6 Things You Didn’t Know About Count Dooku

Count Dooku has become a fan-favorite villain in the Star Wars franchise, not only because of Christopher Lee’s powerful performance in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith but also the character’s fleshed-out story throughout The Clone Wars. While we know much about Count Dooku thanks to the extensive Star Wars lore, there may be some things about the Sith Lord you were missing.

Count Dooku’s Character Was Originally Going To Be Female

The original drafts of Attack of the Clones had the idea of the main antagonist being a female Sith. Like many drafts, especially in Star Wars (see the original storyboard idea for the character of Darth Maul, for example), the idea was replaced down the line when actor Christopher Lee was brought on board. While we did not have the opportunity to see a female sith in Episode II, the idea for the character was shelved and brought back to the table for The Clone Wars in the form of another fan favorite: Asajj Ventress.

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Dooku Was One Of The Most Powerful Lightsaber Duelists In The Galaxy

Second only to Master Yoda and on equal ground with Mace Windu, Count Dooku’s lightsaber skills were nearly unmatched. His lightsaber’s unique weapon shape, with its curved hilt, allowed direct, precise attacks. Even though Dooku is aging by the time audiences meet Dooku in Episode II, his power has not diminished. An expert in Makashi-style lightsaber combat, Dooku’s brute strength gave him an advantage in hand-to-hand combat in a time when blasters became favorable.

Dooku Was An Apprentice Of Yoda

During his time as a youngling, Dooku became a Padawan apprentice of Yoda. Under Yoda’s guidance and leadership, Dooku became knowledgeable in the Force and eventually attained the rank of Jedi Master. Dooku would eventually earn a seat on the Jedi High Council and take on his own apprentices, including Qui-Gon Jinn.

Dooku Was Abandoned By His Parents

Count Dooku’s Force sensitivity was revealed at a young age to his family, which terrified and disgusted them. Dooku’s father, Count Gora, abhorred the Jedi Order, referring to those connected to the Force as “freaks.” So while Dooku’s mother, Countess Anya, contacted the Jedi Order for them to take their son, Gora abandoned an infant Dooku on the edges of a forest outside his palace grounds without any clothing, food, or shelter.

Dooku Was Friends With Sifo-Dyas

Throughout his time in the Jedi Order, Dooku had a close friendship with Sifo-Dyas, the Jedi who commissioned the clone army from the Kaminoans. The two were Padawans, having gone through Jedi training together, where they uncovered the Bogan Collection, ancient Sith relics that the Jedi kept under wraps. Unfortunately, Palpatine decided to use this friendship to his advantage, ordering Dooku to betray his old friend and murder him after the plan for Order 66 was hatched.

Dooku Abandoned The Jedi Order

Dooku did not part ways with the Jedi because of outright Sith temptation but disillusionment due to corruption. Dooku felt that the Jedi was too connected to the Republic government and therefore had become a political entity. He informed Yoda of his decision, saying that he was not conflicted, but assured of his decision. Yoda instructed him to keep his lightsaber and said goodbye. With this action, Dooku became the last member of the Lost Twenty, a group of twenty Jedi Masters who left the order.

After Dooku left the Jedi, Darth Sidious saw an opportunity and approached him, hoping to turn him towards the dark side as a leader of the Separatist movement. And as history would show, Sidious would succeed.

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Written by Elizabeth Reese

Source(s): Wookieepedia

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