Jar Jar Binks- Why is he so hated?

He was forced into every scene of the movie in a transparent attempt to sell Jar-Jar merchandise. It didn't help that he was obnoxious and borderline racist, which if he didn't have those traits would have made the character at least more tolerable. Also compounded by an older fanbase that saw Jar Jar as doubling down on the childish elements of the franchise and, in my opinion, distracting from the film itself with random slapstick routines.

 

You might as well be describing similar characters like C3-P0, R2-D2, the Ewoks, and BB-8. I don't understand why you need to focus this complaint directly upon Jar Jar.

 

I’m only describing how the fan base hates Jar Jar rather than throwing in my own opinion too much. At least the droids and Ewoks in the other movies were more useful to the plot. Jar Jar doesn’t really have a purpose in TPM after leaving Naboo.

 

Spoiler: Spoilers from Empire's End

Man, I read Jar Jar's chapter in Aftermath today, and it was actually kinda sweet. I think it's pretty clear that he never should have been nearly as involved with Galactic affairs as he was, but that's kind of the fault of far more experienced people. I mean, Padme of all people put him in perhaps his most damaging position.

The Jar Jar we see in Aftermath is a battered and shunned. I mean, a lot has already been said about the obvious parallels between how Jar Jar was loved by the children and hated by the adults in both Theed and our own cinemas, but there's one more thing I wanted to touch on- Mapo really needed Jar Jar. It's not like Jar Jar was just some stupid diversion for him- Mapo was kind of an outcast on his own, and Jar Jar was quite literally one of the only people who would talk to him.

Whether you are or were a fan of the gungan or not, I think a lot of fans understand that Star Wars has been here for us when we needed it. I don't mean this as a criticism of Star Wars fans, because everyone has their awkward stage- but in some way or another, I'm sure this series has helped us get through rough times. For a lot of kids in my generation, Jar Jar was a part of that.

Just some food for thought. He may well be a mess of a character, but he was also probably pretty important to some people.

 

That really was a touching interlude.

 

I never regarded Jar Jar's character as "a mess". I never understood this aversion to him. It's not like the other characters were perfect. Hell, I like him better than Kylo Ren.

 

That's fine, I totally get that. I'm just saying that a lot of people feel that way.

Personally, I just realize that he's not for me, and I move on.

 

Everyone knows a silly clumsy person, Jar Jar never bothered me. The only thing that makes me cringe is the end battle when he is tossing around that blue bomb... I shake my head every time; any who, I also enjoyed Wendig's Interlude. I just watched an interview with Ahmed Best a couple days ago, great guy. He worked hard on that role and the backlash went too far IMHO. Whenever you see a guy wearing a Jar Jar mask at Con its hilarious... Star Wars Battlefront 2 should incorporate the Gungan army into the game it would be loads of fun! I had a great time playing as a Battle droid!

 

I really think, more than anything, he just doesn't serve a purpose to the films. Obviously, his role was diminished significantly after the backlash he faced from The Phantom Menace, but even The Clone Wars gave him far too many episodes. (Why on Earth they would willingly have entire episodes focus solely on his character is beyond me....)

As a kid, sure, I loved Jar Jar. He was fun and interesting and whatever, but looking back, I can totally understand how fans of the Original Trilogy in particular would be offended by him. Like others have said, at least the Ewoks served a purpose. (Plus, they were cute. I really don't think you can hate them. The Gungans are just annoying.) Plus, even for Star Wars, the luck Jar Jar had was just too unbelievable. The Battle of Naboo is a perfect example. If that played out realistically, he would've been the first one dead.

He's not a horrible character, but he's one of the most useless and annoying characters in Star Wars, I think. I don't mind him too much because he is a part of Star Wars and, like I said, he could've been worse, but he literally served no purpose other than to market the film to kids. (Although I still don't understand what's appealing about a sucker shaped like Jar Jar's tongue. No one wants to French kiss that.)

 

it's a fitting end. it's not disrespectful and yet he gets what he deserves in a certain way.
and in a trilogy that puts a lot of emphasis on the children of war and what they suffer, he's also a little bit heroic in his own right.

 

Way back in August, I posted an' asked if anyone was familiar with Bryan Young (Full of Sith podcast Co-Host) an' his take on Jar Jar.

Found a transscription of his thought that some fella fan had done, it's here:


...yeah, yeah...Reddit, that Ain't the point of it. What Is are the words within.

They're better heard from Bryan himself on the podcast.

 

Oh, Jar Jar... everyone hates you but me (and Comic Book Guy).

 

...an' Me ...an' Bryan Young... an' there's a Few more...then a few more'n that ... yep.

 

You kiss Jar Jar to sleep at night as well, like me?

That's so awesome @Ruralfarmboy!

 

Well, he's annoying and pretty much responsible for Sheev's rise to power.

 

NOT His Fault !!!!!!!!!!
......Well .... Not But Really....But Not !!

 

"The Phantom Menace" hit theaters the same year I turned 19 years old...and I've loved Jar Jar without apology ever since. His purpose was to serve as a counterpoint, to all the darkness which would happen later in "Clones" and "Sith". I didn't like the fart jokes and such, but I also never understood all the cries of "racism" and whatnot. My only other frame of reference for Jamaican people was the Disney film "Cool Runnings", and that's a favorite movie of mine too. Nothing in either film seemed mean-spirited; I just think too many people have become over-sensitive because of political correctness. I also feel for Ahmed Best, and wish he'd get a chance to play a different character in the current trilogy. They could make him the grandson of his "bar patron" character from "Attack of the Clones", or something similar.

 

Hes the clown character and an obvious one at that. Besides that the whole Gungan storyline was shoehorned into that movie and made 0 sense.

 

Wrong.I love a good fart joke.Farts are funny. I do not love Jar Jar Binks.

 

Like several others have said, I never hated him but I was 19 when TPM came out and a little too old for his BS. There were many things I didn't like about that movie and Jar Jar was only one of them. If I had thought it was a perfect movie that was ruined only by Jar Jar, then I would have burned him in effigy along with the rest of the angry mob. I can support the idea of a Jar Jar type character, same design and comic relief/child appeal. I don't mind something for the kids, Star Wars should appeal to kids most of all. But that stupid voice/accent, and what I guess are pop culture references to Full House and Wayne's World ("How rude" and "Exsqueeze Me" respectively), were too much for me. I don't know if kids are "smarter than that", but they are capable of being entertained by something smarter than that.

These days I'm glad he's there and wouldn't have it any other way, he makes such great bait for the Rifftrax guys.