Jar Jar Binks was often regarded by his peers as clumsy and annoying, traits that led many people to deride and underestimate him. His clumsiness led to his banishment from his home city of Otoh Gunga. On another occasion, his tendency to grab food with his tongue got him into trouble with a local bully on Tatooine named Sebulba. Despite these flaws, Binks was also capable of being brave, loyal, and dependable. Binks played a significant role in turning the tide of the Invasion of Naboo by helping Queen Amidala to win the support of the Gungans in driving out the Trade Federation invaders. Due to his role in the Battle of Naboo, the former Gungan outcast won much respect among both his people and the Naboo. [1] Upon reaching Otoh Gunga, Binks was arrested by his old friend Tarpals and brought before Boss Nass, the city's ruler. Since he had unlawfully returned to his home city, Binks faced punishment. However, Master Qui-Gon, who needed a guide to take them to Theed, convinced Boss Nass to commute Binks' punishment, stating that the Gungan owed him a life debt. Nass reluctantly complied and provided them with a bongo submarine to travel through the planet's watery planetary core. After two perilous escapades with an Opee sea killer and a Colo claw fish, Binks and his companions reached Theed, only to discover that the city had already been occupied by Trade Federation forces. [1] Continuing their pursuit, Binks and Windu were set upon by an animal trainer and his two gundarks. During the fray, the trainer relieved Windu of his lightsaber using his whip. Binks then punched the trainer and retrieved the lightsaber with his tongue and returned it to the Jedi Master. Windu managed to stun one of the gundarks and kill the other. Binks continued the pursuit, but the cultists escaped in two speeders. After questioning the trainer, Binks and Windu continued their rescue mission on an eopie and dalgo. Meanwhile, the cultists arrived at a Zardossan temple, where they were joined by the Nightsister Mother Talzin, who wanted to sacrifice Queen Julia to steal her Force energy. [23]

With the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney Company, most of the licensed Star Wars novels and comics produced since the originating 1977 film Star Wars were rebranded as Star Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the franchise in April 2014. [19] [20] [21] Scott, Ryan (September 14, 2020). "Liam Neeson Praises Jar Jar Binks Actor While Defending The Phantom Menace". MovieWeb . Retrieved October 20, 2023.In April 2019, during the annual Star Wars Celebration event ahead of the 20th anniversary panel for The Phantom Menace, George Lucas named Jar Jar as his favorite Star Wars character. [30] [31] Allegations of racial caricature When I read the script the first time, I had a reaction similar to what many of you had when you saw the movie,” Coleman admitted at a 1999 Visual Effects Society seminar. But Lucas remained insistent: kids would love Jar Jar. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace cast and crew reunited ahead of 20th anniversary". CNET . Retrieved October 20, 2023.

Ahmed Best and Ian McDiarmid, the actor who plays the evil Emperor Palpatine, attend the film premiere of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in Los Angeles in December 2019. Getty ImagesWas this a deliberate maneuver from Jar Jar to ingratiate himself with the Queen of Naboo? 5. Two Jedi Knights didn’t realize Padme was the Queen And he was this kid in his twenties, who did that beautiful Stomp, that show that he was involved in, which we all got to see. George let us see a special [performance] of that -- yeah, that was during a company meeting. There was a big theater up there in San Rafael, and the company meeting turned out to be a little bit of conversation and then we got to see Stomp. Ahmed was in that thing, and I was just like, “This is so cool!” It was just wonderful. But…but Padmé…hesa our friend. " ―Padmé Amidala and Jar Jar Binks, on trading Grievous for Anakin Skywalker [3] Precisely what this means is anyone’s guess,” Kamp interjects. Six months later, many people emerging from their local multiplexes, baffled by the finished movie’s unexpected political wranglings, would still be saying much the same thing. Buy the Complete Star Wars Saga on Blu-ray Bouzereau, Laurent; Duncan, Jody (1999). The Making of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. New York City: Ballantine Books. pp.18, 25. ISBN 0-345-43111-1.

In an interview with Europa Press during the premiere of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, a journalist asked actress Felicity Jones who she would like to receive a gift from if she were in the Star Wars galaxy at Christmas time and she responded: "I think she would be very interested to receive a gift from Jar Jar Binks or C-3P0." [55] [56] Or is this because it would have been too blatantly clear who Jar Jar really was – a loyal Sith Lord working in the shadows? 13. George Lucas said Jar Jar was very important With the help of Peppi Bow, Binks, and Amidala discovered a Separatist plot on their homeworld of Naboo. When Grogu is fleeing from murderous clone troopers in the most recent episode of The Mandalorian, a door opens to reveal his savior: Kelleran Beq, once again portrayed by Best, marking the character’s first Star Wars appearance outside of the game show. Praise for Best’s Return in The Mandaloriana b c Brooks, Dan. " "All Films Are Personal": An Oral History of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace". StarWars.com . Retrieved October 1, 2023. Jar Jar Binks is a supporting character in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, once again voiced by Best, although Phil LaMarr voiced the character in three season one episodes under the pseudonym BJ Hughes. In this series, he is a Senate representative who sometimes accompanies the main characters—Anakin, Obi-Wan, Padmé, and Anakin's padawan Ahsoka Tano—on their adventures. He and Jedi Master Mace Windu are the two main characters of the two-part episode "The Disappeared" in which they had to search for missing elders and rescue a queen, who was Jar Jar's past love interest. It is a way for them to celebrate, explore and express love for the divisive trilogy they grew up on. Binks is a Lego mini-figure in the Lego Star Wars video games, and appears as an Angry Bird with a hook move called "Jar Jar Wings" in Angry Birds Star Wars II. Ahmed Best was signed on to portray Binks in the show Star Wars Detours. They argue Jar Jar’s reveal as a Gungan Sith Lord was removed from later films due to the character’s unpopularity. Conclusion

Actor Liam Neeson praised Ahmed Best for his portrayal of Jar Jar Binks: "I know a lot of fans and critics didn't like it. Ahmed Best, who played Jar Jar Binks, received a lot of criticism, to the point where it really hurt his career. And I have to say that when he was making that movie, with Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks and with Ewan McGregor as young Obi-Wan Kenobi, he was probably one of the funniest and most talented guys I've ever worked with. I remember calling... my old ex-agent... and saying, 'Listen, I think I just worked with the new Eddie Murphy.' And I still believe it." [51] [52] Binks attended the funeral of Padmé Amidala, who died following the Clone Wars and the rise of the Galactic Empire. At first, he was the poster boy for the movie’s next-gen visual effects – a walking embodiment of how CGI could revolutionize the storytelling in the Star Wars universe. In pre-release interviews, Lucas often talked about his frustration at having to deal with the constraints of prosthetics, miniatures, and other analog effects in the Original Trilogy. It was when he saw the CGI dinosaurs at play in his old friend Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Parkthat he came to a realization: now, finally, his wildest storytelling dreams could be realized.Kelleran is the ultimate temple master,” Best said of his character on the game show. “He can appear to be kind of funny, kind of goofy. He gets ribbed a lot by AD-3, the droid. But at the end of the day, what Kelleran Beq is trying to do is make you the best Jedi that you can be.” The Phantom Menace‘s making-of documentary shows Lucas acting out Binks’ now-infamous “loose-limbed” walk.