Summary

• Jar Jar Binks's clumsiness may not be genuine, but rather an act to disguise his true nature as a Sith Lord infiltrating the Republic.
• Palpatine carefully orchestrated events to manipulate the galaxy, and Jar Jar's involvement suggests he may have been the eyes and ears on Naboo.
• Jar Jar's goofy movements and ability to avoid death hint at hidden Force skills, and his hand gestures resemble those of Jedi or Sith using mind tricks.

There are many popular fan theories in the Star Wars universe, some far more outlandish than others. One Star Wars theory that still holds some weight among the fandom is whether the infamous Jar Jar Binks might be a Sith Lord masquerading as a complete and utter buffoon. Though it might seem far-fetched at first glance, there is amusing circumstantial evidence suggesting it might hold water.

The Darth Jar Jar theory has had something of a resurgence after Ahmed Best, who provided the voice and motion capture for Jar Jar in the prequel trilogy, returned to Star Wars in The Mandalorian season 3. This leads many to look again at Jar Jar's actions, which undeniably paved the way for the rise of the Galactic Empire. The question is whether these actions were accidental or intentional.

10 Jar Jar's Clumsiness Might Be An Act

The driving force behind the Darth Jar Jar theory is that Binks was so absurdly clumsy and inept that it borders on theatrics. It's the perfect cover-up for a Sith apprentice who wanted to infiltrate the Republic, since he would be the last person anyone would suspect. Even Qui-Gon Jinn dismissed Jar Jar as unintelligent, while Obi-Wan Kenobi called him a "pathetic life form." His over-the-top clumsiness is an ironclad alibi. Sheev Palpatine managed to cloak himself in the guise of benevolence for years while operating right under the Jedi Order's noses. Could Jar Jar have done the same?

9 Palpatine Carefully Orchestrated Everything

The events that led to Qui-Gon Jinn discovering Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine and Anakin eventually being corrupted and turned to the dark side were carefully orchestrated by Palpatine from the beginning. He meticulously crafted his plan to manipulate the entire galaxy, and nothing was left to chance. This raises the intriguing question of whether Jar Jar was the eyes and ears on Naboo - Palpatine's homeworld - and ultimately chose to get close to the Chosen One.

8 Jar Jar's Goofy Movements Might Be Disguised Force Skills

Disguised as klutziness for slapstick comedy, Jar Jar is frequently seen doing acrobatics that only Force users can do. These moves are generally used during near-death experiences, saving him from danger. Naturally, he dumbs it down for the sake of effect, but perhaps there's more to his goofiness than meets the eye. This is perhaps a hint that Jar Jar is Force-sensitive yet hides his abilities unless called on. He also has a knack for avoiding death, as demonstrated several times during the Battle of Naboo against the Trade Federation's droid army. It may be a coincidence, but perhaps not.

7 Jar Jar Infiltrated The Senate

At the beginning of Attack of the Clones, Jar Jar is revealed to have been elected as a junior representative of Naboo in the Galactic Senate. This was a significant step up from when he could barely cling to his skin. Perhaps his involvement at the Battle of Naboo was a test. It's unlikely that someone with Jar Jar's apparent lack of intelligence could gain political power without having skill with manipulation or friends in high places. Perhaps Palpatine played a role in his election, ensuring he would have an ally throughout his career.

6 Jar Jar Gave Absolute Power To Chancellor Palpatine

"It's possible Darth Jar Jar's identity was a closely guarded secret, known only to Palpatine himself."

A crucial part of Palpatine’s plan to turn the Republic into the Empire involved being given absolute power during a state of intergalactic emergency. The representative who managed to get the Senate to vote in favor of giving Palpatine that power was Jar Jar. Many critics of this fan theory point out that Palpatine and his aide would not have needed subtlety when speaking about the Emergency Powers Act while Jar Jar was near. They would have ordered him to do it, but it's possible Darth Jar Jar's identity was a closely guarded secret, known only to Palpatine himself.

5 Jar Jar Uses Hand Gestures When He Wants To Change Someone’s Opinion

Whenever Jar Jar tries to convince somebody of something, he gestures with his hands, just like any Jedi or Sith attempting to use the mind trick to change someone’s opinion. This gesturing is most prevalent, perhaps not coincidentally when Jar Jar tries to convince the Senate to give full power to Palpatine. Granted, it would take a Sith Lord of enormous power to influence so many minds, but it's an intriguing premise nonetheless. Sith Lords dominate wills, whereas Jedi only use subtle influence to sway the weak-minded. If Binks was a Sith Lord, he rivaled Darth Sidious in this area.

4 Jar Jar Mirrors Yoda In Interesting Ways

In The Empire Strikes Back, when Luke travels to Dagobah, Yoda initially acts like a bumbling buffoon to offset any preconceptions that he might be the last surviving Jedi in hiding. This mirrors Jar Jar, who might act like a bumbling buffoon to dissuade anyone from suspecting him of being an all-powerful Sith Lord. Granted, Yoda's con game was done to test Luke Skywalker's patience and see if he had what it took to become a Jedi Knight. Still, George Lucas has always insisted Star Wars is like poetry in that it rhymes, and this would be another illustration.

3 The Darth Vader Connection

After the Empire rose, many Naboo residents and other galactic civilizations turned their eyes to Jar Jar, believing he had allowed tyranny to infiltrate the Republic. Rumors circulated that he had been secretly in league with Palpatine from the start. Others even believed that Darth Jar Jar and Darth Vader were the same person. Strange as it sounds, it seems many Star Wars characters also thought that Binks might have had connections with the Sith, perhaps an active member himself. This is backed up by content in the canon book Star Wars: The Legends of Luke Skywalker by Ken Liu.

2 Jar Jar's Possible Redemption Arc

Not all Sith remain evil, as evidenced by many Sith Lords in the past, such as Revan and Vader. Could Binks have gone through a similar epiphany? There's reason to believe it, given the events that followed the Empire's fall. During the Battle of Jakku where the Empire finally fell, Binks was back on Naboo, making a humble living as a street performer. Ostracized from society for his possible role in the rise of the Empire, he took solace in delighting local children who loved his antics. Binks may have renounced his ways and come back to the light side.

1 Ahmed Best And George Lucas Have All But Confirmed It

George Lucas once claimed that Jar Jar was his favorite Star Wars character, referring to him as the "key” to the saga in the making-of documentary for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best tweeted, “it feels really good when the hidden meaning behind the work is seen, no matter how long it takes.” Darth Jar Jar might have been one of the prequel trilogy's unused ideas that never made it on screen. Either way, Jar Jar was more than he appeared to be in Star Wars - meaning Darth Jar Jar is surprisingly believable.