The Mandalorian Theory: Jar Jar Binks Is The Unsung Hero Of The Jedi Purge

This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of The Mandalorian.

The newest episode of "The Mandalorian" offers us a brand new window into how Grogu was able to survive the great Jedi Purge when Darth Sidious called for Order 66. In previous seasons, we've seen wisps of people defending him, but no clear story about how he got out of the temple, but that all changed today. We were introduced to the Jedi that whisked him from the temple: Kelleran Beq, played by the redoubtable Ahmed Best. Best is no stranger to "Star Wars" — he got his start in a galaxy far, far away playing Jar Jar Binks in "The Phantom Menace."

As Kelleran Beq makes his way out of the Jedi Temple, speeding through the traffic lanes of Coruscant with Grogu in tow, he heads to some friends that are going to help him and other Jedi escape the clutches of the Empire. As he descends to the platform, we see that they're wearing the garb of the Naboo security guards like we'd seen many times in the "Star Wars" prequels. The ship waiting is an H-Type Nubian, very similar to the one Anakin and Padmé used to go from Naboo to Tatooine in "Attack of the Clones."

All of this leads one to believe that someone from Naboo is helping the Jedi as best they can, but who?

The first name you might think of is Padmé Amidala. She's a senator at this time and has no love for the tyranny increasingly displayed by the Chancellor. But if you think back to "Revenge of the Sith," the order of events really doesn't work. The march on the temple happens while Padmé is sitting in her apartment, wondering what's going on with Anakin. After the purge is complete, Anakin, having already taken the name Darth Vader, comes to see her. She only knows there's an attack on the temple, but has no idea the Jedi are in danger and has no idea what's going on. Anakin fills her in with his version of the story, that the Jedi led a coup and the rebellion needed to be put down. "I can't believe that," she tells him, but her reaction is genuine.

We see that this plan with Kelleran Beq was something in motion and urgent because of the attack on the temple. It wasn't like knowledge of this was very public, even Bail Organa in "Revenge of the Sith" barely stumbles upon it and escapes with his life. No, they had to call someone, give them the information, and have them react and help.

And that someone had to have access to a ship and resources from Naboo.

So who could have offered this help to Kelleran Beq and Grogu?

Who else is potentially on the planet and a high-ranking official from Naboo? None other than Jar Jar Binks. Jar Jar represented the Gungans and the Naboo as a representative and we have no clue as to his whereabouts during "Revenge of the Sith." And it would make a great sort of sense to think that he's friends with Kelleran Beq, another character played by the same actor.

If there's one thing about Jar Jar Binks we know for sure, it's his unfailing loyalty. If a Jedi he counted as a friend called him for help, he would be there to give it no questions asked. The situation feels as though Beq made that call for help, and this was what was left to offer. It feels unlikely that the call would have gone to Padmé, otherwise, her conversation with Anakin in her apartment would have gone very differently.

No, I think it's safe to assume that the hero who helped get Grogu off of Coruscant in the wake of Order 66 was Jar Jar Binks.

It doesn't make sense any other way from a character or a timeline perspective.

For too long, a small sect of fans have given Jar Jar Binks a bad rap, but he's one of the most charming characters in the "Star Wars" mythos — and it's great to see Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau offering subtle nuggets like this to help rehabilitate the character to a broader audience.

Jar Jar always represented an era of cinema in the "Star Wars" movies that doesn't always get the most attention. All of the Akira Kurosawa and John Ford references tend to be the ones at the forefront of people's minds, but many "Star Wars" fans forget that Jar Jar Binks walked right out of classic silent film routines. I wrote about that length here in the case of one particular Buster Keaton movie. 

We have a lot to thank Jar Jar for, including uniting the Naboo and the Gungans together in "The Phantom Menace," but I think it's clear we can add "saving Grogu" to the list as well. He's the unsung hero of this episode of "The Mandalorian" and deserves our thanks.

"Star Wars: The Mandalorian" is streaming only on Disney+. New episodes come every Wednesday.