This week, we’re sharing an episode of The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks, a new podcast from the TED Audio Collective. It’s a six-part series that reckons with one of the most divisive characters in cinematic history, the online hatred he inspired, and what we can learn from it today.

In this episode, host Dylan Marron goes beyond the fandom backlash and goes into some of the deeper questions about the character. Why did many see Jar Jar as a racial stereotype? What does that say about Jar Jar’s place in the world of Star Wars and Hollywood history overall? And how did all of the frenzy affect the actor who brought the character to life?

If you’d like to hear the rest of the series, follow The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks wherever you get your podcasts. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices