The Darth Jar Jar Theory
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February 14th, 2016

The Darth Jar Jar Theory

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Darth Jar Jar Binks almost happened.

I thought the “Jar Jar was a Sith lord manipulating events” theory that’s been going around was a pretty good joke. But this guy convinced me it’s true by 19:22 into this video. If the prequels (and especially Jar Jar) disappointed you, watch this. The case this guy presents is almost air-tight. If we all hadn’t jumped down Lucas’s throat over Binks, the prequels could’ve been a lot better, and the worst character in Star Wars history could’ve turned out to be one of the best.


Discussion (6)¬

  1. Packit0 says:

    I want to believe, really want to believe, that that was the case with Jar Jar Binks. But I can't, for one simple reason:
    why would George Lucas, or the studio, give in to the audience's pressure if the plot were to be so drastically changed like this? George Lucas is known for pushing boundaries and doing what he wants to do, and succeed against all the odds. He's gained a huge reputation, for sure someone high up in the studio would've approved "the wait" for the big revelation and in the meantime keep cashing in with the new movies.

    I mean, the movie that would reveal the annoying character as the "ruler of all evil" would definitelly be a hit and silence all the critics! Mr. Lucas would've gone down as the greatest film-maker of history (even though many of the ideas were not his).
    So no, I can't really believe in this theory…

    • Darrin Bell says:

      Just wondering, did you watch the entire video? I know it's long.

      I can believe Lucas did that, because it's happened to me. It's not a matter of "giving in," to audience pressure, it's a matter of getting sick and tired of audience complaints, and of knowing that people's opinions calcify over time.

      Remember the reaction Jar Jar received. Not only did the character single-handedly ruin the film for millions of people, Lucas himself was accused of being *racist.* People loathed that character. The character replaced Stepin Fetchit as everyone's go-to analogy for horrible, useless, racist film characters.

      Lucas, Lucasfilm, and everyone else involved in the production surely didn't expect that reaction. That reaction probably took all the joy out of the character for them. I could see why they would lose their enthusiasm for spending the next three years of their lives crafting an entire blockbuster film around a character that brought them nothing but headaches. It would've been so much easier to say "let's just replace him with this Count Dooku guy."

      I know I've dropped one or two characters I *loved* and had big plans for, just because I got sick to death of people complaining about them. I thought "by the time I finish building them up and get to their ultimate payoff, no one's going to care. Their opinions will already be set in stone. Even if what I write is brilliant, they'll think it's crap because they expect it to be crap."

      It happens. Even to George Lucas.

      It would've taken a lot of resolve, stamina, even cockiness to devote himself that much to the gamble that the big reveal would overcome the sheer hatred people had already developed for the character. Maybe if Lucas had been 30 years younger, he'd have stuck to his vision no matter what. But by the time he was creating the prequels, he wasn't just a filmmaker with a vision, he was a businessman. He was overseeing a multi-billion dollar corporation, and Jar Jar Binks was putting it at risk. He risked single-handedly turning the brand into a joke.

  2. Robert G. says:

    I came here to say what a huge nerd you are, but instead I find myself careening down the rabbit hole of Jar Jar conspiracy theories…

    • Darrin Bell says:

      This may be obscure, but I kept thinking "back… and to the left" every time he played a clip of Jar Jar whispering his mind trick. It's literally the only explanation (other than horrible writing, which is what I always thought the explanation was) for why many of the characters said the things they said.

      • Robert G. says:

        The part that was super-nerdy was drawing the parallel to The Foundation novels. And so very, very true…

        In a world where most comic strips are afraid to stray from the well-known and easy comedic shots, Candorville isn't scared of referencing out-of-the-mainstream ideas. Which is what makes it great!