Revealed: What really happened to Star Wars' most hated character

Warning: this story contains spoilers for Star Wars Aftermath: Empire's End.

If you've ever found yourself wondering "I wonder what that lovable scamp Jar Jar Binks ended up doing for a living," a new Star Wars novel reveals the official, canon answer.

It's appropriate. It's a little sad. And no, it isn't "Sith Lord."

In Star Wars chronology, the accident-prone Gungan hasn't actually shown up much beyond his much-maligned screen introduction in The Phantom Menace. He was last seen briefly in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, attending the funeral of Padme Amidala. Before that, he showed up for a few episodes in the Clone Wars cartoon.

And before that, as an interim Galactic Senator in Attack of the Clones, the clownish Jar Jar proposed the war powers act that weakened the Republic and helped create the Empire. Ooopsie!

But next Tuesday, in the poignant conclusion of Jar Jar's story with the publication of Star Wars Aftermath: Empire's End by Chuck Wendig, Star Wars fans will learn that Jar Jar was haunted by and shunned for his political screw-up. In exile he has become a literal clown, performing for kids.

The conclusion of a trilogy, mostly set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, Empire's End contains plenty of rewards for long-term fans. One of these is an interlude set on the planet of Naboo. A refugee boy named Mapo encounters a Gungan performing for kids on the streets, clowning around in a fountain twice a day while being studiously avoided by the grown-ups.

"Meesa Jar Jar," says the clown when Mapo introduces himself.

The clown distracts the orphan from his own sadness by popping his eyes and bulging his cheeks, but is hiding a sadness of his own.

"Jar Jar makin some uh-oh mistakens," the Gungan says, explaining why he isn't wanted anywhere either. "Desa hisen Naboo tink I help the uh-oh Empire." He stares into the distance, suggesting he knows more than he's saying.

Of course, the scene can also be read as an elaborate trolling -- a commentary on older Star Wars fans who went apoplectic over what they saw as Jar Jar's tone-deaf character.

Meanwhile, generations of younger kids actually enjoyed Jar Jar's puerile performance in Phantom Menace -- the same tricks he's performing here on the streets of Naboo while the grown-ups try their best to ignore him.

And of course, in the era of Trump, it's pretty timely for a creature to reflect on the fact that he basically got snowed by Emperor Palpatine.

Now that we know Jar Jar survived the Empire, there's always the chance -- slim though it may be -- that he shows up in future Star Wars movies.

Let's just hope he doesn't get fooled again.