wendig brought another prequel character far forward in the timeline from when we last saw him. I would love to see the notes the Story Group sent Wendig on this interlude.

 

jarjar padme funeral

 

Jar Jar is a tragic character. There…I said it. I can no longer look at him with just annoyance. The Gungan was swept up into events that would change the galaxy forever the moment he offered two Jedi help. He helped his people win a battle for their home, as well as the rest of the Naboo. When we meet him in Empire’s End, the galaxy seems to have forgotten the good Jar Jar did, especially those on his own planet. There are many who lay in the wake of Palpatine’s manipulations, and unfortunately for Jar Jar, no one can see what really happened to him. No one sees the good in him, just an albatross reminder of how quickly Palpatine had the galaxy under the thumb of the Empire.

 

Everything Jar Jar did was with genuinely good intentions. Remember that next time you watch the prequels or read a Jar Jar rant online. He may have been annoying, but he was always one of the good guys. Did this interlude redeem Jar Jar? That’s kind of a hard question for me. I don’t think I’ll be flooding Marvel’s inbox with requests for a Jar Jar comic series or any other arena in the SW canon. I really hope this is the last we hear about Jar Jar, and I don’t mean that in a mean way. Despite it’s depressing nature, it’s very honest and real, and it adds a new depth to a seemingly superficial character. Redemption is not what I would chose to describe this interlude…I’d say it’s more of a reckoning. Jar Jar’s reckoning.

 

May the Force be with you, Jar Jar.

 

What do you think?  Head on over to the Cantina and let me know!

 

 

+ posts

Kyle Larson lives in Portland, Oregon. When he's not running trails, he's reading and writing.

Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson lives in Portland, Oregon. When he's not running trails, he's reading and writing.

44 thoughts on “Editorial: The Tragedy of Jar Jar Binks (Aftermath: Empire’s End SPOILERS)

  • February 22, 2017 at 9:11 pm
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    Man, I always saw that in him. Yes, he is annoying, but he is an interesting character. And this is a very rare combibation

    • February 22, 2017 at 10:25 pm
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      I’m not a fan of his at all, but I do like when in one episode of the Clone Wars he was given a task that they knew he would mess up and be a distraction. He seemed to be perfect for that role and did his job well.

      To be honest, I was kinda hoping he’d find himself linked to the rebellion and would end up on Alderaan. Nothing has to be said after that.

      • February 23, 2017 at 1:34 pm
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        This idea of yours is much better than making him a clown.

    • February 22, 2017 at 9:28 pm
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      That’s funny

      • February 22, 2017 at 9:42 pm
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        I’m serious. We made him a secret sith while lucasfilm made him a sad clown. The mean-spiritedness is on their end not ours.

        • February 23, 2017 at 3:17 pm
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          Secret Sith is the dumbest thing ever.

          • February 23, 2017 at 6:44 pm
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            never said it was a good idea, only a nicer idea. personally, i’d just rather he be forgotten.

          • February 23, 2017 at 7:50 pm
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            I disagree haha. This was a fitting end. They went there. Now we can move on.

  • February 22, 2017 at 11:12 pm
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    Such a cheap move IMO. I hate when SW authors let all the noise around Star Wars get to them. It’s awfully pandering. Just because the character is hated doesn’t mean you have to talk about his tragic fate.

    • February 22, 2017 at 11:32 pm
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      I think the same, it is pointless imo.

    • February 23, 2017 at 7:48 am
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      Maybe, but the interlude is very brief, all things considered. I was reading it on a Kindle, so it’s hard to tell, but I doubt it’s more than 10 pages.

      • February 23, 2017 at 6:40 pm
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        4 or 5.

  • February 22, 2017 at 11:32 pm
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    Dang, tough break Jar Jar. I guess a lot of people lost a lot under the Empire, no reason why Jar Jar’s goofy ass should be any different. He could have ended up like ole Aunt Beru and Uncle Lars and burt to a crisp. Making balloon animals for kids sounds like getting off easy.

  • February 22, 2017 at 11:33 pm
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    Ever tried making a Rancor out of balloons? Shit’s hard.

  • February 22, 2017 at 11:39 pm
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    The truth, I believe, is he was undercover in some kind of mission, …still a mask

  • February 23, 2017 at 1:36 am
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    The fact that the author saw fit to even include Jar Jar is reason enough to never bother reading it. Who cares what happened to him? Ain’t nobody losing sleep over what became of the worst character in Star Wars history.

  • February 23, 2017 at 3:00 am
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    Never hated Jar Jar. There are far greater sins going on in the PT than some silly single character.

  • February 23, 2017 at 4:30 am
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    This entire fate for Jar Jar is absurd. Palpatine is a local politician on Naboo. I’m sure they were right there with Jar Jar cheering him on to greater glory. I find it hard to believe everyone from his home planet would turn the Emperor so completely. And Jar Jar was a senator there. And what did the Empire do to Naboo that was so terrible?

    This seems like fan service clean and simple.

    • February 23, 2017 at 5:50 am
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      People love a scapegoat.

    • February 23, 2017 at 7:43 am
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      I agree, the cannon makes it out like EVERYONE on Naboo hated Palpatine. It’s too black and white, some people had to love the Empire and the Emperor for it to work. No doubt many on his home planet would be among those that loved him and his Empire.

      • February 23, 2017 at 1:32 pm
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        Not after Palpatine orders almost destroyed Naboo on Shattered Empire.

    • February 23, 2017 at 7:46 am
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      The Empire attacked Naboo in the Shattered Empire series. Palpatine wanted to cover his tracks. I don’t doubt Palpatine and the Empire had fans on Naboo, but the general political climate established in the canon leads me to believe most folks on Naboo would not be too warm to a totalitarian government.

    • February 23, 2017 at 3:16 pm
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      Naboo is about freedom and the Empire is not. Not difficult to see why they would hate it

  • February 23, 2017 at 6:35 am
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    Jar Jar was hired by the Trump administration to oversee the nuclear arsenal.

    • February 23, 2017 at 7:44 am
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      Ha!

  • February 23, 2017 at 7:11 am
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    You’re an idiot. Jar Jar doesn’t warrant anything but disdain and shame.

    • February 23, 2017 at 7:44 am
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      I respectfully disagree with you.

  • February 23, 2017 at 11:10 am
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    What’s the meaning of a spoiler alert if you already put the spoiler inside the title??? thanks

    • February 23, 2017 at 11:20 am
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      He gave away the entire interlude. There are no plot spoilers though.

  • February 23, 2017 at 1:38 pm
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    I’m not in that point of the book yet, but making him a clown is just mean to the character and to George Lucas. What a terribly stupid idea. It’s much more believable that sometime along the timeline he would defect from the Empire and go after the Rebellion. And he could just die in together with Bail in ANH. Would be much better than this hateful idea of making him a street clown.

    • February 23, 2017 at 3:15 pm
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      Not really. It’s pretty in line with how fans saw him and Lucas inserted him for comic relief.

      • February 24, 2017 at 2:28 am
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        I understand that it’s pretty in line with how fans saw him. Being in line with how the fans see him does not make it automatically a good idea… On the contrary, it probably helps Prequels haters.

        • February 24, 2017 at 3:37 am
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          Not really. If anything, it makes them seem foolish

  • February 23, 2017 at 3:59 pm
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    Wendig and Jar Jar…makes perfect sense to me that they let him handle the character…both clowns…lol

  • February 23, 2017 at 4:53 pm
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    JarJar is very much like Hillary Clinton, there were high hopes but it didn’t work out. When these people keep returning it irks people.

    I am one of the people who thinks the TPM was far and away the best of the prequels. I believe they really nose dived after TPM. Not that TPM was good but aside from Jar Jar it wasn’t ridiculous like #3.

    • February 25, 2017 at 6:46 am
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      I always saw HRC as a less competent version of Darth Sidious but with a far more arrogant disposition though unlike Jar Jar, Her antics were much more entertaining.

  • February 23, 2017 at 6:56 pm
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    Probably the best career choice to be honest, plus he loves be the fool, being a natural and all that. I would even call it a happy ending for the character.

  • February 24, 2017 at 12:56 am
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    PREQUELS = NOT MY STAR WARS.

    • February 24, 2017 at 6:18 pm
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      Interesting. Thanks for telling us.

  • February 24, 2017 at 2:38 am
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    The author of this article missed a huge chance of calling the title ” Tragedy of Darth Jar Jar the Wise” xD

  • February 24, 2017 at 4:40 am
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    Mapo – Snoke confirmed. the scars on the face match up + we all know Jar Jar was Darth Plagueis so yeah, it all comes together perfectly

  • February 25, 2017 at 6:47 am
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    It’s pretty surprising considering how much Lucas loved the character and they mostly gone out of their way to please him outside of pretending that the PT never existed.

  • March 12, 2017 at 4:15 pm
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    The thing is, during the Empire’s first decade, Jar Jar would have been considered a hero, especially on Naboo.

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