Jar Jar’s father, George R. Binks
Not all crazy Star Wars stories are canon. But this one, for completely unfathomable reasons, was.
The tale of George R. Binks may be one of the craziest Star Wars stories ever written. It is a comic that was published in 2004 and that tells the tragic story of Jar Jar’s father.
Binks & Son Whaling Company
The comic narrates the story of George, his wife, and his son Jar Jar crashing on a desolate island (thanks to Jar Jar). It shows the despair of George and his disappointment and resentment of his clumsy son who is not worthy to continue the lineage of the old renowned “Binks & Son Whaling Company”.
There are some interesting trivia in this comic. One is the Binkses’ abovementioned whaling family tradition. Another is George’s wife and the backstory of their marriage. We learn that George once loved Sheebla, a gungan warrior-woman. But George knew that she would not bear him a son. He decided that having an heir was more important than love – the choice he eventually came to regret in the face of his son’s clumsiness.
Trigger Warning: Suicide Attempt
The comic is a mixture of ridiculous scenes involving Jar Jar and George’s surprisingly brutal resentment of his son. George is frustrated to the point that he considers going with Jar Jar’s (stupid) plan to swim for help despite it being “years” before one could reach another shore. He is about to send his son to a certain death when his wife stops him.
At one point the despairing George also attempts suicide. He shoots himself in the head, but the shot only grazes his skull and he falls unconscious. When coming to, he hallucinates his love Sheebla – but when his vision clears, he sees that it was only Jar Jar wearing an octopus on his head.
Jar Jar, his mother, and his father George R. Binks.
George R… Lucas?
The tragic tale of George R. Binks is a ridiculous story that is not just funny but at times rather drastic. That part can be perhaps understood only as a response to the fandom’s hatred of Jar Jar. George’s feelings may have felt relatable to some of the audience who were similarly frustrated with Jar Jar.
Another question is whether George may be a cipher for George Lucas, Jar Jar’s actual “father”. Unlike George R. Binks, however, Lucas made Jar Jar with the full intention to make him ridiculous, so there is no reason for him to be disappointed by his “son’s” antics.
Whatever the case, the comic is clearly playing the card of showing Jar Jar in the most crazy situations (speaking in his typical ridiculous manner, wearing an octopus, getting pinched by a crab while holding it too close to his face). The entire story is tongue-in-cheek, but not too much over the top, which is probably the reason why it had not been clearly ruled out of canon before Disney’s 2014 reset.
The unlucky probe droid in Tony Millionaire’s “Hoth” comic.
Fact Or Fiction
The comic’s creator and artist, Tony Millionaire, made only one more Star Wars comic: a short two-page story named “Hoth”. It has a similar, not-entirely-serious mood: it tells the story of a wampa that, while hunting, ends up catching a probe droid. The tale ends with the droid hanging upside-down in the wampa cave, just like Luke in Episode V.
The tale of George R. Binks is one of the pieces that one might be happy to consider non-canon. But who has ever actually wanted to learn about Jar Jar’s parents? There is no reason not to think that Jar Jar’s parents were just like they are depicted in this comic. If nothing else, it would explain why Jar Jar grew up into such a troubled individual.
Other bizarre Star Wars stories:
