Evil takes many forms, several of which were played by the iconic Christopher Lee. Two of his most infamous were the turncoat wizard Saruman from The Lord of the Rings and the turncoat Jedi Count Dooku from the Star Wars Universe. Their traitorous natures certainly bonded them.
Both Saruman and Count Dooku were powerful in different ways, each one of them using their abilities first to fight for good. Eventually, they were both corrupted and turned evil. Though both eventually paid the price for their treachery, a fight between them could only be epic.
COUNT DOOKU: Jedi Training
While fans know Dooku best as a Sith Lord and the apprentice of Darth Sidious, that's not how he started. Like many Sith Lords, Dooku started off his career as a Jedi. But that story is pretty commonplace as there are a surprising number of Jedi that have turned to the Dark Side.
What sets Dooku apart is that his master was Yoda, one of the greatest and most highly respected Jedi of all time. Simply sitting under the learning tree of someone like Yoda gives Dooku an edge over almost any other Jedi or Sith around.
SARUMAN: Powerful Wizard
It's hard to overstate the importance Saruman played in Middle-earth. He was considered to be the most powerful wizard around, the leader of all wizards as well as head of the council whose purpose was to defeat Sauron. If you've watched the movies or read the books, you know that didn't work out too well.
Sauron spent a lot of time researching dark magic. The point was to understand his enemy better. Instead, he ended up being drawn in by Sauron and working for him. Still, the power and skill he possessed were virtually unmatched by anyone but Sauron.
COUNT DOOKU: Sith Training
Like so many fallen Jedi before him, Count Dooku underwent extensive training in the Dark Side of the Force. His education was at the hands of Darth Sidious, also known as Sheev Palpatine. Being trained by the greatest Jedi and the greatest Sith Lord in generations is impressive, to say the least.
While Dooku learned his lessons well, he certainly picked up on some of Palpatine's favorite tricks. Both Palpatine and Dooku were certainly passionate about using Force Lightning on people, particularly Anakin Skywalker at different times in his life.
SARUMAN: Expert Fighter
It's easy to write off a wizard like Saruman as simply a magic user, particularly since he looks like an old man. That complacency in and of itself might cost you a fight against someone as powerful as Saruman. Never underestimate him.
But the mistake that many opponents have made is assuming that Saruman doesn't know how to fight. In truth, he's a skilled and accomplished fighter, more than capable of taking on his opponents in hand-to-hand combat.
COUNT DOOKU: Expert With A Lightsaber
That being said, one should also consider hesitating to take on someone like Count Dooku. He is as skilled with a lightsaber as anyone in the galaxy and is most certainly in the upper echelon of lightsaber duelists.
Dooku has been known to take on multiple opponents at the same time. This included schooling Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker in the same fight, a battle that cost Skywalker his hand. If it wasn't for Yoda stepping in, Dooku would have killed them both.
SARUMAN: Istari
When you see Saruman and other members of his order of wizards, you see a group of old men. But looks can be deceiving in Middle-earth, and the same is true of Saruman, and Gandalf for that matter. In reality, they were both Istari.
They were actually five Maiar spirits charged with helping Middle-earth in defeating Sauron. Again, that didn't play out exactly as planned. Being alive for so long and knowing so much about the bigger picture would inevitably give Saruman an edge.
COUNT DOOKU: Brilliant Tactician
When you think about Count Dooku, you think of a Dark Lord of the Sith with incredible power, virtually unmatched lightsaber skills, and a cape game that's perfectly on point. Dooku was much more than that.
He was the leader of a massive army and thousands of worlds. Dooku's job was to play out the Separatist side of the war for his master, a job he executed well right up until the bitter end. His keen strategic mind should never be underestimated.
SARUMAN: Mystical Objects
Being a wizard means a lot of things, particularly when you're a wizard the stature of Saruman. The tower of Orthanc at the center of Isengard is an epic and dramatic base to say the least. Only a wizard like Saruman gets a cool place like that.
Saruman also has access to key mystical artifacts like his staff and the planatir, which allows him to see through time as well as space. He's also put together an impressive library of mystical and historical knowledge.
COUNT DOOKU: Nothing To Lose
Possibly the most dangerous thing about Count Dooku is his mentality. The simple reality is that abandoning the Jedi and siding with the Sith cost Dooku everything, even if he wouldn't admit it. If the Separatist plot fell apart, there was no plan B.
There was no going back. Dooku literally had nothing left to lose, which made him an angry, desperate man. Well, Dooku thought he had nothing left to lose until Anakin was holding a pair of lightsabers to his throat. Only at the end did he realize the part he truly played in the plot against the Jedi.
SARUMAN: Power Of Sauron
Like Count Dooku, Saruman signed a deal with the devil that there was no coming back from. But in return for his loyalty, he had the backing of the most dangerous evil around. That's not bad all things considered.
Saruman having access to the power and armies of Sauron is something anyone looking to face him should keep in mind. It's power he can bring to bear, especially if it slows down an enemy of Sauron.
WHO WOULD WIN?
This fight would honestly be as close as a battle like this could possibly get. Both Sauron and Count Dooku are incredibly powerful, with abilities that are mysterious and mystical in nature.
But in the end, Count Dooku would come out on top. He is a better-trained warrior, and his proficiency with the Force would outstrip Saruman's magic. Plus, Saruman has no answer for a lightsaber upside the head.