Hondo Ohnaka/Legends

"You don't survive in the Outer Rim by being stupid!"

- Hondo Ohanka

Hondo Ohnaka was the Chief of a party of Weequay pirates.

Pirate
"I did warn you these pirates were devious."

- Count Dooku

Hondo Ohnaka was a male Weequay who served as Chief of a party of pirates during the Clone Wars, the galaxy wide conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Allied with neither faction in the war, Ohnaka and his pirates were an independent faction, with a base on the planet Florrum. Not under the attention of either faction, having never done anything to draw undue attention to themselves, the group and its leader had business dealings in both ransoming hostages and selling spice on the black market. Ohnaka also had a pet Kowakian monkey lizard named Pilf Mukmuk.

After Count Dooku, a Sith Lord and member of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, fled in a starship from the forces of the Republic in the Battle of Vanqor, he was shot down and crashed onto the surface of Vanqor. Ohnaka found Dooku fleeing from the Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ohnaka attempted to sell a passage off the planet to Dooku. Ohnaka’s offer was taken up on by Dooku, who agreed to pay in order to escape from Skywalker and Kenobi. As Skywalker and Kenobi wished to take him to the Republic for trial and imprisonment, Dooku claimed he was above material wealth and paid the price. Dooku also made sure to hide his lightsabers so as not to show his status as a Sith Lord and important figure within the Confederacy, which could make the pirates choose to hold him to ransom.

Ohnaka offered to take Dooku to the nearest planet, Florrum, six parsecs away. Taking the Count to the planet, Ohnaka put the ship down in his organization’s base.

Ransom
"They are devious and they are deceitful. And most importantly stupid."

- Dooku on Ohnaka and his pirates.

When Ohnaka arrived on the planet with Dooku, he had instructed Mukmuk, his pet, to steal Dooku’s lightsabers on the journey. Having done so, Ohnaka confiscated the lightsabers from Dooku, and took Dooku prisoner. His pirate band captured the Sith Lord Count Dooku and demanded that the Galactic Republic pay a ransom of 1,000,000 credits in spice to claim him. Ohnaka felt he could sell the spice on the black market for a higher price, and so make a profit. Chancellor Palpatine of the Republic discussed this with both Ohnaka and other officials in the Republic, before reaching the decision to comply with his demands.

Chancellor Palpatine sent Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to confirm that it was actually Dooku who had been captured. Arriving at the base, Kenobi and Skywalker were able to identify the hostage as being Dooku. Having verified his presence to Chancellor Palpatine, Hondo invited the two Jedi to a banquet with his pirates. Ohnaka, however, drugged the drinks he intended to give to the two Jedi. Having given the two Jedi the drugged drinks, the Jedi drank them and were rendered unconcious. Ohnaka proceeded to take the Jedi as hostages too, and had them locked into the same cell as Dooku. When the two Jedi awoke, they found themselves as prisoners in the same cell as Dooku. Ohnaka meant to ransom the two Jedi as hostages in addition to Dooku.

The Republic, knowing Dooku to be on the planet, had sent Senator Kharrus and Representative Jar Jar Binks with the ransomed spice, in addition to a number of clone troopers. Ohnaka didn't know that Turk Falso, his lieutenant, wanted the spice for himself and arranged to have their craft shot down. When Falso and those loyal to him shot down the ship, they killd Kharrus within it. During this time, the prisoners escaped. Ohnaka, however, was able to make sure that they were recaptured before they could escape, and he had them confined with armed guards. Ohnaka believed the ship carrying the ransom that had been shot down was merely delayed. After Turk's attack on the ship to capture the ransom ended with the clone troopers retaining the spice, Turk returned to Hondo. Ohnaka believed the lies Falso told him in order to cover his deceit.



Hostage escape
Ohanaka had the three escapees were recaptured and brought back to their cells. Hondo had Obi-Wan and Anakin brought out to be tortured, using electricity. Having discovered the presence of the clone troopers from Falso, Honod ordered Turk to attack the clones with tanks. Jar Jar met the tanks to negotiate with the pirates, but managed to destroy most of them and knock out the powerlines to the pirate stronghold. Hondo was now without power in his own base. The resulting power outage freed Anakin, Dooku and Obi-Wan. Hondo was taken hostage by the two Jedi, who used him as a shield to ensure that they weren't attacked by Hondo's pirates. Dooku killed both Falso and his accomplice, before escaping in his ship.

When it became apparent that Dooku had escaped, the Jedi set Hondo free, wanting no unnecessary hostilities from the pirates. Having been spared his life by the Jedi, Hondo ordered his men not to fire upon the Jedi. Hondo praised the Jedi for their nobility, he promised that he and his pirates would allow them to leave unhindered. Hondo was warned by Obi-Wan that Dooku now knew the location of their base, and wouldn't be as forgiving as the Jedi towards those who had imprisoned them.

Personality and traits
Although his morality was skewed (as a pirate), he seemed to believe in a vague, but consistent form of honor. Even as the leader of a pirate gang Ohnaka only used torture as a last resort. Ohnaka claimed that he had learned many things from his mother even quoting her at one point.

Behind the scenes
Hondo Ohnaka was portrayed by veteran voice actor Jim Cummings.

Appearances

 * The Clone Wars: Helping the Hunters (Part 1)
 * The Clone Wars: Helping the Hunters (Part 1)
 * The Clone Wars: Helping the Hunters (Part 1)

Hondo Ohnaka Hondo Ohnaka