Jar Jar Binks: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:20, 16 August 2005

Latest revision as of 05:41, 21 August 2025

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{{short description|Star Wars character}}

{{SW Character|

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image= [[Image:Jjportrait.jpg]]<br>Jar Jar Binks in ''[[The Phantom Menace]]''|

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2015}}

bgcolor=#c00|

{{Infobox character

fgcolor=#000|

| image = Jjportrait.jpg

name=Jar Jar Binks|

| caption = Jar Jar Binks as he appears in ''[[Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones|Episode{{nbsp}}II – Attack{{nbsp}}of{{nbsp}}the{{nbsp}}Clones]]''

species=[[List of Star Wars races#Gungan|Gungan]]|

| name = Jar Jar Binks

gender=[[Male]]|

| series = [[Star Wars]]

height= 1.96 meters|

| first = [[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace|''The Phantom Menace'']] (1999)

hair=None|

| last =

eyes= Orange|

| creator = [[George Lucas]]

planet=[[Naboo]]|

| occupation = General in the Gungan Grand Army<br>Representative of the Gungan race<br>Senator of Chommell Sector (substituting for [[Padmé Amidala]])<br> Entertainer

weapon= [[Gungan booma]]|

vehicle| species = [[KaaduGungan]]|

| gender = Male

affiliation=[[List of Star Wars races#Gungan|Gungan Grand Army]], [[Galactic Republic]]|

| lbl21 = Homeworld

portrayer=[[Ahmed Best]] (voice, motion reference, some body close-ups)|

| data21 = [[Naboo]]

| affiliation = [[List of Star Wars races (F–J)#Gungan|Gungan Grand Army]], [[Galactic Republic]], [[Galactic Senate]], Delegation of 2000, [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Galactic Empire]], [[Imperial Senate]], [[New Republic (Star Wars)|New Republic]]

| portrayer = [[Ahmed Best]] (motion capture, some body close-ups, ''Episodes I–III'')

| voice = [[Ahmed Best]] (all appearances except where noted)<br/>[[Phil LaMarr]] (three episodes of ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)|The Clone Wars]]'', ''[[Lego Star Wars: The Padawan Menace|Lego: The Padawan Menace]]'', and ''[[Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga]]'')<br/>[[Trevor Devall]] (''[[Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles|Lego: The Yoda Chronicles]]'' and ''[[Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales|Lego: Droid Tales]]'')

}}

'''Jar Jar Binks''' (bornis c.a 50fictional character from the ''[[BBYStar Wars]])'' issaga acreated by [[fictionalGeorge characterLucas]]. inA member of the [[Gungan]] race, Jar Jar appears throughout [[the prequel trilogy|the ''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy]]—as moviesa major character in ''[[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace]]'', with a supporting role in ''[[Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones]]'', and a cameo in ''[[Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge– of the Sith|Revenge of the Sith]]''.—as Hiswell primaryas having a role wasin intendedthe totelevision provideseries ''[[comicStar relief]]Wars: -The basedClone onWars his(2008 ganglyTV wayseries)|Star ofWars: walkingThe andClone his unique speech accent. Jar Jar's voice was portrayed by [[Ahmed BestWars]]''. HeThe isfirst almost completelyfully [[Computer -generated imagery|computer-generated]]. Although(CGI) hesupporting wascharacter playedin ona setlive-action byfilm, ahe costumedhas Best,been voiced by [[Ahmed Best]] wasin usuallymost editedof his appearances, who also acted out andthe replacedcharacter bywith [[prosthetics]] prior to the animatedCGI character,work. exceptHe inalso someappears close-upin shotsvarious where[[Star hisWars facein isother notmedia|other visiblemedia]].

Jar Jar's primary role in ''Episode I'' was to provide [[comic relief]] for the audience. He was met with overwhelming dislike from both audiences and critics, and has been recognized as one of the most hated characters in ''Star Wars'' and the history of film in general, with some commentators arguing that the character was based on [[stereotype]]s of [[black people]], especially Jamaicans. The hate affected Best personally, who rejected the idea that the character was based on [[racism|racist]] stereotypes.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Marikar |first1=Sheila |last2=Heron |first2=Liz |title=The Top 10 Worst TV and Film Characters |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Movies/top-10-worst-tv-film-characters-time/story?id=10809609 |publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |access-date=August 22, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Kim |first=Wook |title=10 Things We (Still) Kinda Hate About The Phantom Menace|url=https://entertainment.time.com/2012/02/10/10-things-we-still-kinda-hate-about-the-phantom-menace/slide/jar-jar-binks/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |publisher=[[Meredith Corporation]] |___location=New York City |date=February 10, 2012 |access-date=August 22, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Nordine |first=Michael |date=January 5, 2019 |title=Jar Jar Binks Actor Ahmed Best Opens Up About Racism-Fueled Backlash |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/01/jar-jar-binks-actor-ahmed-best-racism-suicide-contemplation-1202032520/ |access-date=April 5, 2022 |website=IndieWire}}</ref>

This was the first time that such a highly detailed photo-realistic CGI character had interacted with live actors in a motion picture. Director [[George Lucas]] and his effects team were quick to hail this as a major technical breakthrough, but the controversy surrounding the character has to some extent overshadowed his importance to the development of movie [[special effect]]s.

In 2010, [[Adult Swim]] released ''[[Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III]]'' which included a sketch where Jar Jar, voiced by Ahmed Best himself, revealed that he was a Sith Lord throughout the six films, and had manipulated [[Palpatine]] himself. Five years later, in 2015, a [[Reddit]] user posted a [[fan theory]] that Jar Jar was originally going to be revealed as a manipulative villain, but this plot point was removed due to the character's unpopularity. The theory gained popularity on the internet, and was even encouraged by Best, who implied that it could have been partially true.

Jar Jar Binks is a six-[[foot]]-five-[[inch]] (1.96-[[metre]]) tall [[List of Star Wars races#Gungan|Gungan]], with long ears and eyes mounted on stalks, and overall looks something vaguely like an [[anthropomorph]]ized [[platypus]] crossed with an [[Amphibia|amphibian]] or perhaps a [[hadrosaurus]].

The character's reception has changed as he has been championed by fans who had seen the prequels at the time of their release as children. He has also been defended by members of the prequels' production team.<ref name="Brooks">{{cite web |last=Brooks |first=Dan |title="All Films Are Personal": An Oral History of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-oral-history |access-date=October 1, 2023 |website=StarWars.com}}</ref><ref name="Parker">{{cite web |last=Parker |first=Ryan |date=July 6, 2018 |title=Jar Jar Binks Actor Thanks Fans for Support After Sharing He'd Once Considered Suicide |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jar-jar-binks-actor-ahmed-best-thanks-fans-sharing-hed-considered-suicide-1125329/ |access-date=October 17, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>

==Character story==

== Conception ==

{{spoiler}}

[[George Lucas]] was inspired to develop Jar Jar based on the Disney character [[Goofy]].<ref name="cinemablend.com">{{cite web |last=Schwerdtfeger |first=Conner |title=Jar Jar Binks Was Inspired By This Classic Disney Character |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Jar-Jar-Binks-Was-Inspired-By-Classic-Disney-Character-77507.html |work=Cinemablend |date=December 18, 2015 |access-date=December 20, 2016}}</ref> Singer [[Michael Jackson]] wanted to play the role, but wished to portray the character using [[Prosthetic makeup|prosthetics]] while Lucas wanted him to be all CGI.<ref name=nme/>{{efn|[[Ahmed Best]], who would end up playing the character, later hypothesized that Lucas might have felt uncomfortable with the thought of the singer's casting overshadowing the actual movie.<ref name=nme>{{cite web|last1=Britton|first1=Luke Morgan|title=Michael Jackson wanted to play Jar Jar Binks in 'Star Wars'|url=https://www.nme.com/filmandtv/news/michael-jackson-wanted-to-play-jar-jar-binks-in-st/383799|website=[[NME]]|date=July 23, 2015|access-date=December 14, 2015}}</ref>}} [[Ahmed Best]] was cast based on his work in the production of ''[[Stomp (theatrical show)|Stomp]]'', as Lucas wanted someone athletic for the role.<ref name=Vicejarjar>{{cite web|last1=Godfrey|first1=Gavin|title=The Actor Who Played Jar Jar Binks Is Not Sorry|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/ahmed-best-jar-jar-binks-interview/|magazine=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]|publisher=[[Vice Media]]|___location=New York City|date=July 23, 2015|access-date=December 14, 2015}}</ref> During his audition he performed several [[martial arts]] moves and flips, which according to Best was a contrast to how Lucas pictured the character, more in line with comedic silent actors such as [[Buster Keaton]].<ref name=Vicejarjar/> After Lucas walked out of the audition, Best felt he had failed it.<ref name=Vicejarjar/> [[Terryl Whitlatch]] created the final designs for the "cowardly and insecure" character.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Making of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace|last1=Bouzereau|first1=Laurent|first2=Jody|last2=Duncan|year=1999|publisher=[[Ballantine Books]]|___location=New York City|isbn=0-345-43111-1|pages=18, 25}}</ref>

Best wore a prosthetic costume to portray Jar Jar, which cost about $100,000 and served as a reference for the actors to interact with, animators to base the performance on, and digital artists to match the lighting.<ref>{{cite AV media|title=Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace ''featurette'': The Beginning: Making Episode I|medium=DVD|publisher=[[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment]]|year=2001|time=40}}</ref> He was the first [[Computer-generated imagery|computer-generated]] supporting character in a live-action film,<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2017/10/31/jar-jar-binks-actor-claims-his-role-in-cinema-history-has-been-forgotten/|title=Jar Jar Binks Actor Claims His Role In Cinema History Has Been Forgotten|last=Placido|first=Dani Di|magazine=[[Forbes]]|date=October 31, 2017|access-date=April 17, 2019}}</ref> although in a small number of shots (such as those only showing the character's hands or feet), the costume was not replaced with CGI.<ref>{{cite AV media|title=Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace ''audio commentary''|medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox Home Entertainment|year=2001|time=49, 79}}</ref>

Banished from his childhood home, Jar Jar lives in the swamps of [[Naboo]]. In the events of ''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]'', [[Jedi]] [[Qui-Gon Jinn]] and [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] arrive on Naboo, ending up in the swamps rather than the intended destination of the capital. Qui-Gon inadvertently saves Jar Jar's life, so in a Gungan Life-Debt, Jar Jar feels obligated to stay by Qui-Gon's side until he dies. Jar Jar provides instances of comic relief throughout the movie, including a number of comical battle scenes. For instance, Jar Jar inadvertently sends a cascading wave of [[Guide to Gungan/Basic pidgin#Booma|Boomers]] into a group of [[battle droids]] which destroys a large number of [[Trade Federation]] troops.

==Appearances==

In ''[[Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones]]'', Jar Jar (who has much less screen time) becomes a politician who deputizes for [[Padmé Amidala]] in the Galactic Senate. He is influenced to propose a bill giving Supreme Chancellor [[Palpatine]] emergency powers to raise a clone army, presumably beginning the slide towards dictatorship and the replacement of the Galactic Republic with the [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Galactic Empire]].

=== Films ===

In ''[[Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith]],'' Jar Jar has an even smaller role and is only seen a few brief times, most noticeably in [[Padmé Amidala]]'s funeral march at the end of the film.

Jar Jar appears in only the films of [[the prequel trilogy]].

==Controversy==

====''The Phantom Menace''====

After the ''Phantom Menace'' was released, Jar Jar Binks was widely ridiculed and disliked, especially by hardcore fans of the series. It is commonly speculated by detractors that Jar Jar represents a cynical turn in [[George Lucas]]' epic, pandering to the commercial incentive by the inclusion of what amounts to little more than a highly marketable gimmick. The appearance of Jar Jar, before, during, and after the release of the film, on a rash of merchandise products, and ubiquitous marketing tie-ins and cross promotions did little to allay the fear that Lucas had "sold out." (Similar charges were levelled at the appearance of the teddy-bear like [[Ewok]]s in 1983's ''[[Return of the Jedi]]''.)

Jar Jar Binks first appears in ''[[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace]]'' as a bumbling, foolish [[Gungan]] from the planet [[Naboo]] who is banished by his tribe as punishment for his clumsiness. He is nearly killed by a [[Trade Federation]] transport, only to be saved at the last minute by [[Jedi|Jedi Master]] [[Qui-Gon Jinn]] ([[Liam Neeson]]). Qui-Gon and his [[Jedi Padawan|padawan]], [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] ([[Ewan McGregor]]), persuade Jar Jar's tribe to release him to their custody as a guide. He later goes with the Jedi and [[Padmé Amidala]] ([[Natalie Portman]]) to the planet [[Tatooine]], where he meets and befriends nine-year-old slave [[Darth Vader|Anakin Skywalker]] ([[Jake Lloyd]]).

Jar Jar later appears in the film's climactic battle scene, where he leads his fellow Gungans, as a general in the Gungan army, in defeating the Trade Federation. After the battle, he appears at the funeral of Qui-Gon Jinn and in the ending parade with his fellow Gungans.

Some of the more serious charges against the character of Jar Jar (and consequently against Lucas, his creator) suggest that Jar Jar is a modern incarnation of racist stereotypes used as comic relief in many motion pictures of the first half of the [[20th century]]. His dialect is widely thought to sound stereotypically [[Jamaica]]n, while his bodily expressions and tendency to get into trouble remind many of [[Stepin Fetchit]] and other similar (black) characters. It is likely, however, that Lucas had in mind a different racial stereotype. The character [[Gunga Din]], in the [[1939]] movie of the same name, was an Indian "water boy" for the British army who comically tried to imitate the British soldiers but in the end saved the day by blowing a horn to summon assistance in the middle of an attack. The fact that Jar Jar is called a Gungan, and that he blows a horn to start a battle where his people help save the day, both suggest that he is intended as an [[homage]] to Gunga Din.

====''Attack of the Clones''====

Jar Jar is not the only character in ''The Phantom Menace'' whose accent has drawn controversy. Notably, detractors claim, the greedy [[Trade Federation]] spoke with [[East Asian]] accents, and [[Watto]] (who lives in a desert climate and was a trader) spoke with a [[Yiddish]] accent. These allegations are controversial and not universally agreed upon. [[George Lucas]] in particular denies such allegations.

Jar Jar's role in ''[[Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones|Attack of the Clones]]'' is much smaller, but his actions are significant. Ten years after helping save his planet, he is a delegate to the [[Galactic Senate]] and, as such, plays a role in bringing two of his old friends, Obi-Wan and Anakin ([[Hayden Christensen]]), back to [[Coruscant]], where he greets them with enthusiasm. Later, on behalf of Naboo, he gives a speech to the assembled Senate in favor of granting [[Palpatine|Chancellor Palpatine]] ([[Ian McDiarmid]]) vast [[emergency powers]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Iacobucci |first=Jordan |date=2024-01-27 |title=Star Wars: What Happened to Jar Jar Binks After Attack of the Clones, Explained |url=https://www.cbr.com/star-wars-jar-jar-binks-fate-explained/ |access-date=2024-07-13 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref>

====''Revenge of the Sith''====

Jar Jar is given a significantly more utilitarian role in ''[[Attack of the Clones]]''. Having acquired some esteem from those around him, he is suddenly cast into a pivotal role by filling in for [[Padmé Amidala]] on the senate and moving an army into action, which then sets up the entire plot for the Clone Wars. We see, in this action, Jar Jar's innocence betrays him as he inadvertently causes the undoing of the [[Galactic Republic (Star Wars)|Galactic Republic]]. In this light, the character takes on new significance. Many believe that [[George Lucas]] may have written this shift in character importance in response to the criticism he received originally.

Jar Jar appears in only a few scenes in ''[[Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith|Revenge of the Sith]]'', and he has no dialogue (besides a brief "'scuse me" at one point). He was originally given some dialogue in the beginning, but this was cut.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Star-Wars-Revenge-of-the-Sith.html|title=Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith Script|work=IMSDb|access-date=March 17, 2013|last=Lucas|first=George}}</ref> Another cut scene would have shown Palpatine mocking Jar Jar for putting him in power before crowning himself emperor.<ref name=End>{{cite web|url=http://www.forcematerial.com/home/2017/2/20/how-was-george-lucas-going-to-end-jar-jars-story|title=How was George Lucas going to end Jar Jar's story?|author=Rohan Williams|publisher=Force Material|date=July 21, 2017|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref> He is most prominently featured in Padmé Amidala's funeral procession at the end of the film, marching sadly behind her coffin alongside [[Boss Nass]].

===''The Clone Wars'' television series ===

In ''[[Revenge of the Sith]]'', Jar Jar is only seen three times and has no speaking parts in all but one scene (at the beginning of the film, after Anakin and Obi-Wan land with Palpatine, and as the senators file behind him, Jar Jar gets in the way of Senator Orn Free Taa and says a brief "Excuse me").

Jar Jar Binks is a supporting character in the animated series ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'', once again voiced by Best, although [[Phil LaMarr]] voiced the character in three season one episodes under the [[pseudonym]] BJ Hughes. In this series, he is a Senate representative who sometimes accompanies the main characters—Anakin, Obi-Wan, Padmé, and Anakin's padawan [[Ahsoka Tano]]—on their adventures. He and Jedi Master [[Mace Windu]] are the two main characters of the two-part episode "The Disappeared" in which they had to search for missing elders and rescue a queen, who was Jar Jar's past love interest.

===Literature===

The character was inspired by Lucas' youngest daughter.

====''Aftermath: Empire's End''====

[[Chuck Wendig]]'s 2017 novel ''[[Star Wars: Aftermath: Empire's End]]'', set after the events of ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'', finds Jar Jar as a street performer who entertains refugee children but is loathed by adults who blame him for his part in the rise of the Empire. Chris Taylor of [[Mashable]] wrote that the situation reflects real life in that adults disliked Jar Jar in the prequel films, but children were entertained by him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2017/02/16/jar-jark-binks-back/|title=Revealed: What really happened to Star Wars' most hated character|first=Chris|last=Taylor|date=February 16, 2017|publisher=[[Mashable]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Breznican|first1=Anthony|title=New Star Wars novel reveals fate of Jar Jar Binks|url=https://ew.com/books/2017/02/17/star-wars-new-novel-reveals-jar-jar-binks-fate/?preview_id=5579750|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=February 17, 2017}}</ref>

In an interview, director [[J. J. Abrams]] suggested that Jar Jar's death might be referenced in ''[[Star Wars: The Force Awakens]]'',<ref>{{cite news|first=Christopher|last=Hooton|title=Jar Jar Binks is going to be killed off unceremoniously in ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens''|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/jar-jar-binks-is-going-to-die-in-star-wars-the-force-awakens-10225283.html|website=[[The Independent]]|access-date=May 23, 2015}}</ref> but this did not happen.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moviepilot.com/posts/3695001 |title=Jar Jar Binks Killed By ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens''? |publisher=Moviepilot.com |date=2015-12-23 |access-date=2016-12-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208045735/http://moviepilot.com/posts/3695001 |archive-date=December 8, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{{start box}}

{{succession box |

| title = [[Gungan]] Representative to the Galactic Senate (Part of the Naboo Senatorial Party)

| years = c22[[BBY]] - c18[[BBY]]

| before = -No Gungan Representative in Naboo Senatorial Party-

| after = Unknown (Senate later dissolved)

|}}

{{end box}}

====''Legends''====

With the 2012 acquisition of [[Lucasfilm]] by [[The Walt Disney Company]], most of the licensed ''Star Wars'' novels and comics produced since the originating 1977 film ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' were rebranded as ''Star Wars Legends'' and declared non-canon to the franchise in April 2014.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-15/why-disney-blew-up-more-than-30-years-of-star-wars-canon|last=Hood |first=Bryan |title=Why Disney Blew Up More Than 30 Years of Star Wars Canon |work=Bloomberg |date=December 15, 2015 |access-date=November 29, 2016}}</ref><ref name="SW Legends">{{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page |title=The Legendary ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe Turns a New Page |publisher=[[StarWars.com]] |date=April 25, 2014 |access-date=May 26, 2016}}</ref><ref name="SW Adult">{{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/disney-publishing-worldwide-and-random-house-announce-relaunch-of-star-wars-adult-fiction-line |title=Disney and Random House announce relaunch of ''Star Wars'' Adult Fiction line |publisher=StarWars.com |date=April 25, 2014 |access-date=May 26, 2016}}</ref>

In the game ''[[Star Wars: The Force Unleashed]]'', Jar Jar is shown to have been frozen in carbonite by an Imperial officer and kept in his trophy room.

===Video games===

Jar Jar appears as a [[Player character|playable character]] in the ''[[Lego Star Wars]]'' [[Lego Star Wars#Video games|video games]], and appears as an Angry Bird with a hook move called "Jar Jar Wings" in ''[[Angry Birds Star Wars II]]''.

=== Other appearances ===

[[Ahmed Best]] was signed on to portray Binks in the show ''[[Star Wars Detours]]''.{{cn|date=April 2024}}

==Reception==

===Initial response===

Even before the release of ''The Phantom Menace'', Jar Jar Binks became the subject of significant media and popular attention. After the film's release, Binks became symbolic of what many reviewers such as Brent Staples (''[[The New York Times]]''),<ref>{{Citation| last = Staples| first = Brent

|title=Shuffling Through Star Wars|newspaper =[[The New York Times]]| pages = WK4| date = June 20, 1999| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDF123BF933A15755C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink}}

</ref> David Edelstein (''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]''),<ref>{{Citation| last = Edelstein| first = David| title = Dark Side Lite| newspaper = [[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]| date = May 19, 1999| url = http://www.slate.com/MovieReview/99-05-19/MovieReview.asp| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20000306215502/http://www.slate.com/MovieReview/99-05-19/MovieReview.asp| archive-date = March 6, 2000}}</ref> and Eric Harrison (''[[Los Angeles Times]]'')<ref>{{Citation|last=Harrison

|first = Eric| title = Even an Insider Found Jar Jar, Well, Jarring| newspaper = Los Angeles Times| pages = F6| date = June 21, 1999| url =https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jun-21-ca-48611-story.html}}</ref> considered to be creative flaws of the film. The character was widely rejected and often ridiculed<ref name="scifimoviepage.com">{{Citation| last = O'Ehley| first = James| title = Jar Jar Binks Must Die!| url = http://www.scifimoviepage.com/jarjar.html| access-date = August 9, 2008}}</ref> by people who felt that Jar Jar was included solely to appeal to children (a criticism first leveled at the [[Ewoks]] in ''Return of the Jedi'').<ref name="scifimoviepage.com"/> Bruce Handy of ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' wrote that "Jar Jar has come to symbolize what many fans see as the faults of the prequel trilogy: characters no one much cares about; a sense of humor geared toward the youngest conceivable audience members; an over-reliance on computer graphics; and story lines devoted to the kinds of convoluted political machinations which wouldn't have been out of place in adaptations of ''[[I, Claudius]]'' or ''[[The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich]]'', but which fit less snugly in films with characters like Jar Jar Binks."<ref>{{Citation| last = Handy| first = Bruce| title = The Daring Genesis of J. J. Abrams's Star Wars: The Force Awakens| newspaper = [[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] | url= https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/05/star-wars-the-force-awakens-vanity-fair-cover| date= September 1, 2015 |access-date= October 22, 2015}}</ref> One fan, [[Mike J. Nichols]], created and distributed, free of charge, a modified version of the film, entitled ''[[The Phantom Edit]]'', which cut out several scenes featuring what Nichols dubbed 'Jar Jar antics.' The character was also lampooned on an episode of the television show ''[[South Park]]'' entitled "[[Jakovasaurs]]", in ''[[The Fairly OddParents]]'' (Episode: "Abra-Catastrophe!"), ''[[The Simpsons]]'' (Episode: "[[Co-Dependents' Day]]"), as well as the parody [[Robot Chicken: Star Wars|''Star Wars'' episodes]] of ''[[Robot Chicken]]'', in which Best reprised the role in voice-over form.<ref>{{IMDb title|1020990|Robot Chicken: Star Wars}}</ref>

In response to the criticism, ''Star Wars'' creator [[George Lucas]] stated that he feels there is a section of the fanbase upset that "the movies are for children but they don't want to admit that&nbsp;... There is a small group of fans that do not like comic [[sidekick]]s. They want the films to be tough like ''[[The Terminator]]'', and they get very upset and opinionated about anything that has anything to do with being childlike."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/394542.stm|title=Star Wars: Lucas strikes back|work=[[BBC News]]|date=July 14, 1999|access-date=February 7, 2007}}</ref>

In 2018, Best said that the widespread criticism of his character negatively impacted his career and led him to [[suicidal ideation|consider suicide]]. After these comments were reported by ''[[The Guardian]]'', fans expressed their support for Best on social media, with many, including [[Frank Oz]] (the actor portraying [[Yoda]]), denouncing the vitriol Best experienced. Oz wrote, "I LOVED Jar Jar Binks. I know I'll get raked over the coals for saying that but I just will never understand the harshness of people's dislike of him. I do character work. He is a GREAT character!"<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jul/04/jar-jar-binks-actor-considered-suicide-after-star-wars-phantom-menace|work=[[The Guardian]]|title=Jar Jar Binks actor 'considered suicide' after Star Wars prequel backlash|first=Catherine|last=Shoard|date=July 4, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Parker"/>

===Allegations of racial caricature===

In an article for ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', film critic [[Joe Morgenstern]] described the character as a "[[Rastafari movement|Rastafarian]] [[Stepin Fetchit]] on platform hoofs, crossed annoyingly with [[Butterfly McQueen]]."<ref>{{Cite web|first=Joe|last=Morgenstern|authorlink=Joe Morgenstern| title=Our Inner Child Meets Young Darth Daver|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB927082592439077365|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=May 19, 1999|access-date=28 February 2023}}</ref> Legal scholar [[Patricia J. Williams]] argued that many aspects of Jar Jar Binks' characterization were reminiscent of the [[blackface]] archetypes in [[minstrel show]]s, while academic Paul J. Ford suggested the character is a "laid-back clown character" which utilized stereotypes of [[Afro-Caribbean people]].<ref>{{Cite web|first=Patricia J.|last=Williams|authorlink=Patricia J. Williams|title=Racial Ventriloquism|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/racial-ventriloquism/|newspaper=[[The Nation]]|date=July 5, 1999|access-date=February 28, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Ford|first=Paul J.|year=2001|title=A further analysis of the ethics of representation in virtual reality: Multi-user environments|journal=Ethics and Information Technology|publisher=Kluwer Academic Publishers|volume=3|issue=2|pages=113–121|doi=10.1023/A:1011846009390|s2cid=30377478|postscript=.}}</ref> Lucasfilm denied any racist intention in the character's creation.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Michael|last=Okwu|authorlink=Michael Okwu|title=Jar Jar jarring|url=http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9906/09/jar.jar/index.html|newspaper=[[CNN]]|date=June 14, 1999|access-date=November 11, 2013}}</ref> George Lucas further stated that "those criticisms are made by people who've obviously never met a Jamaican&nbsp;... How in the world could you take an orange [[amphibian]] and say that he's a Jamaican?".<ref>{{cite book |last1=McDowell |first1=John C. |title=Identity Politics in George Lucas' Star Wars |date=2016 |publisher=McFarland |page=137}}</ref> Ahmed Best also rejected such claims, stating that "Jar Jar has nothing to do with the Caribbean".<ref>{{Cite magazine|first=Michael|last=Okwu|authorlink=Michael Okwu|title=Jar Jar Binks: A Digital Star Is Born|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/jar-jar-binks-a-digital-star-is-born-50301/|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=June 24, 1999|access-date=August 26, 2014}}</ref>

===Speculations of villainy===

On December 19, 2010, [[Adult Swim]] released ''[[Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III]]'', an animated comedy special parody of ''Star Wars''. In the first sketch, titled ''The Emperor's Back'', Emperor Palpatine feels remorse for his actions and calls Jar Jar, voiced by [[Ahmed Best]] himself, on the telephone, apologizing to him for manipulating him into granting Palpatine emergency powers in the senate during ''[[Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones|Attack of the Clones]]''. Jar Jar pretends to accept this apology, feigning innocence, but after he hangs up he reveals that he was in fact a Sith Lord, named Darth Jar Jar, who only pretended to be manipulated by Palpatine and actually manipulated Palpatine himself. This sketch was in reference to a popular in-joke among ''Star Wars'' fans. Five years later, in late October 2015, a [[Reddit]] user by the name of "Lumpawarroo" (the name of Chewbacca's son) published a detailed theory speculating that Jar Jar was originally written as a major [[antagonist]] of the series, a manipulative, prominent collaborator of [[Palpatine]], before being written off from his major villain's role due to the character's negative reception.<ref>{{cite web |title=[Theory] Jar Jar Binks was a trained Force user, knowing Sith collaborator, and will play a central role in The Force Awakens|url=https://www.reddit.com/comments/3qvj6w/ |access-date=November 11, 2015 |date=October 30, 2015 |author=Lumpawarroo |publisher=[[Reddit]] /r/StarWars}}</ref> This theory was related to an earlier interview with actor Ahmed Best in [[/r/IAmA]], where he claimed that Jar Jar had been displaced from the story's main focus due to the backlash, implying at the same time that the hate received by the character was not entirely unintentional.<ref>{{cite web |title=IamA Ahmed Best actor/writer/director, best known for playing Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars Ep. 1,2,3. Ask me Anything!|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/236oks/iama_ahmed_best_actorwriterdirector_best_known/|access-date=May 2, 2019|author=Ahmed Best |date=April 16, 2014|publisher=[[Reddit]] /r/IAmA}}</ref>

The post quickly became popular and received significant media coverage internationally by independent bloggers and major news outlets like ''[[The Guardian]]'', ''[[The Washington Post]]'', and ''[[The New York Times]]'', which included analysis of his actions in ''The Phantom Menace'' and gave him the nickname of "Darth Jar Jar".<ref name="Matt Hickey">{{cite magazine |title=Fans Rocked By Star Wars Character Theory That Changes Everything They Know |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/matthickey/2015/10/31/fans-rocked-by-star-wars-character-theory-that-changes-everything-they-know/ |access-date=November 16, 2015 |date=October 31, 2015 |first=Matt|last=Hickey |magazine=[[Forbes]]}}</ref><ref name=Andr>{{cite news |title=Is Jar Jar Binks the ultimate Star Wars bad guy? Yes, says the internet |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/nov/06/jar-jar-binks-star-wars-sith-snoke-george-lucasa-jj-abrams-reddit-lumpawaroo-theory |access-date=November 11, 2015 |date=November 6, 2015 |first=Andrew P.|last=Street |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The biggest problem with the Jar Jar Theory |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2015/11/04/the-biggest-problem-with-the-jar-jar-theory/ |access-date=November 11, 2015 |date=November 4, 2015 |first=Alexandra|last=Petri|author-link=Alexandra Petri |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref name=Wisd>{{cite news |title=Darth Jar Jar and the Wisdom of Fans |url=http://douthat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/09/darth-jar-jar-and-the-wisdom-of-fans/?_r=0 |access-date=November 16, 2015 |date=November 9, 2015 |author=Ross Douthat |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> Journalist Andrew Street from ''The Guardian'' called it a "classic twist", comparing it to [[Yoda]]'s role in ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'',<ref name=Andr/> while Matt Hickey from ''[[Forbes]]'' went to the extent of contacting [[George Lucas]] about the question, but received no answer.<ref name="Matt Hickey"/>

In response to the speculations, Best [[Twitter|tweeted]], "I will say this, it feels really good when the hidden meaning behind the work is seen. No matter how long it takes," apparently confirming the theory.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=ahmedbest|author=Ahmed Best|number=661221044712148993|date=2 November 2015|title=I will say this, it feels really good when the hidden meaning behind the work is seen. No matter how long it takes. #TPM}}</ref> Some months later, he expanded upon his tweet in a [[YouTube]] interview, stating, "there is a lot about [the theory] that is true, there are some things about it that are not true&nbsp;... Could Jar Jar have evolved into that? I think the answer is yes. Because of the backlash, and rightfully so, Lucasfilm backed off of Jar Jar a lot, but a lot of the influence that I put into the character mirrored a lot of what was already in the ''Star Wars'' universe." Best concluded only Lucas could unveil the actual role of Binks, yet he also claimed that a deleted scene from ''Attack of the Clones'' would have still shown Palpatine darkly confiding his plans about the Empire to Jar Jar.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ahmed Best says DARTH JAR JAR theory is TRUE! (sort of)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgJF5hT3Lrg| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/ZgJF5hT3Lrg| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|access-date=May 2, 2019|first=Jamie|last=Stangroom | date=March 10, 2016 |publisher=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[J. J. Abrams]], who directed two installments of the franchise's [[Star Wars sequel trilogy|sequel trilogy]] after its buyout by [[Disney]], personally approved of the theory about the villainous Jar Jar. He described Lumpawarroo's argumentation as an "unbelievably lengthy analysis, in a very seriously thought-out way, as to why it's obviously true he's [evil]."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Jar Jar Binks fan theory: J. J. Abrams weighs in|url=https://ew.com/article/2015/11/30/jar-jar-binks-fan-theory-jj-abrams/|access-date= December 26, 2019 |date= November 30, 2015 |first=Christopher|last=Rosen|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref>

In 2019, when questioned about it, Best stated again only Lucas could answer, but he confirmed the theorists' idea of Jar Jar's antics being actually a disguised fighting style akin to [[drunken boxing]], revealing that he based his performance on [[Jackie Chan]]'s role in the 1978 film ''[[Drunken Master]]''. He said, "the Darth Jar Jar theory caught it - caught it. I never thought anybody would see that".<ref>{{cite web|title=Ahmed Best on Darth Jar Jar Theory|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NhIkyX-Dyw&list=WL&index=8|access-date=January 27, 2014|publisher=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The Darth Jar Jar theory is referenced in the animated miniseries ''[[Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy]]'', in which a Jedi relic accidentally rewrites reality and turns Jar Jar (reprised by Best) into a Sith Lord.<ref>{{cite web | last=Peralta | first=Diego | title=A 'Stranger Things' Star Makes the Jump to 'Star Wars' in First LEGO 'Rebuild the Galaxy' Trailer | website=Collider | date=May 6, 2024 | url=https://collider.com/lego-star-wars-trailer-rebuild-the-galaxy/ | access-date=May 6, 2024}}</ref>

In 2025, Jar Jar was added to ''[[Fortnite Battle Royale]]'' as part of the ''Star Wars''-themed "Galactic Battle" season, where he is depicted as a Sith Lord capable of using Force Lightning.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bankhurst |first=Adam |date=2025-04-20 |title=Fortnite Is Adding Darth Jar Jar and a Star Wars-Themed Battle Pass for Its Galactic Battle Season |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/fortnite-is-adding-darth-jar-jar-and-a-star-wars-themed-battle-pass-for-its-galactic-battle-season |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>

===Character reassessment===

{{quote box|width = 33%|quote=I actually felt terrible that Ahmed Best suffered so much. I remember when he came out to [ILM headquarters] Kerner and I met him, showed him around, and I said, "We're really interested in having your interpretation of this character. You're going to bring a lot to this, the personality is something that we have not experienced that yet. And that's going to be your part in it."

And he was this kid in his twenties, who did that beautiful Stomp, that show that he was involved in, which we all got to see. George let us see a special [performance] of that -- yeah, that was during a company meeting. There was a big theater up there in San Rafael, and the company meeting turned out to be a little bit of conversation and then we got to see Stomp. Ahmed was in that thing, and I was just like, "This is so cool!" It was just wonderful.

So here he was, this kid I think had hoped that this was going to be something that transformed his life in a really great way. Who wouldn't think that? It's an opportunity to work on a ''Star Wars'' movie.|source=—Digital model designer Jean Bolte remembers meeting actor Ahmed Best.<ref name="Brooks" />}}

Since the release of ''The Phantom Menace'', cast and crew who have worked on the ''Star Wars'' films and viewers have defended Jar Jar Binks.<ref name="Brooks" />

George Lucas defended Jar Jar by clarifying that the ''Star Wars'' films were made for 12-year-old children. He has said from the beginning in early interviews for ''[[Star Wars (film)|A New Hope]]'' that the series was intended for children.<ref name="Brooks" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Dretzka |first=Gary |date=May 13, 2002 |title=Lucas strikes back / 'Star Wars' creator defends Jar Jar and... |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/lucas-strikes-back-star-wars-creator-defends-2837554.php |access-date=October 20, 2023 |website=SFGATE}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=February 21, 2024 |title=From the Archives: George Lucas Tells the STAR WARS Origin Story |url=https://www.afi.com/news/from-the-archives-george-lucas-tells-the-star-wars-origin-story/ |access-date=February 22, 2024 |website=American Film Institute}}</ref> In April 2019, during the annual [[Star Wars Celebration|''Star Wars'' Celebration]] event ahead of the 20th anniversary panel for ''The Phantom Menace'', George Lucas named Jar Jar as his favorite ''Star Wars'' character.<ref>{{cite news |title=Star Wars: George Lucas names Jar Jar Binks as his favourite character |work=BBC News |date=April 17, 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47960054 |access-date=17 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sharf |first1=Zack |title=20 Years Later, George Lucas Still Names Jar Jar Binks His Favorite 'Star Wars' Character |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/04/george-lucas-jar-jar-binks-favorite-star-wars-character-1202059335/ |website=IndieWire |date=April 16, 2019 |access-date=17 April 2019}}</ref>

In an interview with [[IGN]] during the premiere of ''[[Star Wars: The Force Awakens|The Force Awakens]]'', Yoda's performer [[Frank Oz]] stated that Jar Jar Binks is his favorite character: "I love Jar Jar Binks. I swear to god I do&nbsp;... When I saw that script I thought he was a fantastic character and I don't know what the heck happened&nbsp;... I thought he was fantastic; he was hysterical. He reminded me of [[Abbott and Costello]]."<ref>{{cite web |author1=Brent McKnight |date=December 17, 2015 |title=What Frank Oz Really Thinks Of Jar Jar Binks |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/new/What-Frank-Oz-Really-Thinks-Jar-Jar-Binks-100697.html |access-date=October 20, 2023 |website=CINEMABLEND}}</ref><ref>{{citation |title=Frank Oz Defends Jar Jar Binks | date=December 17, 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXh47Z_iYlU |access-date=October 20, 2023}}</ref>

Actor [[Liam Neeson]] praised Ahmed Best for his portrayal of Jar Jar: "I know a lot of fans and critics didn't like it. [Best] received a lot of criticism, to the point where it really hurt his career. And I have to say that when he was making that movie, with Best as Jar Jar Binks and with Ewan McGregor as young Obi-Wan Kenobi, he was probably one of the funniest and most talented guys I've ever worked with. I remember calling&nbsp;... my old ex-agent&nbsp;... and saying, 'Listen, I think I just worked with the new [[Eddie Murphy]].' And I still believe it."<ref>{{cite web |last=Scott |first=Ryan |date=September 14, 2020 |title=Liam Neeson Praises Jar Jar Binks Actor While Defending The Phantom Menace |url=https://movieweb.com/jar-jar-binks-ahmed-best-liam-neeson-praise/ |access-date=October 20, 2023 |website=MovieWeb}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Parker |first=Ryan |date=September 14, 2020 |title=Liam Neeson Explains Why He's "Proud" of 'The Phantom Menace' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/liam-neeson-says-hes-proud-of-the-phantom-menace-4059922/ |access-date=October 20, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>

During the 20th anniversary of ''The Phantom Menace'', many members of the prequel production team have defended the character and appreciated the public's acceptance at the [[Star Wars Celebration|''Star Wars'' Celebration]] panel. Visual effects supervisor [[John Knoll]] reflected: "Well, I think it's good to see [his newfound popularity], because I think George took a lot of the criticism pretty harshly. It was kind of painful for me to see how cruel people were about it and how personally George took it. I think the movies didn't deserve as much hate as they received. It hurt me to see how much George took those things." He also said, "I thought [the Star Wars Celebration panel] was great, especially the warm reaction there was to Ahmed. I know he took all the vicious comments people had about Jar Jar very hard. That's not his fault, he didn't write that character. He's an actor who did a really good job and worked hard to get it right. Seeing the really warm reaction of the crowd made me feel&nbsp;... It was moving."<ref name="Brooks" />

Animation director [[Rob Coleman]] said that twenty years later he still has younger people coming up to him and telling him that Jar Jar is their favorite character.<ref name="Brooks" />

Digital model designer Jean Bolte cited Jar Jar as one of her favorite characters to work with alongside Sebulba and Yoda, saying, "Going to Star Wars Celebration and seeing and hearing the fans so interested in which one was our contribution&nbsp;... It really completely changed my point of view about being privileged to have had anything to do with these films."<ref name="Brooks" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Star Wars: The Phantom Menace cast and crew reunited ahead of 20th anniversary |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/star-wars-the-phantom-menace-cast-reunite-for-20th-anniversary/ |access-date=October 20, 2023 |website=CNET}}</ref><ref name="youtube.com">{{citation |title=Star Wars: Phantom Menace 20th Anniversary Celebration Live Panel | date=April 15, 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhBGb8J9vsI |access-date=October 20, 2023}}</ref>

In an interview with [[Europa Press]] during the premiere of ''[[Rogue One|Rogue One: A Star Wars Story]]'', a journalist asked actress [[Felicity Jones]] who she would like to receive a gift from if she were in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy at Christmas time and she said either Jar Jar or C-3P0.<ref>{{cite web |agency=Europa Press |date=December 14, 2016 |title=ENTREVISTA {{!}} Felicity Jones: "Rogue One es una historia sobre personajes imperfectos y vulnerables" |url=https://www.europapress.es/cultura/cine-00128/noticia-entrevista-felicity-jones-rogue-one-historia-personajes-imperfectos-vulnerables-20161214183105.html |access-date=October 20, 2023 |website=www.europapress.es}}</ref><ref>{{citation |title=Entrevista con Felicity Jones por 'Rogue One' | date=December 14, 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbQt6Zv0mgY |access-date=October 20, 2023}}</ref>

Best was moved by people's appreciation for Jar Jar: "It was definitely the kids. I had to start looking at Jar Jar through their eyes, and that's what made me smile again. Now those kids, they are between 20 and 30 years old. They have a different perspective on ''The Phantom Menace''. ''The Phantom Menace'', for them, is their ''Star Wars''. ''[Episodes] IV'', ''V'' and ''VI'', that's their parents' ''Star Wars'', and ''VII'', ''VIII'' and ''IX'', that's their children's ''Star Wars''. But the prequels, that's theirs, and they defend the prequels. So I see the same thing. I see the resurgence of ''The Phantom Menace''." He then talked about his experience of going to ''Star Wars'' Celebration: "To be very honest, I was very afraid to go to Celebration. Every time I'm in a ''Star Wars'' setting, I spend most of my time defending our work and defending Jar Jar. And I just don't want to do that anymore. So I was very reluctant to come to Celebration because of that, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't the case at all. I just felt nothing but love and respect and admiration for the work we did. I couldn't have been more proud and I couldn't have been happier. I wish George was there because I think we're at a time right now where we have to stand in that work. We have to say, "We did it," and step into that in a very proud way, because it stands the test of time."<ref name="Brooks" /><ref name="youtube.com"/>

==References==

'''Footnotes'''

{{notelist}}

'''Citations'''

{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==

{{wikiquote}}

{{commons}}

* [http://www.starwars.com/ Star Wars web site]

*{{Star Wars Databank|subject=jar-jar-binks |text=Jar Jar Binks}}

* [https://www.imdb.com/character/ch0000061/quotes Jar Jar Binks quotes] from [[IMDb]]

[[Category:Star Wars Old Republic characters|Binks, Jar Jar]]

* {{IMDb title|0120915|Star Wars Episode I}}

[[Category:CGI characters|Binks, Jar Jar]]

* {{IMDb name|0078886|Ahmed Best}}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060813135910/http://www.mindspring.com/~ernestm/jarjar/jarjarcritics.html Collection of negative Jar Jar comments from major media sources.]

* {{Wookieepedia|Jar Jar Binks}}

{{Star Wars prequel trilogy}}

*[http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/jarjarbinks/ Jar Jar Binks in the StarWars.com Databank]

{{Star Wars universe}}

{{Star Wars: The Clone Wars}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Binks, Jar Jar}}

[[fr:Jar Jar Binks]]

[[Category:Characters created by George Lucas]]

[[Category:Fantasy television characters]]

[[Category:Fictional amphibians]]

[[Category:Film characters introduced in 1999]]

[[Category:Fictional diplomats]]

[[Category:Fictional generals]]

[[Category:Fictional extraterrestrial humanoids]]

[[Category:Fictional military personnel in films]]

[[Category:Fictional senators]]

[[Category:Film sidekicks]]

[[Category:Male characters in film]]

[[Category:Male characters in television]]

[[Category:Star Wars animated characters]]

[[Category:Star Wars Skywalker Saga characters]]

[[Category:Star Wars: The Clone Wars characters]]

[[Category:Race-related controversies in film]]

[[Category:Internet memes]]

[[Category:Internet meme characters]]