Star Wars secretly dropped a massive Darth Jar Jar clue five years ago. "Darth Jar Jar" is one of the most delightful fan theories of the prequel era; the idea that Jar Jar Binks is just too clumsy and too lucky to be believed. According to this theory, with seems to rightly amuse actor Ahmed Best himself, he is in fact the true "Phantom Menace" - a Sith Lord operating in secret to help Palpatine rise to power.
The Darth Jar Jar theory is popular enough that it even found its way into LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, which brought Best back to gleefully declare Jar Jar had always been the Phantom Menace. There are, surprisingly, quite a few details supporting the Darth Jar Jar theory - ranging from moments when Jar Jar literally destroyed enemies through his apparent clumsiness, to leaps and dives that do indeed look a little Force-assisted. Surprisingly, though, Star Wars has been hiding another piece of evidence in plain sight for five years; a scene where Jar Jar uses a lightsaber.
Jar Jar Secretly Used A Lightsaber Surprisingly Well
Published in 2019, Marvel's Age of Republic special featured three delightful short stories featuring different characters from the Clone Wars. One, "501 Plus One" by Marc Guggenheim and Caspter Wijngaard, is a team-up between Captain Rex and Jar Jar Binks during the Battle of Mimban. During the battle, Jedi General Laan Tik is killed; the clones retreat, trying to protect Senator Jar Jar Binks, who had accompanied them.
Captain Rex ultimately heads out on what promises to be a suicide mission, and he would have been right if not for the intervention of Jar Jar Binks. The senator somehow slipped away from the clones protecting him, armed with Laan Tik's lightsaber, and he uses it to cut down several battle droids and save Rex's life. The strike is a skillful one, all the more remarkable given Jar Jar then drops the lightsaber, and claims to Rex he almost killed himself five times.
Could Jar Jar Secretly Be A Lot More Powerful Than He Seems?
All this is delightfully in keeping with the Darth Jar Jar theory - the idea Jar Jar is secretly a powerful Force-sensitive who is hiding his true potential. Here, he uses the lightsaber to rescue Captain Rex, before feigning incompetence once again. Rex was a close associate of Anakin Skywalker, and it would make sense for the Sith to want him alive at this point in the Clone Wars.
It's important to remember there's a reason lightsabers are Jedi weapons, when technically anyone can use them. As the recently-published Star Wars: The High Republic - Lightsaber Collection explains:
"Jedi can use the Force to perform incredible feats, and the lightsaber is an extension of that skill. While its blade can slice through most materials with ease, its frictionless design makes it difficult to wield without preternatural precision. Only a Force user can use a lightsaber at its full potential."
Jar Jar's strike is a skillful one, destroying several battle droids with one blow. It's the kind of thing only a seasoned Force-sensitive should be able to do with a lightsaber, and one of the strongest pieces of supporting evidence for this Star Wars theory to date.
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