Binks, Jar Jar

• Appeared in:
  
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  CW

• Homeworld:
  Naboo

• Species:
  Gungan

• Gender:
  Male

• Size:
  1.96 meters

• Weapon:
  His clumsiness is often quite destructive.

• Vehicle:
  kaadu

• Affiliation:
  Gungan Grand Army, Galactic Senate, Galactic Republic

• 

A clumsy, well-meaning Gungan outcast from his people on Naboo, Jar Jar Binks struggled to prove his worth throughout his life. Putting his awkward past behind him, Jar Jar left the swamps of Naboo to enter the even murkier waters of Coruscant politics, becoming a representative for his people in the galactic capital. There, his best intentions and eagerness to serve were exploited by scheming Senators and others in positions of power.

Before The Phantom Menace

An orphan, Jar Jar was not even 20 years old by the time he was exiled from Otoh Gunga. By that early age, he had done a lot ... of destruction, that is. Jar Jar's clumsiness resulted in unfortunate incidents with the city sewer system, the accidental freeing of animals in the Otoh Gunga Zoo, and the flooding of Boss Nass's mansion and adjoining bubbles while he was working as a waiter. His bumbling caused many a headache to city officials in Otoh Gunga, especially Captain Tarpals.

The final straw was a disastrous display before Boss Nass. To hear Jar Jar tell it in his Gungan/Basic pidgin, he "boomed da gasser, and crashed de boss's heyblibber, den banished."

Episode I: The Phantom Menace

An outcast, the Gungan spent his time in the Naboo swampland, surviving on raw shellfish or just about anything else that the murky ecosystem had to offer. Jar Jar's fate took a twist when the hapless Gungan encountered a pair of Jedi as they eluded enemy forces during the Trade Federation invasion of Naboo.

By Gungan tradition, Jar Jar found himself indebted to Qui-Gon Jinn for saving his life. Jar Jar guided the Jedi to the underwater city of Otoh Gunga, where they secured transport to the Naboo capital of Theed. Jar Jar braved the "nocombackie law" to present Qui-Gon to the Gungan leader, Boss Nass, even though he risked the consequence of being "pounded" to death.

Throughout the adventure of liberating Naboo, Jar Jar tagged along with Qui-Gon. Although his bungling, haphazard mannerisms constantly landed him in hot water, his good nature and loyalty somehow helped him triumph in the end.

Queen Amidala requested that Jar Jar make contact with the Gungans. With Jar Jar's help, the Naboo and the Gungans forged an alliance that liberated the besieged world of Naboo. During the ground battle against the mechanized armies of the Trade Federation, Jar Jar was made a general in the Gungan Grand Army. After the battle, Jar Jar continued to ascend in Gungan society, putting his awkward past as an outcast behind him.

Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Jar Jar eventually became a Senior Representative for Naboo, serving alongside Padmé Amidala in the Galactic Senate. While his compassion spoke volumes of the quality of his character, his inherent gullibility and trusting nature were easily exploited by the less scrupulous in the field of politics. For many, Jar Jar was but a joke, the subject of derision, but in the corrupt inner confines of Senate, his lanky frame stood as a rare example of non-corrupt politician interested only in the greater good of the Republic and his people.

Jar Jar was a member of the Loyalist Committee, a panel of Senators concerned with countering the increasing threat of a Separatist movement spreading throughout the galaxy. He and Padmé worked hard, favoring negotiation and peaceful resolution over the growing popularity of the Military Creation Act. While Padmé was away from Coruscant, it was Jar Jar who took her place in the Senate.

After several botched assassination attempts on Senator Amidala forced her to flee the capital, Jar Jar again served in her stead. The Gungan politician was there, in Palpatine's office, when it became apparent that desperate measures would be required to stop a Separatist force determined to start a war with the Republic.

Jar Jar took the initiative and proposed the motion granting emergency powers to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine -- a move that would have profound impact on the Galactic Republic.

Behind the Scenes

Jar Jar Binks was the first character to be developed for Episode I, in part because of the prominence of his role in the movie. Conceptualization began with George Lucas' vision of a talking, feeling, walking, running, falling, fainting bundle of amphibious comic relief. Development of the character then continued for upwards of a year-and-a-half. During that time, design sketches evolved considerably, although the character's final body shape and gangly legs were there from the start. In many ways, the character's personality was absolutely vital to the design team's work throughout the development process.