A parody poster for the upcoming Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi show brings back Star Wars' most hated character, Jar-Jar Binks. Played by Ahmed Best, Jar-Jar was introduced in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Creator George Lucas envisioned him as the humorous sidekick in the movie, and a character kids would love. Unfortunately, fans, children, and adults alike didn't respond to him thanks to the poor writing and irritating voice he had. The role was something of a poisoned chalice for Best for a long time, with the actor admitting he wanted Lucas to kill him off in the prequels following fan reaction.
Despite playing an increasingly reduced part in Episode II and Episode III, Jar Jar remains a large part of Star Wars lore, having also appeared in The Clone Wars, and fans have re-evaluated the character in recent years. That's why when the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series was first announced, many speculated Jar Jar would make a surprise return, some even suggesting he'd sport a beard. Best quickly shut down those rumors, though, saying he believed Lucasfilm wanted to move as far away from the character as they can.
Now, designer and digital artist Olly Gibbs has created a fan poster which imagines Jar Jar returning as a lightsaber-wielding hero in Obi-Wan Kenobi, crafting a hilarious one-sheet featuring Jar Jar triumphantly holding aloft a blue lightsaber. Gibbs, who previously created a fake Rogue One poster with all of the characters replaced by Jar Jar, jokes that he can't understand why Disney hasn't chosen to work with him yet. Check out the funny art below:
While it's unlikely Jar Jar would appear, there's still a possibility, especially since the show will be set just 10 years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and will see the return of prequels actor Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader. That means the series will draw a clear line from the prequels and allow the likes of Jar Jar to make appearances. There's no doubt it would be fun if the character made a cameo, perhaps hiding out on Tattoine thanks to his role in elevating the Emperor to power.
Of course, Gibbs' poster plays up the humorous aspect of the character, presenting him as a heroic figure who will play a central part in the plot. That's very unlikely to happen, as Obi-Wan Kenobi will no doubt have a similar tone to the one adopted by Disney+'s smash-hit Star Wars series, The Mandalorian. It's also unclear whether fans would cheer Jar Jar's return or threaten to burn Disney down. At this point in Star Wars history, it's tough to tell where he stands.
Source: Olly Gibbs
