Senate Murders

"Senate Murders" is the fifteenth episode of Season Two of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series. It aired on March 12, 2010 in Canada, March 13 in the UK, and March 19 in the US. While released as part of Season Two, "Senate Murders" actually occurs during the course of Season Three, after "Pursuit of Peace" and before "Nightsisters."
==Official description==
"When Senator Onaconda Farr dies under suspicious circumstances, Padmé sets out to find the person responsible for the death of her favorite 'uncle.
==Plot summary==
Padmé's party loses another Senator's support, who was worried about public opinion. However, Onaconda Farr is optimistic that they win this matter. When Padmé goes on the floor of the Grand Convocation Chamber in the Senate, she reasons that increasing clone production would only strain the Republic's finances and only lead to more bloodshed. She advocates that if they put a stop this, then they can return to the use of diplomacy. Everyone applauds her speech as a result. However, when she exits her hover platform, Senator Mee Deechi comments on her performance, though not as a compliment, just considering it unpatriotic. Padmé retorts that the only unpatriotic thing she finds is his advocating war.
Padmé, Bail Organa, Farr, Lolo Purs, and Mon Mothma celebrate with drinks. However, their celebration is rudely interrupted by Senator Halle Burtoni, who accuses them of being Separatist supporters for opposing the production bill. Padmé and Lolo protest that they were only trying to return to the use of diplomacy, to which Burtoni claims had failed the Republic long ago. Farr ushers her out, reminding her that though the Kaminoans' contribution with the clones may have gotten them into the Republic, it does not give her free reign around the Senate. Burtoni leaves anyway, but not before warning that the war will not end soon. As the Senators toast, Farr suddenly collapses and dies.
Later, Farr has been given a funeral, before being transported back to Rodia. Padmé tries comforting Lolo, who was Farr's protege, before they are summoned to Chancellor Palpatine's office, where multiple police droids are. Inspector Tan Divo explains to them that Farr was murdered, instantly killed by poison. He believes that some secret of his came out and one of his political opponents decided to eliminate him. Padmé and Organa insist that Farr had no secrets and even his enemies respected him. Divo states that he will carry out this investigation his way.
Padmé and her group try speculating who would want to kill Farr and if they are next. However, Padmé decides to investigate this alone, though Mothma advises that Organa accompany her, while the bill is delayed. They both go the most likely suspects: Deechi and Burtoni. However, their opposition denies doing so, as they respected Farr and considered his words a cause for more credits to their fundraiser for the bill that increases clone production. Deechi slips a tip to Bail and Padme that the night before Farr died, he had a clandestine meeting at the docks; when asked how he knew, Deechi states that though he and Farr were political enemies, he respected and would not kill him.
Padmé and Organa arrive at the docks, only to be attacked by a hooded figure, who shoots at them atop cargo containers. Their attacker escapes by releasing a container right by them after a chase, knocking Organa off and leaving him dangling on the edge. Padmé is forced to help him, just before Coruscant Security Force arrives. Divo isn't happy that they took matters into their own hands, as now the killer is alerted to their presence. Padmé then realizes that Deechi must have set them up. The three return to Deechi's office, only to find him dead with a dagger to his chest.
Divo puts the Senators under protective custody, in case the killer is after them. Lolo however, refuses to cooperate and walks out. Divo then asks the others who else knew that they were at the docks. When Padmé states that Burtoni was the other Senator, Divo goes to her office, only for his droids to inform him that she had already left. When he returns to the Senators, Lolo comes rushing in, stating that Burtoni had attacked her. Coruscant Security Force arrests Burtoni, who denies murdering Farr or attacking Lolo, as she saw no political gain in doing so. Divo attempts to trick her into confessing, putting together that she conveniently was in both Padmé and Deechi's office and may have been at the docks. He further presents a datapad detailing the poison that was used to kill Farr was Kaminoan-made that only affected Rodians.
Despite Burtoni's protests, Divo orders her to be taken away, seeing that all the evidence points against her. Padmé, however, quickly pieces together the clues, realizing that Lolo would also have died unless she drank too. Found out, Lolo takes Padmé hostage with a small blaster. She reveals that she killed Farr because of the "war" he brought to Rodia, believing that they needed a new leader after showing his "weakness." Padmé argues that he just made a mistake, but she refuses to listen to reason. Lolo explains that the meeting at the docks was just her trying to scare Farr, but he wouldn't go away, so Lolo removed him and when she heard that Deechi knew about the meeting, she had to kill him too. Divo discreetly activates the police droids outside the officer, who surprise the traitorous aide. Padmé knocks the blaster out of Lolo's hand and delivers a knockout punch.
Later, the bill for clone production has been passed. Padmé runs into Palpatine in the halls of the Senate, who tells her that the reinforcements will help further their way to peace.
==Continuity==
The episode aired in both Canada and the United Kingdom a week before it was scheduled to air in the United States. However, the American iTunes Store released "Senate Murders" for download a week before the American air date as well. It was taken down from iTunes a short while after being posted.
About eight months after this episode aired, two prequel episodes to "Senate Murders" aired on Cartoon Network. The first aired, "Heroes on Both Sides," depicted the events that caused the Senate to create a bill proposing more clone trooper production. The following episode, "Pursuit of Peace," introduced the bill and the opposition, as well as how the opposing Senators were threatened by outside forces.
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