Star Wars: Jar Jar #1 is the one-shot to shows more of Jar Jar’s story and connects him Kelleran Beq! It is written by Ahmed Best, who played Jar Jar and Kelleran Beq, and Marc Guggenheim. Best joins the hallowed ranks of actors who have written Star Wars comic books; Anthony Daniels with Star Wars: The Protocol Offensive #1 (1997), Star Wars: Adventures #3 (2017) written by Alan Tudyk, who played KT-SO. We were introduced to Jar Jar Binks in The Phantom Menace (1999), GC-PT1 where he had a pivotal role in the Battle of Naboo. Jar Jar gave emergency powers to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in Attack of the Clones (2002) GC-PT2. This led to the Clone Wars.
The last time we saw Jar Jar was in Revenge of the Sith (2005); GC-PT3 where he attended the funeral of Padme Amidala on Naboo. Best voiced Darth Jar Jar in the non-canon, LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild The Galaxy (2024). He played Kelleran Beq in The Mandalorian episode, “The Foundling” (2023); FC-TM/3-4. Kelleran rescued Grogu from the Jedi Temple. The Jedi Master was first introduced in the YouTube kid game show, Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge, Episode 1 (2020); EC-JTC/1. Best said in an interview with The Star Wars Show (2021) that the creators of the show let him develop the character’s story, “…and what I tried to do is I tried to tie in Kelleran Beq a bunch of different histories in the Star Wars omniverse.”
Best continued, “One of them was tying him to the character which was named Achk Med-Beq that I played in Attack of the Clones. So Kelleran and Achk Med are related.” In comics form, Kelleran Beq rescued Soona Taj in Jedi Knights #8 (2025) written by Marc Guggenheim. The comic scribe also wrote the Star Wars: Han Solo and Chewbacca series that introduced the scoundrel, Khel Tanna. Also, the Arrow comic book series, #1-12 (2013-2014), and Crisis on Infinite Earths Giant #1-2 (2019-2020). The regular cover by Taurin Clark has Representative Binks in his robes, the Ep. 1 Jar Jar leaping, and in the background a large closeup of Jar Jar. Clark also was the artist for the impressive Black History month variant cover that is a two part image with Star Wars #10.
“The Unseen” is by Best and Guggenheim along with the art team of Kieran McKeown and Laura Braga. McKeown had artwork featured in Doctor Aphra: Chaos Agent #4 (2025). Braga was the artist for the Star Wars: Ewoks (2024) limited series. It opens with the the Heybibbler Duck, similar to the Naboo Royal Starship with a long bow. It is headed to the Urubai, a new planet, in an unknown part of the galaxy. The pilot is Commander Olié, Ric Olié was present at the Padme’s funeral, but not seen in Revenge of the Sith. In comic book form, Olié joined a resistance group, the Amidalans, and confronted Darth Vader on Naboo. This was in Darth Vader #4 (2020); DC-DV4. There is no set time, but the comic must take place before this event, 3 ABY, and after Revenge of the Sith, 19 BBY.
Next to him is Senator Binks and they reach Quarrant City. Jar Jar tells Olié to stay with the ship while he meets his contact. In the city, he finds that he is lost, but then a shady man, an Urubaian, with an eyepatch helps Jar Jar to find Ambassador Upsina. Also a new alien, Urubaians are humanoid with a blue upper face, torso and hands, pointed ears, and pink lower face and body. He leads him into aan alley to rob Jar Jar! Suddenly, he apologizes and starts to run. Jar Jar turns and finds the cloaked figure of a Jedi shrouded in the green mist of the industrial pipes! This Jedi says that Urubai may seem like a paradise, but is dangerous. He pulls back his hood and it is Jedi Master Kellern Beq! Great intro and artwork by McKeown and Braga.
Jar Jar calls out his nickname, “The Sabered Hand” which he got when he was a Padawan, EC-JTC/5. He reveals that Upsina was just to get the senator to Urubai. Kelleran takes Jar Jar on speeder bike to the secret of Urubai. They reach a mining open hole that looks like the canyons of Utupau from Revenge of the Sith. Kelleran takes Jar Jar on the upper levels of the mine where laborers, many aliens, who use pick axes. He says they are the Unseen. Jar Jar says that the Senate guarantees laborers’ safety. Kelleran replies that the Urubaian government can legally use laborers. Jar Jar asks how and the Jedi Master says it was from the emergency powers that he proposed! This is difficult for Jar Jar, but Kelleran says Palpatine is to blame. Kelleran says that he needed Jar Jar to see for himself.
Palpatine is having the Unseen mine large amounts of coaxium. Kelleran explains that Palpatine is building the Grand Army of the Republic and that the coaxium can “build a fleet of giant warships…or worse”! An Urubian woman runs up to Master Beq, Kelleran introduces Coralisa Senig to Jar Jar, his contact and support for the miners. She explains that the planet also has another rare mineral, Cyperistal, a crystal that can make a fractal radio network. This encrypted network was mentioned in the premier of Andor (2022), DC-AN1/1. It is great to see all of these pieces of Star Wars lore that is part of the overall story. Kelleran and Jar Jar know how important is a secure network. Coralisa tells them that an early network detected something dangerous. She brings them to a woman tech working on a piece of equipment. Her identity is unknown at this point, but this woman becomes another SW connection!
The tech has found on the network that Palpatine was not happy with the existance of the fractal radio network. This has the sent two bounty hunters to kill her! Jar Jar remarks that this is bombad! Kelleran remarks that the tech’s plan is to stay there and she is too busy with her work on the network. Kelleran takes the group to his ship. He wants to head to Coruscant and find a safe world in the Outer Rim. They head to the Heybibbler Duck. Kelleran piloted the Pelta-class frigate, Athylia, in Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge. I think that ship would be more anonymous than a Senate vessel returning to Coruscant, but a ship is a ship. Several blaster bolts strike the wall around the group! This is the two bounty hunters, Aurra Sing and Rum Sleg. Aurra Sing is a pale Palliduvan, she had a cameo in The Phantom Menace. In 13 BBY, Sing was killed by Tobias Beckett from Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018); DC-SASW.
Sleg also had a brief appearance in The Phantom Menace walking the Mos Espa street. This is his first major part since his cameo. He has a white skull painted over his helmet with a red astronaut-like suit. Kelleran ignites his green lightsaber and deflects the blaster bolts. The others run, but Coralisa is shot in the back of her leg! She has her blaster out and provides cover fire while the others head to the ship. Sleg is struck in the shoulder by her blasterfire. Kelleran tells Coralisa that she can get healed on the ship, but she says that are too many Urabian people depending on her. Kelleran boards the ship, but is followed! Olié takes the Heybibbler Duck out of atmo, then they hear a scream. Kelleran sees Aurra has her blaster pistol on the fallen tech! He readies his lightsaber blocking Aurra's multiple blasts. Then, Sleg's ship with a skull on its hull, blasts the Heybibbler Duck! The logo makes me think of the Arcadia from the manga series, Space Pirate Captain Harlock. In Star Wars: Jar Jar #1, there is a desperate situation with Kelleran Beq, Jar Jar has to take responsibility for the Emergency Powers Act, and ultimately contront Palpatine!
Five Heybibbler Ducks out of Five!
#StarWarsJarJar, #TheUnseen, #AhmedBest, #MarcGuggenheim, #KieranMcKeown, #LauraBraga, #TaurinClark, #JarJarBinks, #KelleranBeq, #CoralisaSenig, #AurraSing, #RumSleg, #Palpatine
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