San Hill/Legends

"Mercy, I beg you. I am merely a banker."

- San Hill to Obi-Wan Kenobi

San Hill was the Muun Chairman of the InterGalactic Banking Clan before and during the time of the Clone Wars, who pledged the Clan's monetary and military assets to the Confederacy of Independent Systems. A typical member of his species, he was more at home in business, politics and intrigue than on the battlefield. He was one of the most influential politicians in the newly formed CIS, in particular he was responsible for the "creation" of Grievous, the Confederacy's feared general. As the leader of one of the major supporters of the CIS, he was a member of the Separatist Council during the Clone Wars, and remained in that position until his death at the end of the war.

Separatist Crisis
"The safety of our clients investment is always our paramount concern."

- San Hill

In the economic turbulence that accompanied the CIS, InterGalactic Banking Clan executives profited handsomely from numerous worlds minting their own independent currencies. He was an acquaintance of both Techno Union Foreman Wat Tambor and Commerce Guild Presidente Shu Mai. Hill's Banking Clan was the second largest financial contributors to the Confederacy, behind prime supporter Viceroy Nute Gunray's Trade Federation.

The Creation of Grievous
At least in technical and financial sense, San Hill was the creator of General Grievous. He saw the Kaleesh warlord's potential as an IGBC "collections agent". The general's home planet, Kalee, had a massive debt and its people suffered under an embargo, both measures being the sanctions of the Republic for waging a war against their neighbors. Hill offered to take on the debt and manage to ease the embargo in exchange for Grievous's services. This way he succeeded in recruiting the General into the Collections and Security Division of the Banking Clan, and made him the commander of its droid army. Later, when Grievous showed disobedience and left to continue the Huk War on his own, Hill considered assassinating him, but he feared the eventual vengeance of the Kaleesh. Instead he conspired with Poggle the Lesser, the Archduke of Geonosis, and Count Dooku to arrange Grievous's permanent servitude. They planted an ion bomb on Grievous's ship, the Martyr. Its detonation caused the crash of the ship and near-fatal injuries for the general. San Hill funded the construction of Grievous's new cyborg body, his secret goal was to create a military leader that could counter Dooku's growing political influence in the Separatist movement, although he presented the finished General Grievous as a twisted gift to the Count.

Joining the CIS
"The Banking Clan will sign your treaty."

- San Hill to Dooku

On the invitation of Dooku, Hill attended a meeting on Geonosis with Mai, Tambor, Gunray, Passel Argente, numerous Senators and other future Separatist Council members while being a guest of Archduke Poggle the Lesser. At this meeting all participants signed a treaty, in which they pledged their financial and military support to the CIS. Hill in particular agreed to supply Hailfire droid tanks to the Separatist Droid Army.

When the Grand Army of the Republic attacked Geonosis, Hill attempted to flee the planet on his personal Hardcell-class interstellar transport, which he had received from Tambor. However, Hill's vessel suffered a serious engine malfunction, preventing it from taking off into hyperspace.

Without any thruster power, Hill's Hardcell transport was left stranded in the E'Y-Akh Desert for several weeks. However, the Muun managed to evade Republic capture and prosecution. Hill was only able to escape Geonosis with the help of Captain Riklon Tost of the Iotran Guard, who was allowed in the Banking Clan's inner ranks despite not being a Muun.



Clone Wars
In the early weeks of the Clone Wars, San Hill went to the banking world of Aargau to raise money for the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Navigating the labyrinthine interiors of Aargau's commerce centers, he struck bargains with the criminal underworld to supplement the riches of the Separatists.

He and Wat Tambor also made Po Nudo head of the Hyper-Communications Cartel, the Confederate version of the Republic's HoloNet that used secret Banking Clan codes to spread CIS propaganda, as a reward for bringing resource-rich Ando into the Separatist fold. This communications system was used to link the holotranceivers used by many Separatist leaders.

During the Battle of Muunilinst, San Hill commanded the Confederacy forces from a war room atop a large command tower. Hill hid behind the protection of legions of IG lancer droids and the merciless bounty hunter Durge, but the Republic was able to infiltrate his headquarters and bring him, his IG Banking Clan associates and an Neimoidian aide  to trial. However, Hill was allowed to escape for an unknown reason.

Death
"You're&hellip; Anakin Skywalker!"

- Hill's last words, to Darth Vader

San Hill was present on Mustafar with the rest of the Separatist Council, who had been sent there by Grievous under the orders of Darth Sidious. There Hill met the same fate as the other Separatist leaders when the new Sith apprentice, Darth Vader, arrived at Mustafar and, under orders by Darth Sidious, executed the council. When Vader arrived Hill welcoming him, Vader stabbed his three hearts, killing him.

Behind the scenes
He was voiced by Chris Truswell in Attack of the Clones and by Corey Burton in the Clone Wars cartoon.

The Revenge of the Sith novelization gives a slightly altered but more dramatic depiction of San Hill's death. As Darth Vader enters the Separatist command center, Hill rushes to greet the new Sith Lord, saying "On behalf of the CIS leadership, I would like to be the first to&mdash;" To this, Vader sadistically replies "Very well. You can be first." When Vader throws back his hood, Hill instantly recognizes him as the former Jedi hero Anakin Skywalker, moments before he is cut down by Vader's lightsaber.

Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption introduces another individual named San Hill. Curiously, although this new San Hill is a Human, he bears the same position of Chairman of the InterGalactic Banking Clan and also resides on Muunilinst. Though it seems that both San Hills were meant to be one and the same, this appearance is likely due to a mistake on the part of the game developers.

Appearances

 * The Eyes of Revolution
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones novel
 * Boba Fett: Maze of Deception
 * Star Wars: Clone Wars PhotoComic
 * "Foreclosure" - Star Wars: The Clone Wars Comic UK 6.7
 * Reversal of Fortune
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith comic
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith novel
 * Reversal of Fortune
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith comic
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith novel

Notes and references
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