In the recently releasedTales of the Jedion Disney+, Count Dooku (Corey Burton) stands in front of the Jedi Temple’sUneti Tree. Pensive, defeated, and exhausted, this is one of Dooku’s last moments as a Jedi before turning away from the Order and into the hands of Darth Sidious (Ian Mcdiarmid). With a saga with such rich and timeless villains, this humanizing perspective of the Sith lord first introduced inAttack of the Clonesis a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one.
Tales of the Jediproves that Count Dooku is actually one of the most intriguing characters in the Star Wars saga, adding even greater depth to his later appearances in the series. He comes from an aristocratic upbringing, yet detests greedy elites. He is adorned with very traditional accoutrement, yet holds progressive views. Most rivetingly, however, he appears to be the only Jedi in the Order along with his padawan who truly do what the Jedi are supposed to do, yet the Order’s negligence leads him to eventually fall to the dark side. Investigating these tumultuous contradictions, specifically reaching a breaking point in his moment at the Uneti Tree, helps to understand what makes his character so interesting in the galaxy far, far away.
Dooku’s Moment at the Uneti Tree Is His Breaking Point
Count Dooku’s frustrations with the Jedi Order boil over in his last episode ofTales of the Jedi. In this critical scene, Dooku stands alone at the Jedi Temple’s Uneti Tree after hearing that Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) has been killed: a loss he attributes to the negligence of the Jedi Council refusing to believe Jinn’s claims of Darth Maul’s appearance. The tree is a rare thing of nature on Coruscant, a planet of concrete and steel, and represents the original purpose of the Jedi as a natural, positive force being stifled by the structures of modernity. Notably, it seems to be something only highly regarded by Dooku and Qui-Gon at this time.
Dooku stands at the Uneti tree rather than attending his padawan’s funeral taking place at the same time, a choice that could be construed by some as callous and cold, yet Dooku’s response couldn’t be more sincere. He mourns the loss of his student more than any others around him seem to understand, taking a moment to reflect on how he feels complicit in Qui-Gon’s loss. He was a part of the structure that failed his padawan and refuses to remain idle any longer. The numerous contradictions within his character are finally pushed over the edge, forcing him to turn away from the Jedi Order.
The significance of the Uneti Tree is relevant to Qui-Gon, Dooku, and even Luke’s (Mark Hamill) characterizations as resolutions of the themes of Star Wars as a whole. The prequels explored a myopic Jedi Council so bogged down by rules and protocol that they pushed Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) to the dark side. What makes Qui-Gon, Luke, and now Dooku such effective Force users is their holistic understanding of the nature of the phenomenon beyond the dogma. They express a willingness to do the right thing despite the voices of superiors telling them to follow structured protocols, a visual metaphor where being the rogue Uneti tree blooming in the concrete courtyard of the Jedi Temple.
Dooku’s Origins as a Count Give Him Better Perspective
A royal since birth, Count Dooku has known nothing but affluence his entire life. He briefly stepped away from his wealth and possessions after joining the Jedi Order, but following his departure, used his influence to grow his net worth as the galaxy approached civil war. This makes the episodes ofTales of the Jediso engaging as Dooku seems to be the only one affected and disturbed by the destruction that corporate interests impose upon the galaxy’s citizens.
In the episode titled “Justice,” Dooku and his apprentice Qui-Gon Jinn arrive at a remote planet that has been ravaged by the greed of its representative Senator. At a loss for options, the people of a dilapidated village kidnap the Senator’s son and, when the Senator fires on his citizens, Dooku Force-chokes the violent leader. Dooku identifies not only how the bureaucracy and greed of the elites in power are failing the citizens of the galaxy, but how the Jedi have become complicit in it. Dooku himself comes from an aristocratic family, yet is more understanding of the citizens' struggles than their own leader.
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Dooku’s Fighting Style Highlights His Contradictions
When tasked with the role of Count Dooku inAttack of the Clones,Christopher Leegave a few suggestions regarding the character. A proficient fencing expert, Lee suggested a curve to Dooku’s lightsaber hilt that was later supported by lore within the Star Wars universe.
Proven to be canon by theRebelsanimated series, the lightsaber forms are styles of blade combat that allow for variation and specialization. They developed alongside progress of technology within the galaxy, with some forms becoming outdated or underutilized. One such style was developed before the proliferation of blasters, so lightsaber-on-lightsaber combat was the norm. However, as blasters became mainstream, the form lost its practicality. Refined and elegant, the closest equivalent in the real world is fencing. Dooku is a master of this form, epitomizing his traditionalist demeanor and showcased with the construction of his lightsaber hilt. The curve of the handle allows for Dooku to have a slight advantage over his opponents while in lightsaber combat, as it adds the slightest tweak to his angle of attack. Put simply, dueling with Dooku feels strange for an uninitiated fighter to clash sabers with him, a testament to his traditional personality.
This reminder of his antiquated posture makes his character arc in the series, fighting for progressive reforms in the galaxy, all the more contradictory. Dooku later leads the Separatist movement as an offshoot of Sidious' plans, yet up untilTales of the Jedi, we have mostly been left to speculate as to the degree to which Dooku believes in the Separatist cause. This makes his demise, discarded by Sidious in favor of his new apprentice, quite tragic. Crucially, we also see the moment Dooku turns fully to the dark side, beheading Yaddle in a manner echoing his later downfall. The weapon that best expresses his traditional values is used in his first steps toward his radical yet manipulated goals of progressive reform.
Tales of the Jedi Shows Why Someone Would Turn to the Dark Side
The role of the Jedi is a contested topic when talking about the Star Wars universe. As we see them in Dooku’s episodes ofTales of the Jedi, the Order is in a misguided state. As in the prequels, they are no longer the spiritual protectors of the galaxy that they should be, instead reduced to bureaucratic figures. The Jedi are closely aligned with enforcing the will of the Senate, not the people, essentially abandoning their entire purpose to use the Force to do good. Dooku is one of the few individuals inTales of the Jediwho seems to identify this issue, a maverick spirit we see passed to his padawan Qui-Gon later inThe Phantom Menace.
Like Anakin, Dooku sees through the lies of the current Jedi Order and makes the same tragic decision to turn fully towards the Sith. WhatTales of the Jediexcels at is providing context and understanding of Dooku’s character: not a duplicitous, needlessly evil man, just a conflicted one.
