Why all the hate for Gungans?

[Wolfninjajedi]

Yes I know, all anyone is gonna say is "Jar, Jar" which

 

1. Isn't a valid reason, and is really being a speciest and stereotyping an entire species.

 

2. Makes no sense when you actually look at the species as a whole.

 

But anyway lets break this all down so everyone can look at this from a different perspective, rather then just looking at one out of all.

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1. Gungans & their home

 

Where the gungans live is rather pretty interesting, in the fact that they not only live underwater but they use their own technology & resources compared to a lot of other species who use blasters and the like. Whats rather interesting in terms of waging battles/war, is that they actually use beasts to aid them weither using mounts of much larger beasts to carry huge shield generators and not only that when you actually look at all of them they all seem level headed and know what they are doing. Capt. Tarpals is a fine example, he wasn't a slouch, he wasn't clumsy, he knew how to lead and command the units under his command...you know after seeing the gungans fight against the droids I would have figured people would see them in a new light but guess not.

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2. The Grand Army

 

Moving back and taking a look at their army, for what it is compared to other ones their army isn't that great. However this what makes the army interesting, because you don't see them using blasters, you don't see them using vehicles all you see them is using Boomas for the most part, spears, personal energy shields, atlatlas, and cestas, their officers used kaadus as mounts. Now yes at times they have used some technology that would be weildly used, but for the most part they crafted their own equipment and weaponry(mostly biological) their showing in EP 1 was rather impressive as was the army. Ok yes, scenes with Jar Jar were goofy but what they showed of the army was pretty neat and showing that they WERE NOT clumsy warriors like a lot of people seem to think of them as.

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3. Capt. Tarpals

 

From the moment people saw him, everyone should have realized that not all gungans are like Jar Jar yet for some never got that in their heads. Tarpales was pretty good, a captain in the grand army he knew how to lead his units into battle and he was serious through and through, this is more shown when he faces Grevious he is completely serious and is shown that he can fight well. Now everyone is probably just gonna say "oh that fight was terrible it shouldn't have happened!" to which I ask why? In that fight it showed some gungans as what they were, WARRIORS DUH!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWd0wRsQHJE&feature=player_detailpage#t=49s (Sorry couldn't find english one.)

 

More to the point I could understand the fight not being well if they had just suddenly fought, but that wasn't the case. Grevious took on a few gungans, before getting stabbed thus distracting him thus making the move for Tarpals to disarm one of his lightsabers leaving him with just one to use. Now yes Gervious was wielding a spear too, but really....that fight didn't last long so again I don't see why people are complaining for what its worth Tarpals knew how to fight so he was able to last(even if it was just for a few moments.)

 

4. Jar Jar

 

Now I won't go into too much detail here(being that various people have different opinions on him), that being said what I want to explain here that. While Jar Jar was clumsy/goofy in EP 1, he matured over the next 2 movies and it seems that people(for whatever reason) NEVER seem to notice his change always calling him stupid or silly or whatever when that isn't the case at all. From what little everyone sees of Jar Jar in EP 2 & 3, he seems to have gotten rid of his child likness and seems to be focused on more growing up and doing what he thinks is right for his people.

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Anyway thats all what I really wanted to say, agree or disagree doesn't matter just wanted to put down my thoughts.

Edited August 28, 2012 by Wolfninjajedi

[Eillack]

That's the thing that gets me too. The Gungan peoples should have gotten more respect.

 

And constant hate about Jar Jar from some of the people I know...no one understands that Jar Jar "grew up" by Episode II....

[CassusVerda]

My speculation is that's just it though, It's Jar Jar being a Household name. Most people know of him more than they do Boss Nass or Captain Tarpals. He's the first Gungan we ever see, so not really a good first impression. He also has the most screen time. They see him and become disinterested in his race from the get go.

 

Personally I don't like Gungans...because their not my cup of tea, not because of Jar Jar. Similar to how you prefer the Taung over the more common universal Mandalorians.

 

Their customs, technology, and pretty much the way they communicate doesn't appeal to me.

[Wolfninjajedi]

My speculation is that's just it though, It's Jar Jar being a Household name. Most people know of him more than they do Boss Nass or Captain Tarpals. He's the first Gungan we ever see, so not really a good first impression. He also has the most screen time. They see him and become disinterested in his race from the get go.

 

Personally I don't like Gungans...because their not my cup of tea, not because of Jar Jar. Similar to how you prefer the Taung over the more common universal Mandalorians.

 

Their customs, technology, and pretty much the way they communicate doesn't appeal to me.

 

Well see now thats fine, you got a nice reason as to why you don't like them...its better then saying "oh its just because of Jar Jar."

[vian]

Put me in the non-hater camp; the establishing shot of Otoh Gunga was one of the WOW moments of SW:TPM for me.

 

But let's examine the claim that Jar Jar "grows up" over the course of the movies. In SW:TPM he is the inane, babbling comic (depending on your definition of comedy - I prefer mine a bit less juvenile) relief. In SW:AOTC he's mostly absent, but summarily dismissed in the one scene we see him in because he's still blundering and pompous. And to round out the Prequels, he's the idiot who is manipulated into handing emergency powers to Palpatine.

 

In short, what's to like?

 

I'm not saying I want to, say, dump detergent into the waters over Otoh Gunga, change the surface tension of the bubbles and collapse the city (or AM I? ... ) but Jar Jar is a waste of pixels.

[Wolfninjajedi]

Put me in the non-hater camp; the establishing shot of Otoh Gunga was one of the WOW moments of SW:TPM for me.

 

But let's examine the claim that Jar Jar "grows up" over the course of the movies. In SW:TPM he is the inane, babbling comic (depending on your definition of comedy - I prefer mine a bit less juvenile) relief. In SW:AOTC he's mostly absent, but summarily dismissed in the one scene we see him in because he's still blundering and pompous. And to round out the Prequels, he's the idiot who is manipulated into handing emergency powers to Palpatine.

 

In short, what's to like?

 

I'm not saying I want to, say, dump detergent into the waters over Otoh Gunga, change the surface tension of the bubbles and collapse the city (or AM I? ... ) but Jar Jar is a waste of pixels.

 

Well being fair, anyone could have been manipulated by Palpatine into suggesting that he get emergency powers. However while it was manipulation, you see Jar Jar not acting like his clumsy self or comedic self.

[SuperGrunt]

Yes Jar Jar binds is a valid reason, you say that he matured by episode 2, I say that wasn't an issue. I can take a clumsy character, but he was so weak minded that he allowed Palpatine to manipulate him into helping pass the resolution to create the Grand Army of the Republic. Also as far as I am concerned he ruined pretty much all of episode 1 so regardless of how warm and fuzzy you might feel about him I dislike him.

 

Also Boss Nass was slightly annoying as well, I say slightly because he was on screen less then Jar Jar.

 

Captain Tarpals he started out good because he seemed to dislike Jar Jar as soon as we see him, ends up liking him at the end of episode 1.

 

They fought the droids with blue balls, that when they hit the droids turned into blue goo, yet would bounce on the ground. SERIOUSLY? I could understand the blue balls hitting the droids and turning into goo, heck it seemed like paint balls with stun bolts in them. But how would they break on the droids and not on the ground?

 

Like I have said numerous times, one of my favorite activities in SWG was to go to Naboo and kill Gungans. If I needed junk loot for RE'ing then I would try to get it that way. If I needed exp and they where in my level range, and I was sick of doing quests, more Gungan murdering occurred.

[vian]

Well being fair, anyone could have been manipulated by Palpatine into suggesting that he get emergency powers. However while it was manipulation, you see Jar Jar not acting like his clumsy self or comedic self.

 

Anyone, really? Padme? Bail Organa? Mon Mothma? The senators who signed the petition of the 2000 in the deleted scenes, and were laying the groundwork for the eventual Alliance?

 

I don't think so.

 

I have a semi-serious theory that Jar Jar was meant to be a written as a trickster-god (c.f. Coyote, Loki) archetype; they are known for bringing about Ragnarök, or the Apocalypse, or whatall either by their bumbling or by malice. But he just didn't work in story terms.

[Wolfninjajedi]

Anyone, really? Padme? Bail Organa? Mon Mothma? The senators who signed the petition of the 2000 in the deleted scenes, and were laying the groundwork for the eventual Alliance?

 

I don't think so.

 

I have a semi-serious theory that Jar Jar was meant to be a written as a trickster-god (c.f. Coyote, Loki) archetype; they are known for bringing about Ragnarök, or the Apocalypse, or whatall either by their bumbling or by malice. But he just didn't work in story terms.

 

Ok perhaps not those characters, but any random no name senator who could easily have been manipulated by the most powerful sith lord ever could have had it happen the same way. Not all politicians in the senate were smart.

Edited August 29, 2012 by Wolfninjajedi

[Aurbere]

I don't hate Gungans. I don't like Jar Jar, but the Gungans are fine. They talk funny though...

[Wolfninjajedi]

I don't hate Gungans. I don't like Jar Jar, but the Gungans are fine. They talk funny though...

 

So do a bunch of other species.

[Aurbere]

So do a bunch of other species.

 

Tis true. But I don't dislike Gungans. I think they served a purpose in the PT and did so very well. The only Gungan I don't like is Jar Jar. Just like their is a bunch of humans in SW I don't like, doesn't mean I don't like humans as a whole. Some people think that all Gungans are just like Jar Jar, though.

[ElitehunterDS]

That's the thing that gets me too. The Gungan peoples should have gotten more respect.

 

And constant hate about Jar Jar from some of the people I know...no one understands that Jar Jar "grew up" by Episode II....

You didnt watch the Clone Wars show right?

If you hated everything about Jar Jar in episode 1, its worse, impossible you say? Nothing impossible with the poor taste of Filoni+Lucas.

Edited August 29, 2012 by ElitehunterDS

[ToEasy]

I don't hate the gungans, it's just Jar Jar. Though I only dislike him in episode one. He is for the most part ok after that imo.

[Cubed_Art]

You make some great points OP, I've thought about many myself. I disagree on Jar Jar, however. He was a horrible, horrible character. He was introduced to be kiddie comic relief, and he did it badly.

 

The problem is that the Gungans are essentially never seen again, and Jar Jar blighted their existence every time. Another problem is that they have all this technology for dealing with mechanized units. How convenient. And let’s face it, those are ancient delivery systems that have no place on a modern battlefield. Lucas admits he wanted to copy a battle from War and Peace, so he concocted one that would never have happened. Droid fighters could have just strafed them before they got into position to put up their shields.

 

So the combination of never showing the Gungans in a particularly positive light, and Jar Jar, they are painted with really ugly brushes. They don't have the cuteness of Ewoks to make you forget that they are actually carnivorous neolithic trappers that were going to feast on our heroes.

[vian]

Ok perhaps not those characters, but any random no name senator who could easily have been manipulated by the most powerful sith lord ever could have had it happen the same way. Not all politicians in the senate were smart.

 

Again, I don't think so.

 

Most senators either opposed Palpatine (petition of the 2000, rising Senate unrest et al) or evidently weren't willing to go out on a limb for something as extreme and risky and downright career-limiting [1] as invoking emergency powers. It took a special kind of stupid.

 

[1] Sorry, "courageous" was the actual word used, IIRC. And anyone who has seen Yes Minister knows what that word means to a politician.

[Reynaga]

I don't hate the gungans, I don't like how they speak common because it sounds offensive when paired with some of their facial features, but no one ever said that there had to be a positive portrayal of every species ever created. My hate is for Jar Jar, and it extends only to him. Its a poorly done comedy relief character who makes me cringe more than chuckle. I also don't think that I can justify his growing up when he can be easily swayed to make a monumental decision (not that I think he might not have decided to make his own choice if not persuaded). To me anyone who can not form their own opinion by examining facts and must get all of their beliefs through some outside source or voice is not mature enough to be a grown up.

 

To sum up, I hate Jar Jar, not the Gungans.

[Fyurii]

To be honest, I'd find Episode 1 more enjoyable if Jar-Jar was thrown in prison and Captain Tarpals took his place for the rest of the film.

 

As for Gungans in general, I truly felt that the way they fought, and what they fought with, was ridiculous. It made them so childish.

Their shields were great, but their lack of personal ranged weapons that weren't sparkly bouncy-explodey balls was just sigh inducing. Overall they had a horrible clash of "modern" and ancient weapons technology that I honestly didn't see working well together. It was close, but again the sparkly bouncy-explodey balls was too much of a negative for my liking.

Maybe if their pikes functioned similar to the staff weapons from Stargate, I might have like the battle in Episode 1 better.

 

On a sidenote, I was somewhat put off by the "too" colourful-ness of the battle. The overuse of CGI was somewhat nauseating, particularly because as battles go it seemed too clean (can't explain it any better than that at the moment, insomnia's playing havoc again).

[Kyriosgundam]

That's the thing that gets me too. The Gungan peoples should have gotten more respect.

 

And constant hate about Jar Jar from some of the people I know...no one understands that Jar Jar "grew up" by Episode II....

 

I agree since even though Jar Jar was a fool in EP I he had matured by Ep II and Ep III. Of course he paved the way for Darth Sidious ( I refuse to call him by the name Palpatine) to become Emporer. However thats beside the point. He along with many other Gungans with members of the Naboo Government and Security Forces eventually with aid from the Rebel Alliance drove the Empire from their World. Also Gungans fought with valor and skill for the Republic during the Clone Wars and later the New Republic. So I wouldnt sell Gungans short just because of a single representative of the species.

[Aurbere]

I agree since even though Jar Jar was a fool in EP I he had matured by Ep II and Ep III. Of course he paved the way for Darth Sidious ( I refuse to call him by the name Palpatine) to become Emporer. However thats beside the point. He along with many other Gungans with members of the Naboo Government and Security Forces eventually with aid from the Rebel Alliance drove the Empire from their World. Also Gungans fought with valor and skill for the Republic during the Clone Wars and later the New Republic. So I wouldnt sell Gungans short just because of a single representative of the species.

 

Why don't you call him Palpatine? That's his real name.

[alricka]

On an intelectual level I know that I shouldn't have anything against the Gungan species simply because Jar Jar was a bumbling idiot who ruined the movie. I mean, sure, I get it - I shouldn't judge the whole species based on one annoyingly retarded Gungan and so on but... I can never ever take them seriously on an emotional level. And yes, it's because of Jar Jar.

 

For what is worth, I hate the Ewoks more...

[Slugamaniac]

There is no logical reason to hate on the gungan race. However, George L. needed/intended Jar Jar to be the 'comedy relief' character of Episode I and all the stereotypes that go with this kind of character. As an aside, making JarJar a 'bom bad general' right before a major offensive by your race does not indicate intelligence or good judgement in their leader or their military for allowing it to happen.

 

Then again, trying to logic out these things based purely on what is movie cannon will just have most people running around in circles. So I blame GL for putting the race in a bad light. Removing JarJar completely or making him a more 'serious' character in episode I might have alleviated that but I think the damage was done at that point.

 

For what is worth, I hate the Ewoks more...

 

I rolled a darkside toon with one of the hopes being that if they do introduce ewoks in game (shudder..) I can kill them with wanton abandon all the time since the respawn rate will probably be very high.

Edited August 30, 2012 by Slugamaniac

[CephalicRex]

To fair with a lot of the Jar Jar haters, he was pretty much a marginalized character by episode II. All people will remember of him are his stupid antics on tatooine and naboo. He was very overshadowed character-wise by the start of the clone wars, ongoing plot developments, Jango Fett (not so much by him), Anakin's grown up whinning, and flashy-flashy twirly-twirly lightsaber battles.

[Captain_Zone]

Jar Jar's autobiography: "Theysa Never Suspicious" by Jar Jar "Darth" Binks

[Beniboybling]

Grevious was defeated and captured by Gungans, extinction is too good for them