Count Dooku vs. Saruman

## Description

*They betrayed everything they stood for to join the forces of darkness, but which fallen wizard will come out on top when the power of the Force meets the power of wizardry?*

## Interlude

Hiro: The worst kind of villains you can find in fiction are the most traitorous. The ones who switch sides in pursuit of something greater while everyone else suffers.

**MBStarscream: And would you believe Christopher Lee has played this role twice? Double the betrayal, huh?**

Hiro: Count Dooku, the former Padawan who betrayed the Jedi Order.

**MBStarscream: And Saruman, the fallen Istari who betrayed Middle-earth.**

Hiro: I'm Hiro Hamada.

**MBStarscream: I'm MBStarscream.**

Hiro: And it's our job to examine both warriors' strength, abilities, weapons, and weaknesses to see who would win in a fight.

## Count Dooku

Hiro: Long ago, in the D'Astan sector of the Outer Rim Territory, a lush planet under the control of the Sith Empire. The House Serenno, however, mobilized the eight great houses and managed to repel the Sith forces without help from the Jedi, leading the planet to be named Serenno in honour of a house member who would go on to form the Planetary Council and join the Galactic Republic.

**MBStarscream: The High Republic Era saw Serenno being represented in the Republic by Senator Izzet Noor and ruled by Count Gora and Countess Anya. Over the course of their reign, they would birth three children, one of them turning out to be Force-sensitive.**

Hiro: This child was Dooku, and his potential in the Force horrified his father into leaving him outside his palace for Jedi seekers to find after contacting the Jedi Order. As luck would have it, the infant was brought to the Jedi Temple and grew up to become one of the most powerful and respected members of the Jedi Order.

**MBStarscream: But the Jedi were not as perfect as they seemed, as they soon lost their way as peacekeepers and became quite ignorant of the truth. They actively avoided helping planets outside the Republic and believed attachments should be forbidden, so Dooku left the Order to pursue other paths.**

Hiro: Dooku at first had a genuine goal of helping people and believed in supporting planets that wanted to separate from the corrupt Republic, but later down the line behind to conspire in secret with Darth Sidious. The death of Qui-Gon Jinn at the hands of Darth Maul proved to be the last straw, and he severed his ties to the light side completely to become Sidious' new apprentice, Darth Tyranus.

**MBStarscream: The two orchestrated the Clone Wars, with Dooku leading the Confederacy of Independent Systems against the Republic in the conflict. But Dooku secretly plotted to kill and overthrow his master, unaware that he had plans of his own to replace Dooku with Anakin Skywalker.**

Hiro: As such, when the right time came, Palpatine had Dooku duel Anakin, who defeated and subsequently killed him at Palpatine's urgings. But Dooku didn't go down without a fight, in no small part thanks to his strong connection to the Force.

**MBStarscream: Although he was not quite as powerful as Anakin at his peak, Dooku was still one of the most powerful Force-users in the history of the galaxy, arrogantly claiming himself to have been more powerful than any single Jedi of his time. This can be backed up by his training from both Yoda and Sidious, which has given him incredible skill with a lightsaber.**

Hiro: Dooku has crossed lightsabers with the likes of Yoda, Master Yaddle, Asajj Ventress, the Nightsisters, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, fighting the latter two multiple times. Dooku has mastered the lightsaber form of Makashi, so much so that he was believed by many to be the most proficient practitioner of the style.

**MBStarscream: Dooku's Force powers make him an even more formidable adversary; telekinesis lets him use techniques like Force Push, Pull, Choke, Grip, Levitation, Throw, Crush and Deflection. He can control the minds of people or animals and use Power Boost to overcome the disabilities caused by his advanced age, increasing his strength, speed, agility, and dexterity to unnatural levels.**

Hiro: This lets him use Force Jump and Force Dash, both of which let him jump great distances and move at amazing speeds respectively. But his deadliest technique is Force Lightning, a favorite of his master's. Dooku uses it as both a means of torture and execution, and was able to use it in conjunction with telekinesis, usually to send a person flying with his lightning or even to levitate his opponents while using his lightning on them.

**MBStarscream: This lightning was powerful enough to knock out Anakin, kill multiple Nightbrothers at once and help power Palpatine in a lightning duel against Mother Talzin. In addition to his dueling prowess and mastery of the Force, Dooku is a cunning strategist, diplomat, and politician, scoring enough victories over the Jedi and the Republic to turn the Clone Wars into a stalemate despite their best efforts and swaying numerous nations to the Separatist cause.**

Hiro: All this made Dooku a valuable apprentice for Palpatine, but sadly not a perfect one. Like all Sith, Dooku suffers from a measure of overconfidence, particularly showcased during his final battle with Obi-Wan and Anakin, not anticipating how much their power and skills had grown nor did he expect Palpatine's ultimate betrayal.

**MBStarscream: Dooku's lightsaber dueling form, Makashi, suffers from a critical flaw: raw kinetic power. As a result, opponents who are able to match him in skill and overwhelm him through physical force can drain his Force reserves and physical strength to the point of exhaustion through a protracted battle, leading to his death at Anakin's hands.**

Hiro: But maybe his sacrifice was necessary, for in his last moments, Dooku sensed great fear, hate and anger in Skywalker, all of which would grow to consume the Chosen One and turn him into the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Though he would not live to see it, the Jedi and the Republic would both fall, and the Galactic Empire would rise.

**MBStarscream: The dark legacy Dooku has left behind speaks for itself. Palpatine definitely picked the right apprentice to help orchestrate his rise to power.**

*Count Dooku: Master Kenobi, you disappoint me. Yoda holds you in such high esteem. Surely you can do better!*

## Saruman

Hiro: Long ago, Eä was created by the music of Eru Ilúvatar, and with it the Maia, whom the Valar sent to offer inspiration and counsel to the Free Peoples who resisted evil in the Third Age. Saruman was the first of these wizards, and he would be known as the White Wizard.

**MBStarscream: But as the old saying goes, absolute power corrupts absolutely, and Saruman would soon grow to envy Sauron enough to search for the legendary One Ring. At first, he steered the White Council away from opposing Sauron, hoping that the Dark Lord's rise would bring the Ring back into the open, but Sauron ensnared him through his use of the Seeing-stone of Orthanc and Saruman became his servant.**

Hiro: Saruman raised an army of Orcs and subverted the land of Rohan through his minion Wormtongue, but still searched for the One Ring in hopes of betraying Sauron and claiming his power. His greatest power was not magic, but his sheer charisma and compelling voice. With these, he subverted the White Council and brought Rohan to its knees.

**MBStarscream: That said, Saruman still has access to many spells and the Words of Command, powerful spells that are much more dangerous than normal magic. His magical power is comparable, and possibly superior to Gandalf the Grey, who, at his peak, knew every spell invented by orcs, dwarves and elves, with the exclusion of men being presumably do to their inability to use magic.**

Hiro: Saruman's Words of Command may be connected to the Anulindale, where the entire world was shaped by words strung together in song, with the Words of Command possibly being extensions or continuations of the music. If so, this may be the only way to change the original music accept for by the actions of man, making it one of the most potent forms of magic in Middle-earth.

**MBStarscream: Being a servant of Aulë, Saruman was likely very skilled in spellcraft, specifically in the use of runes, and as a Maia, Saruman has access to wide variety of potent and devastating supernatural abilities, for the Ainur were created as elemental spirits, and each have divine authority and absolute control over a certain aspect of nature.**

Hiro: Each and every one of the Ainur is also able to manipulate magical energies and reality to serve their needs, and take any form they wish, even intangible and non-corporeal spiritual forms. As one of the Ainur, it was highly likely that Saruman had authority and control over one aspect of nature, though that aspect was neither confirmed nor specified. However, given his mind of metal and gears, power over machines and stone is not far fetched for him.

**MBStarscream: The Ainur can see the past and the future; as a memeber of the White Council, knowledge of the future would be very useful to Saruman, or knowledge of the past for that matter. The Ainur are also surrounded by an a powerful aura, which can affect those around them, bringing joy and presumably sorrow to those near them.**

Hiro: As one of the Ainur, it was highly likely that Saruman possessed the famous Ainur ability to transform and reshape the form of one's body, appearing in whatever form he desired, and it's highly likely that Saruman had the typical Ainur ability to cast off his physical form and take on an intangible and non-corporeal spiritual form.

**MBStarscream: But you can't have a wizard without a staff, and Saruman comes with one that produces fire. The Palantir also lets him see faraway things, spy on Mordor and communicate with Sauron.**

Hiro: One of Saruman's most disturbing abilities was his ability to corrupt and gain control over the minds of others, as he did with Théoden, to the point of even speaking through him. Another of Saruman's most destructive abilities is his weather manipulation, allowing him to create incredibly powerful storms such as the one he cast upon Caradhras.

**MBStarscream: Similarly to Gandalf, thanks to living many lives of man, Saruman had a vast knowledge of Middle-earth, much of which was documented in many books he kept in his tower. He also has great magical knowledge, such as of the casting of spells and use of the palantír.**

Hiro: Saruman was very wise and intelligent, able to craft powerful weapons such as explosives, breed a new breed of Orc dubbed the Uruk-hai and strategize the downfall of Rohan and a very nearly successful attack on Helm's Deep, finding a way to exploit their defenses. His unparalled wisdom and magical prowess has let him contend with and even overpower Gandalf the Grey, who fought against the Durin's Bane for days on end.

**MBStarscream: He's also manipulated Théoden by way of a magical spell and Grima Wormtongue for years, driving the Rohirrim economy into the ground, and was able to fight an harm the Nazgûl in their etheral form during the battle of Dol Guldur. Strongest of the Istari he may be, but it also makes Saruman quite arrogant and dismissive of others. And like the other Istari, he isn't supposed to directly fight Sauron and his allies, having to inspire others to fight instead, and thus has to take an elderly form that limits his powers.**

Hiro: And in the end, Saruman would ultimately be killed by Gríma Wormtongue in a sneak attack when the latter had taken enough abuse from him. But being a Maia, Saruman did not truly die, and was lef to wander as a powerless spirit, never to return from Middle-earth.

**MBStarscream: Sauron himself would fall soon after, but he couldn't have picked a stronger wizard to corrupt. Defy Saruman the White, and you have chosen death.**

*Saruman: There will be no dawn... for Men.*

## Fatal Fiction

*Mario flips a coin.*

Hiro: Well, Saruman beats Dooku in territory, but does Palpatine or Sauron have the stronger apprentice?

**MBStarscream: Old man fight, evil edition!**

*Orthanc, Isengard*

The great dark tower of Orthanc stood over Isengard as it was surrounded by starships, sounds of blaster shots and shouting ringing below. A old man with white hair and a matching beard walked towards his balcony to watch his army of Uruk-hai, half-orcs and wild men fend off their robotic attackers, many of them being gunned down by their blasters. After he had seen enough, **Saruman** looked up to see a particular ship floating towards where he stood.

A Punworcca 116-class interstellar sloop, in which Saruman could see a pilot droid and another old man in a cloak of some sort. A ramp opened, and the man stepped out of it onto the balcony as Saruman stepped back. The man spoke.

"Saruman the White. I have been looking for you... or rather, what you possess, on order of my master."

"The One Ring belongs to Sauron," Saruman replied, "And I will give it to him after I've destroyed you *and* your forces."

**Count Dooku** pulled out his lightsaber and with a push of a button the crimson blade roared to life, ready to be used for battle. "My master craves the power of that ring, and he will get it one way or another."

"Then you'll both die more foolish than most men."

**FIGHT!**

Saruman struck true with his staff, clashing with Dooku's lightsaber as its wielder smirked. This would be too easy.

Dooku decided to humor his opponent and swung his lightsaber, Saruman blocking the strike with his staff. Dooku pushed further, trying to break Saruman's defense with each swing. He still had the same grin on his face, and Saruman was already starting to hate this man's smugness. But he knew he had to focus.

Saruman then hit back at Dooku with a swing of his staff that the Sith Lord blocked. Dooku blocked several more blows from Saruman's staff, his defense strong as ever. Dooku then parried the next blow, nearly managing to knock the staff out of Saruman's hands before the wizard recovered his stance. He barely managed to block the next strike from Dooku's lightsaber and tried to push him back, but Dooku stayed where he was without so much as a budge.

"You must be better than this, Saruman." Dooku said. "Sauron holds you in high regard, does he not?"

Saruman tried to hit Dooku in the gut, but the Count's lightsaber came to block the blow in the time it took to blink. Dooku blocked the next few blows with frightening speed, Saruman trying his hardest to find an opening.

When this wouldn't work, Saruman sent forth a stream of fire from his staff. The flames caught Dooku's shoulder, causing him to back up while shouting in pain. A chuckle from Saruman made Dooku lift his head to glare at him. Such a trick had angered him.

"Indeed he does." Saruman said simply. "And he'll only be prouder of me once I throw your body at his feet."

As more fire shot out from his staff, Dooku raised a hand, and to Saruman's shock, the fire was swiftly deflected. Dooku's grin returned with a vengeance before he charged back into battle.

Saruman barely had time to block the blow from Dooku's lightsaber that pushed him back. Dooku came at him before he could even breathe, and the fallen masters proceeded to dance across Orthanc while locked in combat. Saruman swung his staff while sending out another stream of fire from it, but Dooku jumped over the flames and charged at the wizard, leading to the two clashing once more.

This time, Saruman managed to force Dooku back with a shove that was impressive coming from a man was old as himself. Saruman then used his staff to draw a line of fire between himself and Dooku, the flames quickly growing like grass. Dooku leapt through the air, lightsaber aimed at Saruman's head, but the Maia blocked with his staff and managed to throw him back onto the still open ramp of his ship, which was still parked outside the tower's window. Saruman fired another stream of flames at Dooku, but the Count used Force Deflection to repel the fire once more.

Then with an outward thrust of his hand, Dooku sent Saruman flying towards a wall with Force Push. As Saruman tried to push himself off the ground, Dooku sent the flames towards him with another Force Push, forcing him to move. Saruman pointed his staff at Dooku, and the Sith Lord was shocked to his lightsaber exit his hand as Saruman telekinetically tossed it aside. Saruman then shot more fire from his staff at Dooku, making him step back towards his ship while telekinetically retriving his lightsaber.

The ship's ramp closed before it flew away from the tower. Saruman watched it leave before he realized how bad the flames were growing and retreated to find another way out of the Orthanc.

During all this, Dooku's army of battle droids were easily overwhelming Saruman's orcs and wild men with their advanced weaponry, but not without casualties of their own. Saruman exited the tower and walked towards the robotic army; they all pointed their blasters at him, ready to blow him away, but Saruman had other plans.

Raising his staff into the air, Saruman brought it down with enough force to shake the earth, the ensuing shockwave knocking away every droid in the area, along with what remained of his own army. He then glared up at Dooku's ship as it remained in the air. After a tense moment, the ship floated backward before landing a fair distance away from Saruman, opening its ramp once more. Dooku stepped out onto the battlefield, his expression as stony as his foe's. Their armies watched in awe as their leaders faced each other, waiting with baited breath (not so much in the case of the droids) to see who would make the first move.

Saruman narrowed his eyes. The weather seemed to respond, for there was a rumbling in the night sky followed by torrents of raindrops that bombarded all that were present. The Orthanc continued to burn behind them; the flames had already grown too much to be extinguished by the storm's arrival.

Dooku never took his eyes off of Saruman. Finally, he took out the silver hilt of his lightsaber. "One of us dies tonight." He began. "Perhaps we'd both be alive if you had cooperated."

"No matter which one of us dies in battle... Sauron will win this war." Was Saruman's response.

Dooku's lightsaber finally ignited in time for a bolt of lightning to strike, casting blinding light onto the two of them. Dooku raised his red blade, waiting for Saruman to meet his advance. Saruman prepared his staff, accepting Dooku's invitation.

With everything set in stone, the elderly traitors charged at each other to end this fight once and for all.

Dooku leapt over Saruman and tried to strike him from behind with his lightsaber, but Saruman turned around and blocked with his staff. He swung his staff several times, each blow blocked by Dooku's lightsaber. Dooku disarmed Saruman of his staff and swung his lightsaber, but Saruman stopped it mid-swing with telekinesis. In response, Dooku grabbed Saruman by the throat and made him lean back, the Maia struggling to keep the Serennian's lightsaber away from his face.

With his free hand, Saruman called his staff back to him and hit Dooku across the head with it. He struck Dooku with his staff again before he could recover, and hit him several more times before his staff met his foe's blade once more. Saruman pushed Dooku back and shot flames out of his staff, but Dooku held up his lightsaber to block it. Dooku called Saruman's staff to him with an outstretched hand, but Saruman called back by grabbing his staff telekinetically in mid-air, locking the two in a telekinetic tug-of-war.

Then, blue lighting shot out of Dooku's fingers, hitting both the staff and Saruman at once. Saruman screamed in agony until Dooku called off the lightning, causing Saruman and his staff to hit the floor. Saruman crawled towards his staff on his front and reached for it, only to be bombarded with more lightning. Saruman buried his face into the ground, overcome with pain as the lightning forced him to stay down.

Every inch of him felt like it was on fire. This was pain unlike any he had ever experienced. Smoke smouldered off of his fried body when Dooku stopped again, but this time Saruman could not even move. No matter how hard he tried to push himself up, he moved not an inch off the ground.

Saruman slowly lifted his head, his staff just a few inches away. His vision was swirly from pain and dizziness, his breath heavy. As he about to make another attempt to reach for his staff, his throat suddenly constricted. He was gagging now, reaching a hand for his throat before he was suddenly lifted into the air. He could see Dooku below, the Sith Lord holding out a hand.

"Saruman the White, you disappoint me." Was the last thing Dooku said before he sent one last barge of lightning towards Saruman. Unable to even scream, Saruman could do nothing except allow the lightning to course through him until he was thoroughly charred, putting an end to his choking misery before Dooku callously threw him to the ground. Dooku then turned towards Orthanc, still in flames, as the surviving members of Saruman's army bowed to him in submission.

The war for the One Ring had only just begun.

**FATALITY!**

## Results

**MBStarscream: We're having fried Saruman, everybody!**

Hiro: This one was admittedly hard to figure out, as both Dooku and Saruman were limited to their own capabilities of what they personally could do with the Force and magic respectively, so this wasn't a simple matter of whether the Force could beat out Saruman's magic and vice versa. One could say that both could equally use the Force and magic to counter whatever the other throws at them, but then there's battle skill to consider.

**MBStarscream: Dooku is a highly skilled Sith Lord, and such fighting skills far outstrip any skill seen by anyone in Middle-earth, and we haven't really ever seen Saruman actually fight anyway outside of Gandalf, and not with a weapon. Sure he's got his staff, but what's that to a lightsaber in the grand scheme of things?**

Hiro: Dooku was just about Saruman's equal when the Force met magic, but with his advantages in fighting skills and weaponry, he soundly took the win.

**MBStarscream: So don't *count* on Saruman beating Dooku any time soon.**

Hiro: Count Dooku wins.

## Advantages

### Count Dooku (Winner)

* Lightsaber > Staff
* Superior fighting skill
* Force abilities were on par with Saruman's magic