Movies News Talk
Hondo Ohnaka, the pirate captain with a love for gold, has been making Star Wars fans laugh since his debut. Hondo is a comedic character, always finding himself in trouble. But he always seems to drag others along with him. While Hondo has not appeared in live-action yet, he has become a favorite character thanks to the voice acting of Jim Cummings.
Hondo usually wears an interesting jacket, an infantry helmet, and his protective goggles. It would be easy to call him a villain because he is greedy, selfish, and a hostage-taker. But Hondo shows his true heart eventually, and he is always funny.
Hondo first appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 1, episode 11, "Dooku Captured." At first, he is a drunken pirate on Florrum, where he is holding Count Dooku hostage. Soon, Hondo also captures Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. All three Force-users eventually escape, but Hondo was the star of the story arc. Audiences loved him after he called lightsabers, "that glowy thing, voom-voom."
"I may not be as young as I once was, but I'm older!" - Star Wars: The Clone Wars 5x08 "Bound for Rescue"
"As my sweet mother always said, 'Son, if one hostage is good, two are better. And three, well, that's good business.'" - Star Wars: The Clone Wars 1x12 "The Gungan General"
"Oh, the stories I could tell. So many of them true." - Star Wars Rebels 2x06 "Brothers of the Broken Horn"
Hondo: "Does this mean I'm not getting my finder's fee?" Ezra: "You never were." Hondo: "Perfect answer. I am so proud of you right now. I've never had a student learn this quickly." - Star Wars Rebels 2x14 "Legends of the Lasat"
"You lied to me? I knew I liked you!" - Star Wars Rebels 2x06 "Brothers of the Broken Horn"
Star Wars brought Hondo back for many episodes of The Clone Wars, and he played a big part in Star Wars Rebels, too. Sometimes, he works with the Jedi, other times with the Separatists or the Galactic Empire. But most of all, Hondo works for money. He wants to profit from every situation. While this might seem bad, Hondo shows through his other actions that he has a good heart (even if he would try to sell that good heart for credits).
As a criminal, Hondo often plays the role of someone against the law-enforcing Jedi of the Galactic Republic. During one story arc in The Clone Wars, Hondo and his gang take over a Jedi training vessel to steal their kyber crystals. In another, he tries to steal spice from local farmers before the Jedi stop him. Hondo is never a real threat to the Jedi, but he is annoying.
By the time of the Empire, it was the Rebellion that needed to break the rules. They needed to steal supplies and resources from the Empire, and Hondo's experience in crime was perfect for this. Hondo worked with the Ghost crew many times, helping them steal power generators and rescue prisoners. Usually, he only helped if he knew there was money to be made. But later, Hondo became a full rebel, helping the crew in Lothal's liberation.
Hondo is always trying to make money, no matter what is happening in the galaxy. During the Galactic Civil War, he started Ohnaka Transport Solutions, which provided "transportation" services. Later, during the war between the First Order and the Resistance, Hondo ran his business from Black Spire Outpost on Batuu. He even borrowed the Millennium Falcon to steal coaxium from the First Order.
While fans are still waiting for Hondo to appear in live-action, he has become a popular character in the galaxy far, far away. Besides the animated shows and his daily appearance in Batuu, Hondo has also shown up in video games, comics, and other TV shows. His greed makes him a problem for the heroes in Star Wars, but it's his heart and humor that make him so beloved.