Hostage Crisis

"A secret shared is a trust formed."

- Moral

"Hostage Crisis" is the twenty-second and final episode in Season One of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series.

Official description
To free crime lord Ziro the Hutt, bounty hunters seize control of the Senate Building and take hostages -- completely unaware that Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker is still inside.

Plot summary
Bane and his crew of bounty hunters and droid enforcers arrive at the Senate landing zone, where they meet a host of Senate Commandos, who are not happy with their unauthorized arrival. However, three commandos are sniped by Aurra Sing from long-range and the rest of the bounty hunters overwhelm the rest of the squad. One of the commando droids fools security into thinking that the guards had taken down a group of protesters before taking their uniforms.

A few levels above, in Senator Padmé Amidala's office, her husband, Anakin offers to take her to somewhere in the galaxy for a few weeks, where no one will recognize them, but Padmé is too focused on her work. He passes her his lightsaber to show his devotion before kissing. However, he has to hide, as Threepio and Bail Organa are about to enter. Organa informs Padmé that they must meet in the lobby to discuss the Enhanced Privacy Invasion Bill. Suddenly, once everyone is gathered, the bounty hunters surround and take them hostage. Senator Philo attempts to leave only to be shot by Bane. He then communicates with Chancellor Palpatine, demanding the release of Ziro the Hutt from captivity. Palpatine refuses to do so. Unfortunately, Bane proves his point by locking down the entire building, severing all communication with the outside. He takes everyone's comlinks, but before he can search Padmé, who is holding Anakin's lightsaber in her sleeve, Bane notices Anakin in the upper levels and orders IG-86 and Shahan Alama to get him.

Anankin manages to elude his pursuers and hot-wired a terminal to communicate with Palpatine. The Chancellor advises Anakin to get to the central power core to contact for help. Anakin manages to disconnect and hide before the bounty hunters find him, and then uses a mind trick to convince Alama to check the other two floors. As the hunters split up, Anakin follows IG-86 and manages to bash him into submission. Alama comes back down to check and finds the droid's mangled remains. Noticing no lightsaber slashes, he quickly figures out that Anakin isn't armed. He reports this Bane, who sends Sing to assist him.

Anakin manages to locate the power core, but a panicked Robonino shuts the door behind him. Alama and Sing then attack Anakin, and Robonino shocks him into unconsciousness.

Bane then gives Palpatine instructions to give a pardon chip to Orn Free Taa to be transported to the prison where Ziro is being held. 3D then comes in to take the Senator. They arrive at the prison and ship Ziro away.

An unconscious Anakin is dragged into the lobby, where the bounty hunters start to plant bombs that can go off if their laser detectors are triggered. This enables the hunters to leave the Senate unhindered, despite an attempt by Orn Free Taa to have them arrested. Anakin wakes up and manages to save everyone by cutting a hole in the floor and dropping everyone one floor down, just before Bane triggers the bombs anyway for the clone troopers' interference.

Cad Bane liberates Ziro from prison, and they escape successfully

Cast

 * Corey Burton - Cad Bane / Ziro Desilijic Tiure / Shahan Alama
 * Matt Lanter - Anakin Skywalker
 * Catherine Taber - Padmé Amidala / Bettie droid
 * Phil LaMarr - Bail Prestor Organa / Orn Free Taa / Philo
 * Ian Abercrombie - Palpatine
 * Dee Bradley Baker - Clone troopers / Robonino / Onaconda Farr
 * Matthew Wood - 3D, Senate Guard #1 & 3 / Commando droid
 * Tom Kane - Narrator, Senate Guard Captain
 * David Acord - Senate Guards / Assistant droid
 * Anthony Daniels - C-3PO
 * Jaime King - Aurra Sing

Behind the scenes
According to USA Today, "Hostage Crisis" had 3.3 million viewers&mdash;the series' highest ratings since the premiere.

In one version of the script, Mas Amedda was in the executive office with Palpatine. However, the character was changed to Orn Free Taa, as his character model already existed, and would not require more work to produce.

This episode featured the second appearance of a Christophsian. Also, since the Christophsian was a Senator, Christophsis was apparently part of the Galactic Republic.

The text on the back of Robonino's backpack reads "PATSFAN-01" in Aurebesh.