Inspired by Vladius’ ideas I spend my time sitting on the train pondering about Dooku’s motivations and his role in the story. Logically, I came up with an idea that is practically impossible to pull off in editing, but I still wanted to share it.
The idea was to turn Dooku into the Anti-Vader and mimic the Luke/Vader dynamic with Qui-Gon and Dooku, but the opposite outcome.
Dooku enters the narrative of TPM after Qui-Gon encounters Anakin. Prompted by this meeting, Qui-Gon contacts his former master in search of guidance. Here we learn that Dooku left the order to fight the rising corruption in the Republic and that he is disillusioned with the Jedi due to their complacency to challenge the injustice taking place in the Senate. However, we are not told that he turned to the Dark Side. The scene ends with Dooku strengthening Qui-Gon’s resolve to train the boy.
After the flight from Tatooine and the encounter with Maul, Qui-Gon connects the dots and realizes that it was Dooku who gave away their location and that he is in league with the Trade Federation and the Sith.
Dooku explains that he has realized that something new can only flourish in the decease of the old and intends to force the Republic to fail. Qui-Gon objects to this approach for the casualties it will cause and tries to talk Dooku out of it. However, mistaking his friend for the mind driving the plot behind the Trade Federation, Qui-Gon decides against informing the council because he fears the escalation their involvement might cause. Against Dooku’s warning, Qui-Gon accompanies the Queen to Naboo to serve the people.
After Qui-Gon’s death, Dooku confronts Sidious, blaming Qui-Gon’s death on Sidious ploy. The Sith Lord, however, convinces Dooku that his former apprentice’s death was caused by the Jedi’s ineptitude in supporting the Queen’s quest with a suitable force, as well as their dogmatic obedience to their code. He lies, that Obi-Wan pressed to capture Gunray after the destruction of his own apprentice and that he left Qui-Gon to die. Blinded by his loss and the prospect of their scheme to uproot the Republic, Dooku falls to the Dark Side, now not just condemning the Jedi for their lack of action in preventing the corruption of the Republic, but blaming them directly for the decay of the Republic.
With this change, Anakin grows up seeing the effects of Qui-Gon’s sacrifice on Dooku, and when Luke confronts him on the Death Star, he understands what follows, if Palpatine wins and realizes the mistake he made in joining with him.