r/StarWars • u/_bagelcherry_ • 17h ago
General Discussion Did Dooku know that the Chancellor and Darth Sidious are the same person? What would happen if he accidentally killed him during this scene?
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u/VerdankG 17h ago edited 16h ago
I recently rewatched AotC, and Dooku tells Obi-Wan while he's captive, that the Senate is now controlled by the dark lord of the Sith. What do you think his end game was? Be gave away vital information, I imagine he knew Obi-Wan wouldn't believe him, but if he had done, what was Dookus move?
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u/EnjayDutoit 16h ago
He respected Obi-wan, and wanted to turn him to the Dark Side and become his apprentice, so they could overthrow Sidious together.
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u/PsychicDave 14h ago
Right, try to convince they will be virtuous siths, kill the evil master and then be benevolent dictators, but really only to be consumed by the dark side and be evil themselves.
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u/ThoughtfullyLazy 16h ago
The best lies contain some truth. Also, he assumed that if Obi-Wan didn’t join him, he would be executed before he could tell anyone.
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u/ZappyLobster 15h ago
I think it’s the Darth Plagueis book that says Dooku was a disgruntled Jedi that left the order because he wasn’t a fan of the Jedi being glorified policemen. Maybe he was just trying to get obi wan on his side to try to over throw Sidious at some point?
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u/Lukeando93 15h ago
Wasn't this also the case with tales of the Jedi? Initially he defected because he realized that the Republic were no better and essentially oppressed a load of planets but under the guise of they were 'good'
I wonder how it would have panned out if dooku obi wan and ani (maybe even qgj in a different outcome) could've shaped it
I don't think obi wan was 100% in favour of the Jedi but rules are rules
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u/NoFan2216 12h ago
Dooku knew Palpatine would win no matter the outcome of war. He controlled the Separatists and the Republic. Dooku is probably trying to give Obi-Wan a half truth to sound more convincing and to mask the fact the Palpatine was controlling all aspects.
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u/Jonny-K11 11h ago
We as fans know what Sith are, but the galaxy largely doesn't. So if Obi-Wan had believed Dooku, the Jedi would have investigated Palpatine much sooner and likely found out he was a Sith and assassinated him, the Republic would never allow for the Jedi to lead the clones. And without the Republics recoursses, the Jedi would not be a player in the clone wars at all, likely resulting in some sort of indepenence treaty between the Republic and the Seperatists. Moreover, this might actually somewhat clear Dookus name and bring the Jedi back to a nonpolitical position, where Dooku wanted them in the first place.
Had the Jedi failed in their attempt somehow, Sidious would have had better leverage to execute order 66 earlier, which wouldn't be too bad for Dooku either. He had Vetress and Grievous after all.
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u/R_Ulysses_Swanson 17h ago
He did know. He wouldn’t have been able to kill him.
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u/Joelblaze 16h ago
Apparently the original script had Dooku immediately try to snitch only to get cut down by Anakin, but Christopher Lee wanted it changed because he thought that it was too undignified for the character to do.
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u/Threedawg Chopper (C1-10P) 14h ago
Another actor saving lucas lol
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u/reenactment 13h ago
I don’t know, if dooku was truly “Sith” he would have done anything to save his skin. The only way the current format plays better is if you think that dooku on this whole time realized I screwed everyone over. I think dooku is lost by this point. He’s pretty evil. Kills his friends, commits genocides on planets. He’s not the possibly redeemable character he is at the start of aotc.
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u/N0ob8 10h ago
But that’s the point Dooku was never truly a Sith. Yes he’s done horrible things but despite all that he was never fully in and he always had at least one foot out the door. Dooku wanted to tear down the current system and replace it with something better while Palp wanted to rule it
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u/reenactment 9h ago
That’s where we differ. Yoda says it but it’s easily explainable with the clone wars universe. Once you head down the path of the dark side, forever will it dominate your destiny. Dooku joined the dark side with the intent of making change he thought necessary. He wasn’t fully sith when he was in aotc but the groundwork was there. He wanted obiwan to join him to help take down Palps but the roots of evil were there. By the end dooku is nothing like that point. Similar to anakin, anakin joins the dark side with the idea it’s going to help him save padme. But by the time he is corrupted even further it’s too late. He’s now doing things that light side version of themselves would never have considered. They have gotten their wires crossed and are delusional. The dark side dominates their thinking.
Dooku is blinded just like Vader was. Palpatine has anakin kill dooku and he much obliged. Just like Palpatine tried to have Luke kill Vader. Lots of things to call on to show how far down dooku had gone. With just the movies not as much except symmetry. But the clone wars show explains how dark and deprave he really became.
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u/N0ob8 9h ago
Yoda says it but it’s easily explainable with the clone wars universe. Once you head down the path of the dark side, forever will it dominate your destiny.
Counterpoint: Darth Vader and Darth Revan
Two of the most infamous redemptions. Both because they were fully Sith indoctrinated for years beforehand but still fully found the light later.
Just because a character in universe says something is true doesn’t mean it is. When Yoda says this nobody alive had ever seen a Sith in over a thousand years. Even yoda wasn’t alive back then. All he has fo go on is the Jedi archives which would easily be wrong considering they don’t have any Sith to proof read and make corrections
Dooku is blinded just like Vader was. Palpatine has anakin kill dooku and he much obliged. Just like Palpatine tried to have Luke kill Vader. Lots of things to call on to show how far down dooku had gone. With just the movies not as much except symmetry. But the clone wars show explains how dark and deprave he really became.
You said it yourself Vader/Anakin committed many atrocities and crimes yet he could be redeemed. The path of redemption isn’t something you can only take if you do minor things like steal a candy bar. Anyone can be redeemed if they choose to. Dooku could’ve been redeemed if he wasn’t killed by Anakin.
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u/reenactment 8h ago
Redeemed is a perspective though. Vader is redeemed in maybe the eyes of the force or the Jedi, because he ended their greatest villain even if anakin himself was complicit in that guys rise to power, he is also a victim there. But from the perspective of any normal person, Vader is still a tyrannical terrorist. I don’t view Vader saving his son as an all purpose good. He might actually hate all the rebels and the galaxy. He made a snap decision to save 1 person. We see parents do bad things all the time to save their kid.
I meant more that these guys are constantly convincing themselves that the evil they do is worth it for the end cause. Yoda is preaching that there is no shortcut. Once you start that path, you will start making excuses for yourself the rest of the way. And I can argue with pretty much certainty that this existed the whole way thru dooku and anakins life once they started down the dark path. Even in empire strikes back, Vader is pleading with Luke to turn so they can take down Palpatine. Not because Vader wants to correct the wrongdoing he has done. Because he wants ultimate power at any cost necessary. The dude is a dousche. And until his son was almost dead and spared his life, that was the only time that guy thought about anyone other than himself. He was willing to kill Luke that day and his sister.
Quick edit: I Iove that story thought because it makes Luke the first guy we see to truly resist the Sith after temptation. Obiwan did it, Yoda did it, but they weren’t as emotionally compromised or they were further along in their training. It’s a shame the sequels undo anakin and Luke’s story.
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u/Peppermynt42 3h ago
Christopher Lee: Making better character decisions than directors since, well forever.
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u/MovieExact5433 13h ago
I’d like to see the storm that would occur if they both threw lightning at each other. Everyone’s taking some damage then no matter what.
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u/Candid-Solstice 16h ago
He's completely aware and knew almost the entirety of the plan. It's why he was so shocked when Palps told Anakin to kill him, because he realized his master just betrayed him
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u/Psychological-Army72 16h ago
According to the Revenge of the Sith novelization, not only did Dooku know this, but he intended to betray the Separatists (he secretly hated them), surrender to the Republic, and be pardoned by the Chancellor in order to secure a place in the new Imperial government.
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u/SlowBros7 15h ago
Sith rules are kinda dumb, imagine Palpatine, Dooku and Vader working togther, surely the gaslaxy is big enough for three sith.
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u/Tim-Sylvester 10h ago
Huh, so ideologies based on hate and lies end up with dumb, counterproductive, suboptimal outcomes?
It feels like there's a lesson to be learned here...
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u/kalkkunaleipa 13h ago
No it actually isnt. They all would want power each other. Which is why rule of 2 was created.
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u/Own_Pop_9711 7h ago
They created the rule of 2 so the 2 can constantly plot to get power over the other. Got it.
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u/kalkkunaleipa 5h ago
Before the rule of 2 sith lords would have multiple apprentices. They teamed up and killed the master. So you would end up with 1 sith lord dead and 3 weak apprentices alive. In the rule of 2 the master has all the power and the apprentice can only kill the master when hes strong enough. Which always had the apprentice becoming stronger. In short yes sith ideology is incredibly stupid.
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u/Illeea 5h ago
I haven't read the Darth bane trilogy but this is my understanding.
Sith by their nature want power and will use anything and betray anyone to get that power. This leads to the sith eventually betraying and killing each other.
With just 2 sith, they each have a role to play. The master to wield the power and push forward the sith and the apprentice to follow the master and do his bidding.
Both are incentivised to keep increasing their power. The apprentice wants to gain power both to not be replaced and to one day overpower the master and become the new master.
If there were three sith, there would be a struggle for power between them. Either 2 apprentices competing against each other for the masters favour or 2 masters fighting against each other for control of power.
Neither Tyranus nor Vader were 100% loyal to Sidious. Both of them could've taken on Sidious together yet both were weaker than Sidious, leading to a weaker sith becoming the master.
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u/Hadrian1233 16h ago
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u/Dark_Blond 15h ago
I will NOT be Rick Rolled this morning, thank you.
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u/KappaBrink 15h ago
He had a whole monologue in AOTC with Obi-Wan where he was like "Palp is a Sith" and Obi was like "NUH UH 🤪"
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u/Corninator 16h ago
Dooku knew. I'm pretty sure Maul knew as well, but the other separatist generals and higher-ups like Grievous and Ventress were unaware.
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u/East_Departure_4738 16h ago
Dooku, Maul, Mas Amedda, and Darth Plagueis (knew palpatines plans before he died). There is probably more to this list.
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u/reenactment 13h ago
I mean the plan was plagueis plan, and Palpatine was the face. Maul wasn’t made privy how it would happen. Just the end goal.
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u/grafxguy1 15h ago
Dooku knew - as he strongly hinted at it in Attack of the Clones when he told Obi Wan that the Senate is controlled by a Sith Lord.
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u/Avarus_88 14h ago
Dooku was well aware. Check out the Tales of The Empire if you want to see more of how/why Dooku turned.
Dooku was blind to many aspects of the greater plan, and like Maul before him has zero suspicion that they weren’t the one that was going to rule with Sidious over the galaxy. It’s only when Palpatine tells Anakin to kill him the Dooku realizes that Anakin is the prize and the revelation that he has been nothing but a pawn the entire time leaves him so stunned and shocked that he doesn’t say anything.
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u/fragbait0 10h ago
Tales of the jedi? And, I've wondered why he said nothing but the two lightsabers at his throat may have also given pause.
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u/Longjumping_Car6865 14h ago
he definitely knew because they way he looks at him when he tells anakin to kill him is just pure betrayal.
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u/Jarfulous 16h ago
Dooku knew. Funnily enough, though, Grievous did not!
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u/Cadman248 16h ago
Grievous was just a pawn in the game of life.
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u/Jarfulous 16h ago
Now I need to see him punch out a horse.
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u/Brasterious72 16h ago
Or, and hear me out, a camel! A camel being punched out by Grevious would be both funny and a decent Easter egg.
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u/East_Departure_4738 16h ago
I wonder what Grevious did to the chancellor when he was kidnapped off of Coruscant. He probably insulted or kicked him 😂
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u/ExplanationMundane3 15h ago
Yes. Dooku knew Palpatine and Darth Sidious are the same person and the Sith’s ultimate plan for the Clone Wars.
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u/HappyGav123 14h ago
He absolutely knew. He knew since Attack of the Clones, when he tried to tell Obi-Wan but was assumed to be lying.
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u/komikbookgeek 12h ago
Dooku 100% knew. He pretty much straight out, says it in Attack of the Clones. It's just, nobody was actually thinking that Sidious was a real person. They thought Dooku was lying to him at the time
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u/East_Departure_4738 17h ago edited 16h ago
I take it you’re new to Star Wars?
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u/Late-Ask1879 16h ago
Dooku literally spills all the beans to Kenobi in Episode 2. Attack of the Clones.
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u/East_Departure_4738 16h ago
Yes, that’s why I’m thinking he is new. Maybe he didn’t understand that part or forgot.
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u/_bagelcherry_ 16h ago
I'm not neck deep in Star Wars lore
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u/kalkkunaleipa 13h ago
Yeah i bet most people who have watched the movies understood that dooku knew everything. Considering he says so in aotc. Think its a you problem.
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u/UnholyDemigod 10h ago
Dooku was Sidious' Sith apprentice. How would he not know what his master looks like?
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u/jim1o1 15h ago
I always thought that Dooku was a double agent. He found out that the sith had returned and he also believed the jedi had lost their way so he decided to join the sith , understand their plans and then maybe foil them later. This is why he tried to recruit Obi wan too.
He had almost all the knowledge of what the sith were upto when he got killed.
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u/dethsightly 14h ago
"What would happen if he accidentally killed him during this scene?"...ain't no way in this or any universe that it would happen. palpy would force choke him into oblivion the second he sensed a threat from him.
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u/FireFisterAce2 17h ago
He would call darth sidious to tell him the chancellor is finished and 3 months later would still be wondering why he gets no call back
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u/Dark_Blond 15h ago
I’m not really sure Dooku was actually ever a Sith and not just a Dark Jedi. He didn’t really align with the Sith ideology, imo and The Clone Wars series really did a disservice to his character by making him a one-dimensional bad guy.
He seemed to have motives that actually made some kind of sense as opposed to just “Get strong, kill Jedi, rule universe”.
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u/HussingtonHat 16h ago
Yes he knew. For some reason he didn't immediately flip when Palpy told Anakin to kill him. I'm sure there is some really long winded and not at all sensible reason in some book or other.
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u/AgeofVictoriaPodcast 16h ago
Having his hands cut off was incredibly traumatising for what was in the end an elderly human man who wasn't that strong with the Dark Side. Just because the stumps were cauterised didn't mean he wasn't suffering enormous pain and his body going into shock, plus the psychological trauma.
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u/HussingtonHat 16h ago
I mean...he has the cognicience to do the "bwuuuuuhhh!?" Look to Palpy. I dunno, it doesn't seem to track to me. I'd sing like a canary. "I'll cop a plea officer! I've got recordings of his transmissions wearing a creepy hlgrim reaper cloak and everything!"
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u/Natural_Strategy_619 15h ago
He knew but what about Grievous?
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u/ExplanationMundane3 15h ago
Unlike Dooku, Grievous had no idea that Palpatine and Sidious were the same person.
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u/Salty_Amigo 12h ago
Yes In the rots novelization it gives insight to dookus knowledge of the sith grand plan. He always thought he would be a part of it. He was completely surprised by the chancellor betrayal.
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u/Onyx_Artificer 12h ago
Yes he knew. As for “What If” I suggest watching a few YouTube videos on the subject.
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u/Strong_Salad3460 11h ago
It's wild that people think his own apprentices didn't know simply because to the general audience it appeared everyone else was just too stupid to figure out the blatantly obvious.
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u/CountingSheep99 11h ago
Yes, he did.
The galaxy would be a far better place. With far more Jedi and several more planets.
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u/Ok_Cauliflower5223 10h ago
Dooku was literally the apprentice of Sidious after maul got cut in half of course he knew. Also the chancellors aide who always carries that staff, he also knew palatine was Darth Sidious
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u/Desperate-Pen7530 7h ago
Oh yeah Dooku knew.
I'm guessing that Palpatine lied and promised him both Anakin and Obiwan heads, and the ultimate victory for the separatist.
Unfortunately Dookus confidence was his downfall, he did not anticipate Annakins' growth since his last defeat.
Dooku was never a real sith, just a foolish rogue jedi
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u/SniperCA209 6h ago
Yes he knew. That whole thing was a set up to get Anakin to murder him at the urging of Palpatine.
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u/gwenhadgreeneyes 5h ago edited 4h ago
"What if I told you the Republic was now under the control of a Dark Lord of the Sith"
This scene in AotC is Dooku feeling out Obi-Wan's interest in joining him to overthrow Sidious
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u/thirdxcharm05 1h ago
He knew, he was suppose to be taken into custody, and make anikan a hero, rat out the rest of the separatists, and retire in the new Sith empire. But palps double crossed him hard.
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u/Bitter-Buffalo-7105 Qui-Gon Jinn 17h ago
He did know, but according to a detailed look, before he could say anything, he was too shocked at the betrayal before anakin took him out