I know I'm probably going to get a lot of backlash from this, but I had to write it, because I'm one of the few people on this planet who happens to like Jar-Jar. So, constructive criticism only, please. NO FLAMES. If you don't like Jar-Jar Binks in the slightest, then just don't read the story. For those of you who do stick around, I would recommend listening to Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne while reading this.
Fun fact! This story is actually named after this song. :) Anyway, if you don't have an album with the song, just go to YouTube and find a music video. (There's a really awesome version that uses scenes from Bridge to Terebethia. It made me cry a lot.)
Onto the story!
. . .
Keep Holding On
"Jar-Jar, I was so close! So close! You know how much that Derellisium meant to me. And you just had to screw up the negotiations, didn't you?"
Padme and Jar-Jar were walking home along the streets of Coruscant in one of the heaviest rainstorms on the planet in years. They had met the Tarellian leader Ana Obani at the Starway Café so that they could discuss Derellisium trade. Derellisium had amazing healing qualities that seemed to surpass what the Republic had now.
And the clone troopers could have used that Derellisium in the war. But Jar-Jar screwed up. He complained about how his Gungan-style waffles were too cold, how his chair was too uncomfortable, and how he wished that the café had a bathroom. Then of course, his fingers lost grip on his wine glass at one point, and he ended up spilling alcohol all over himself. And while Jar-Jar's Basic had improved somewhat over the years, it didn't help in the slightest. Eventually Obani just left without a word and Padme was seething at Jar-Jar.
"You always mess up something!" Padme was definitely mad. "You can't even brush your teeth without choking on your toothbrush."
Jar-Jar looked away from the angry woman in shame, and pushed his hands into his pockets. But Padme wasn't done.
"Either you learn to behave, Jar-Jar," Padme told him with a glare, "or I'm through with you. No more coming on negotiations, no nothing. And that's that. You're like an overgrown child. It's like I can't take you anywhere without you messing up something." Jar-Jar halted, feeling the sting and venom of the words. After a moment, Padme stopped walking and turned to look at the Gungan. "Go home, Jar-Jar. Hopefully the next time there's an important negotiation you'll be in gear." With that, she walked away, back on her path to home.
Jar-Jar merely stood there in the cold, unforgiving rain, quietly crying. "Why does meesa always mess up?" The Gungan sighed and walked aimlessly down an alleyway, not caring whether the path took him home or not. After making many turns in the alleys and secluded streets, Jar-Jar found himself crouched behind the side of a dumpster, sobbing.
At one point, after wiping his eyestalks, he pulled out the blaster that he always kept with him nowadays. Even Coruscant wasn't a safe planet, so all Republic politicians were required to own such a weapon for self-defense, Jar-Jar among them. But right now Jar-Jar wasn't thinking about that.
"Maybe everyone would be happier without meesa," he murmured softly. The Gungan let out a choked sob as he lifted the barrel of the blaster to his head. He would have pulled the trigger had someone not intervened.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a voice said.
Jar-Jar jumped up, startled. He gripped the blaster in his hands, aiming it every which way. "Who's there? Meesa has a gun! Meesa knows how to use it!"
"You may know how to use it," the voice replied, "but it wouldn't make an ounce of difference where I'm concerned." Out of the nearby shadows came the glowing form of… Qui-Gon Jinn?
"Qui-Gon?" Jar-Jar stared at him with wide eyes. "But yousa dead."
"Yes," Qui-Gon replied. "I'm just a projection of the Force. I may have the same personality and memories as the real Qui-Gon Jinn… but I'm still just a projection."
Jar-Jar continued to stare for another moment, then scrambled forward and tried to hug Qui-Gon. Needless to say, that failed, and he ended up phasing right through the man. And if that wasn't enough, poor Jar-Jar hit the alley wall. "OW!"
Qui-Gon chuckled in amusement. "Don't worry, Jar-Jar, I appreciate your attempt to show your affection. But right now, we have other things to discuss. Feel like taking a walk?"
Jar-Jar was sprawled on the ground, gently rubbing his aching head. "Sure." He stood up a bit shakily and followed Qui-Gon out of the alley onto the street.
"Coruscant hasn't changed much," Qui-Gon pointed out as they walked. "Same buildings, same people, same ships…" Jar-Jar merely nodded. Qui-Gon noted the Gungan's silence. "Ewok got your tongue?"
"What's an Ewok?" Jar-Jar looked at Qui-Gon blankly.
Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow and replied jokingly, "A walking teddy bear."
"Oh."
For a while they only walked in silence. Finally Qui-Gon asked, "So why were you in that alley about to commit suicide?" Jar-Jar stopped walking and looked down at his fee in shame. His friend also stopped and looked at him with a frown. "Jar-Jar?"
"Nobody likes meesa," Jar-Jar said softly. "Meesa always messes up something. So… meesa thought that everyone would be happier without meesa."
Qui-Gon regarded him with surprise. Then again, he shouldn't be astonished. After all, Jar-Jar's own people did kick him out just for being clumsy. "Jar-Jar. Do not say that. Do not ever say that. Yes, you are clumsy, I will not deny that. Yes, you do make mistakes. But everyone makes mistakes. No one is perfect."
"But… meesa is always messing up," Jar-Jar objected. "And no one… no one likes meesa."
"I like you," Qui-Gon told him. Jar-Jar was about to reply, but Qui-Gon raised his hand for silence so he could continue. "I will admit, you can be rather annoying most of the time. But if you think that no one likes you, then you are very much mistaken, my friend."
"But yousa just a projection," Jar-Jar told him, close to crying again. "The real Qui-Gon is dead."
Qui-Gon sighed. "Yes, the real Qui-Gon is dead. But I'm a representation of what he was. Like I said, 'same personality and memories.' He did care for you, just as he did Obi-Wan. Just as he did Anakin. Jar-Jar, do not hate yourself just because others might hate you. Strive to be the best version of yourself that you can be. Do what you can for the Republic to the best of your ability. That is what matters right now, especially with what is coming."
"What do yousa mean?" Jar-Jar looked up at Qui-Gon with curiosity. "What's coming?"
Qui-Gon sighed. "You'll know soon enough." He looked up at the cloudy sky. The downpour had reduced to a mere drizzle and the sun was starting to break through. "It's time for me to go."
"What?" Jar-Jar's expression became sad. "But meesa don't want yousa to go…"
Qui-Gon gave Jar-Jar a smile as he faded away. "We will meet again someday. May the Force be with you, my friend." And then he disappeared completely.
Jar-Jar was left standing there alone in the rain. But it let up, and as the clouds started to move away slowly, the Gungan looked up at the patches of blue sky slowly being revealed. Beams of golden light shone through the clouds' gaps.
Perhaps there was some hope for him yet, after all.
"May the Force be with yousa too, Qui-Gon."
. . .
If the characters were OOC at all, please let me know. I hope you all liked this at least a teeny tiny bit.
You know this was actually loosely based on a news article I read somewhere about the actor of Jar-Jar Binks. Ahmed Best, the voice actor for Jar-Jar in the movies, actually considered committing suicide because people were treating him like crap all because they didn't like Jar-Jar. Some people actually said to his face, "You ruined my childhood." And I'm sure many said even worse stuff. So if you meet Ahmed, be sure to think before you speak. The same applies to any actor you meet. Or any person in general, actually.
Also, I kinda headcanon Jar-Jar as possibly being at least slightly Force sensitive, which is why he's able to see Qui-Gon. And yes, I did change some things regarding Force Ghosts.
So, please review, as long as you don't flame.