‘Tales Of The Jedi’ Expands On The Complex Character Of Dooku
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WARNING: SPOILERS FOR TALES OF THE JEDI
Star Wars fans were first introduced to Count Dooku as the former Jedi who led the Confederacy of Independent Systems. When Attack of the Clones came out in 2002, the line between good and evil was clearly marked. We have yet to be introduced to morally grey characters like Cassian Andor, Saw Gerrera, and Revan (post-return to the light side). Enter Count Dooku, played by Christopher Lee, who previously portrayed the treacherous Saruman in The Fellowship of the Ring, among other roles like Count Dracula and The Mummy. As a leader of the faction opposite our heroes, the audience already saw him as the antagonist. So it was no surprise when it was revealed that he had fallen to the dark side and had been working with Darth Sidious all along. His position as the villain remained as the events surrounding the Clone Wars were fleshed out in The Clone Wars animated series until his end in Revenge of the Sith. However, the recent Tales of the Jedi presents a different side of Count Dooku. Perhaps he is not the villainous character we have previously perceived.
Tales of the Jedi chronicles the rise and fall of two former Jedi who follow different paths after they leave the Jedi Order. Ahsoka chooses to use the Force for good and returns to help the Rebel Alliance. On the other hand, Count Dooku seems to fall deeper and deeper into the dark side, fermenting unrest in the galaxy during the Clone Wars. His arc in the latest Star Wars Disney+ series almost makes us feel sympathetic for him.
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Beginning with “Justice,” Count Dooku and his Padawan learner Qui-Gon Jinn are tasked with a clear-cut mission of rescuing a senator’s son. However, the situation is complicated by the fact that the senator is corrupt and has gotten wealthy at the expense of his people. It is true that Dooku’s response by Force-choking the senator points to his underlying darkness, but he has the good intention of helping the villagers from the corrupt senator. In his rage, he chooses the wrong way to deal with the situation and taps into the dark side of the Force.
After experiencing the corruption in the Galactic Senate, he faces what, to him, appears to be corruption within the Jedi Order. In “Choices,” Mace Windu and Dooku’s investigation into the death of Jedi Master Katri reveals that she is ambushed by Senator Larik’s guards and dies while protecting the senator. It turns out that Larik is another corrupt senator who uses his position to enrich himself at the expense of his people. While Dooku pushes for action, Windu advises that they cannot become involved in local political problems without orders from the Jedi Council or the Republic. Windu’s by-the-book mentality may seem noble at first until Dooku discovers that Windu has been given Master Katri’s seat on the Jedi Council. While it is not stated outright, it is clear that Dooku questions Windu’s motives in this matter.
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These two instances explain why Dooku agrees to work with Darth Sidious. He had thought the Jedi would be able to combat corruption within the Republic and bring justice to the galaxy. However, if the Jedi are also corrupted and have become lapdogs of the festering Galactic Senate, he may have to turn to a different faction. It is no doubt that Darth Sidious would have made claims and promises to Dooku similar to the honeyed words he used with Anakin Skywalker. Perhaps Dooku thought he was sacrificing himself, becoming the villain for the greater good, to save the galaxy. However, as he falls deeper and deeper into the dark side, like Darth Vader, it is almost impossible to fight against Darth Sidious and get out.
Qui-Gon Jinn’s radical views on the Force and his disagreement with the Jedi Council may have kept Dooku from falling completely to the dark side. Despite his opposition, Qui-Gon remains firmly on the light side of the Force. Much like how his actions in “Justice” show Dooku that he does not have to resort to the dark side to accomplish his goal, Qui-Gon is an anchor that keeps Dooku tethered to the light side, if only by a little. With Qui-Gon’s death, nothing is holding him back. As he tells Master Yaddle, “I’m afraid it is too late.”
Image Source: ComicBook.com
Tales of the Jedi show that the character of Dooku is more complex than we previously thought. He has noble intentions. He wants to fight injustice in the galaxy. However, to do so, he has chosen to turn to Darth Sidious for help. Like how Luke reminds Anakin that there is still good in him, if Qui-Gon had not died on Naboo, he might have been able to pull Dooku back to the light side. Unfortunately, that is not how the story ends.
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Source(s): Disney+, Wookieepedia
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