Dooku/Legends

"The best of all would be the strongest student, yes? Wisest? Most learned in the ways of the Force? Best of all, Dooku would be! Our greatest student! Our greatest failure."

- Yoda

Dooku was a legendary Jedi Master in the Jedi Order and was one of the most renowned swordsmen of the Galaxy. He trained notable Jedi such as Qui-Gon Jinn and Komari Vosa during his time as a Jedi. It was said that only Masters Yoda, Mace Windu, and later on, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker could have fought on equal terms with him.

Later in life, Dooku fell to the dark side of the Force, disgruntled with the corrupt state of the Galactic Republic, and became Darth Tyranus, the apprentice Dark Lord of Darth Sidious, replacing Darth Maul, and eventually being replaced in turn by Darth Vader.

Taking on his birthright as Count of Serenno and the vast fortune that came with the title, Dooku formed the Separatist movement under Sidious's instruction. As political leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems he led the organization against the Republic in a conflict that would become known as the Clone Wars.

He was slain in a duel by Anakin Skywalker during the Battle of Coruscant near the end of the crisis that he had helped instigate.

Jedi (102 BBY–32 BBY)
"I've seen your heart, and I know how empty it is. I've seen your anger, and I know how deep it is. I've seen your ambition, and I know how ruthless it is. And all of that will ultimately destroy you&hellip; I will never be a Jedi, it's true. But neither will you. You will never be a great Jedi Master."

- Lorian Nod

Childhood
Born on the planet Serenno, Dooku was surrendered to the Jedi Order by his parents, who were proud of him becoming a Jedi. Unlike many Jedi, he was aware of his origins and felt driven to prove himself worthy of them. He was taken as a Padawan by Thame Cerulian at the age of 13 for instruction. Cerulian molded Dooku into a powerful Jedi, tapping into the vast potential he sensed in his student. Cerulian's interests, and thereby his teachings, mostly concerned history. The knowledge of past wars and politics made Dooku an outspoken individual who took a strong interest in the current political arena. He later became a powerful political figure himself.

Dooku had several friends when he was younger, including fellow youngling Lorian Nod and alien senatorial aide Eero Iridian. Both eventually betrayed him, and these experiences made Dooku wary of friendship and attachment. Lorian was cast out of the Jedi order for implicating Dooku in the theft of a Sith holocron. Later in life, a taunt by Lorian spurred Dooku to first access the holocron. Yoda also took a particular interest in young Dooku and assisted in his lightsaber training. Building from this foundation, Dooku became an accomplished duelist. It was said that few Masters could equal Dooku's skill with a lightsaber.

Knighthood
"You are always alone, and betrayal is inevitable."

- Dooku to Qui-Gon

Dooku became a Jedi Knight in his early twenties, and immediately took Qui-Gon Jinn as his first Padawan. They were quite close in age, with only ten years separating them. He would later train other Jedi, including Komari Vosa.

During his time as a Jedi Knight, Dooku and his apprentice Qui-Gon were assigned to protect Senator Blix Annon from pirates who were kidnapping Senators. Dooku met up with his old friend Eero Iridian, who was now serving as Blix's aide. However, they were all captured by Dooku's old friend Lorian Nod.

Things took a turn for the worse when the Senator died from a sudden heart attack. Eero, who was revealed to be in league with Lorian, panicked. Dooku and Qui-Gon then broke free, defeating the pirates. Dooku engaged and defeated Lorian but only Qui-Gon's voice stopped Dooku from brutally butchering his opponent. Instead, Lorian and Eero were arrested and Dooku and Qui-Gon returned to Coruscant.

After more missions for the Jedi Order, including a final one that lasted two years, Qui-Gon was ready to face the Jedi Trials. Before the pair parted, Dooku advised Qui-Gon that his need for connection with other beings was dangerous, and betrayal should never catch him by surprise. While Dooku and Qui-Gon were an effective team, their relationship was distant. Dooku acted as a teacher to Qui-Gon, not a friend, and the two drifted apart in later years.

Mastery
"Let it be said that I was a good Jedi. I never shirked from duty, nor was I tempted by the dark side."

- Darth Tyranus

As a Jedi Master, Dooku was one of the most highly regarded lightsaber instructors in the Jedi Order, and lectured on other topics as well. These recordings became mandatory viewing for two generations of Padawans, and were recorded on the Great Holocron and the Asli Krimsan Holocron. During his time as an instructor within the Jedi Temple, his teachings on methods for conquering arrogance were particularly well received.

Master Dooku was offered a place on the Jedi Council, but he turned it down so that he could remain more independent as a proactive peacekeeper. The Council soon agreed that his skills made him well suited for such field work.

Dooku was known as a political idealist, and was skilled at resolving disputes throughout the galaxy, such as the Sevarcos Dispute of 52 BBY. While Dooku was on good terms with many Jedi, such as Mace Windu and Sifo-Dyas, he was not particularly close to his former Padawan Qui-Gon Jinn.

Galidraan
"You killed them. You killed them all. We're all dead."

- Jango Fett

Of the many missions Dooku undertook, the deadly skirmish at Galidraan was the most disastrous. An emergency call for aid by Galidraan's governor against a Mandalorian invasion prompted a swift but ill-prepared Jedi response. Dooku was the senior Jedi Master of the twenty Jedi thrown together for the task force, and one of the only ones with knowledge of the enemy they were facing. Komari Vosa, then his Padawan, accompanied him.

The governor claimed that a small army of Mandalorians was slaughtering political dissidents. This was in a way the truth, as he had hired Jango Fett and his followers, the True Mandalorians to eliminate his own enemies, and was now working with Fett's enemy Viszla and the Death Watch to destroy Jango and his faction.

Dooku, concerned about the preparedness of his forces, requested reinforcements, but the urgency of the situation required him to go in with his initial task force. The Jedi were given the coordinates of Jango's camp and surrounded it. Dooku demanded their surrender. Instead, the Mandalorians opened fire. The following battle decimated both sides, leaving eleven of the Jedi dead and wiping out Jango's forces. Jango himself was captured after slaying several Jedi. Upon orders from the Jedi Council, Dooku turned Fett over to the planet's governor without further investigation. The governor took Jango's armor and sold him into slavery.

While he was unaware of the extent to which the Jedi had been manipulated at the time, Dooku soon learned how the Council and the Jedi had been used as tools to further the governor's personal ends. This deeply offended him. He sought out the true story behind the Galidraan debacle even after he left the Jedi Order, and took a particular interest in the fate of Jango Fett, who had earned his respect as a warrior.

Komari Vosa
"Komari Vosa was an excellent pupil. If a bit...unstable."

- Darth Tyranus

Dooku's apprentice Komari Vosa was one of the survivors at Galidraan, and was said to have killed twenty Mandalorians. While Dooku praised her skills with a lightsaber, he was not convinced she was worthy of becoming a Jedi Knight. In particular, he was disturbed by her inappropriate romantic feelings for him, and her volatile personality.

Shortly after Galidraan Dooku refused to recommend Vosa for the Jedi Trials and she was released from the Order. This infuriated Komari, and she somehow managed to attach herself to a Jedi mission to Baltizaar to prove Dooku and the Council wrong. While the Jedi repulsed the ruthless Bando Gora cult there, they took heavy casualties. At the end of the fight Komari Vosa was missing and presumed dead.

Dooku submitted a protest to the Jedi Council after Baltizaar, arguing that the Council was wasting Jedi lives for political reasons.

Leaving the Order
"Even though I knew that the Senate was corrupt, the Council was fallible, and Jedi training methods far from perfect, I remained with the Jedi Order for twelve years after Galidraan. Why? Because I still believed that I could accomplish some good as a Jedi. I thought I could bring about some positive changes, right certain wrongs, and do better than maintain the status quo. In short, I was an utter fool."

- Darth Tyranus

Master Dooku's growing disenchantment with the Jedi way was sensed by Senator Palpatine, who had been watching Dooku for some time. Even before the Battle of Naboo, the Senator had several meetings with Dooku to feel out his beliefs and cultivate him as an ally. Though Dooku's behavior and beliefs as a Jedi had previously been within the scope of Jedi orthodoxy, there is evidence that in the period before he left the Order he flirted with the belief that the dark side of the Force could be called upon without personal corruption.

Dooku made several public condemnations of the Senate after the death of his former Padawan, Qui-Gon Jinn. Shortly thereafter, he left the Jedi Order, and claimed his family title of Count. He did not give a reason for his decision, nor did he provide one when summoned before the Jedi Council.

Dooku's abrupt departure surprised and disturbed the Jedi Order. Dooku had been a Jedi for many years, and his bronzium bust was displayed in the Jedi Archives. He was the last former Jedi Master to be counted among the Lost Twenty.

Dark Lord of the Sith (32 BBY–24 BBY)
"Powerful you have become, Dooku. The dark side I sense in you." "I've become more powerful than any Jedi. Even you."

- Yoda and Dooku

Sith apprentice
Dooku's disillusionment with the Senate and the Jedi were no secret to Palpatine, and Dooku was already at least partially under his influence when he left the Jedi. Despite the recent death of Dooku's apprentice Qui-Gon Jinn at the hands of Darth Maul, Darth Sidious found it surprisingly easy to convince Dooku to ally with the Sith. After seventy years in the Jedi Order, Dooku abandoned his honor, his friends, and the Jedi way to descend once and for all into the depths of the dark side of the Force.

Under the tutelage of Sidious, Dooku was renamed Darth Tyranus and became a fully-fledged Dark Lord of the Sith. He retired to his home planet of Serenno and took up his family's title of Count, gaining access to vast reserves of wealth which he used in the service of his master.

Darth Tyranus was soon fully enmeshed in Sidious's schemes. Shortly after Dooku left the Order a friend of his, Master Sifo-Dyas, ordered a clone army in secret from the planet Kamino. Count Dooku paid for this army under the name of Tyranus, and then coldly murdered his old friend.

After the death of Sifo-Dyas, Kamino, Dromund, and about three dozen other star systems were erased from the Jedi Archives. It is suspected that Dooku himself did this, but it is unclear how he accomplished it.

Moving the pieces
"Lord Tyranus, what news of the Mandalorian?" "Jango Fett will soon become our prime clone. Our plans are proceeding as expected."

- Darth Sidious and Darth Tyranus

Count Dooku had officially retired from public life, but he was by no means idle. On a mission to the planet Geonosis on Sidious's behalf he impressed Archduke Poggle the Lesser with his knowledge of ancient Geonosian sailing vessels, and was gifted a starship. This distinctive solar sailer remained Dooku's personal craft for the rest of his life.

Dooku's Sith training was soon interrupted by Sidious with an urgent matter. The Bando Gora cult had re-emerged, dealing in assassination, deadly drugs, corruption, and chaos. Their influence in the underworld was strong enough that Sidious considered them a threat to the plans of the Sith. The leader of the Bando Gora was Komari Vosa, Dooku's former padawan. Captured by the Bando Gora on Baltizaar, she had escaped and seized control of the cult. Dooku had previously encountered Komari and allowed her to live as an experiment, but now Sidious commanded her death.

Dooku was also tasked by Darth Sidious with recruiting a template for the Grand Army of the Republic's clone troopers, one that was capable of slaying Jedi. Resolving to complete both of these missions at once, he placed an extravagent bounty of five million Republic credits on Komari Vosa, and pitted some of the galaxy's most fearsome bounty hunters against each other to kill or capture her. In the end, the ex-Mandalorians Montross and Jango Fett faced each other on Kohlma, a moon of Bogden. Jango Fett triumphed over his long-hated rival, although he needed some assistance from Zam Wesell to escape after being briefly captured by the Bando Gora.

In a brutal fight, Jango Fett subdued Komari Vosa and captured her alive. To the surprise of both parties, Dooku himself was present, and slew his former apprentice personally. Jango demanded payment, but was intrigued at Dooku's offer of greater wealth if he helped to create a clone army.

At a later meeting on the planet Serenno, Dooku and Jango addressed the history that lay between them. While Dooku had discovered most of the true story behind Galidraan, only Fett knew what had happpened afterwards. Distrusting Dooku because of his Jedi past, Jango attempted to extort further concessions out of him by infecting him with a biological weapon. The Sith Lord feigned defeat and convinced Jango to tell the rest of his tale while he healed himself with the power of the Force. Finding his leverage neutralized, Jango agreed to be cloned on the condition he received the first unit unaltered to train as his apprentice.

Subversion on Ryloth
Count Dooku's hand was silently behind many events in the years leading up to the Clone Wars. On the planet Ryloth, he supported the attempted coup of Twi'lek exile Kh'aris Fenn, with the intent that under Fenn's leadership Ryloth would eventually secede. As part of his plan to seize power, Kh'aris Fenn had Nat Secura kidnapped to pressure the boy's influential father to concede. When Jedi Master Tholme was captured trying to rescue the boy, Dooku himself intervened to have him spared, believing Tholme could be of later use to him.

Due to the actions of Tholme, Quinlan Vos, and Aayla Secura, Kha'ris Fenn did not succeed in usurping control of Ryloth. Though the Jedi had prevented Fenn's victory, they remained wholly ignorant of Dooku's role in the matter.

Introducing Grievous
"I have the Kaleesh general. He was not conscious to witness his "Jedi" captor. In fact, he is completely unaware of what has transpired. You may begin preparations for your experiment."

- Darth Tyranus

While gathering support for secession from the Republic, Dooku was contacted again by Darth Sidious. Sidious expressed interest in the Kaleesh General Qymaen jai Sheelal, later known as General Grievous. Dooku then spoke with San Hill of the InterGalactic Banking Clan about his wish to recruit the general. Qymael jai Sheelal had previously been the head of the Banking Clan's droid army, but had fallen out of favor due to pursuing a personal grievance against the Huks.

It was known that Grievous would never willingly serve Dooku and his compatriots, but the Count was prepared for this. While the Confederacy of Independent Systems had yet to be formed, San Hill and Geonosian Archduke Poggle the Lesser were already willing allies of Dooku. Together, the three of them hatched a plan, and had a bomb installed on Grievous's shuttle. The explosion sent the shuttle crashing to the ground, gravely injuring the general.

By the time Dooku reached the site of the crash, the Kaleesh was already dying. Only a heart stun preserved his life long enough for him to be transported to Geonosis. Separately, Dooku went to Serenno to collect the blood of the deceased Sifo-Dyas. This was transfused into Grievous as an experiment in midi-chlorian transplantation.

On Geonosis, the Geonosians encased what was left of Grievous in a metal body and rebuilt him almost completely. The resulting creation retained only part of the brain, the eyes, and a sack of internal organs. Even the brain was altered and augmented to make the General a perfect tool. They finished product was revealed to Dooku, who was greatly pleased with it. He now had a warrior able to command the droid armies in war, something he had no interest in. Under Dooku's training, General Grievous also became a deadly killer of Jedi.

Leader of the Separatists (24 BBY - 22 BBY)
"He is a political idealist, not a murderer."

- Ki-Adi-Mundi to Padmé Amidala

Birth of the Separatist movement
Plans laid for over a decade began to come to fruition, and Count Dooku reappeared on Raxus Prime in 24 BBY, giving a speech that heavily criticized the Republic for its decadence, hypocrisy, and corruption and the Jedi Order for its complacency. Dooku, a political mastermind, publicly called for entire systems to secede from the Republic and join the Separatist movement.

Separatist sentiment soon spread, and on some planets turned into armed resistance against the Republic. Propaganda in Dooku's name flooded communications networks, though much of it could not be directly attributed to him. Even as the Separatist movement grew and coalesced around Dooku as a leader, the Jedi Council did not believe he could be behind the violence.

The Fondor bounties
The Fondor shipyards were critical to the future plans of the Sith Lords, but three schemers plotted to destroy them for their own personal gain. Groodo the Hutt, Senator Rodd of Fondor, and Kuati droid designer Hurlo Holowan formed a pact to crash a ship into the yards. This came to the attention of both Count Dooku and Techno Union leader Wat Tambor. Dooku sent Jango Fett to capture the three plotters alive, while Wat Tambor hired the Trandoshan Cradossk to kill them. Jango outwitted Cradossk and his son Bossk to capture Rodd and Groodo, although he subcontracted Holowan's capture to Zam Wesell.

Dooku, having convinced Wat Tambor to cancel the other bounty on the trio, accepted the prisoners from Jango. He offered the three of them the opportunity to work for him, in exchange for their lives. Rodd, Groodo, and Holowan accepted Dooku's proposal.

Dispute on Ansion
Dooku's next move was to try and bring the planet Ansion into the future Confederacy, along with all the various planets it had alliances with. The Commerce Guild President Shu Mai and Ansion Senator Mousul orchestrated the plan through various agents, aiming to split the nomadic tribes and the urban dwellers.

The plan failed, with the intervention of Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luminara Unduli as well as their Padawans Anakin Skywalker and Barriss Offee. However, Dooku knew that it didn't matter and informed Shu Mai of the fact.

Concurrent with the events on Ansion, Dooku learned from Shu Mai that some Senators were planning to step up their plans, regardless of Ansion's defection or not. Shu Mai informed Dooku that she had given them an object lesson and Dooku was pleased, informing her that their plans were nearing completion.

A conspiracy revealed
"As I explained to you earlier, I am quite convinced that ten-thousand more star-systems will rally to our cause, with your support, gentlemen."

- Dooku to the Separatist Council

A meeting between Dooku and the heads of many major business and economic interests on Geonosis resulted in the formation of a new Confederacy of Independent Systems to oppose the Republic. Obi-Wan Kenobi, attempting to track down Jango Fett, observed these negotiations and attempted to inform the Jedi Council. However, Kenobi was was captured by the Geonosians midway through his transmission. He was accused of espionage, and thrown into a prison cell.

While Kenobi was in captivity Dooku decided to interrogate him personally. Obi-Wan accused him of treason, but Dooku claimed a great mistake had been made. The Count questioned Obi-Wan to why he was on Geonosis, and feigned lack of knowledge when Kenobi confronted him over the presence of the bounty hunter Jango Fett, who Kenobi had tracked to the planet. Dooku attempted to sway Kenobi to his side, claiming the Republic was corrupt and that Qui-Gon would have joined Dooku if he knew the truth. Kenobi refused to believe that Qui-Gon would never have abandoned the Jedi Order and the Republic.

Dooku then told Kenobi the truth, or at least a partial one. He told Obi-Wan that Darth Sidious, a Sith Lord, had control over the Senate. and made one last appeal for Obi-Wan to defect, saying that together they could destroy the Sith. Kenobi refused this offer without any hesitation. Leaving the Jedi in his cell, Dooku mentioned that it would be difficult to secure his release.

Arena bloodbath
"Master Windu. How pleasant of you to join us." "This party's over." "Brave, but foolish, my old Jedi friend. You're impossibly outnumbered.""

- Dooku and Mace Windu

Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padmé Amidala arrived on Geonosis to rescue Kenobi, ahead of the Jedi forces. The pair of them were also captured trying to infiltrate the Geonosian stronghold where Kenobi was being held. They both were sentenced to death after the Senator refused to ally with Dooku.

Kenobi also was sentenced to death, and the three prisoners met again in the Petranaki arena. They were chained to poles, and monstrous creatures were released to devour of them. Count Dooku, Nute Gunray, Jango Fett, and others observed from a balcony. However, the execution did not go precisely as planned, and the three escaped their chains. While Nute Gunray was furious that the three prisoners weren't dying as planned and ordered Jango to shoot them, Dooku advised patience and countermanded the order.

The three prisoners were still dodging the arena monsters when the executions were interrupted by the sudden arrival of Jedi reinforcements, led by Mace Windu. Mace confronted Dooku on the balcony. While the Jedi Master could have surprised and killed Dooku then, he did not, as it was not the Jedi way. Instead, the two spoke briefly, before Jango Fett drove Windu off the balcony and onto the arena floor.

Count Dooku had been anticipating this and revealed that the captured Jedi were simply bait for a trap. Ten thousand battle droids awaited Windu's task force, as well as many Geonosian warriors.

The clones attack
"<> " "I will take the designs with me to Coruscant. They will be much safer there&hellip;with my master."

- Poggle the Lesser and Dooku

The new Separatist Droid Army of the Confederacy overwhelmed the Jedi task force, and many Jedi died. Dooku's associate Jango Fett also perished, decapitated by Mace Windu. After the Jedi had taken significant losses and were trapped on the arena floor, Dooku ordered the droids to cease fire, and called on Mace Windu to surrender. Windu refused.

The Jedi's rescue was at hand, however. Dropships descended from the sky, carrying Master Yoda and many clone troopers. The Jedi had taken delivery of the clone army Dooku had helped create. The Separatists were forced to to withdraw from the planet as a clone invasion swept across the landscape.

While the clone troopers advanced and decimated the droid forces, the Separatists called for a full retreat. Dooku pretended not to know how the Republic had gathered such a powerful army in such a short time, while Poggle the Lesser, Archduke of Geonosis, commanded his warriors to retreat to the catacombs. Poggle also entrusted the plans to the Geonosians' Ultimate Weapon to Count Dooku to keep the Jedi from finding them.

Jedi confrontation
"As you see, my Jedi powers are far beyond yours. Now, back down." "I don't think so."

- Dooku and Obi-Wan Kenobi

Count Dooku fled to his secret hangar, closely followed by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan instructed Anakin to be cautious in his approach, but Skywalker charged at Dooku. The young Jedi Padawan was unprepared for the blast of Force lightning and that hit him and telekinetically threw him against the wall. Skywalker collapsed to the floor, temporarily incapacitated, leaving Obi-Wan Kenobi alone to face Dooku. He fared better at first than his apprentice, successfully deflecting another blast of lightning from Dooku's hand.

The Jedi Knight and Sith Lord began their duel, and it immediately became clear that Obi-Wan was distracted by the wounded Anakin. The battle went on, and Dooku eventually slashed Obi-Wan in the arm and the leg. The first two hits were shallow, as Dooku played with his opponent, but as Dooku raised his blade for the killing stroke, it was parried by Anakin.

The injured Obi-Wan Force-pulled his lightsaber into grasp and tossed it to Anakin; Anakin came at Dooku with both blades swinging. The young Jedi applied Jar'Kai tactics with Ataru swordplay before Dooku destroyed one of Anakin's lightsabers. The duel continued, and Skywalker reverted to his practice of Shien. However, Dooku quickly cut off Anakin's arm, and ended the duel.

However, before he could escape, one last Jedi confronted him: Master Yoda. Dooku attempted to defeat his old master with a combination of Force lightning and hurling machinery at him. When this failed, Dooku insisted on settling their contest with a lightsaber duel.

Leaping into action, the two engaged in a spectacular duel. Yoda, using his mastery of the Force and Form IV, showed amazing agility as he leapt about the room, but neither was able to gain the upper hand.

Successful escape
"The Force is with us, Master Sidious." "Welcome home, Lord Tyranus. You have done well.""

- Darth Tyranus and Darth Sidious

However, time was on Yoda's side. Forced to act due to the Republic and Jedi reinforcements about to arrive, Dooku used the Force to topple a massive power column on the wounded Kenobi and Skywalker to distract Yoda. As the Jedi Master broke off the duel to save the two Jedi, Dooku made his escape in his Geonosian solar sailer. Seconds later, clone Troopers led by Padme arrived in the hanger.

Having fled the battle, Dooku soon arrived on Coruscant undetected. There, he met with his Master, Darth Sidious, and eagerly informed him that events were moving forward.

Clone Wars (22 BBY–19 BBY)
"The war progresses well. I have dealt out your deaths, your schemes, your betrayals. I have paid for your war with my riches, my time, my friends, and my honour."

- Dooku to Palpatine

Duel on Bakura
"Anger is useful-unless it is used against you.""

- Dooku to Sora Bulq on Bakura

Shortly after the Battle of Geonosis and the beginning of the Clone Wars, Dooku headed to his secret base on Bakura. However, Jedi Masters Tholme and Sora Bulq pursued him there and confronted the Sith Lord.



The three combatants engaged in a ferocious lightsaber duel, during which Dooku used Force lightning to take down Bulq. He then tried to bring Tholme over to the dark side, but Tholme refused. Dooku then attacked Tholme, viciously stabbing through his shoulder and back before removing the Jedi's left eye. Finally, Dooku brought the roof down upon Tholme, leaving the Jedi Master for dead before he left with the badly wounded Weequay Jedi Knight. Tholme would later escape and return to the Jedi Temple.

Dooku tended to Sora's wounds and turned him over to the dark side of the Force, creating a powerful ally who would be a valuable asset for the Confederacy during the war.

Dark Reaper project
"Dooku! I'm going to make you pay for what you've done!" "Ah, young Skywalker. I sensed your presence near. You will be the first to test my new gift for the Republic. I'm curious what effect it will have on a Jedi"

- Anakin Skywalker and Dooku

As the Clone Wars continued, Dooku became more and more feared across the galaxy. One of the first campaigns in the war was the re-creation of the Dark Reaper, which the Dark Lord took care to monitor himself. While Dooku was supervising the excavation, Boba Fett was later captured and sent to the Raxus Prime. Dooku housed Jango Fett's son while determining how much he knew about the Count's Sith identity. He initially indicated that he would take responsibility for Boba's upbringing.

Boba ignored the rules Dooku had set for his stay and investigated the Force Harvester dig. Irritated at this and Boba's extremely clumsy attempt to threaten him with the revelation of his duel identities, Dooku ordered the young bounty hunter to be terminated. However, due to the imminent Jedi attack, he left the task to his new bodyguard, Cydon Prax. Fett escaped Dooku's enforcers and fled.

Dooku and Cydon Prax found the Force Harvester just as forces led by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker arrived and attacked. Dooku and Prax boarded a cruisor as the Republic forces overwhelmed Dooku's army, but Anakin spotted Dooku and charged after him. Encountering one another in the cargo bay, Dooku stated his curiousity in the Force Harvesters effects on a Jedi. The two briefly dueled before Cydon Prax shot Anakin with a tranquilizer dart.

Dooku took the imprisoned Anakin with him to Alaris Prime, one of Kashyyyk's moons, having decided to test the Force Harvester there. His plan was foiled when Skywalker escaped and freed the Wookiees. In the confusion, Dooku fled, taking the Force Harvester with him. He used the Harvester on Aagonar, Bakura and Mon Calamari before retreating to Thule to prepare the rest of the Dark Reaper.

Dooku's plan was finally ruined when the Jedi attacked Thule. He unleashed the Force Harvester on the Republic's forces, but Anakin destroyed it in the battle. With the Force Harvester gone, and Prax slain by Skywalker, Dooku fled the field.

The Decimator campaign
As the Clone Wars developed it was discovered that the Republic had created a new war machine known as the Decimator which could swing the advantage in its favor. The Sith Lords could not let this happen so Dooku sent his most trusted General Sev'rance Tann to capture the machines.

Tann did so and under Dooku's direction, captured the Republic energy world of Sarapin. However, the Republic struck back, retaking Sarapin and defeating and killing Tann at the Battle of Krant. This did not affect the course of the Clone Wars since the Decimator was destroyed in the process, removing the advantage for either side.

A new ally
"The dark side is strong in me, for I am Sith.''" "''A bold claim, but you are not Sith. You wear the trappings of the Sith, you fight like the Sith, but this can be imitated, however. You lack a vital quality found in all Sith. Sith have no fear, and I sense much fear in you."

- Asajj Ventress and Count Dooku



Some time during the early part of the Clone Wars, Dooku traveled to the gladiatorial arena on Rattatak hoping to find a new servant to carry out his wishes.

On his arrival, he was greeted by his host and taken to watch the contest. During the contest he sensed a disturbance in the Force and spoke to Asajj Ventress who had just sneaked up and replaced his guide. He challenged her to unleash her fighting skills on the other gladiators.

Ventress did so without question, slaughtering the other gladiators under Dooku's watchful gaze. When she had finished, Dooku applauded her, praising her skills. Ventress replied that she was powerful and claimed to be a Sith. Dooku laughed in her face before leaping into the arena and denounced her as a Sith. In retaliation, she attempted to attack Dooku but he was too quick and blasted her down with Force lightning.

Dooku took her to a room on Rattatak and waited for her to wake up. When she did, he attacked her and they engaged in a vicious lightsaber duel. Taunting her as they fought, Dooku dueled with her across the room. Ventress was skilled, and proved to be a challenge, even for a Sith Lord. However, Dooku brought her down, severing her two lightsabers.

Instead of killing his opponent, Dooku introduced her to his master, Darth Sidious, who congratulated Dooku on his choice. Sidious then set Dooku's new servant a mission, to find and kill Anakin Skywalker who had become a threat to the Sith. Ventress was eager and Dooku gave her two new lightsabers that had belonged to his apprentice Komari Vosa.

Dooku and his master watched as Ventress flew off. Dooku was confident that she would quickly dispatch Skywalker; Sidious said that it did not matter either way.

The Battle of Kamino
"It's a delicate game we play. A precise balance. That balance has been restored, though, and the Separatists' advantage lies dead in the water. With Merai dead, and Kamino still operational, this Clone War will not soon end."

- Darth Sidious to Dooku after the Battle of Kamino

The Battle of Kamino was designed by Dooku and his master Darth Sidious to prolong the Clone Wars and scupper any advantage that the Separatists initially had. His agent Tookarti discovered that the Republic knew of the Separatists' planned attack on Kamino, but Dooku told him that this did not matter.

The battle went just as the Sith Lords had planned. The Republic fleet ambushed the Confederacy's ships and destroyed many of them. Commander Merai, a Mon Calamari idealist and one of the Confederacy's best tacticians, was killed and his fleet routed. Despite the losses the CIS sustained, this was a victory for the plans of the Sith. Sidious discussed with Dooku how their strategy had effectively ruined all hopes of an early end to the conflict. The critical Kamino cloning facilities had been saved, maintaining the balance of power between Confederacy and Republic forces.

Rallying the Confederacy
"In league with the wicked Count Dooku, more and more planets slip&hellip;"

- Yoda



During the first few months of the Clone Wars, Dooku was very busy preparing strategies and inciting systems to war against the Republic. He dispatched Durge to Muunilinst to aid San Hill in repelling an imminent Republic assault. He also pushed the Quarren Isolation League to war on Mon Calamari and dispatched droids to Ilum in order to strike a devastating blow at the heart of the Jedi Order.

Darth Bane's Rule of Two prevented Tyranus from taking his own, bona-fide apprentice. Instead, Dooku acquired a cadre of Dark Acolytes. As well as Asajj Ventress, Sev'rance Tann and Sora Bulq, Dooku enlisted Tol Skorr, Kadrian Sey, Trenox and many others. He honed their skills but taught them few, if any, of the Sith secrets.

Dooku and his Dark Acolytes cut a swath through the ranks of the Jedi Order and the Republic forces. Dooku took part in many missions to try and bring more planets onto the side of the Separatists. On Null he tried to bring the planet's leaders into the Confederacy's fold, but Kenobi and Skywalker arrived and the planet's leaders stayed with the Republic. However, Dooku did not leave empty-handed, he killed his old enemy Lorian Nod before escaping.

Dooku's charisma swayed many to the Confederate cause&mdash;whole planets pledged themselves to the Separatist cause on the former Jedi's words alone. In addition to his force adepts, Dooku recruited warriors like Durge to augment the Confederacy's already potent arsenal.

Selecting a new commander


Following the death of Sev'rance Tann, the Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies, Dooku needed to find someone to replace her. Dooku had three choices, Ventress, Durge and Grievous. To decide who was the best choice, he pitted the three against each other on Trenchant Space Station.

Grievous proved more than a match for his two opponents, even though they worked together and Dooku rewarded him with command of the Droid Armies. Ventress and Durge were left to recuperate in a bacta tank.

Grievous proved a worthy choice, he was revealed on Hypori to devastating effect, outmaneuvering five Jedi at once. His emergence changed the course of the war from then on.

Jedi treason
The Jedi order was not initially united against the Separatists, and a few Jedi even joined Dooku's forces. The former Jedi Master Sora Bulq was one of the earliest to join the Separatists. The Republic was initially unaware of his new allegience. Sora exploited this ignorance and attempted to convince more Jedi to ally with the Separatists at a meeting at his family estate on the moon of Ruul.

This plot to divide the Jedi failed due to the intervention of Mace Windu. Jeisel, one of the wavering Jedi Sora Bulq had previously attempted to sway, even agreed to lead clones in the war. She and two other Jedi were on a Republic troopship that was captured by Dooku's forces. The Jedi expected to be killed, but Count Dooku unexpectedly ordered their release, claiming that all Jedi were his brothers and sisters. Sora Bulq questioned him about this approach in private, and Dooku said that it was to sow dissension among the Jedi, and that even mercy had its uses. Quinlan Vos had originally been dispatched by the Jedi Council to infiltrate Dooku's inner circle. This came with great risk as Vos was dangerously close to the dark side. Dooku knew this and hoped to use it to his advantage. Quinlan Vos betrayed the Republic at the Battle of Brentaal IV, on his mission to get closer to the Count's inner circle.

Quinlan was accepted as an acolyte, and tested by Dooku and Sora Bulq. His performance was satisfactory, and Dooku asked Vos to accompany him on a mission to Tibrin, the planet of the Ishi Tibs. There, Dooku met with the leader of Tibrin, Suribran Tu, a notorious dictator hated by the populace. Suribran offered to defect to Dooku and rule Tibrin for the Confederacy.

Dooku asked Quinlan Vos and Kadrian Sey, another of his acolytes, what he should do with the ruler. Sey argued that they should accept Suribran's offer, while Vos said that since he was willing to betray the Republic he could not be trusted and allowing his oppressive government to remain would only prove that the Confederacy was no better than the Republic. Dooku accepted Quinlan's argument and beheaded the Ishi Tib ruler. The population of Tibrin then hailed Dooku as a liberator.

Quinlan Vos soon had another mission, to kill Senator Zurros, a Falleen who had earned Dooku's disfavor. Instead of killing the Senator, Vos intimidated him into submission. Zurros promised not to betray Dooku, and Quinlan took his topknot and a recording of him begging for forgiveness back to the Separatist headquarters.

Count Dooku was otherwise occupied when Vos arrived. Jedi Master Shylar had been captured trying to infiltrate Dooku's headquarters, and Dooku was interrogating her with the assistance of Kadrien Sey and another acolyte, Tol Skorr. Shylar was a former lover of Quinlan Vos, and she condemned him as a traitor, but Vos did nothing to save her, mindful of his cover. Dooku accepted Vos's creative interpretation of the orders he had been given about Zurros. He then returned to the torture of Shylar, who died believing Vos had betrayed the Jedi.

Dooku then drew Vos closer to the dark side by taking him to his homeworld of Kiffu. The Count had been negotiating with Sheyf Tinté Vos, Quinlan's aunt, in order to establish a Separatist base on Kiffu's twin planet of Kiffex. Tinté refused to accept Dooku's monetary offer for basing rights, and Dooku ordered her killed. While the Sheyf's guards were slaughtered, Vos rescued his great aunt and led her to safety, killing Dark Acolyte Kadrian Sey in the process.

Dooku pursued Vos and caught up with him and Tinté. Quinlan attempted to defend his aunt, but was quickly defeated. Dooku then urged Vos to read the woman with his Kiffar psychometry. Vos did so, and learned that his great aunt had sacrificed his parents to Anzati to seize power. Overcome by rage, Vos cut down his great aunt and became submerged in the dark side. Vos became Dooku's assassin, murdering enemies like Senator Viento and Kh'aris Fenn. As a reward Dooku gave Vos the power crystal of Darth Andeddu's lightsaber.

Miscellaneous villainy
Sometime during the Clone Wars Dooku watched the testing of the new superweapon, the Planet Killer to see whether it would prove more useful to him than the planned Ultimate Weapon.

However, due to the intervention of Mace Windu the weapon failed to do what it was supposed to and Dooku had its creator removed. He decided to turn back to the Ultimate Weapon.

He occaisionally completed missions for Darth Sidious personally, such as when he slipped under the eye of Jedi Ki-Adi-Mundi and Aayla Secura to complete a vital task on the planet Hitaka.

Sith knowledge


During the course of the war, he immersed himself fully within the persona of Darth Tyranus, Dark Lord of the Sith. He fully embraced the ancient teachings of the Sith, probing the graveyard world of Korriban for ancient relics he could turn against the Jedi, in addition to long-lost Sith holocrons, such as the one created by the long dead Darth Andeddu. In a daring raid on Coruscant, he even breached the Jedi Temple itself and stole the Sith holocron he had studied as a young man.

The Jedi suspected their former comrade was indeed a true Sith, but could not discern the identity of the elusive second Dark Lord. Some, like Quinlan Vos, suspected Sora Bulq to be the one they sought, but this was a deliberate deception on Dooku's part. While some of Dooku's acolytes, like Asajj Ventress, were aware of the existence of Darth Sidious, many were not.

The Praesitlyn Conflict
Despite taking no direct action in the Praesitlyn Conflict, Dooku and his dark servant Asajj Ventress communicated with General Pors Tonith to advise on the strategy. However, all of this was a plot by Dooku and his Sith Master Darth Sidious to test the power of Anakin Skywalker and attempt to bring him closer to the dark side. Delaying reinforcements until the last moment, resulting in a defeat for the Separatist forces after a cunning attack from Anakin himself. However, it was a victory for the Sith Lords as it further showed Anakin's power and ability to use the Force, paving the way for his eventual fall to the dark side.

Meeting on Vjun
"I have gone too far down the dark path ever to return."

- Dooku

There were those who thought Dooku might possibly be saved, among them Grand Master Yoda. However, Yoda did not act until Dooku sent a peculiar message to the Jedi Temple. He had spared the life of captured Jedi Jai Maruk and sent him to Yoda with a gift. This gift, a small shell, was significant to both of them, as it recalled a conversation they had had when Dooku was a padawan. After meditating and receiving insight from the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn, Yoda decided to meet with Dooku on the planet Vjun.

Dooku had stressed the need for secrecy to Yoda, but Yoda informed the Jedi Council and Chancellor Palpatine of the vague outline of his plans. Sidious then confronted Dooku over the meeting, but Dooku maintained he meant only to kill Yoda. Yoda slipped out of the temple, being replaced by a double. This double's ship was promptly destroyed by Asajj Ventress. As the galaxy reeled at the apparent death of Master Yoda, the real Yoda's ship was betrayed by a companion of his. Ventress thus tracked Yoda down and attacked his party. While she slew two Jedi Masters, she was outsmarted and humiliated by Yoda and her ship was destroyed.

Dooku was extremely displeased at this turn of events, and was about to order Ventress's death. However, she shocked him with a proposal that they both turn on Dooku's master, Darth Sidious. While Dooku did not accept this proposal, he spared her life and ordered her to Vjun.

Yoda also arrived on Vjun, but Ventress's attack had allowed Sidious to pin down the time that Yoda would arrive on Vjun. As the Supreme Chancellor, Sidious requested Mace Windu order Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi to Vjun. Presumably, this was to disrupt the meeting and destroy any possible chance of Dooku betraying the Sith.

On the planet, Yoda infiltrated Chateau Malreaux, Dooku's temporary headquarters. However, the two Padawans accompanying him were briefly captured by Asajj Ventress. Evading her, they only escaped death by the arrival of Kenobi and Skywalker. Previously wounded, Asajj fled the scene without a fight.

Yoda himself gained entrance to Dooku's office and spoke at some length with Dooku. After an initial conversation about the Count's childhood and family, the Jedi Master confronted Dooku over his choice to join the dark side, and asked the Sith Lord to explain why the dark side of the Force was superior. After listening, Yoda admitted to having some of the dark side in him, but also claimed there was still some light in Dooku. He challenged Dooku to return to the Order, claiming that he would find more forgiveness from his old Master than his new one.

Dooku seemed to consider this, but the two of them were interrupted by the chaos of Skywalker and Kenobi ripping through the chateau's defenses and defenders. Realizing Anakin Skywalker was on Vjun and interpreting this as a betrayal, Dooku lashed out in a cold fury. In a brief lightsaber battle he minorly wounded Yoda, but found himself unable to defeat him. Instead, he elected to escape before Kenobi and Skywalker arrived.

Battle of Boz Pity


Dooku later headed to the world of Boz Pity to oversee augmentations to the body of the badly wounded Asajj Ventress. She had previously been defeated and humiliated by Anakin Skywalker on Coruscant. However, a Republic fleet arrived before the process was completed. Obi-Wan Kenobi inflitrated the MedCenter where Ventress was being treated, and accused Dooku of corrupting her. Furious at the implication she was weak, Asajj broke free of the bacta tank in rage.

Dooku ordered Asajj to kill Kenobi and withdrew. Heading across the battlefield, the Sith Lord was confronted by Mace Windu, who had just taken out General Grievous. Mace attempted to kill him, but Dooku outmaneuvered his old friend with the aid of two IG-100 MagnaGuard droids and rescued the damaged General.

Entering his shuttle with the body of Grievous, Dooku spotted Ventress running towards them. Percieving she would not make it to the shuttle before the Jedi team, Dooku ordered her shot and his shuttle left without her. The seriously wounded Ventress then turned on Kenobi, and was apparently killed by Anakin Skywalker.

Trap above Viidaav
Towards the end of the Clone Wars Dooku and his servant, General Grievous planned to destroy a Republic fleet by destroying the planet Viidaav, along with its colonists. Droids planted charges on the planet and prepared for detonation.

However, the Republic forces and the Viidaav colonists fought through droid forces to stop the detonation sequence. The plan was foiled.

Defeat at Saleucami
Quinlan Vos had supposedly betrayed the Count to rejoined the Republic during the war, but he remained a double agent in secret. While his heart was with the Republic, the dark side still had a great hold on him.

Vos accompanied an army led by Oppo Rancisis to Saleucami towards the end of the war, and settled in for a long siege. Dooku decided to test Vos and finally turn him. Oppo Rancisis was slain by former Jedi Master Sora Bulq, and Quinlan Vos was brought into the Separatist base in secret. He appeared before a hologram of Dooku, who told him that his lover, Khaleen Hentz, was an agent of his. However, Vos refused to kill Khaleen, and instead turned on Dooku's forces.

Masters Tholme and Aayla Secura, who had infiltrated the Separatist base, assisted Vos in defeating Dooku's Dark Acolytes Sora Bulq and Skorr. The battle also resulted in the loss of the Morgukai cloning facilities, which had been turning out an army of assassins for the Confederacy. Dooku had lost three powerful allies and an entire army in one battle, but the war waged on.

Endgame
"Your swords, please. We don't want to make a mess of things in front of the Chancellor."

- Count Dooku to Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker

The final moves
Dooku had spent much of the war supervising the Separatist Council, allowing General Grievous to command the droid armies. After Boz Pity, he made a temporary home on Kaon and from there he headed to The Works to inform Darth Sidious of the capture of Nute Gunray's chair, which led to the Confederacy retreat at Belderone. Dooku and Sidious plotted to lure Obi-Wan and Anakin to Naos III, where they would be attacked by bounty hunters under Dooku's instruction.

Returning to the Invisible Hand, Dooku learned that the plan had failed. Shortly after partaking in a sparring session with Grievous, he and the General met with Darth Sidious via hologram, where they arranged to lure Obi-Wan and Anakin to Tythe, using Dooku as bait. Dooku would then kill Obi-Wan and lure Anakin to the dark side. It was during this meeting that Dooku brought up the idea of Sidious leaving Coruscant to avoid Jedi pursuit. Sidious then ordered Grievous to attack Coruscant while Republic forces went after Dooku at Tythe.

The Third Battle of Tythe was one of the last encounters Dooku had with Anakin and Obi-Wan before his death. He taunted the pair until Anakin gave into his anger and unleashed a Force Scream. This massive release of power caused the roof of the building to collapse on the three of them. Extracting himself from the rubble, Dooku had a brief moment of doubt relating to Sidious' plans but quickly overcame it.

Dooku escaped, fleeing the planet and heading toward Coruscant after a quick side-track at Nelvaan, shaking off Kenobi and Skywalker's pursuit of him, who stopped there to investigate an earlier report of Grievous' presence there. The decoy worked as Darth Sidious could still remain veiled. The Dark Lords put in motion their final moves.

Awaiting the Jedi
"Just as Count Dooku predicted!"

- Grievous

At the Battle of Coruscant, General Grievous captured Palpatine, unbeknownst that this was part of an elaborate plan of Sidious's, so that he could be apprehended himself. Dooku and Sidious both foresaw that the only rescuers likely to arrive in time would be Kenobi and Skywalker. Despite Sidious's wish, Dooku tried to convince his Master to trade out Skywalker for Kenobi, citing that a Jedi of Kenobi's integrity would lend support to the New Order. Sidious disagreed and claimed that Kenobi was too indoctrinated by the Jedi way. So the plan stayed as originally conceived: Dooku would kill Kenobi, but be "defeated" by Anakin, meaning that Dooku was expected to defeat Anakin, convert him to the dark side, then afterwards, allow Anakin to arrest him, when he rescues Palpatine.

He would then, in captivity, turn on the CIS by surrendering to the Republic forces and claiming to have only recently learned of the extent of the atrocities committed by the CIS, and specifically General Grievous, who would be the perfect scapegoat on whom to hang all of the CIS's war crimes. He would later ostensibly emerge as Emperor Palpatine's right-hand man in the new Empire, with a newly-turned Anakin Skywalker leading a new Sith Army of dark side Force-wielders to replace the Jedi Order and bring order to the galaxy. Dooku was confident in his Master and their plans fell slightly back on track.

Final duel


"I sense great fear in you, Skywalker. You have hate. You have anger. But you don't use them."

- Count Dooku to Anakin Skywalker

The day would not turn out that way, however. Both Kenobi and Skywalker's lightsaber skills had improved dramatically since their last duel, although they initially did not reveal this, allowing Dooku to underestimate them. As the duel wore on however, Dooku soon realized there had been a miscalculation. Both Jedi suddenly changed their saber styles mid-battle and began to wear down the Sith Lord's defenses, although he swiftly re-adjusted. Dooku himself had been toying with them, but he soon realized he was in the fight of his life.



Eventually, Dooku was able to regain the upper hand when he used the Force to choke and hurl Kenobi across the room, knocking him unconscious. For good measure, then he dropped a balcony on the Jedi with the Force. Anakin carried on the fight, pushing Dooku off balance with a flurry of heavy blade strokes.

During their one-on-one duel, Tyranus taunted Anakin, calling him to use his fear, hate and anger against him. With Palpatine's encouragement, Anakin was able to tap into the dark side of the Force and his own fury. Refusing to be intimidated by the Sith Lord's casual victory over Kenobi, Skywalker was able to unleash some of his potential in anger and dominate Dooku. In a burst of power, Anakin overpowered Dooku and trapped the Sith Lord's arms within his. He proceeded to slice off both of the Count's hands, bringing him to his knees. Unarmed, Dooku was at the Jedi Knight's mercy.

Revelation


Expecting his Master to intervene and save his life as Sidious had promised to do in the case of defeat, Dooku instead was shocked to see the Dark Lord relentlessly goading Anakin to deliver the deathblow, thus driving him one more step closer to the dark side.

It was only then that Dooku finally came to realize the second deception: Palpatine never intended for the Count to survive, nor for him to be his apprentice; he was simply the tool used to create the CIS and make Sidious's plan truly possible. Anakin, holding two lightsaber blades crossed before Dooku's throat, beheaded the helpless Count and drove one more dark side wedge into his soul.

Anakin Skywalker would then proceed to become Darth Vader, Sidious's final apprentice.

Legacy
Dooku's identity as a Sith Lord and the truth behind the Clone Wars both remained obscure to the public for a long time. Two Jedi holocrons and one Sith one were discovered by the New Jedi Order after the destruction of the Tedryn holocron, and recordings of Dooku were preserved on all three. While the Great Holocron and Asli Krimsan's holocron both showed Dooku as a teacher in the Jedi Temple, the mysterious Telos Holocron contained a narrative by Darth Tyranus of his reasons for leaving the Jedi Order, and shed some light on those events for researches such as Jedi Master Tionne.

Few of Dooku's students survived him. Dooku's acolyte and student Asajj Ventress may have escaped Darth Vader and the Jedi Purge, since Palpatine's clone still believed she had died at Boz Pity well after the Battle of Endor. Quinlan Vos, who was once instructed by Dooku, also may have escaped the Empire.

Personality and traits
"He was one of the most brilliant Jedi I've ever had the privilege of knowing."

- Jocasta Nu



Master Dooku was an accomplished philosopher, orator, politician, warrior, and Force-adept, regarded as one of the greatest Jedi ever for his strength of character and his strength in the Force. Yoda considered him both the Temple's greatest student and one of his greatest failures. By the time of the Clone Wars, Dooku had been a practitioner of the Force for nearly eight decades.

Dooku was driven to succeed even as a youngling, and was fully devoted to the ideals of the Jedi Order and of service to the galaxy. He sought to become a great Jedi Master, and did not even consider the possibility of a life outside the Order. There is no indication he ever violated the Jedi policy of non-attachment, or had any sort of romantic relationship even as a Sith Lord. However, his apprentice Komari Vosa was infatuated with him, which was one of the factors that led to her dismissal as his apprentice.

Dooku did not ever forgive betrayal easily. An encounter as a Jedi Knight with Lorian Nod, his former friend who had once tried to frame him, nearly led to Nod's death. However, his padawan Qui-Gon Jinn successfully appealed to Dooku's honor as a Jedi, and Dooku relented. Dooku perceived the Battle of Galidraan as a betrayal by the Jedi Council of the ideals it was supposed to follow, something that greatly influenced his fall to the dark side. And as a Sith, his discussion about returning to the light side with Master Yoda on Vjun immediately broke down when Dooku discovered that Anakin and Obi-Wan were present and interpreted that as a personal betrayal.

As a Sith Lord, Dooku was a humanocentrist, although this was apparently not the case when he was still a Jedi. He secretly despised most if not all of the corrupt aliens on the Separatist Council. He divided the entire galaxy into two personal categories: Threats and Assets. The threat category was for beings or institutions that interfered with his personal advancement and would have to be eliminated, the asset category being for those who could aid, or at least not hinder his advancement.

By the time of the Clone Wars, Dooku believed that the sorrow and injustice of the galaxy could only be responded to with anger and hate. He came to believe that the Jedi Order should embrace the dark side and rule the galaxy alone without the interference of the Senate. As a Sith, he planned to transform the Jedi into a Sith Army, and intended to forcibly recruit Force-users into such an army.

Lightsaber training
"He is a fencer. Leverage, position, advantage&mdash;they are as natural to him as breathing."

- Qui-Gon Jinn's spirit to Yoda on Dooku

Before his resignation, Dooku was known as one of the most skilled duelists and lightsaber instructors in the Jedi Order. . His swordsmanship was uncanny even to the most revered Jedi Masters. Along with Yoda, Dooku was one of only two Jedi who were known to have bested Mace Windu at sparring, and during the time of the Confederacy Crisis, it was said that aside from Yoda, only Mace Windu would have been his equal on neutral ground. Though styles like Form III, IV, and V were more practical in the age of blasters, all of which Dooku developed a working knowledge of, his competitive spirit drove him towards the second form of lightsaber combat, Makashi. He was one of a very few practitioners of this dueling-centric lightsaber form in the Order, and unmatched in his mastery of it.

When he became a Sith Lord, Darth Tyranus has little left to learn about dueling, though he ended up learning the Sith art of Dun Möch, or disrupting an opponent's concentration by the use of taunts. He was nearly successful in using Dun Möch to disrupt Anakin's concentration in his final duel on the Invisible Hand. However, his attempt backfired on him, fatally.

Force abilities
"His knowledge of the Force was...unique."

- Jocasta Nu on Dooku

As a Jedi, Dooku was a great student of the Force, and learned many of the Jedi arts. He was recognized as a skilled master of telekinesis, and lectured on the subject as a Jedi Master. His skill in this area was used to augment his dueling prowess, and as a Sith lord, he combined it with the use of Force lightning. Dooku had a notable ability to multitask, and used the Force frequently even in the midst of lightsaber combat.

Dooku had knowledge of the Living Force, and used it to heal himself of a deadly plague. In addition, he was able to tame monsters and bend them to his will, most notably a Krayt Dragon.

As Darth Tyranus, he also mastered the Qey'tek meditation. This allowed him to conceal himself in the Force. The Jedi were usually unable to pierce this concealment, although Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker succeeded when they were previously aware he was present.

Lightsabers


"Finesse. Artfulness. Economy."

- Dooku to Grievous on the Invisible Hand

As a Jedi youngling, Dooku wielded common training lightsabers under the tutelage of Master Yoda, but after Thame Cerulian took him as his Padawan, Dooku constructed his own lightsaber. This lightsaber was likely the same as the one he carried as a Jedi Knight, a straight hilt of fairly standard design.

Later in his life, Dooku constructed a more personalized lightsaber. This lightsaber had a curved hilt which allowed for precise movements as well as better flexibility in lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat, and a blue blade. It may have been inspired by the curved blade once carried by Jedi Council member Master Tyvokka. Dooku wielded this saber during the Battle of Galidraan. However, he was seen carrying a saber similar or identical to the one he used as a Jedi Knight in the time just before he left the Jedi Order.



As a Dark Lord of the Sith, Dooku returned to the curved lightsaber design he had wielded at Galidraan. He installed a red synthetic lightsaber crystal into his curved hilt, the mark of a Sith blade. It also contained a dual-phase setting, allowing him to instantly shorten the blade.

The curved lightsaber Dooku wielded was the inspiration for the lightsabers constructed by Dooku's final Jedi apprentice Komari Vosa, and wielded by her as the leader of the Bando Gora. After he slew Vosa, the Count gave these unique weapons to his Dark Acolyte, Asajj Ventress.

Dooku's own lightsaber was most likely destroyed when the Invisible Hand broke in two over Coruscant.

Portrayal


Dooku was portrayed by Christopher Lee in the films. Kyle Rowling portrayed Dooku during most of the character's lightsaber sequences, due to Lee's inability to enact these physical scenes due to his age. Rowling's head was digitally replaced with Lee's during post-production.

Dooku was voiced by Corey Burton in Star Wars: Clone Wars. and all video game appearances with the exception of Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, where he was voiced by Jeff Bennett.

Character origins
"Dooku" was based on the Japanese word "doku", meaning poison. In the Galician and Portuguese languages, "do cu" (pronounced exactly as in "Dooku") literally means "from the ass". For this reason, Dooku's name was changed to "Dookan" in Brazil.

Tyrannus&mdash;or more properly, Tyrannos&mdash;is an ancient Greek word, originally used to describe someone who ruled a city-state after overthrowing the preexisting government. It was a legitimate form of government and the word's meaning was not unfavorable in itself, but over time, as democracy developed, it gained negative connotations and came to mean 'oppressor' or 'tyrant'.

Aside from his name, Dooku has many similarities to Dracula (another famous role assumed by Christopher Lee). Both are villainous, erudite and sophisticated counts who wear a cape and dress in black. Additionally, Lee's Dracula played opposite Peter Cushing as Dr. Van Helsing. Cushing portrayed Wilhuff Tarkin, a character that had some influence on the concept of Dooku.

Continuity
The color of Dooku's hair as a younger man is inconsistent, being shown as blond on the Legacy of the Jedi cover, some shade of brown in Jango Fett: Open Seasons and the Most Precious Weapon comic, and black in several other sources, such as Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force.

What Dooku's lightsaber color was as a Jedi is also somewhat unclear. He used a green training lightsaber in the Most Precious Weapon comic, and has a green lightsaber similar to his Sith one on the cover of the young adult book Legacy of the Jedi. Dooku was also depicted with a green lightsaber on the cover of one of the issues of Jango Fett: Open Seasons. However, within Open Seasons Dooku had a blue lightsaber blade.

Originally, Dooku was set to wield two lightsabers in combat against Yoda in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. However, the idea was later dropped, and Dooku was stated to dislike usage of multiple blades in Labyrinth of Evil, though the comic version of Episode II kept the idea intact. In a likely reference to this cut sequence, Dooku's first action figure included a secondary lightsaber, albeit with a green blade.

Early scripts of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith had more dialogue during Dooku's death scene, after his wrists had been sliced off. Some of the cut portions of this scene can be seen in in the Episode III novel and the comic adaptation. Some of this dialogue was removed because Christopher Lee felt that it was out of character for Dooku to beg Sidious for his life, and Lucas ended up agreeing with him.