Duel in the Works

"*I'm afraid it is too late.*"

In the final years of the Galactic Republic, following the Battle of Naboo, a lightsaber duel broke out in the LiMerge Power building between Jedi Master Yaddle and Count Dooku. The duel resulted in Yaddle's death and in the aftermath of the duel, Dooku pledged his loyalty to Darth Sidious and became a Sith Lord called Darth Tyranus.

## Prelude

##### Previous: Battle of Naboo

In the years since leaving the Jedi Order, Count Dooku had been approached and manipulated by Darth Sidious. While he had another apprentice Maul, Sidious began to allow Dooku to learn to harness the dark side. They had begun a plot together to create a sham war that would destabilize the Republic and weaken the Jedi to a point in which the Sith could return. Dooku was unaware of Sidious' plot to allow the Sith to rise, instead thinking that by destroying the Republic he could introduce a new Empire to the galaxy that would hold more security and justice for the people of the galaxy. Dooku's old childhood friend Sifo-Dyas informed Dooku that he had seen a vision of the coming war and had secretly commissioned for a clone army to be created to fight for the Republic. Dooku and Sidious orchestrated the death of Sifo-Dyas, leaving them the only ones with the knowledge of the clone army being created on Kamino. Around the same time as the Invasion of Naboo, Count Dooku returned to the Jedi Grand Temple on Coruscant to remove any evidence of the planet Kamino from the Jedi archives. He did so, soon after meeting his old Padawan, Qui-Gon Jinn, learning about his encounter with a Sith on Tatooine. Qui-Gon then returned to Naboo and fought in the Battle of Naboo, a battle that saw his death at the hands of Darth Maul. Dooku was approached by Master Yaddle while he mourned, who informed the Jedi of the location of Qui-Gon's funeral on Naboo. In his pain, Dooku tried to force himself to separate himself from his attachment to his former, now deceased apprentice. Dooku convinced Yaddle that he was right about the failings of the Jedi Council. As a result she stepped down from her position on the Jedi Council.

## Recount

#### The Duel

Dooku, angered by his masters part in the Battle of Naboo, boarded his shuttle, headed to the Sith's hideout in the LiMerge Power Building in the Works to confront him. Troubled by their interaction, Yaddle followed Dooku in her shuttle, keeping her distance as to remain unnoticed. Count Dooku landed, meeting Darth Sidious who awaited his arrival. He immediately confronted him, claiming that he had gone too far in allowing Maul to kill Qui-Gon. Sidious appealed to Dooku, stating that the galaxy could not be re-made without sacrifice. Yaddle landed away from the landing zone of the building, sneaking down to the landing zone, spying Dooku and Sidious in conversation.Yaddle, discovering the Sith Lord, confronts him, intent on ending his plans. To prove his loyalty to Sidious, Dooku stepped up to challenge Yaddle. The Jedi Master attempted to offer Dooku absolution of his crimes in return for his aid in destroying Sidious. Sidious orders Dooku to kill Yaddle to prove his loyalty. Believing the Jedi a corrupted organisation, Dooku sides with Sidious, igniting his lightsaber to face Yaddle.

Dooku attacked Yaddle, running at her to initiate the duel. Yaddle was forced to ignite her own lightsaber to defend herself, beginning a lightsaber duel between the Jedi Masters. Sidious observed from the side as Dooku attacked his old ally. After a harsh attack from Dooku that forced her to retreat, Yaddle fled, hiding from Dooku behind Sidious' H-2 executive shuttle. Yaddle tried speaking to Dooku, saying that she was on his side, and that she had stepped down from her position on the Council. Dooku pushed aside Sidious' vessel, restating the duel. Dooku pushed back his enemy, forcing her to leap into the landing gate to the building. Dooku then used the Force to switch the gate, closing the heavy machinery door so that it crushed Yaddle. Believing her killed, Dooku turned off his lightsaber.

#### Sidious' New Apprentice

Believing Yaddle defeated, Sidious claimed Dooku as his new apprentice. Dooku takes the name Darth Tyranus, accepting his role as the Sith Apprentice to Darth Sidious. Yaddle revealed herself to have survived, using the force to lift the gate off of her body. Exhausted by the effort, Yaddle slumped to the floor before Darth Tyranus. Dooku claimed that all he wants is to bring peace and order to the galaxy. He ignited his saber, stabbing and killing Master Yaddle.

## Aftermath

#### Next: Funeral of Qui-Gon Jinn

Unaware of Dooku's betrayal or the fate of Master Yaddle, the Jedi Council proceeds to Naboo to attend the funeral of Qui-Gon Jinn. Dooku proceeded to continue to be the apprentice of Darth Sidious for years. Together they slowly began pulling strings across the political space of the galaxy to begin to bring about the sham war. They began enlisting political allies such as Archduke Poggle the Lesser, Sam Hill of the InterGalactic Banking Clan, Wat Tambor of the Techno Union and Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation. Publicly, Dooku began opposing the views of the Republic. 8 years after the duel in the works, Dooku created the Confederacy of the Independent Systems that would go on to fight the Republic in the Clone Wars.

## Event Chronology

* Count Dooku faces Darth Sidious on Coruscant, confronting him about the news of Qui-Gon's death.
* Yaddle follows Count Dooku to Darth Sidious, learning of his secret allegiance and the sith lord.
* Yaddle confronts Dooku, pushing him to choose to join her against Darth Sidious.
* Count Dooku resists Yaddle, dueling her to kill her after her witnessing him and Sidious together.
* Yaddle dies, executed by Count Dooku.
* Count Dooku becomes Darth Sidious' new apprentice,

## Appearances

1. Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi - Season 1 Episode 4 "The Sith Lord"