PT Chewie vs. Jar Jar

I didn't know where to put this, OT or PT, so It's pretty much random.
Apologies if this has been brought up before or should be placed somewhere else.



Much sacrilege, such offensive, wow.

This guy goes on for ten minutes and makes a very good case for how Jar Jar Binks is a much better character than Chewbacca. And I'm surprised (though I don't know his audience) he made it to the end without being burned at the stake. (Though one never knows what happened after that camera went off...)

I don't get at all where he got his final conclusion from, but I like the "review" and thinks it really makes sense.

And overall, I think the difference in opinion on these two is the same as with prequel bashers normally:

 

This should probably go in the Saga forum as a whole, as it includes a PT character in contrast to an OT character.

A much better OT character at that . Though I guess, technically he makes a five minute cameo in ROTS, so maybe you're good bro.

No competition, Chewie takes Jar Jar. Not only is Chewie non-annoying, he's cute and he actually delivers comedy so much better without actually speaking english.

Love da Chew'z.

 

It's a funny tirade, I'll give it that, but it's pretty obvious that it's meant to be at least partially toungue in cheek. He definitely is very selective in the details he highlights and the things he leaves out of context.

Jar Jar is the fool of the saga. Like him or not, that's what he is and that's who he's meant to be. His performance in the battle of Naboo, I think, is proof of that. Despite going through some significant progression (he's gone from unknown outcast to an important "warrior") he's still at heart the same clumsy fool we met at the beginning of the movie. The only droids he kills are on accident. When he waves his hands up in surrender, it's obviously being played for laughs, not because Jar Jar had a greater plan in mind.

Chewie, on the other hand, was intended from the very beginning to be more like the family dog. He's temprental with outsiders (C3PO is still less than an aquaintance when they first meet on the Falcon) but fiercely loving of his friends. He's a competent warrior and he proves himself genuinely useful at many points. Does he have a couple moments of cowardice and foolishness? Sure, but it's all meant to be viewed through that lense. He's a golden retriever.

 

Jar Jar's name is not an accidental choice by Lucas. He's jarring. "to have a harshly unpleasant or perturbing effect on one's nerves, feelings, thoughts, etc.: "

The larger point his name isn't Jerk Jerk. He is a fool and has no malice in his heart.

 

He does bring up some very excellent points.

• Chewie leaving his wife and child. Yes, he had a life debt, that is one thing, but to smuggle and sell drugs? I hadn't thought of that before, but yes, he is 100% right. I wonder what Chewie told his wife and son. Personally, if I had a husband and he left us for that reason...well let's just say if ever came back he wouldn't find us.
• Chewie ripping off someone arms all over losing a game. That I always thought was very silly and childish. There are worse problems in the Galaxy. And Chewie and other Wookiees probably wonder why the Galaxy doesn't give Wookiees better treatment. That scene proves why.
• Jar Jar is very loyal. Very true. I will give him that.
• Jar Jar's clumsiness might be a Will of the Force. I had actually wondered about that. It does always seems to save his skin. Reminds me of Zayne Carrick in KOTOR. As Qui-Gon said, "Nothing happens by accident."

 

A life-debt is very important in Wookie culture in the EU. It trumps marital vows even. His wife in the EU forced Han to take Chewie.

 

I am not surprised.

A character who's completely innocent at heart wins every time and, while Wookiees are interesting, Chewie as a character is err...hardly a character. He was created for boys to admire him for being the überanimal with all that rage inside of him, at least in the films. Not gentle enough to be the team mom or whatever most people try to portray him as.

Jar Jar is there for people to enjoy him and there is this tongue-in-cheek take on the dangers of random fools becoming politicians. He's quite peculiar when you look at it closer. Plus, he wouldn't hurt a fly.

 

Jar Jar Binks may be annoying ,but Chewie wasn't the sharpest tact in the box either.
Anyone recall the scene with the dead animal in ROTJ or him trying to fix C3PO in ESB?
Also he seems quiet violent and wasn't he involved in some criminal type stuff? I do think Chewie has a heart and cares about some people, obviously Han Solo.

Jar Jar I think is someone who does care about others and wants to help, but causes trouble with his stupidity and is cowardly at times, remember the battle of Naboo? Jar Jar would have been better if he was toned down. I am not really bothered by him in AOTC and ROTS, but he his ridiculous in TPM and TCW.

 

We don't know why Han and Chewie were working for Jabba. Not going to hold that against them until we find out more. Though what they did in the Han Solo trilogy in the EU works for me. Chewie cared for Leia and Luke as well.

 

Yes, I know he cared for Luke and Leia later, but wasn't Han's character meant to be a Space pirate of sorts? I never did read the Han solo trilogy I doubt they did honest work for Jabba. I see them as shady type characters before they joined the alliance and became less self centered as time went on. I do think Chewie was probably the better of the duo, and perhaps he could have even convinced Han to return in ANH to help.

When I said Chewie cared about some people I meant it in a way that he's not like Jar Jar. I think Jar Jar gets along faster with people than Chewbecca. I think it takes time for Chewie to like certain people, at least that's what I imagine. He didn't seem to get on with Luke right away, at least that's how I see it with the handcuff scene.

In no way am I bashing Chewie, but he isn't perfect and nor is Jar Jar, but both characters they way I see it evolved. Jar Jar seems to have smartened up a bit in AOTC even though he was manipulated, he at least is capable of making a speech and Chewie has softened up a bit from being the wookie "who'll pull arms from your socket if he loses" .

 

Jar jar is an atrocity and Chewie rules . nough said

 

Chewie saw his world and people enslaved by the Empire. He was following Han, who just wanted to survive. Chewie helped convince Han to go back and help Luke.

Jar Jar was a collection of bad 30's slapstick, an unintentionally racist accent, and poo jokes.

Look at this awesome Chewbacca song. Does anyone ever write songs about Jar Jar? No, because the only people who liked Jar Jar hadn't quite mastered potty training yet.

I AM CHEWBACCA!!! I AM A WOOKIE!!!
I FIGHT THE EMPIRE!!! I FIX THE ROBOTS!!!
DON'T ****ING CROSS ME!!! I AM CHEWBACCA!!!
IN NEED OF NO ONE!!! IN WANT OF NOTHING!!!
I AM CHEWBACCA!!! I AM A WOOKIE!!!
I FIGHT THE EMPIRE!!! ON THE MILLENNIUM FALCON!!!
YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME??? YOU WANT A PIECE OF CHEWBACCA???
I'M EIGHT FEET TALL!!! I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!!!
I AM CHEWBACCA!!! I'VE GOT NO HOME!!!
MY HOME IS WHERE MY SPIRIT GOES!!!

 

In your opinion.

 

Personally, Cushy doesn't care for either character.

 

Gotta be honest here: I always thought Chewbacca was just kinda...there. I'll happily root for him because he's part of the good guys and is given a few cheery and enduring moments throughout the OT. Yet, beyond that, he never made much of an impact on me either way as a character on his own. His definitions and narrative influence aren't nearly as "particular" as Jar Jar Binks; the latter almost undoubtedly warrants a lengthier discussion. Chewie is often relegated to little more than background noise along with the occasional nondescript, ape-face reaction shot, whereas Jar Jar has a rather maximum effect presence whenever on screen, love it or hate it. He no doubt 'silent movies' his way through The Phantom Menace in visual gesture while vocally bordering on Laugh-In extremes. He's a walking comedy of errors. Whether or not said comedy is actually funny, eh, I don't know -- anyone's call -- but in terms of jerry-rigging much of the storyline into motion, the character is certainly never left wanting.

 

You said put that about as strongly and as fluidly as I think it can be put -- and it's an important aesthetic difference that I share your perception of.

Chewie just sort of is. He's cool, but you can almost forget about him. Despite being a nine-foot shaggy mountain dog, he just sort of fades into the background. His grunting and howling tends to serve more as a punctuation mark for a scene; or as a comedic beat for other characters to play off of. Chewie, I have to say, is also a bit plot device-y, I think: whether it's commandeering that AT-ST on Endor, leading Obi-Wan to Han in the cantina, or allowing Han and Luke to fake their way into the detention block where Leia's being held, and providing a bit of muscle when mayhem breaks out, he's mostly there to seed other things.

Which is exactly like Jar Jar and nothing like him. Jar Jar is zanier, crazier, more esoteric. His point is to be pointless, until it isn't. He gets involved in things, he involves himself in things. He pledges service to Qui-Gon, but still does stuff his own way. He's not particularly tethered to anyone, but he comes along for the ride. He alternately comforts and antagonizes people. He brings hope, he brings destruction. He works his way into politics (granted, this is a major criticism). And he is a serious menace to droid armies.

 

I love you...or something.

 

That's good.

I prefer love to hate... usually.

 

I could have also said that you nailed it and that I have nothing else to add, but I wanted to be sure you'll see it. As stated in an earlier post, Chewie is just there to be a plot device, even a Chekhov-esque plot device at some points; and appeal to the boys.

Not to mention that I thought I was crazy about the esoteric aspects of Jar Jar before I read your posts in this thread. Now I'm err...not alone in my opinion.

 

Jar Jar's name is not an accidental choice by Lucas. He's jarring.
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you do know that it was his son that named him right?

 

Look at my signature. Please, and thank you.

 

Is romance brewing? Jar Jar does unite swampy, stinky Gungans, and beautiful, radiant Queens, after all.

But seriously, this board is very good at generating alerts for things.

Chewie vs. Jar Jar.

It's not even a contest for me.

Most people might swing one way, the way of fur and Wookiees, but I'm a defiant Jar Jar fan.

You're not alone. There are, like, three of us!

 

This may or may not be related to one's own cultural heritage. Being an underdog, I always liked Ewoks. Jar Jar is a different story, but there is this aspect of being seen like a fool, while you are actually a misfit; and being written off because of your sillyness, while people ignore the obvious fact that you are nice.

 

That's a good observation. This is certainly something I find endearing about Jar Jar.

And the negativity surrounding him is also fascinating to me, even perplexing.

 

as stated in another thread I don't mind Jar Jar when he's NOT on Tatooine, he had no reason to go along with Qui-Gon and Padme, so in that sense he's "just as 'there'" as Chewbacca is.

As for Chewbacca, meh, he is...alright...