Liberal Jar Jar
An ice-cold Žižekian take on Darth Jar Jar, a Star Wars fan theory from nearly ten years ago about a movie that came out 25 years ago. It's politically relevant! Honestly!
In an effort to be as topical as possible, I want to tackle a fan theory about a series of films that came out 25 years ago, films that had a mixed reception at the time and in fact I barely remember. I'm pretty sure I didn't even watch the third one, so this should be good.
I'm talking about the Star Wars prequels and the iconic character of Jar Jar Binks. Few cinematic characters have been as loathed as Binks, the comical side character introduced early in the story and quietly written down to the barest of presences in the second and third film.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, you might as well stop here, it's only going to get more hyperreal from here. Regular service will resume on the next mail.
Darth Jar Jar
In 2016 a Reddit user posted a fan theory that Jar Jar Binks was, in fact, a space wizard, and an evil one at that, and that he might be in super-cahoots with Senator Palpatine, the series' ultimate contagonist. This theory, known as "Darth Jar Jar", makes a compelling argument that this was George Lucas' plan and that the team backed down from the reveal when it became apparent how hated the Jar Jar character was.
A recent Lego Star Wars game even explicitly plays with this idea:
My proposal, however, is even more radical. While we can speculate regarding the deeper creative intention and choices involved, I think we learn more from a surface reading of the text. Jar Jar Binks, the clumsy Gungan, is not evil... he's simply a fash-friendly liberal.
Narrative Roles
Pegged by his associates as serving the narrative purpose of comic relief, nobody notices or objects when Jar Jar rises from nobody to General in the Gungan army to Junior Representative in the Naboo delegation to the Galactic Senate to acting Senator for Naboo. He is not perceived by anyone as a Serious Main Character, and as such the danger that he represents is simply not recognised, even after he hands sweeping emergency power to Chancellor Palpatine to build and deploy a huge army, the power that ultimately enables the rise of the Empire. Having betrayed the entire Galaxy, Jar Jar is last seen walking unchallenged in Amidala's funeral procession as if he were her friend.
We often cast our political opponents as stupid or incompetent, mocking their malapropisms and mistakes, treating as ridiculous their clumsy flailing for power. Unfortunately, the platform is not level, and intelligence and competence (as popularly understood and valued) are both myths that make it hard for us to see straight. We must put on the analytical lenses of function and behaviour to understand what is, in fact, taking place.
Democracies given away
Lucas, while discussing the Orig Trilig's inspiration, made an interesting observation regarding Nixon's presidency, that it "got [him] to thinking historically about how do democracies get turned into dictatorships. Because the democracies aren't overthrown; they're given away."
In the prequels we see a democracy given away. Certainly, a degree of deception is involved, more than we see in real politics. In our world, the enemies of meaning and humanity can mostly outright state their intentions, and they will still be treated as serious and reasonable people who are entitled to good faith.
In our world, would-be dictators in our world receive phone calls of congratulations from heads of state, they are welcomed into UN assemblies to speak freely. Their malicious political acts, designed to weaken and destroy liberal institutions, are downplayed and rationalised by a group of people who seem to think that someone else is coming to save them. Liberals believe in civility above all. After all, they might never fall to the hammer, though, of course, they agree it's awful that so many others are.
With friends like these
Fascists don't worry me. We know what to do with fascists, and it's easy enough to spot the bastards once you know not to listen to the lies streaming endlessly from their mouths. What worries me is the liberal bulwark that holds the fate of the world in its death grip, and violently resists any attempts to change the status quo, or even to defend the status quo from fascist attack. Jar Jar Binks thinks he's a good guy. He thinks he did all that he could. Nobody could blame him for the rise of the Empire, and nobody in Star Wars does. Isn't it funny how the good guy could possibly be mistaken for an evil Sith lord?
Thanks for bearing with me while I extracted this ridiculous cold take as if it were a stinger embedded in my skin. I wanted to lighten the mood and play with something a bit more silly; heavens knows we need the comic relief.