Star Wars character
Jar Jar Binks
Portrayed by	Ahmed Best (voice, motion reference, some body close-ups)
Position	General in the Gungan Grand Army, Representative of the Gungan race, Senator of Chommell Sector (substituting for Padmé Amidala)
Homeworld	Naboo
Species	Gungan
Gender	Unknown
Affiliation	Gungan Grand Army, Galactic Republic, Galactic Senate, Delegation of 2000

Jar Jar Binks (born c. 50 BBY)^{[citation needed]} is a fictional character from the Star Wars films The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Named by George Lucas' son,^[1] his primary role was intended to provide comic relief. Jar Jar was voiced by Ahmed Best. He is almost completely computer-generated. Although he was played on set by a costumed Best, Best was usually edited out and replaced by the animated character, except in some close shots where his face is not visible.^{[citation needed]} The creation and modeling of Jar Jar Binks marked the first time that such a highly detailed, photo-realistic CGI character had interacted with live actors in a feature film.^{[citation needed]} Director George Lucas and his effects team were quick to hail this as a major technical breakthrough.^{[citation needed]} This article is about the series. ... Still shot from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (specific source: [1]). Fair use. ... Ahmed Best (born August 19, 1973) is a voice actor most famous (or infamous) for his role as Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars prequel trilogy (1999-2005), for which he won a Golden Raspberry in 1999. ... Padmé Amidala is a fictional character in George Lucas science fiction saga Star Wars. ... Naboo is a fictitious planet in the fictional Star Wars universe with a mostly green terrain and which is the homeworld of two societies: the Gungans who dwell in underwater cities and the humans who live in colonies on the surface. ... // The Falleen are a scaled, cold-blooded, reptilian humanoid species with pigmentation that varies with mood, known to be as long lived as the Hutts (the Falleen have an average lifespan of 250 Standard Years) who inhabit and originate from the planet Falleen. ... // The Falleen are a scaled, cold-blooded, reptilian humanoid species with pigmentation that varies with mood, known to be as long lived as the Hutts (the Falleen have an average lifespan of 250 Standard Years) who inhabit and originate from the planet Falleen. ... - Senator Palpatine Form of Government Federal Republic Official language Basic Capital Coruscant Head of Government Chancellor Establishment c. ... - Senator Palpatine Form of Government Federal Republic Official language Basic Capital Coruscant Head of Government Chancellor Establishment c. ... BBY (Star Wars) redirects here. ... A fictional character is any person, persona, identity, or entity whose existence originates from a work of fiction. ... Film poster for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 film by George Lucas starring Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, and Jake Lloyd. ... Film poster for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) is the fifth Star Wars science fiction movie released and the second part of the prequel trilogy which began with Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. ... Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is the third episode of the Star Wars film series (but the sixth film to be produced), to be released on Thursday, May 19, 2005. ... George Walton Lucas, Jr. ... Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character or scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. ... Ahmed Best (born August 19, 1973) is a voice actor most famous (or infamous) for his role as Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars prequel trilogy (1999-2005), for which he won a Golden Raspberry in 1999. ... The seawater creature in The Abyss marked CGIs acceptance in the visual effects industry. ... George Walton Lucas, Jr. ...

Jar Jar Binks is a 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) tall Gungan, with long ears and eyes mounted on stalks. This article is about the unit of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... // The Falleen are a scaled, cold-blooded, reptilian humanoid species with pigmentation that varies with mood, known to be as long lived as the Hutts (the Falleen have an average lifespan of 250 Standard Years) who inhabit and originate from the planet Falleen. ...

Story

Episode I

Banished from his childhood home for his clumsiness, the naïve Jar Jar is first encountered while living in the swamps of Naboo. In the events of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi arrive on Naboo, ending up in the swamps rather than the intended destination of the capital, Theed. Naboo is a fictitious planet in the fictional Star Wars universe with a mostly green terrain and which is the homeworld of two societies: the Gungans who dwell in underwater cities and the humans who live in colonies on the surface. ... Film poster for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 film by George Lucas starring Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, and Jake Lloyd. ... Jedi Knights and Jedi Knight redirect here. ... Qui-Gon Jinn is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, portrayed by Liam Neeson in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. ... The Jedi Knights are a fictional monastic organization from the Star Wars series of films by George Lucas. ... Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. ... This is a list of cities and towns in the Star Wars universe. ...

Qui-Gon Jinn saves Jar Jar's life as the Trade Federation's droid army advance on Theed, and, as a result, Jar Jar explains that he owes Qui-Gon a life debt (implying that he is obligated to stay by Qui-Gon's side for the rest of his life, or until he is released). Jar Jar is later arrested by troops loyal to Boss Nass when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan visit Otoh Gunga, and Qui-Gon uses the excuse of this Life Debt to free Jar Jar from the custody of the Gungan Bosses. Qui-Gon Jinn is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, portrayed by Liam Neeson in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. ... The Trade Federation is a fictional organization that exists in the Star Wars universe at the time of the Galactic Republic. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Boss Nass is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. ...

Jar Jar travels with Qui-Gon's party to Tatooine and later Coruscant. It is on the latter planet that he informs Padmé Amidala that the Gungans have a grand army (a term significant later in the Star Wars series - see Grand Army of the Republic), a contributory factor in her decision to return to Naboo and contest the Trade Federation's invasion militarily. After Qui-Gon and his party's return to Naboo, Jar Jar is instrumental in Padmé's brokering a deal with the Gungans for a joint attack on the Trade Federation's occupation forces, leading her and her allies to the Gungans' underwater hiding place. Throughout this ordeal, he befriends Anakin Skywalker, a nine-year-old human whom Qui-Gon believes to be the Chosen One destined to bring balance to the Force.As a result of (inadvertently) bringing together the Naboo and the Gungans, Jar Jar reconciles with Boss Nass and is awarded the rank of Bombad General in the Gungan Grand Army. Jar Jar plays an important role in the Battle of Naboo. In George Lucass Star Wars saga, Tatooine is the home planet of the Skywalker family and Ben Kenobi, the setting for much of the action in the sagas films (as well as several of the novels and other pieces of written fiction) and one of the most iconic... Coruscant (pronounced //)[1] is a fictional planet in the Star Wars universe. ... Padmé Amidala is a fictional character in George Lucas science fiction saga Star Wars. ... Clonetroopers at the Battle of Geonois. ... Anakin Skywalker is the central character in the Star Wars franchise. ... This article is about modern humans. ... Look up the one in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Force is a binding, ubiquitous power that is the object of the Jedi and Sith monastic orders in the Star Wars universe. ... The Battle or Invasion of Naboo refers to a pre-Clone Wars conflict in the fictional Star Wars universe that occurred on the peaceful planet Naboo shortly after the Invasion of Theed (Naboos capital city) in which the organisation called the Trade Federation sent an army of battle droids...

Jar Jar provides comic relief throughout the film, including a number of battle scenes. For instance, Jar Jar accidentally sends a load of explosive energy spheres (called boomers or boomas) into a group of enemy battle droids, which destroys a large number of them. This is a direct homage to Buster Keaton's silent film Seven Chances, in which Keaton is chased down a mountainside by hundreds of prop boulders while trying to elude an army of women eager to marry him for an inheritance. Droids attack on Naboo. ... Joseph Francis Kieran Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an Academy Award-winning American silent film comic actor and filmmaker. ... A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ... Seven Chances is a 1925 comedy directed by and starring Buster Keaton. ...

Episode II

Although he has much less screen time in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Jar Jar plays a pivotal role in the narrative. He is portrayed as an idealistic politician who represents the Naboo in the Galactic Senate. As Representative Binks, he is a member of The Loyalist Committee. He is deputized by Padmé Amidala in the Galactic Senate, and subsequently manipulated by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and his allies into proposing a bill to give Palpatine emergency executive powers, on the ostensible grounds that this is what Senator Amidala would do if she were present. These powers enable Palpatine to order the creation of the Grand Army of the Republic and implicitly mark the beginning of Palpatine's gathering of authority towards his own office. Jar Jar's decision sets in motion the Clone Wars and by extension, the creation of the Galactic Empire. Film poster for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) is the fifth Star Wars science fiction movie released and the second part of the prequel trilogy which began with Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. ... - Senator Palpatine Form of Government Federal Republic Official language Basic Capital Coruscant Head of Government Chancellor Establishment c. ... Palpatine is a fictional character in George Lucas science fiction saga Star Wars. ... A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of government, may work to alert citizens to alter their normal behaviors, or may order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. ... Clonetroopers at the Battle of Geonois. ... A scene from Attack of the Clones depicting the Battle of Geonosis, the first battle of the Clone Wars The Clone Wars (also known as the Clone War) are a series of fictional intragalactic battles in George Lucass science fiction saga Star Wars. ... The Galactic Empire is one of the main factions in the Star Wars universe. ...

Episode III

In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Jar Jar has only a cameo appearance. He is onscreen only twice, most noticeably walking in Padmé Amidala's funeral procession at the end of the film. He has no dialogue except for the phrase "excuse me", heard from offscreen. Deleted scenes from the film, available on the DVD, portray him as a member of the Delegation of 2000, a Senatorial committee that later develops into the Rebel Alliance. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is the third episode of the Star Wars film series (but the sixth film to be produced), to be released on Thursday, May 19, 2005. ... A cameo role or cameo appearance (often shortened to just cameo) is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television. ...

Fate

Rumors as to a depiction of his ultimate fate proliferated when the 2004 DVD version of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi was released, featuring a newly added shot of Naboo in the celebration montage featuring a distant Gungan standing atop a pillar who shouts "Wesa free!" (two hours, five minutes, and 49 seconds into the film). The official Star Wars website's character databank file on Jar Jar, however, does not list Return of the Jedi as one of his appearances, while Gungans are listed, suggesting that a conscious distinction may have been made. Movie poster Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, is a science fiction film that debuted in 1983, and re-released with changes in 1997 and 2004. ...

This topic of disagreement, however, within fandom has been largely put to rest recently as George Lucas has personally stated that the Gungan in question is not Jar Jar.^{[citation needed]} He has also debunked the rumor that Jar Jar perished on Alderaan when it was destroyed by the Death Star in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.^{[citation needed]} The most recent claim is that Jar Jar returned to Coruscant and served in the Imperial Senate and eventually married another Gungan, Mar Mar Lade and settled down with a family, presumably dying of old age.^{[citation needed]} According to Lucasfilm's official system, this is regarded as G-canon. In the fictional Star Wars universe, Alderaan is the home of Princess Leia, Bail Organa and also, in 4000 BBY, Ulic Qel Droma who fought in the Great Sith War. ... For other uses, see Death Star (disambiguation). ... This movie poster for Star Wars depicts many of the films important elements, such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, X-Wing and Y-Wing fighters Star Wars, retitled Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in 1981 (see note at Title,) is the original (and in chronological... Lucasfilm Ltd. ... The Star Wars canon consists of the six Star Wars feature films, along with all officially licensed, non-contradicting spin-off works to the six films. ...

Controversy

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page.(December 2007) Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved.

Upon the release of The Phantom Menace, Jar Jar Binks became the subject of a great deal of media and popular attention, though not in the way his creators intended. Binks became symbolic of what many thought were the inherent creative and critical flaws of the film. The character was widely rejected and often ridiculed by sections of the series' hardcore fanbase, who felt that Jar Jar was clearly included in the film solely to appeal to children. In part, his character clashed with the expectations of some fans, who perceived the earlier films in the series as having a more adult tone.^{[citation needed]} One fan, Mike J. Nichols, created and distributed free of charge a modified version of the film, entitled The Phantom Edit, which cut out most scenes featuring Jar Jar Binks.^[2] Another group of fans created The Phantom Re-Edit which re-edits footage of Jar Jar Binks to present him in a way that they found more likable and enjoyable. This was accomplished by cutting out scenes that they thought served only as comic relief and re-editing scenes with Jar Jar's dialogue being removed and replaced with subtitles. Mike J. Nichols is a film editor living in Santa Clarita, California and originally from Illinois. ... The VHS cover Star Wars Episode I.I - The Phantom Edit is a fan edit of the movie Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace, removing elements of the original thought to be unsuccessful by some critics and adult fans. ...

Some^[who?] also object to any portrayal of excessive cuteness in the Star Wars series (a criticism first levelled with the introduction of Ewoks). Lucas himself stated that he feels there is a section of the fanbase who get upset with aspects of Star Wars because "The movies are for children but they don't want to admit that... There is a small group of fans that do not like comic sidekicks. 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."^[3] Alternative meanings: Ewoks (cartoon) In the Star Wars series of films, Ewoks are sentient furred bipeds native to Endors forest moon who help the Rebel Alliance defeat the forces of the Galactic Empire in the Battle of Endor. ... This article is about the first film in the series. ...

Additionally, Rob Coleman, who was the lead on the Industrial Light & Magic animation team, warned Lucas that there was concern among the team that the character of Jar Jar was coming across poorly for the team and how the character was to be projected. Lucas told him that he especially put Jar Jar in the film to appeal to small children. After that, the issue was dropped.^[4]Jar jar has a large role in starwars with Aniken and has a technical relation to Darth Vader. The Naboo starfighter is the key to the other movies making since to people around the world.

Allegations of racism and bigotry

Some of the most serious criticism of Jar Jar contends that he is a modern incarnation of racist stereotypes used as comic relief in many motion pictures of the first half of the twentieth century. Patricia J. Williams writes that many aspects of Jar Jar's character are highly reminiscent of the archetypes portrayed in blackface minstrelsy,^[5] a theater form prevalent in the United States during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The character actor Lincoln Perry, stage name Stepin Fetchit, often drew hostile criticism from audiences and critics for similar onscreen conduct from his characters. Manifestations Slavery Racial profiling Lynching Hate speech Hate crime Genocide (examples) Ethnocide Ethnic cleansing Pogrom Race war Religious persecution Blood libel Paternalism Police brutality Movements Policies Discriminatory Race / Religion / Sex segregation Apartheid Redlining Internment Ethnocracy Anti-discriminatory Emancipation Civil rights Desegregation Integration Equal opportunity Counter-discriminatory Affirmative action Racial quota... In modern usage, a stereotype is a simplified mental picture of an individual or group of people who share a certain characteristic (or stereotypical) qualities. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... This reproduction of a 1900 minstrel show poster, originally published by the Strobridge Litho Co. ... Detail from cover of The Celebrated Negro Melodies, as Sung by the Virginia Minstrels, 1843 The minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the American Civil War, African Americans in blackface. ... Stepin Fetchit Stepin Fetchit was the stage name of American comedian and film actor Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry (May 30, 1902–November 19, 1985). ...

Jar Jar's dialect has been described unflatteringly as sounding like Jamaican English; the resemblance is disputed: Lucas spoke about these issues on British television in 1999. Interviewed by Kirsty Wark on the BBC's political review program Newsnight on July 14 of that year, he countered that criticisms of Jar Jar's mode of speaking were "...made by people who've obviously never met a Jamaican, because it's definitely not Jamaican and if you were to say those lines in Jamaican they wouldn't be anything like the way Jar Jar Binks says them." For dialects of programming languages, see Programming language dialect. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Kirsty Anne Wark (born 3 February 1955, in Dumfries) is a Scottish journalist and television presenter best known for fronting the BBC Twos news and current affairs programme Newsnight and its weekly arts annexe Newsnight Review. ... Newsnight is a British daily news analysis, current affairs and politics programme broadcast between 22:40 and 23:20 on weekdays on BBC Two. ... is the 195th day of the year (196th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Some critics believed that Jar Jar was also stereotypically gay^[6]. Satire and criticism about Jar Jar have often suggested that he is gay,^[7] either to accuse the film of being homophobic, to accuse the filmakers of promoting a "gay agenda"^[8] or to malign the Phantom Menace in general^[9]. However, C-3PO, due to his feyish mannerisms, has also been accused of being gay long before Jar Jar. George Lucas stated in an interview that "C-3PO was the pre-Jar Jar".^[10] GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... Homophobia is a term used to describe: A culturally determined phobia manifesting as fear, revulsion, or contempt for homosexuality. ... The term gay agenda is primarily a talking point (a political tool) used by those who oppose gay rights. ... C-3PO (pronounced IPA: []., often shortened to Threepio) is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe, who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. ...

In an episode of The Simpsons, Bart and Lisa meet the creator of Cosmic Wars, whose recent prequel turned out to be a bust, to complain. The creator, Randall Curtis, refuses to accept that everyone hates Jim-Jam,a direct parody of Jar-Jar, who purchases a bong by selling parts from a space craft.

Notes

BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... is the 195th day of the year (196th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) [1] is an online database of information about actors, movies, television shows, television stars and video games. ... Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Jar Jar Binks

• Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars Databank
• Collection of negative Jar Jar comments from major media sources.
• Star Wars Episode I in the Internet Movie Database
• Ahmed Best at the Internet Movie Database
• see TfDJar Jar Binks on Wookieepedia, a Wikia wiki