Tales of the Jedi: 3 ways Dooku’s story mirrored Anakin’s
The premiere of Tales of the Jedi was a monumental day for fans of animated Star Wars stories like The Clone Wars. In addition to expanding on Ahsoka’s journey, we were treated to our first look at a young Count Dooku, back in the days before his betrayal of the Jedi. While his stories were a fascinating look at Dooku’s journey to the Dark Side, they also mirrored the path of another famous fallen Jedi: Anakin Skywalker. Here are a few ways that Dooku’s narrative mimicked Anakin’s.
The Force Choke
In Episode 2, “Justice”, Dooku and his padawan are caught in conflict between a corrupt senator and the struggling community that kidnapped the senator’s son. When Dooku sees the way the citizens have suffered, his anger takes hold of him and he uses the Force to choke the senator. Dooku is only able to stop himself when the senator’s son begs him to stop.
There are several instances in The Clone Wars where Anakin allows his anger to be released onto others. He Force Chokes a Separatist Leader, a queen of a society built on slavery, and a bartender who he believes killed Obi-Wan Kenobi among others. All of these instances show the darkness growing within.
Losing Faith in the Jedi
Perhaps the most important variable for Dooku’s turn to the Dark Side was when he begins to see the broken system of the Jedi Council. Like Anakin, just as he is starting to question the system, he meets someone who voices these concerns aloud. Dooku arrests an enemy guard named Semage, who has killed a Jedi and a Senator in his attempt to overcome the corrupt government. Semage argues that the Jedi are often protecting the rich and powerful people who oppress the rest of the galaxy. Dooku shares many of the opinions of Semage.
In The Clone Wars “Citadel Arc”, Anakin and Tarkin have a very similar conversation, emphasizing the failures of the Jedi Council to make a meaningful impact in the conflicts in their galaxy. These encounters serve to legitimize the doubts that both Dooku and Anakin are feeling. These misgivings breed contempt and an urge to rebel against Jedi teachings.
A Seat on the Council
The correlations with Anakin’s story continue after Dooku and Windu defeat Semage. During their confrontation, Dooku had defied the wishes of the Council, while Windu did his best to uphold their rules. Because of this, Windu was offered a seat on the Council, fueling Dooku’s bitterness and pushing him towards the Dark Side even further.
In Revenge of the Sith, Anakin is accepted as a Council member, but denied the rank of Master. He takes this as an insult, and his anger brings him closer to Palpatine. His outburst is more direct than Dooku’s, but both experience negative emotions that pull them away from the Light.
All six episodes of Tales of the Jedi are available on Disney Plus.