12/9/2023 0 Comments Jar jar binks thanks for listeningOnce bullied by fans, Best copped a standing ovation from them at a Episode I 20 year anniversary panel at the Star Wars Celebration convention. Thankfully, Best’s relationship with the franchise now seems to be faring better than Binks’. Unfortunately, his legacy to most is still just as an annoying freak who steps in literal shit. Jar Jar is there to teach the audience and the characters to accept others who are a little “different” to you. It’s also overlooked that the characters within the film itself are about as patient with Jar Jar’s bullshit as real world viewers, and that is to say: not at all. The well-intentioned everyman who convinces a Queen to unite two opposed civilisations to take down a common enemy. But there’s a reading of the plot that reveals him as the true hero of the film. Jar Jar’s role in The Phantom Menace is simple: He’s the comic relief. At some point, the tragic clown was bound to work its way into the Far, Far Away Galaxy. Lucas was no stranger to employing a wide array of archetypes in his saga: the simple farm boy unaware of his destiny, the wise old wizard, the roguish pirate. In fact, he was Star Wars’ clown in the most traditional storytelling sense. Jar Jar would be rubbing shoulders alongside the lexicon of iconic Star Wars aliens. Chewbacca, Yoda, Jabba the Hutt, Max Rebo *chefs kiss*. When it comes to bonkers looking creatures, Star Wars has the game on lock. (Speaking of questionable, Michael Jackson had even personally campaigned for the role. His goofy grin was everywhere: billboards, soft drink labels, magazine covers and some extremely questionable lollipops. He’s a funny looking goober that appeals to kids. Jar Jar, played by Ahmed Best, was one of the most heavily marketed characters before The Phantom Menace’s release, and it’s easy to see why. Not to mention the mammoth numbers of promotional tie-ins and merchandise - the likes of which had never ever been seen before or since. There’s more anticipation riding on the first chapter of George Lucas’ new Star Wars trilogy than any movie ever made. The fandom is ravenous and the Episode I: The Phantom Menace hype machine is in full swing. It’s 1999 and there hasn’t been a Star Wars movie for 15 years (the Ewok telemovies don’t count). There’s an age old proverb that goes: “no one hates Star Wars as much as Star Wars fans.” (Full disclosure: I am writing this in a household adorned with numerous rare, non-ironically purchased Jar Jar Binks collectibles.) “Let the hate flow through you.” The long eared, orange skinned, amphibious Lumiére steam-train of motion capture filmmaking. Before Gollum could crawl, before Thanos could snap, there was Jar Jar. He’s the first fully-realised lead CG mo-cap character. Put simply: Jar Jar Binks ran so Paul Walker could drive off into the sunset in Fast 7 (RIP). For two decades, the Jar Jar consensus is that he's nothing more than a fool, a symbol of the worst instincts of George Lucas, a pop-cultural punching bag responsible for almost single-handedly tainting the first third of the Skywalker Saga.Īsk any Chad, and they’ll happily tell you that Jar Jar is the granddaddy of CG characters. Name drop ‘Jar Jar Binks’ around the Average Kyle and they’ll likely respond with a series of expletives. Sure, many of those characters have earned their entry in the decorated halls of Wookiepedia - but have any of them ever put forward a motion to grant an evil tyrant emergency powers, effectively cancelling democracy and plunging an entire galaxy into a generations-long cycle of violence and enslavement at the hands of The Empire while simultaneously changing the way VFX-based characters are made? Loading The list was what the French would call: “sans Binks.” A quick glance at the list and it seemed like every Mandalorian and his Child were getting a spin off show. Late last year, on a day that I like to refer to as Star Wars Christmas (the ‘Walt Disney Company’s Investor Day Event’ doesn’t have the same pizazz), Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy announced the titles of 10 new Star Wars properties, the bulk of which would be headed to the behemoth’s streaming service.
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