They are releasing a Jar Jar Binks Funko Pop as part of the 25th anniversary of TPM. Are there any DJJ detectives that want to take on the case? Maybe it's nothing, or maybe they made a new Funko Pop of one the most hated characters in Star Wars for a reason...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CGGN7C2C/

I don't know if this has been covered before but I started wondering if anyone ever spotted anything that could be subtly referencing DJJ in the 1997 re-release special edition versions of the original trilogy?

Granted I haven't seen that particular iteration in a hot minute (especially since it was released on VHS format only and basically faded into obscurity after Lucas released his 2004/2011 editions on DVD/Blu-ray-- which almost completely redoes most of the 97 changes) but wouldn't it make sense for him to put more references/hints of things to come relating to DJJ in said editions leading up to the release of 1999's The phantom menace?

Anyhow, just a shower thought I wanted to share with y'all.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sRjfdrZ2aTk

Here they go into more visual detail examining certain scenes a little closer than before regarding the prequels (including a couple I haven't seen before on any theory) on DJJ pulling the strings/influencing the direction of the story and its characters.

Namely instances where...

a) DJJ motions with his hands doing mind trickery ie directly influencing Wattos roll of the dice imitating the SAME EXACT hand gestures (!) when bargaining with Qui-Gon for Anakin and his mother's freedom

b) tinkering with Anakin's right side of the pod racer which later turns out being the crucial remaining strong engine that Anakin draws power from which helps him win the race

Obviously he wasn't Darth Vader but maybe someone with similar powers?

https://preview.redd.it/45soqj1nfagc1.png?width=1091&format=png&auto=webp&s=95e6403b177647fd44137a5cc0ab7e06a352c22d

I've seen other people asking- and may have asked at some point myself- do y'all believe the theory or is it 100% just a meme?

I always see answers not really answering so I want to know once and for all how many of you actually believe in the theory or if it's just a meme

I'm being genuine right now. I know theres genuine evidence backing up the theory, and Lucas himself even said that it was the original plan, but is most of it just a big inside joke in the Star Wars community or is everyone here serious?

If you watch the Phantom Menace and Clone Wars, you'll actually notice Jar Jar Binks survives close-up explosions twice:

• Once during the Battle of Naboo. Notice Jar Jar Binks is helped by a fellow Gangun soldier, only for both the soldier and animal to be killed. Jar Jar Binks flies in the air, unharmed.
• Another time during the clone wars, Jar Jar Binks was personally sent by Palpatine to retrieve Count Dooku (Palpatine's apprentice). If that isn't suspicious enough, notice that after Jar Jar Binks is made commander once General Kharrus is killed, Jar Jar Binks comes up with a brilliant plan in a seemingly hopeless situation.
  • Jar Jar Binks and the clone troopers are hopelessly outnumbered by three enemy tanks.
  • What does Jar Jar Binks do? He makes a dual-plan. Fake his surrender, then pretend to be dumb and take control of one enemy tank to eliminate the other two. If Binks' plan partially fails, then at least two tanks are eliminated. This is how Jar Jar Binks got himself and the clone troopers out of a seemingly hopeless situation.
• In Episode 2, you will see Padame's servant, Corde, is killed by an assassination attempt. Corde is thrown by an explosion and her body is still intact. But, she dies shortly.

How does Jar Jar Binks magically survive point blank explosions? In episode 6, you'll even notice an Ewok dies being so close to an explosion. His friend does survive though, but consider that explosion is nowhere near the sizes Jar Jar faced.

If Jar Jar was supposed to be a sith lord, he would've had a unique Darth title similar to Sidious and Vader, and it's fair to assume that he would've been Darth Plagueis before Episode 2's retconning. Watching the "Plagueis the Wise" scene from that perspective is interesting; Palpatine explains that Plagueis had the ability to influence midi-chlorians to create life, and then gives Anakin a very slow and deliberate look (0:30 here). Qui-Gon said in TPM that it's possible Anakin was conceived by the midi-chlorians while talking to the jedi council, and it would be fitting for Jar Jar's manipulative and deceptive personality to pull the strings in such a way. He also appears to be the one behind orchestrating the visit to Tatooine and the discovery of Anakin by Qui-Gon and the others.

I flaired "personal theory" but it's more about Jar Jar than Darth Jar Jar... as if there is a difference?

A question to polyglots here: It sometimes happens that the voice acting in English is better/worse than in other languages - for example, almost everyone will tell you that Homer Simpson is 100% better in French, or that Japanese Batman is peak, etc.

The first time I saw Phantom Menace (favorite movie, btw) I didn't think too much of Jar Jar. I neither liked him nor disliked him, I was mostly just focused on how awesome Darth Maul, Naboo and the Trade Federation were.

I just couldn't understand the "hate" - relative, Only a Sith Deals in Absolutes - against both the movie, and Jar Jar in particular.

However I didn't watch the film in English. Years later, when I finally watched the prequels in original version I noticed that Jar Jar's voice is kind of annoying - though not *that* annoying, I've heard a thousand times worse tbh, but still enough to be distracting. Like more high-pitched and weirder than what I was used to.

Maybe it's his voice that changes the way he is perceived? I don't think he is so hated outside of English speaking countries.

EDIT: just checked on the 1) French version and he sounds almost EXACTLY like Gollum from LOTR lol. Interesting for crossover theory :) Willing to be messa's finger that it's the same dubber who did both characters. 2) Japanese he sounds like a generic anime character, not bad but nothing special, not as distracting as in English. 3) German - I don't have the movie in this case, so I just searched Youtube - he sounds pretty close to the English version. The closest match I think. Maybe the Germans hate him too?

Just brainstorming on Jar Jar & his appreciation depending on the language.

PS: Phantom Menace > ALL.