The most ridiculous meme in Star Wars may be based in reality. Jar Jar Binks, the annoying alien with the huge ears who exists solely for comic relief, may really be a powerful force for the Dark Side — at least in the imagination of George Lucas.
The actor who voiced Binks, Ahmed Best, confirmed the wacko fan theory in an interview with actress Janina Gavankar, an actress known among Star Wars fans for her role as Iden Versio in the “Star Wars: Battlefront” video games.
Gavankar asked Best point blank, “Is Jar Jar a Sith Lord?”
“Well, let’s put it this way,” Best responded. “There was definitely a plan by George Lucas, and he and I had conversations, but to be 100 percent honest, I can’t really say anything.”
The actor did go on to say something quite revealing, however. “There was a scene in Revenge of the Sith (2005) that got cut from the movie, with me and Ian McDiarmid, who plays [the villain Sith Lord] Palpatine,” Best revealed.
The actor then referenced one of the scenes behind the Jar Jar-Sith theory, a scene in “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” (2002) where Binks makes a parliamentary motion to give Supreme Chancellor Palpatine extraordinary power. “So, in this scene that got cut, it’s me and Ian, walking away from spaceships and talking about what happened.”
“There was fire and brimstone, and people blowin’ up behind us,” Best recalled. “We just walked in slow motion.”
Is Jar Jar Binks a Sith Lord?! #StarWarsBattlefrontII's @Janina asks the real Jar Jar, @ahmedbest! pic.twitter.com/dJSUm3cWjJ
— GameSpot (@GameSpot) December 1, 2017
Star Wars fans often hate the character of Jar Jar Binks, who makes clumsy mistakes and seems to exist solely to give the audience a laugh. In “Episode I: The Phantom Menace” (1999), Binks helps the Jedi get to an underwater city and fights against battle droids, but he ends up being largely useless in both situations. Even so, he has an odd sort of grace, improbably dodging blaster shots.
In “Attack of the Clones,” he makes a decisive move to give Palpatine power, against the likely wishes of Padme Amidala, whom he is supposed to represent. He only had one line in “Revenge of the Sith.”
The Darth Jar Jar theory came from fans suggesting his improbable dodging ability was explained by a connection to the Force. They then reasoned that perhaps Binks intended to give Palpatine (who was not known to be a Sith Lord at the time) extraordinary power because he too was in league with the Sith.
While “Phantom Menace” cast members suspected Jar Jar might be popular with audiences, the goofy character proved to be a dud. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Best suggested that George Lucas intended to present Jar Jar as a manipulated politician — someone Palpatine used to gain power, and nothing more.
The scene with Binks and Palpatine did not make “Revenge of the Sith,” and it was not even included in the published deleted scenes.
Binks will not make an appearance in “Episode VIII: The Last Jedi,” but Lucas has said the gangly Gungan is the character he would most like to be in the franchise.
In the end, it seems the Darth Jar Jar theory just boils to fans attempting to make sense of an infuriatingly nonsensical character. Whatever Lucas’ plans for Binks, Best has revealed that he is done with the Star Wars franchise.
Here are two of the best “How It Should Have Ended” videos involving Jar Jar.
The Darth Jar Jar theory shows up in this one:
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