Hunt for Ziro

"Love comes in all shapes and sizes."

- Jedi Fortune Cookie

"Hunt for Ziro" is the ninth episode of the third season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It is the fifty-third episode of the series overall. It was released on November 12, 2010 on Cartoon Network.

Synopsis
The bounty hunter Cad Bane had recently liberated Ziro the Hutt from Republic custody and took him to the Hutt homeworld of Nal Hutta to confront the Hutt Council. Inside the Hutt Palace, Ziro is confronted by the five Hutt family leaders, and Ziro soon finds out their sole intention of freeing him was because of the holo-diary that cataloged every deeed the Hutts committed. To keep him out of Republic hands and the diary to fall in the hands of the Senate, the Hutts imprison Ziro in a cell within the palace. Meanwhile, on Coruscant, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Commander Cody await the arrival of Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos, who has showed up late. Kenobi and Vos get down to business that they need to gain custody of Ziro and Bane. The two then set course for Nal Hutta.

On Nal Hutta, Sy Snootles and other dancers perform for the Hutt leaders. After the show, Snootles soon discovers her past love, Ziro, is locked up within the Hutts' grasp. Snootles is able to trick the guards into fighting with each other while Snootles visits Ziro. After reuniting, Snootles breaks Ziro out of the cell. Meanwhile, Kenobi and Vos enter the Hutt Council Chamber. While Kenobi talks with Gardulla the Hutt, Vos could sense Ziro's presence from a discarded cup. After alerting Gardulla that Ziro had escaped Republic custody, to which she knew, the two Jedi leave. Cad Bane then enters through the shadows. Kenobi and Vos soon discover Ziro's empty cell and that he had escaped. Meanwhile, Snootles and Ziro escape in a swamp speeder through the swamps of Nal Hutta.

At the scene of the premise, Gardulla, Arok, and Gorga believe that the Jedi took Ziro, but Bane and his droid Todo 360 think otherwise. Bane explains that Ziro was freed long before the Jedi arrived. The Hutts then hire him again to recapture Ziro. Meanwhile, Kenobi and Vos have already gotten a head start. Vos believes Ziro is still on the planet, but Kenobi is skeptical as to why he wouldn't just escape, to which Vos replies something is keeping him there. A while after, Kenobi is attacked by a swamp snake, to which he kills it.

Ziro and Snootles then arrive at the home of Ziro's mother, Mama the Hutt. Ziro explains his rough situation and that Gardulla is hunting him. He then trades his swamp speeder for Mama's starship. Ziro thanks her and explains he has some business on Teth. Later, Bane and Todo threaten Mama for the location of Ziro and head to Teth. Kenobi and Vos then visit Mama and the two explain they need Ziro, and Mama reveals that he and Bane went to Teth.

On Teth, Ziro and Snootles approach the grave of Ziro's father, where the holo-diary is stashed. Snootles proudly collects the diary, but not before killing Ziro since he broke her heart. Soon afterward, Bane and Todo arrive at the scene, where they find Ziro's body and the missing diary. To make matters worse, they spot the Jedi starship landing. Kenobi and Vos rush to the scene, where Bane emerges from the shadow. The Jedi believe he killed Ziro, but Bane says no, and wants to leave on even terms, but the Jedi are less than budged. The Jedi duel Bane but the bounty hunter escapes the planet. On Tatooine, Snootles delivers the diary to Jabba the Hutt and proudly claims she could do a bounty hunters job.

Cast
Starring
 * Corey Burton as Ziro the Hutt / Cad Bane
 * James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
 * Nika Futterman as Sy Snootles / Gardulla the Hutt
 * Al Rodrigo as Quinlan Vos
 * Angelique Perrin as Mama the Hutt / MF-80 / Chorus Girl
 * Dee Bradley Baker as Cody / Arok the Hutt
 * Seth Green as Todo 360
 * Kevin Michael Richardson as Jabba the Hutt / Marlo the Hutt
 * Tom Kane as Narrator

Crew
Created and Executive Produced by
 * George Lucas

Supervising Director
 * Dave Filoni

Produced by
 * Cary Silver

Directed by
 * Steward Lee

Written by
 * Steve Mitchell
 * Craig Van Sickle

Score by
 * Kevin Kiner

Original Star Wars Themes and Score by
 * John Williams

Characters

 * Arok the Hutt
 * Cad Bane
 * Cody
 * Gardulla the Hutt
 * Gorga the Hutt
 * Obi-Wan Kenobi
 * MF-80
 * Mama the Hutt
 * Marlo the Hutt
 * Oruba the Hutt
 * Rang Thang
 * Sy Snootles
 * TC-70
 * Todo 360
 * Quinlan Vos
 * Ziro the Hutt
 * Shahan Alama
 * Padmé Amidala
 * C-3PO
 * Fox
 * Riyo Chuchi
 * Ebor First mentioned
 * Onaconda Farr
 * Jakker-Sun
 * HELIOS-3D
 * Bail Organa
 * Kin Robb
 * Rotta
 * Robonino
 * Aurra Sing
 * Anakin Skywalker
 * Orn Free Taa
 * Ziro's Father
 * Yoda

Creatures

 * Dragonsnake
 * Peko-peko
 * Plebo
 * Sha'rellian toop

Droid models

 * IG-series assassin droid
 * Protocol droid
 * 3PO-series protocol droid
 * TC-series protocol droid
 * Techno-service droid

Locations

 * Coruscant
 * Jedi Temple
 * Republic Executive Building
 * Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center
 * Senate Building
 * Nal Hutta
 * Gardulla the Hutt's palace
 * Hutt Grand Council Hall
 * Mama's hut
 * Solarine First mentioned
 * Tatooine
 * Jabba's Palace
 * Teth
 * Ziro the Hutt's father's grave

Events

 * Clone Wars
 * Mission to Jabba the Hutt's palace Indirect mention only
 * Mission to Nal Hutta
 * Senate hostage crisis
 * Skirmish on Teth

Behind the scenes

 * "Hunt for Ziro" is the last episode of the Ziro the Hutt arc. It is the sequel to the Season 1 finale episode "Hostage Crisis."
 * After "Hostage Crisis" aired, many people thought that the Separatists had hired Bane to free Ziro since he was conspiring with Count Dooku to kidnapping Jabba's son. The crew later got the chance to reveal that the Hutts were the one's who hired Bane, not the Separatists.
 * Before Ziro dies, he murmurs, "Oh what a world," which is what the Wicked Witch of the West from the "Wizard of Oz" said when she died.