Assassin (episode)

Tasked to protect Senator Padmé Amidala during a political mission to Alderaan, Padawan Ahsoka Tano is plagued by recurring visions of the recently-deceased bounty hunter, Aurra Sing. Unable to clear her mind, Ahsoka worries that the stress of conflict is finally getting to her until her visions indeed prove prophetic. Padmé narrowly avoids death when Aurra Sing attempts to assassinate her. Together, Padmé and Ahsoka trap the hunter, and Ahsoka discovers the true villain behind the plot to kill Padmé: the incarcerated gangster, Ziro the Hutt.

After her recent successful missions on Florrum and Mandalore, Ahsoka is assigned by the Jedi Council and her master to take a break from the action, a decision she accepts grudgingly. But in short order, Ahsoka begins to have disturbing dreams of the bounty hunter Aurra Sing, who threatens to come after someone close to her. The visions get more and more troubling, but Ahsoka is gradually able to discern the target: Senator Amidala.

Padmé is preparing to attend a conference hosted by Senator Bail Organa on Alderaan, which is to address the increasing humanitarian problem of the war refugees. Ahsoka gets permission to join the entourage, but her visions are getting so intense that Ahsoka gets close to paranoia and begins to feel unsure of her ability to cope with the stress. Padmé tries to assure her that she had felt the same sense of insecurity when she was Queen of her home planet Naboo, an encouragement which eases Ahsoka a little.

As the conference begins and Padmé makes her speech, Ahsoka's fears come true: Aurra Sing has indeed smuggled herself into the conference building and is preparing to kill Padmé. Ahsoka arrives just in time to prevent Sing from hitting Padmé dead on target with a sniper blaster, but the senator suffers a shoulder wound and Sing manages to get away. Ahsoka devises a trap to catch the assassin by having a luxury droid, wreathed in a robe, take Padmé's place at the conference while Padmé casts her speech through the droid via telecommunication from her quarters. Nevertheless, Sing sees through that plan and prepares to ambush Padmé. Just in time, Ahsoka senses Sing's intent and intercepts her before she can carry out her assassination attempt. Before Sing manages to wound Ahsoka, she gloats that she was sent by an old enemy of Padmé's to carry out revenge, just before Padmé manages to surprise the bounty hunter with a hidden blaster, stunning her to be picked up by Captain Typho.

Ahsoka and Padmé return to Coruscant, where they are received by Master Yoda and Anakin. While they are conversing, a group of clones escort a handcuffed Sing to prison. Following their report, Ahsoka uses her improved precognitive abilities to find out who is behind the assassination attempt. Although Ahsoka gets only a few blurry impressions, Padmé is able to deduce that the main culprit is Ziro the Hutt, who holds her responsible for his arrest. Ahsoka and her master visits Ziro within his cell and slyly manages to make him blab out that he is indeed behind the assassination. Satisfied, Ahsoka and Anakin leave Ziro to serve an additional term in prison, which causes the Hutt to holler vows of revenge.

Leia's theme can be heard as her mother arrives on Alderaan.