Darth Jar Jar’s Journey From Absurd Fan Theory To Star Wars LEGO Disney Plus Special

A popular, if absurd, fan-theory that posits Jar Jar Binks is one of the Sith masterminds of the Star Wars galaxy will finally see the screen in the upcoming special, LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy. Jar Jar Binks, the foolhardy Gungan, was first introduced in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. When it was first released, many viewers hated Jar Jar and considered him a nuisance and claimed he ruined the Star Wars movie. Audiences considered him overly simple, but there are several details that support the Darth Jar Jar theory, which would make him extremely complex.

The teaser trailer for LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, shared by Star Wars, ended with a shot of Jar Jar Binks as a Sith Lord and wielding a red lightsaber, and even expressly referred to him as Darth Jar Jar.

The trailer for LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy was filled with fun Star Wars Easter Eggs, and it seems the special will act as a sort of Star Wars version of Marvel’s “What If‘ and explore ways the main story could have been different. It also seems to be taking on quite large fan theories, like the Darth Jar Jar theory. His appearance in the Rebuild the Galaxy teaser makes one of the longest-running fan theories about the prequel trilogy official, even though it doesn’t make it canon.

The Darth Jar Jar Theory Explained

On its surface, the Darth Jar Jar theory seems to be nothing more than a joke, but it has a surprising level of depth and logic to it. The theory states that rather than being a bumbling, manipulable side character throughout the prequel trilogy, Jar Jar Binks was actually a direct collaborator with Sheev Palpatine, also known as Darth Sidious. As ridiculous as it sounds, there’s actually quite a bit of evidence supporting Jar Jar’s involvement with the Sith, from his impact on the prequels to the way he would invert Yoda’s role as a seemingly foolish yet secretly powerful Force user.

Part of the theory asserts that some of Jar Jar’s more impressive feats were actually a result of his power with the Force. In The Phantom Menace, Jar Jar routinely showcased impressive physical abilities that may have been enhanced by the Force, potentially including a deceptive style of martial arts that made him seem incompetent. There were also several key moments where Jar Jar was able to convince people while gesturing with his hands, similarly to how Jedi use their hands while performing Jedi mind tricks. That’s all evidence of Jar Jar being not only Force-sensitive, but even potentially a dark side user.

Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious

Further, the fact that Palpatine carefully plotted every step of his plan also speaks to Jar Jar’s importance. It seems odd that Palpatine would leave such crucial parts in the hands of a random, blundering Gungan, even if he could easily control him. The Darth Jar Jar theory posits that Jar Jar was always part of Palpatine’s plan, as he played into it perfectly on several occasions, such as when he convinced the Senate to give Palpatine emergency powers in Attack of the Clones. The idea that Jar Jar may have been an even more secretive Sith than Palpatine himself is surprisingly well-supported.

Despite the evidence supporting the Darth Jar Jar theory, it remained an unofficial fan theory for many years. George Lucas has never directly commented on the idea, though there have been rumors that he was not amused by it. However, Lucas has also referred to Jar Jar Binks in the past as “the key to all this“, which some have interpreted as meaning Palptaine couldn’t have taken power without him. In reality, though, Lucas meant that the motion capture and CGI technology needed to create Jar Jar was important, as if he didn’t look good enough, the rest of the trilogy wouldn’t have worked.

The actor who performed the motion capture and lent his voice to Jar Jar, Ahmed Best, has offered much more support for Darth Jar Jar than Lucas has. Best has acknowledged the merits of the theory in the past. As reported by The Independent, Best thought parts of the theory might have worked, had Jar Jar been better received by audiences.

“What I can say about it is – and I kinda said this on Twitter –there’s a lot about it that’s true. There are some things that are not true. Could Jar Jar have evolved into that? I think the answer is yes. Because of the backlash, and rightfully so, Lucasfilm backed off from Jar Jar a lot. But a lot of the influence I put into the character mirrored a lot of what was already in the
Star Wars
universe.”

Best has even hinted he could play Darth Jar Jar in an upcoming Star Wars game, further indicating that he enjoys the theory and could even see it as a plausible interpretation of the character. Still, though, Best didn’t say whether Darth Jar Jar was ever a legitimate plan for the prequel trilogy, and instead said that George Lucas would have to say for certain.

Ahmed Best’s Return To Star Wars Made Darth Jar Jar Possible

Ahmed Best was mostly uninvolved with Star Wars for over a decade after his portrayal of the Gungan. Because Jar Jar was nearly universally hated after the release of the prequel trilogy, Best all but stepped away from Star Wars, aside from voicing Jar Jar again in animation, as he received quite a bit of harassment on his character’s behalf. The backlash had a severe effect on his mental health, and it seemed for a long time he would never make another live-action appearance in the franchise, and that Jar Jar would be all but forgotten.

Then, in 2020, Best made his return to Star Wars in the children’s game show, Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge, as Jedi Master Kelleran Beq. Best and Beq even made it into the main Star Wars canon by appearing in The Mandalorian as the Jedi who saved Grogu during Order 66. While it may not have been as Jar Jar Binks, Best’s appearance as Kelleran Beq allowed him to return to the franchise with a much better-received character. It was also a sign that he had healed from the hate he received in the prequels, and was surely a factor in making Darth Jar Jar a reality.

Darth Jar Jar Is Finally Becoming A Reality

Now, after years of speculation and hope, Darth Jar Jar is becoming a reality thanks to LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy. While LEGO Star Wars can’t technically be considered canon, and the trailer indicated the special would center on alternate universes, this is an official recognition of Darth Jar Jar. When it was first developed, no one would have thought the creators of Star Wars would ever seriously consider the Darth Jar Jar theory, let alone have him appear as a Sith Lord on screen, even in a non-canon special. Darth Jar Jar beat the odds, though, and he’ll soon be a reality in Star Wars.

Source: Star Wars, The Independent

Star Wars

Character(s)

Luke Skywalker , Han Solo , Rey Skywalker , Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious , Obi-Wan Kenobi , Ahsoka Tano , Grand Admiral Thrawn , Grand Inquisitor , Reva (The Third Sister) , The Fifth Brother , The Seventh Sister , The Eighth Brother , Yoda , Din Djarin , Grogu , Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader , Leia Organa , Ben Solo/Kylo Ren

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