Star Wars is rich with rogues and scoundrels of every stripe, and The Clone Wars introduced perhaps the most outlandish of them all. The Weequay pirate captain Hondo Ohnaka, who first appeared in The Clone Wars Season 1, would go on to appear throughout The Clone Wars before crossing over to Star Wars Rebels and a plethora of peripheral media. Forever toeing the line between right and wrong, Hondo was governed only by his personal quest for profit and spent much of his time zealously overselling his efforts to deceive those around him.
Hondo is often regarded as a comic relief. Certainly, on Rebels, he was a source of laughs and hijinks more than a serious threat or ally to the crew of the Ghost. His theatrical personality and blatant insincerity made him a jovial foil for committed Jedi, such as Obi-Wan Kenobi, or vengeful Sith, such as Darth Maul. However, while it is easy to dismiss Hondo as a joke antagonist, he has revealed his truly devastating capabilities on multiple occasions. This quirky pirate captain has had Count Dooku, Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker all at his mercy.
Hondo Ohnaka's History with the Jedi and the Sith
Hondo's first appearance on The Clone Wars is in the Season 1 episode "Dooku Captured." As suggested by the title, the episode sees the Sith Lord and Separatist leader Count Dooku imprisoned, having been captured by Hondo and his pirate gang. After a crash landing on Vanqor, a stranded Dooku is taken in by the pirates, who disarm him and take him prisoner in hopes of ransoming him to either the Republic or the Separatists. Anakin and Obi-Wan are sent to verify Hondo does indeed have Dooku in his custody but are soon drugged and locked up alongside the Sith Lord.
Later encounters with Hondo would see the pirate repeatedly slip through the Jedi's fingers. However, The Clone Wars Season 5's first episode, "Revival," saw Hondo working with Obi-Wan against rogue Sith Lords Darth Maul and Savage Opress. Not only does Hondo persuade those members of his gang who have betrayed him for Maul to rejoin his ranks, but in the ensuing effort to prevent Maul and Savage from escaping, Hondo's men manage to destroy one of Maul's robotic legs. They then go on to shoot down Maul and Savage's ship as the Sith brothers attempt to escape.
The Clone Wars' Hondo Is Not To Be Underestimated
Hondo Ohnaka is easy to dismiss as a minor player and low-level scoundrel in the grand scheme of Star Wars' vast conflicts. However, time and again, this roguish pirate has proven he has what it takes to face off against some of the galaxy's most powerful warriors. In Season 5's "A Necessary Bond," Hondo even fends off General Grievous while saving a band of Jedi younglings. He may have no qualms about running from a battle once he has nothing to gain, but Hondo has the guts and the smarts to stand up to any foe.
Hondo's resilience is also commendable. After being introduced as the captain of a band of pirates in The Clone Wars, he reappears on his own on Rebels, having lost his crew under the reign of the Empire. However, the pirate is able to navigate and survive the dangerous Imperial era. Canonically, Hondo is still alive by the time of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, by which point he has established a trading company to act as a front for his criminal endeavors. This long and illustrious career means there are sure to be many more stories of Hondo Ohnaka's daring feats that are yet to be told.