Disney+'s Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi shows that Count Dooku's fall began much earlier than anyone previously realized. Set years before the prequel trilogy, Tales of the Jedi reveals much about the former Jedi's history. Dooku's backstory has previously been explored in Cavan Scott's excellent audiobook Dooku: Jedi Lost, which revealed there were striking parallels between Dooku's fall to the dark side and that of Anakin Skywalker. More recent tie-ins have subtly hinted Dooku had been under the influence of the Sith for years before he finally left the Jedi, as they worked to seduce him to the dark side at a distance.

What Tales of the Jedi reveals about Count Dooku and his fall to the dark side is that it was ultimately caused by disillusionment in what the Jedi were fighting for. This can be observed in how Dooku views the Force as a tool to bring order to the galaxy, and it's striking that he talks to his Padawan about the need to achieve "victory." Whatever Dooku's concept of "victory" may have been, the concept is supposedly entirely alien to the Jedi. In fact, it's a clear reference to the Sith Code: "Peace is a lie. There is only Passion. Through Passion, I gain Strength. Through Strength, I gain Power. Through Power, I gain Victory. Through Victory my chains are Broken. The Force shall free me." The implication here is that, while he was serving as a stalwart Jedi Master, Count Dooku was already studying the Sith and the ancient Sith Code. However, though Dooku's fall to the dark side happened earlier than anyone thought, the Sith were also not entirely to blame for what happened.

Related: Could This 1 Moment Have Saved Count Dooku From The Dark Side?

How Did Count Dooku Fall To The Dark Side?

Christopher Lee as Count Dooku in Star Wars Attack of the Clones

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi episode 2, "Justice," summarizes the key trigger for Count Dooku's fall to the dark side: the Jedi Order's inability to root out corruption in the Republic despite their mastery of the greatest power in the known universe. Tasked with rescuing a kidnapped senator's son, Dooku and Qui-Gon instead find out that they were working for an abusive politician, whom Dooku almost Force-choked to death if not for Qui-Gon's intervention — implying that Dooku had already practiced Sith Force arts prior to the encounter. In Tales of the Jedi episode 3, "Choices," Dooku was passed over as a member of the Jedi Council due to his aggressive methods, feeding his feelings of disillusionment. Finally, when Count Dooku killed Yaddle in Tales of the Jedi episode 4, "The Sith Lord," in order to hide the fact that Dooku is already working with Darth Sidious, this solidified the former Jedi Master's fall.

In telling the full story of Count Dooku's turn to the dark side, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi also makes it clear that Dooku was never a true Sith, and was simply used by Darth Sidious in order to get to Anakin and create Darth Vader. Unlike those who sought the teachings of the Sith for personal gain, Dooku grasped at power with the goal of not just creating a better society, but also eradicating the Sith. Ultimately, Dooku was right about the Jedi and the Republic, but his own arrogance and sheer self-belief led to his downfall. As Count Dooku learned the hard way when Palpatine created Darth Vader by ordering Anakin to kill him, "victory" can only be achieved by a true Sith Lord, a path which Dooku never truly embraced.

Next: Palpatine Even Deceived Count Dooku Over Order 66