Jedi: Count Dooku

Jedi: Count Dooku is the fourth issue in the Star Wars: Jedi one-shots series of comics, it was published in December 3, 2003 by Dark Horse Comics.

Publisher's summary

Liberator. Tyrant. Hero. Villain. Renegade. Visionary. Jedi. Sith Lord. The enigmatic, charismatic Count Dooku is all of these things. Posing as a renegade from the Republic, Jedi Quinlan Vos has been given the assignment to earn Dooku's trust and learn his secrets. When he discovers that Dooku's targets include Vos' birth planet of Kiffu and his own people, the Guardians, Quin must decide how far he is willing to go to protect his cover. Dooku, ever the master manipulator, always has another card to play, and his goal is not always what it seems. This is a story of the Clone Wars and the Jedi seen from a very different perspective.

Plot summary

Infiltrating the Separatists

Quinlan Vos meets with Jedi Master Mace Windu and Tholme to give him the mission to spy on Count Dooku and learn his plans through Psychometry. To help convince Dooku, the Jedi push out that Vos had gone rogue and was no longer a friend of the Jedi, as well as using the darkness inside him to convince the Leader. Vos asks if he should attempt to assassinate the Count if the opportunity presents itself, but Windu senses that the Shatterpoint around Dooku's death is no longer present and his death would not change anything, allowing another member of the Separatists to take control.

"My fight has been in the shadows, Master Windu. My army has been spies, not clones. I've seen first-hand the results of this war on ordinary citizens. I've seen how it shatters lives. If I can do something that can shorten this war, I must do it. No matter what the cost."

―Quinlan Vos to Mace Windu and Tholme^[3]

Vos travels to Antar 4 to speak with Dooku, but runs into Tol Skorr and Kadrian Sey and duel against each other. Meanwhile, Count Dooku discusses with Sheyf Tinté Vos about putting a secret Separatist Base on the planet, Kiffex. However, Tinté is reluctant to join, finding the Count to be untrustworthy for his ties to the Jedi, and decides for the moment not to accept the alliance. Vos confronts Sora Bulq and asks to speak to Count Dooku. Speaking with Dooku, Vos asks for the opportunity to gain his trust and join him. Vos is sent away for when Dooku wants him. Meanwhile, in the underbelly of Coruscant, Jedi Master Tholme meets with Khaleen Hentz and hires her to be a messenger for Vos to get information to the Jedi since Vos will trust her.

Proving Loyalties

Waiting for a lesson with Dooku, Vos uses his Psychometry to see the communication with Sheyf Tinté revealing her reluctance to side with the alliance. When Dooku arrives, the two duel, and Vos is reluctant to use Vaapad and the Dark Side against the Count, but after much difficulty Vos gives in and uses his darkness. After dueling the Count to prove he is worthy of joining him, the group travel to Tibrin and Dooku becomes the new leader of the planet. The leader, Suribran Tu, wants to continue to support Dooku, but he releases the decision to his accolades. Kadrian Sey believes he should continue to help the Separatists since he has kept his people inline. However, Vos opposes this, believing that if Suribran was willing to sell-out the republic he would do the same to the Count as well as being disliked by the people he rules. With this, Dooku beheads Suribran Tu. With control of Tibrin firmly in the Separatists hands, Dooku sends Vos to bring him the head of the Falleen Senator Zurros who has been using the war to line his own pockets.

Kadrian Sey: "Well, he has run the government, Master. He keeps the population in check. It would provide continuity in administration while you turn your attention elsewhere. I think it would be worth doing."

Count Dooku: "Do you agree Master Vos?"

Quinlan Vos: "Suribran Tu is a butcher. His people hate him. Keep him in power and you prove there is no difference between the Confederacy and the Republic. And if he's willing to sell-out the Republic, he'll sell-out you. He can't be trusted."

Count Dooku: "You betrayed the Republic. Are we to trust you?"

Quinlan Vos: "I'm here because I think the Republic is hopelessly corrupt and must be replaced. In that respect, I'm still a Jedi as are you.'"

Count Dooku: "Well answered"

―Kadrian Sey, Count Dooku, and Quinlan Vos discuss the fate of Suribran Tu^[3]

Khaleen finally catches up to Vos, reluctant to see her and risking his undercover mission, he confides in her that he doesn't want to risk her life, and the hard choice he has to make in order to keep his mission hidden. Six days later, Vos returns from his mission, only returning with the topknot of the senator and a message from the senator apologising for his actions and promising to do anything he asks. Tol Skorr is displeased with this, since Vos did not follow orders given by their Master. Vos defends his actions by explaining that the senator won't be replaced by another who will do the same, and Zurros is now there's to control. As reward, Dooku informs him that they are travelling to Kiffex to continue negotiations with Sheyf Tinté. Before returning to inform Tholme, Khaleen asks Vos to walk away from the war and the Jedi to be with her and spend their lives together, but he turns her down, and tells her not to return if she truly loved him. Khaleen meets with Tholme to inform him about Dooku's plans for Kiffex and reassure that Vos is surviving.

Confrontation on Kiffu

On Kiffu, Dooku continues to push for a secret base on the sister planet Kiffex, but Sheyf Tinté wants to remain neutral and profit from the aftermath of the war, against Dooku's desires, they attack the Guardians. Tol, Kadrian, and Vos compete for the kill of Tinté. Vos reaches her first, and protects her from Kadrian who he cuts in half. His cover finally blown, Dooku goes in pursuit of the two. Dooku reveals he's known the whole time, and that turning Vos to the Dark Side will help him feed the Jedi information he needs to benefit the war. Vos decrees he would never join him, but Dooku begins to show him the truth. Continuing to turn Vos, Dooku gets him to use his Psychometry enhanced by the Dark Side to read Sheyf Tinté. Vos senses blood and goes deep into her memories to discover a terrible truth. When the Anzati were searching for the Dark Jedi, Volfe Karkko, a pact was made to allow for them to feed of prisoners blood, eventually demanding for blood of clan Vos, and arranged for his parents to be fed to them. Explaining that her actions were for the benefit of their people, Vos decrees that Tinté should die and justice to be served. Dooku gives Vos his lightsaber telling him to strike her down and avenge his parents. Allowing the Dark Side to take control, Vos kills Tinté. With Vos connected to the Dark Side, he joins Dooku at his side, helping the Sith to triumph in the Clone Wars.

"Avenge your parents, Quinlan Vos. Strike down this evil"

―Count Dooku to Quinlan Vos^[3]