Star Wars: Episode IX: Could Hondo Ohnaka make an appearance?
The Galaxy’s favorite space-pirate, Hondo Ohnaka, has been a mainstay in Star Wars canon since Clone Wars, but has yet to appear on the big screen. Could that change in Episode IX?
Since his initial appearance in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Hondo Ohnaka has managed to fill every character role. Villain. Good guy. Villain again. Something in between with a mutual understanding with our heroes.
One thing is for certain, the flamboyant Weequay pirate is always entertaining and has become a fan-favorite. Is there a chance he could make his film debut in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker?
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Hondo has managed to survive every major galactic conflict stretching from the Clone Wars, through the Galactic Civil War, and now through the conflict between The Resistance and First Order. The most recent detail of his character arc involves his use of the Millennium Falcon on Batuu, as depicted by the Galaxy’s Edge ride, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run.
The ride takes place after the events of The Last Jedi, after some kind of deal was worked out with Chewbacca. The connection with our main heroes is there for a potential big screen appearance.
There was another interesting tidbit that probably means nothing. But maybe it means something? The Hasbro panel at Celebration revealed a few Black Series figure packs, including the Disney exclusive Smuggler’s Run pack. The Smuggler’s pack includes Rey, Chewie, a couple of Porgs, and, yes, Hondo.
Sure, this is probably just an effort to use a fan-favorite to promote a new Disney attraction, but the figure combination is still interesting. Placing the lesser known Hondo figure in a pack with two other iconic Star Wars characters from the films would seem deliberate.
Hondo’s inclusion could also be means to double-down on good-will among fans. After Harsh reactions to The Last Jedi, it wouldn’t be surprising to see J.J. Abrams keep adding characters and details that appeal to a wider fanbase. Palpatine. Lando. Hondo’s appearance would introduce a character who might be obscure to portions of audiences, but loved by fans of Clone Wars and Rebels.
In a purely speculative hunch, it would seem Hondo’s continued prevalence in Disney’s content would be primer for a bigger appearance.
His presence in a film like The Rise of Skywalker would create an interesting dynamic. He always had a complicated relationship with the Jedi, and I would be curious to see how a relationship with Rey and The Resistance would unfold. The pirate turned smuggler would be a welcome addition to the Skywalker Saga.
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What do you think? Is there a chance that Hondo could make an appearance in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker? Let us know in the comments.