Why A Jar Jar Binks Disney+ Show Is Long Overdue
With Obi-Wan Kenobi debuting on Disney+ in just under a month and shows like Andor (with Diego Luna reprising the role of Cassian Andor), Ahsoka, and Rogue Squadron being made, I felt a little sorry for everyone’s least favorite Gungan. While it may be a bit of a stretch, I feel a Jar Jar Binks Disney+ show is long overdue. Before you get all riled up and trash talk the idea, let me explain my reasons.
Jar Jar Binks Was Not Really That Bad (Was He?)
Let’s put the misfire of the dreadful accent to the side for the time being. The idea behind Jar Jar was to bring some light comedic relief to the franchise. He was based on Goofy, Mickey Mouse’s clumsy anthropomorphic canine pal. However, his clumsiness and annoying voice stopped him from being heralded as another great addition to the galaxy of awesome characters Lucasfilm and Star Wars have brought us.
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Is That Really Fair, Though?
Is Jar Jar really more annoying than the Ewoks? A tribe of creatures that had quite a prominent role in the plot of Return of the Jedi?
Is he really more annoying than C-3PO? The golden droid is still loved, despite being useless and not actually that funny (R2-D2 makes C-3PO look like a better character than he actually is, in my opinion.)
There is also the argument that a lot of the characters in the prequel trilogy were underdeveloped and that bad writing ruined so many. Perhaps a Disney+ show could change all that for poor Jar Jar?
What Would A Jar Jar Binks Show Look Like?
Given the backlash the character received even in the run-up to the release of The Phantom Menace, his role in the prequel trilogy was significantly reduced. Although I am here to try and play Devil’s advocate a little and make a case for the Gungan, George Lucas and his team were definitely right to make that decision.
Maybe with the passing of time and a lot more thought and attention into the character’s personality rather than all the effort that went into the CGI aspects, Jar Jar might be redeemed.
There are two ways I think a Jar Jar Binks show could go.
Jar Jar’s Political Backstory Explored
It would be a show that gave a bit more insight into Bink’s role in everything that happened between The Phantom Menace and Revenge of the Sith. I quite like the idea of Jar Jar getting in over his head with political maneuvers and deals, as he rose through the ranks of the Galactic Senate.
I think it would still work best as a comedic take, but with perhaps a touch more subtlety used so that we get a real understanding of what Jar Jar’s motives were.
I can only imagine how annoyed Palpatine would be having to interact with what he may consider a ridiculous character. It may also help gain some sympathy for Bink’s idealistic and naïve approach to the world. It might also give greater gravitas to the sadness he felt at Padme’s death and funeral in Revenge of the Sith.
Jar Jar Sith
You may have already guessed where my other idea for a Jar Jar Binks show might go. Following the lead of the Reddit user u/Lumpawarroo in October 2015, there were many rumors abound that Binks was actually a major antagonist of the prequel trilogy before he was universally panned. Ahmed Best had given weight to these rumors with suggestions that his role in the movie was heavily doctored following the hatred. He also hinted that it may not have been entirely unintentional to make the character so annoying.
When you consider that George Lucas himself named the character his favorite, it does make you wonder. At best, Jar Jar Sith was either an abandoned plot twist Lucas did not want to pursue because of said backlash. At worst, it was wishful and hopeful thinking by Ahmed Best (who portrayed the character). I do like the idea that Jar Jar was at the heart of everything.
The series could redeem Binks by revealing that his naïve, foolish, juvenile, and clumsy personality was actually a front. Okay, this would be paying fan service to particular fringes of the Star Wars fanbase. However, with the right team behind the camera, it could be a lot of fun. Particularly, rather than dropping the comedy completely, they could take a more nuanced approach.
Binks Is History, For Now
The reality is that there are no plans for a Jar Jar Binks show in the near future and the rumors of the Gungan’s appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi have been dismissed by everyone involved. It really is a shame, isn’t it? Mesa thinks so!
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