Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith’s novelization by Matt Stover included a line by Count Dooku that reveals the difference between the Jedi order and the Sith. Count Dooku, a former Jedi master turned Sith Lord, was at the forefront of Clone War, acting as one of the Separatist Alliance. Dooku acted more as a figurehead, operating under the watchful, yet secretive eye of his master, Darth Sidious.
While Count Dooku, also known as Darth Tyranus, was killed very early in Revenge of the Sith, his death was one of the catalysts for Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side. Dooku’s death meant that Star Wars' Darth Sidious (Chancellor Palpatine) needed a new apprentice, something he had been grooming Anakin for. However, Dooku’s perspective on the Force is certainly one of the most interesting, as he had mastered the light side, and fully embraced the dark side. Count Dooku is one of the few Star Wars characters who can best attest to the real difference between the light and dark sides of the Force.
Jedi Serve The Will Of The Force
Matt Stover’s novelization of Revenge of the Sith includes a quote highlighting one of the biggest differences between the Jedi and the Sith: “They allowed the Force to direct them; Dooku directed the Force.” This quote highlights that the Jedi allow the Force to guide them, something that is emphasized often throughout Star Wars lore. Letting the Force serve as guide ("going with the flow") is one of the first and most important lessons that a master teaches their padawan. It’s been seen with Anakin and Obi-Wan, Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger, Anakin and Ahsoka Tano, and more.
With padawan, Qui-Gon Jinn was there to walk him back.
Sith Believe They Dominate The Force
Count Dooku’s quote highlights that how the Sith manipulate the Force means they will always fail. Jedi are taught that they are part of the Force and that it lives in everything, but the Sith believe they control and dominate it. Because the Sith try to dominate and manipulate the Force they cannot know everything there is about any given situation. They close themselves off from seeing the full picture, but the Jedi don’t, meaning they have an upper hand. In the context of Revenge of the Sith Anakin’s vision of Pe dying would have been more clear had he let the Force guide him towards saving her, rather than resorting to the dark side, which failed to show him the full picture.
If Dooku had let the Force guide him throughout Star Wars' Clone War, he may have foreseen Palpatine’s betrayal, or at the least be aware of his deceit and true intentions. Dooku’s untimely death may have been prevented had he not been trying to manipulate the Force but had let it guide him. In this sense, Dooku’s Jedi training may have saved him. While the Revenge of the Sith novelization by Matt Stover is no longer considered part of the Star Wars canon, it is a worthy addition for anyone looking to learn more about many of the prequel-era characters, as well as to learn more about the Force.
