Jar Jar.

The mention of that name makes some Star Wars fans shiver in fear or just angry. There are TPM versions out there where people have edited out Jar Jar. Clearly, people just don't like Jar Jar.

I guess it's pretty obvious why. He's clumsy, talks annoyingly and to slapstick for the Star Wars Universe. At least, that's what everyone over fourteen think.

I saw TPM when I was ten. It was an extraordinary experiance to see Star Wars on the big screen and it blew me away. Back then, I didn't care to compare it to the OT or to scrutinize what I thought was the most memorable character on the screen besides Darth Maul, Jar Jar.

Yes, that's right. I liked Jar Jar and Jar Jar made me laugh.

Now, when I'm 16, the laughter isn't there but I rather take a closer look at the character. Most people disregard him as something for the kids and in no way want to take a closer look at him. I see that as a mistake, because you can't really judge Jar Jar until you look closely at him as I have done.

For me, Jar Jar is thrown into a world of adventure just as unwillingly as Luke in ANH. In that sense, those two are quite alike, they had no idea what was hitting them. But Luke is dashing, good at flying, does some quick thinking and ultimately saves the galaxy. Jar Jar is none of these. Jar Jar is clumsy, naive, gives up in battle and ultimately he starts a process that will see the founding of the Empire and oppresion

When Luke is all alone fighting the Death Star he forges on.

When Luke crashes during the battle on Hoth, he fights on an brings down an AT-AT.

Jar Jar gives up when the enemy forces narrow in on him

The contrast is very obvious

Some jokingly say that Jar Jar is the anti-Christ. He's not.

Jar Jar is the anti-Luke

Somehow, that makes Jar Jar more human.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm not saying that Luke is non-human and that Star Wars fans cannot connect with him. I'm saying that there's different shades of humanity unique to ever character in the Star Wars universe.

Jar Jar actually acts as I would expect humans to act on several occasions.

When seeing the Trade Federation army, Jar Jar freezes as most humans would do

When in trouble in Naboos core, in contrast to the calm Jedi, Jar Jar panics. He doesn't even trust that the Force will help them through. He's just reacting as we would in that situation.

Jar Jar lets out a cry of happiness when the Naboo delegation is about to leave Coruscant. As would we if we were dragged off to some foreign place and then returning to your home

Jar Jar gives up when he realizes that the battle is lost in comparison to many of the other heroes in Star Wars that always continue against the odds. Basically, much of the tale is about defeating the odds.

We know that Gungans up to the Battle of Naboo weren't taken very seriously and one can only assume that it is so in the Galactic Senate. The Gungans actually do look rather slow with their big mouths, flappy ears and strange dialect. I think Jar Jar would find it hard to be taken seriously in that place.

When he's given the opportunity to get out of that and actually show everyone what he can do, it is a big mistake. He did what we would do in a situation when we don't get no recognition for what we do because of maybe who we are: he seized the best chance.

Jar Jar is the perfect example of that, even with the best intentions, stuff don't really happen as you thought they would. This happens every day around the world. Seeing also that he can't get a break from various Star Wars fans, the act he does in AOTC could be seen as something symbolical.

Like it or not, Jar Jar is every much part as Star Wars as Darth Vader or lightsabers. Many would surely not like to look past the goofiness and just see a 2D character just there for laughs and with no depth.

But if you look at what he does and try not to see the comic relief, you'll see a character with just as much depth as any other Star Wars character.

You know what?

Lucas is good.