What Happened To Jar Jar Binks? His Sad Fate Revealed
It looks like it's time to close the book on Jar Jar Binks. Literally. The much-maligned comic relief character was shuffled into the margins after his debut in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, but he remains the poster child for why so many fans strongly dislike the prequel trilogy: he's a tone-deaf, poorly written, slightly racist cartoon character. However, the next canon Star Wars novel hitting shelves reveals exactly what happened to the universally maligned Gungan and it's a fitting (and surprisingly tragic) conclusion for one of the most despised characters in pop culture history.
The novel is Chuck Wendig's Star Wars: Aftermath – Empire's End, the third in his trilogy of novels that take place in the years after Return of the Jedi and follow the final collapse of the Galactic Empire and the growing pains of the Rebel Alliance becoming a new Republic. Like the previous two novels, Empire's End will rotate between the core plot and a series of "interlude" chapters, one-off short stories that explore various corners of the galaxy, often shedding light on familiar and forgotten faces.
And according to Mashable, one of these chapters will catch up with Jar Jar Binks 30 years after Revenge of the Sith, 30 years after he stopped being relevant to the Star Wars universe:
One of these is an interlude set on the planet of Naboo. A refugee boy named Mapo encounters a Gungan performing for kids on the streets, clowning around in a fountain twice a day while being studiously avoided by the grown-ups. "Meesa Jar Jar," says the clown when Mapo introduces himself.
As you may remember, Jar Jar (representing Senator Padme Amidala in the senate) was the one who initially proposed granting Chancellor Palpatine "emergency powers," paving the way for the secret Sith's rise to ultimate villainy. It was a fitting turn for a bumbling buffoon who had stumbled his way into an influential position – of course that idiot was the one who got hoodwinked by the galaxy's most vile politician.
The much older Jar Jar is now working as a street performer, haunted by how he accidentally helped the Empire come into existence, explaining "Jar Jar makin some uh-oh mistakens" while refusing to elaborate on what those "mistakens" could be. I dislike this character as much as the next person, but the thought of him living as a literal clown who is ignored by society and is haunted by his past sins is...harsh.
Of course, the fact that Jar Jar is still up to his usual goofy antics and entertaining kids even as adults complete ignore him is effective enough commentary. Wasn't Jar Jar always intended to be a character for younger viewers to enjoy, not the adults?
Star Wars: Aftermath – Empire's End hits shelves next Tuesday.