Where Will Jar Jar Binks Make His Return?
Ex-squeeze me, but where exactly is Jar Jar Binks? Over the last decade, we've seen quite the resurgence in prequel-related Star Wars content. Despite the mixed reception to the prequel trilogy, George Lucas did not give up on his plans for the franchise and went forward with the acclaimed animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Over the course of (eventually) seven seasons, the show fleshed out the era in a way that would simply be impossible in the span of just three movies. Following Disney's acquisition of the franchise in 2012, there seemed to be a bit of hesitation from Lucasfilm to openly embrace prequel content in its first few films. However, this would thankfully pass as Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One, The Last Jedi and more Star Wars projects would gradually integrate elements of the prequels.
Flash forward to The Mandalorian and we are now in the midst of a wave of prequel content, with various characters and storylines from the prequels and The Clone Wars being continued in the many current Star Wars streaming series. Lucasfilm's focus on the prequels will soon be reaching its apex with the release of Obi-Wan Kenobi; a limited series starring the titular Jedi, with Ewan McGregor reprising the role. With a story involving his fallen apprentice and a trailer set to music directly from the prequels, the show seems to be acting as a definitive bridge between the prequel trilogy and original trilogy, further solidifying the prequels' importance to the overall saga. Love and admiration for the prequel trilogy has never been higher in the Star Wars fandom and pop culture as a whole. But with all that said, there is still one question that has yet to be answered. Where's Jar Jar?
RELATED: Sadly, Ahmed Best Says Jar Jar Will Not Be Making An Appearance In 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' Series
A controversial character to say the least, Jar Jar Binks was officially introduced in The Phantom Menace. Notable for being the first fully CGI character in a major motion picture, Jar Jar acted primarily as a comic relief character and occasional hero in the film and would continue this role in The Clone Wars. Portrayed via motion capture by Ahmed Best, Jar Jar as a character was simultaneously praised as a breakthrough in film technology and criticized for his hit-or-miss moments of levity. Sadly, Best was subjected to immense toxicity and harassment motivated by racism within the Star Wars fandom, affecting his mental health and causing him to temporarily leave the franchise. Fortunately though, Best did return to the Star Wars galaxy and was met by a wave of love from the current fandom, condemning his previous treatment and showing their appreciation for his revolutionary performance that has entertained fans of all ages for generations.
With Ahmed Best and Jar Jar Binks now being more widely accepted by the fandom and culture at large, I can't help but wonder if we'll be seeing him onscreen again soon. If Lucasfilm is truly invested in bringing closure to the prequel era and its many characters and storylines, I think it would make sense to bring back Jar Jar for one last hurrah, truly bringing closure to his story. Now Jar Jar was technically given an ending in Chuck Wendig's novel Aftermath: Empire's End, in which he decides to become a street performer and bring happiness to those suffering on his home world of Naboo. But we have yet to see an official ending to his story relating to the Skywalker Saga. This leads me to consider a certain possibility. Perhaps we'll see Jar Jar in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Though Ahmed Best himself has denied the rumors about Jar Jar making an appearance in the series, I'm still not writing it off, since Disney and Lucasfilm clearly wouldn't let Best spoil his return in an interview. While I won't get myself excited, in case it doesn't happen, I think the limited series would be a good place for Jar Jar to make his triumphant return. Of all the central saga characters still around at this point in the timeline, Obi-Wan is the one with the biggest personal connection to Jar Jar. Having Obi-Wan and Jar Jar meet with each other one last time in Obi-Wan Kenobi would be a satisfying sendoff to the Gungan's story, providing his story in the Skywalker Saga with the closure it very much deserves. If not Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jar Jar's story could always be concluded onscreen in any of the other Star Wars series being created. With Ahmed Best back in the role with updated CGI, a final goodbye to Jar Jar could be cathartic for fans who grew up with the prequels and The Clone Wars and are still waiting for their many disparate loose threads to be properly concluded. Wherever Jar Jar does make his return, it's sure to be a bombad time.
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