Jar Jar Binks is one of the most controversial characters in the entire Star Wars franchise. While he played a key role in the first movie, he seemed to slowly vanish from the big screen. So, what exactly happened to this iconic character?
For anyone and everyone who grew up watching the Star Wars prequel, this goofy and odd character is very familiar. In the "first" movie, Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Jar Jar Binks played a key role as not only the comedic relief, but also within the plot itself.
But by the second film viewers saw less and less of this character, and by the time Episode III – Revenge of the Sith came around we got even fewer scenes of the Gungan. So what happened?
Gungans are a species of amphibious beings from the planet Naboo in the "Star Wars" universe. Notable for their distinctive speech patterns and unique technology that blends with nature, Gungans are best known through the character Jar Jar Binks. They live in underwater cities like Otoh Gunga.
Star Wars: What Happened To Jar Jar Binks After Episode I?
While in the first movie, Jar Jar Binks is the comic relief due to his clumsiness, he gains a greater role in the upcoming movies. He was first exiled from the underwater city Otoh Gunga on Naboo, but after his heroic deeds in The Phantom Menace, he is welcomed back and even plays a key political role.
In Attack of the Clones, Jar Jar Binks becomes the representative of Naboo in the Galactic Senate. This role does become his downfall though. In the absence of Senator Padmé Amidala, who is in hiding due to assassination attempts, Jar Jar is manipulated by Chancellor Palpatine and other political figures.
Palpatine, as the Chancellor, subtly suggested to Jar Jar that granting emergency powers to the Chancellor would help save the Republic from the separatist threat. Trusting Palpatine’s guidance and wishing to do good, Jar Jar proposed the motion in the Senate to give Palpatine these powers, unaware that he was actually facilitating Palpatine's rise to dictatorship as the future Emperor.
By the third movie, Jar Jar Binks is merely a background character, with him seen during Padmé Amidala's funeral procession on Naboo. Other than that, he is not truly seen, but through various novels and other Star Wars shows, we find out more about Jar Jar Binks' history and what happened to him.
Aftermath: Empire's End – Jar Jar Binks After The Movies
To find out what really happens to Jar Jar Binks after his political mishap, fans will have to read Aftermath: Empire's End by Chuck Wendig. This book reveals what actually happened to Jar Jar Binks after he inadvertently started the chain of events that would lead to Chancellor Palpatine taking over the Senate completely.
In the book, it is revealed that he is blamed by many for his role in the rise of the Empire due to his support for giving emergency powers to Palpatine. He is shunned by the general public, as well as the Gungans and once again exiled from Otoh Gunga and moves to Theed, the capital of Naboo.
There he becomes a street performer where he performs for street children who do not know his history. He is basically exiled on his own planet, left to live an anonymous life, due to the actions he took in the movies.