Tales Of The Jedi Episode 4 Provides Deeper Insight Into Obi-Wan And Count Dooku's Attack Of The Clones Scenes

"Tales of the Jedi" has finally arrived on Disney+, with Dave Filoni continuing to explore the darker shadows of the "Star Wars" galaxy in a way only he can. Though major players like Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka are given ample screen time, the series has chosen to focus multiple episodes on an unlikely and tragic hero — Count Dooku.

It's a surprisingly satisfying decision from Filoni, which undertakes the difficult task of granting one of the franchise's historically weak and underwritten villains a depth of character he hasn't yet clearly deserved. In "Tales of the Jedi," however, Filoni makes a strong argument not just for the importance of Dooku's character arc but for how it contextualizes the moral conflict of the Galactic Republic era.

Once characterized as a powerful but cowardly schemer, "Tales of the Jedi" shows a Dooku driven by a strong sense of justice, ostracized by an ineffectual and often discompassionate Jedi order. Impressively, this characterization makes great strides in improving his presence in the prequel trilogy. Filoni even takes a brief, but poignant, moment to color Dooku's relationship with his apprentice, Qui-Gon Jinn, in much richer shades — while adding dramatic weight to a future interaction between the fallen Jedi and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Fans first encountered Dooku in 2002's "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones," portrayed by the late "Lord of the Rings" actor Christopher Lee. Tracking down the bounty hunter Jango Fett, Obi-Wan is led to Geonosis — where he is captured by Dooku's allies. The two finally meet as Obi-Wan is suspended by electric energy restraints, a sight Dooku meets with contrition and remorse (see the scene here, on YouTube). "It's a great pity that our paths have never crossed before, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon always spoke very highly of you," says Dooku in a heavy, tired tone, "I wish he were still alive. I could use his help right now."

In Episode 4 of "Tales of the Jedi" — titled "The Sith Lord" — we see what appears to be Dooku's final conversation with his apprentice, just moments after the latter causes a temple-wide stir by claiming to have encountered a Sith Lord (referencing his brief duel with Darth Maul on Tatooine in "The Phantom Menace"). In the final moments of their reconnection, Dooku expresses his relief that Obi-Wan is there to protect Qui-Gon while he cannot — "I should like to meet him someday. You're always singing his praises."

Qui-Gon's death — the result of institutional negligence and complacent inaction — eradicated what little confidence Dooku had left in the Jedi Order, pushing him fully into the embrace of the dark side. Though Sidious is manipulating him to his own ends, "Tales of the Jedi" shows more clearly, and with much-needed emotional weight, that Dooku is yet another victim of the broken Jedi Order.