After decades of ridicule and fan backlash, Star Wars’ most controversial Gungan, Jar Jar Binks, is preparing for a long-awaited redemption. The galaxy far, far away is giving the clumsy hero a second chance through a new one-shot comic titled Star Wars: Jar Jar Binks #1. The story pairs him with Jedi Knight Kelleran Beq and promises to dive into the emotional and moral consequences of his past—particularly his fateful decision to grant emergency powers to Chancellor Palpatine.
Co-written by Star Wars veteran Marc Guggenheim and Ahmed Best—the actor behind both Jar Jar Binks and Kelleran Beq—the comic will explore Jar Jar’s journey in the aftermath of Revenge of the Sith. Featuring art by Kieran McKeown and Laura Braga, the issue is set to release in February 2026.
A New Path for a Misunderstood Hero
Once intended as comic relief in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Jar Jar Binks quickly became one of the franchise’s most despised characters. Meant to delight younger audiences with slapstick humor and naïve optimism, the Gungan instead drew ire from critics and older fans, who found him irritating rather than endearing. Many saw him as a walking disaster, often causing more harm than good.
For years, his reputation was so poor that fan theories emerged portraying him as “Darth Jar Jar,” a secret Sith Lord manipulating events from behind the scenes—a parody that gained enough popularity to appear in LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy.
But recent years have seen a surprising shift. Ahmed Best’s portrayal of Jedi Kelleran Beq in The Mandalorian changed public perception of both the actor and the character. Fans praised Beq’s calm presence and heroism, and Best’s return to the franchise became a symbol of resilience after years of online criticism. The upcoming Jar Jar Binks comic continues that path, symbolically intertwining Beq and Binks—the noble Jedi and the foolish Gungan—as two sides of the same legacy.
Facing the Consequences
The comic’s synopsis reveals that Jar Jar will “face the consequences” of his actions during the rise of Palpatine’s Empire. Struggling with guilt for unknowingly aiding the birth of the Galactic Empire, Jar Jar will reportedly find himself at the dawn of the Rebel Alliance. This premise signals something unprecedented for the character: emotional depth.
For the first time, readers will see beyond Jar Jar’s clumsiness and comedic surface to the inner turmoil of a man burdened by regret. His partnership with Kelleran Beq offers him a chance to rediscover purpose and perhaps atone for his past mistakes. As Beq helps him navigate a changing galaxy, the story could mark Jar Jar’s transformation from accidental instigator to reluctant hero.
Ahmed Best’s Full-Circle Moment
For Ahmed Best, Star Wars: Jar Jar Binks #1 represents both professional and personal renewal. Best’s initial portrayal of Jar Jar in The Phantom Menace made him a household name but also a lightning rod for disdain. The backlash took a heavy toll, leaving the actor disillusioned with the franchise for years.
His surprise appearance as Kelleran Beq in The Mandalorian—where the character saved Grogu during the Jedi Purge—sparked a wave of goodwill from fans. Now, with the new comic, Best is not only returning to the universe that once rejected him but also co-writing a story that reframes his infamous character with nuance and empathy.
Reframing the Legacy
The idea of linking Jar Jar to the formation of the Rebel Alliance is a daring creative move. For fans, it offers a chance to revisit an oft-mocked character through a more mature lens. For the franchise, it marks an effort to reconcile Star Wars’ tonal extremes—balancing humor, tragedy, and redemption.
Though not all fans have been clamoring for a Jar Jar-centric story, few can deny the symbolic importance of this project. It finally acknowledges that the character who once embodied Star Wars’ biggest misstep might also represent one of its great comebacks. Beyond nostalgia, the one-shot promises to redefine how audiences view failure, growth, and forgiveness in a galaxy that has always championed second chances.
With Star Wars: Jar Jar Binks #1 scheduled for release in February 2026, the Gungan’s journey from comic relief to complex hero may finally give Ahmed Best—and Jar Jar himself—the respect they both deserve.
