The The Book of Boba Fett telling new and exciting stories about a galaxy far far away. Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of these shows is their live-action reintroduction of characters that originally appeared in Star Wars animation, most recently in the form of bounty hunter Cad Bane.
Voiced by Corey Burton, Cad Bane is a Duros bounty hunter that played a significant role in Star Wars' flagship animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Coming off of the latest episode of The Book of Boba Fett, fans should find themselves looking into Bane's most important appearances within the animated series.
"Holocron Heist"
The first chronological appearance of Cad Bane came in the season 2 premiere of The Clone Wars entitled "Holocron Heist." The episode saw Bane hired by none other than Darth Sideous himself to steal a Holocron from the Jedi temple.
This particular story did a remarkable job of proving just how capable a mercenary Bane is, as he accomplished what, for most other bounty hunters, would have seemed an impossible task in breaking into the Jedi temple and stealing one of their most treasured artifacts. The purpose behind his thievery would only be revealed in later episodes.
"Cargo Of Doom"
After stealing a Holocron from the Jedi temple, Cad Bane is pursued by Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. Almost unbothered by the chase, Bane proceeds to capture and torture another Jedi Knight, Bolla Ropal, in an attempt to coerce him into opening the Holocron.
In the midst of this episode, Bane proves himself to be fully capable of going head-to-head with Jedi, killing Master Ropal, as well as briefly holding Ahsoka hostage, marking one of the worst things to ever happen to the young Ahsoka Tano in her early career. Once again, Bane emerges victorious, having an open Jedi Holocron that lists the locations of several Force-sensitive children.
"Children Of The Force"
After repeatedly evading the Jedi and proving to be a thorn in their side, Cad Bane continues to do the bidding of Darth Sidious, kidnapping several Force-sensitive children while pretending to be a Jedi himself. In the end, after a confrontation with Anakin and Ahsoka, Bane manages to escape once again, though the children are eventually rescued.
At the end of his first full arc on The Clone Wars, Cad Bane establishes himself as someone even Jedi should fear. He remains cool and calculating, even in the midst of potential death, always managing to emerge unscathed, even if the plan ultimately falls through in the end.
"Evil Plans"
Cad Bane made a one-off appearance in the eighth episode of season 3, where he encountered the protocol droid C-3PO and his companion R2-D2. Using the latter's memory drive, Cad Bane extracts floor plans for the Senate building, setting up his appearance in the earlier episode "Hostage Crisis."
Though this storyline, like many of the episodes that followed the exploits of C-3PO and R2-D2, was generally more comedic in tone, Bane's presence brought a dark undertone to the levity. As fans piece together the fact that this episode serves as a prequel to Bane's first on-screen appearance, the bounty hunter's plan becomes more and more impressive, though dastardly.
"Hostage Crisis"
In the finale of The Clone Wars's first season, Cad Bane leads a group of bounty hunters on an attack against the Senate, holding a group of senators, including Pe Amidala, hostage in an effort to force the Republic to free Ziro the Hutt from captivity. In doing so, Bane is confronted by Anakin Skywalker, who attempts to save the senators before Bane gets what he wants.
While later episodes would explore some of Bane's exploits before the Hostage Crisis in the Senate, this episode was his debut, immediately establishing Bane as someone not to be trifled with. His first appearance is remarkable in part due to the fact that he actually succeeded in his mission, despite the interference of Skywalker. Beginning with this episode, Cad Bane would quickly go on to become one of the coolest major villains in The Clone Wars.
"Hunt For Ziro"
A sequel to the "Hostage Crisis" episode of season 1, "Hunt For Ziro" follows the Jedi's efforts to bring Ziro the Hutt (also voiced by Corey Burton) back to justice after his liberation by Bane and his team. Bane proves to be a true bounty hunter along the way, always aligning himself with whichever side will pay him the most for his assistance.
This episode gave Cad Bane the honor that very few non-Force s have ever had in the Star Wars franchise: wielding a lightsaber in combat. Bane s this relatively small number, briefly using the lightsaber of Jedi Quinlan Vos in battle against Obi-Wan Kenobi. While this fight nearly lead to Bane's ultimate defeat, it certainly became another notch in his belt.
"Deception"
The fifteenth episode of season 4 shocked viewers by featuring the assassination of Obi-Wan Kenobi. It would later be revealed as a hoax put on by the Jedi so that Kenobi could safely go undercover as the very man who had seemingly killed him. Along the way, he runs across the imprisoned Cad Bane, beginning an arc that many fans agree is one of the best in The Clone Wars.
While Bane's contributions to this episode are comparatively limited, it remains one of the best installments in the character's storied history, setting up plenty of the reveals that would come in later episodes, which are among the very best appearances of Cad Bane.
"Friends And Enemies"
Episode 4.16 of The Clone Wars saw Obi-Wan still undercover as Rako Hardeen, attempting to learn the truth about Dooku's plot by getting close to the criminal Moralo Eval. However, Cad Bane's suspicions of the Jedi in disguise pose a threat to his mission.
This episode showcases Bane's survival instincts, as he both distrusts a man whom the audience knows seeks to deceive him and manages to survive in the wastelands of Nal Hutta, where the group crashlands. The events of this episode also include Bane adopting a new signature hat, a trademark of his character.
"The Box"
The seventeenth episode of season 4 of The Clone Wars saw Obi-Wan continue his deception of Cad Bane and the other bounty hunters, ing them in a tournament designed to prove their mettle. He and some of the best mercenaries in the galaxy are gathered in the titular "Box" to survive a series of tests. If they fail, it would spell their own demise.
While this ordeal was certainly one of the worst things that ever happened to Obi-Wan, it proved to be a turning point in the career of Cad Bane, who not only survived the Box, but was considered the best equipped the lead the surviving bounty hunters in their mysterious mission in following episodes. The event also showcased Bane's fairness, as he saved Obi-Wan after Moralo Eval sought to unjustly end his life.
"Crisis On Naboo"
In episode 4.18, the culmination of Cad Bane's final storyline on The Clone Wars, the true purpose for Dooku's gathering of bounty hunters is revealed: to mount a kidnapping of Chancellor Palpatine as he visits his homeworld of Naboo. Bane leads the team of bounty hunters in this mission, as Obi-Wan desperately attempts to foil their plans from within.
Not only is this episode a perfect watch for fans trying to understand the essence of Cad Bane, but it is also an intriguing entry into Star Wars canon, as the events of Palpatine's near-capture become startlingly reminiscent of the opening of Revenge of the Sith, right down to Anakin's one-on-one duel with Dooku as Palpatine watches slyly from the sidelines. Though Bane and his team ultimately fail in Palpatine's ultimate goal for them, they came close to setting off Anakin's fall at an earlier point in the war.