According to Tales of the Jedi, one of the main reasons Count Dooku fell to the dark side in Star Wars was due to the Jedi offering Mace Windu a seat on the Jedi High Council before him. Between 50 BBY and 42 BBY, both Dooku and Windu were assigned to a mission involving Master Katri’s murder, a former member of the Jedi Council. Because of Dooku’s actions, the real truth about Katri’s death became apparent, but at the cost of Senator Larik’s life. Afterward, the Jedi Council offered Windu Katri’s seat, despite Dooku having uncovered the truth.

It’s worth noting that Dooku did eventually get offered a seat on the Council, which he accepted. However, he only received the offer after he exposed Yula Braylon—a Jedi Council member at the time—for having a son. Very little is known about Dooku’s brief time on the Council, but it’s clear his frustration with the Jedi was enough to cause him to fall away. However, if Dooku had initially received recognition for uncovering Katri’s murder all those years ago, his story in Star Wars may have taken a drastic change for the better.

Count Dooku Fell To The Dark Side Because The Jedi Didn’t Trust Him

On the mission to retrieve Master Katri’s body, Dooku defied Jedi protocol and took matters into his own hands. Windu wished to inform the Council of their discovery, then wait for them to dictate him and Dooku’s next move. But Dooku insisted on discovering the truth on their own. Eventually, they found out Katri had been murdered by the guards on Raxus Secundus, and that Senator Larik had been complicit in her murder. According to the guards, the Jedi were merely the lapdogs of the Senate, a sentiment that Dooku resonated with personally.

There were plenty of other moments before his mission to Raxus Secundus where Dooku began to lose faith in the Jedi, but the aftermath of Katri’s death truly left him embittered. He personally asked Windu if the rumors were true about him being offered Katri’s seat on the Council, and even wondered if Windu knew about this appointment long before their mission. Windu merely assured him that he’d speak to the Council on behalf of Dooku, which was tantamount to a slap in the face.

Dooku Wouldn’t Have Left The Jedi If They’d Given Him What He Wanted

Even though Dooku did eventually get a seat on the Council, it was far too late for him to enact any real change in the Order. If they’d given him Master Katri’s seat back when he uncovered her murder, things might have turned out differently. Dooku would have had much more time to convince the Jedi to separate themselves from the Senate and its corrupt politics. He truly trusted the Jedi, but hated how they continually sided with the Republic. If he was on the Council, he likely would have taken the Jedi further away from Palpatine’s politics.

There’s a good chance Dooku may not have fallen to the dark side if he’d been given a seat on the Council earlier. Not that getting what he wanted would have solved all of his problems, but getting the recognition he craved may have solidified his trust in the Jedi long before Palpatine began seducing him to the dark side. Furthermore, if Dooku had been close to Yoda and the other Council members from the beginning, he likely wouldn’t have been such an easy target for Palpatine.

Palpatine Would Have To Find Someone Else To Form The Separatists

With Dooku cozily on the Council, Palpatine would be forced to find someone else to seduce to the dark side and begin the Separatists. In this reality, Windu would have been snubbed for a seat on the Council for being too strict with Jedi protocol, and very well may have become bitter like Dooku had. He may have gotten a seat on the Council alongside Dooku eventually, but there would likely have been tension between the two from then on.

From Palpatine’s point of view, Windu may be the perfect Jedi to try and seduce to the dark side. Windu’s lightsaber form already brought him dangerously close to harnessing the dark side, giving Palpatine an easy way to shove him away from the Jedi. And with Windu on his side, Palpatine would have a much stronger pawn with which to set up the Separatists. Meanwhile, Dooku would unknowingly work against both Palpatine and Windu by attempting to change the Jedi Order from within.

Dooku Would Have Reformed The Jedi Council

In Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, it is Mace Windu who tells Anakin that he’s too old to become a Jedi. And in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Windu denies Anakin the rank of Master and forces him to take a seat. At every turn, Mace Windu seemingly mistrusted Anakin. But with Dooku on the Council from the beginning, he very well may have convinced the Jedi to give Anakin a chance early on.

Assuming Qui-Gon rejected a seat on the Council—as he does in Canon—in favor of training Obi-Wan, Dooku would advocate for his former Padawan and for Anakin. Instead of Windu shutting Qui-Gon down, Dooku would use his seat on the Council to convince the Jedi to take the prophecy of the Chosen One more seriously. Dooku would have believed Qui-Gon’s story about the Sith on Tatooine, and the entire tragedy at the end of The Phantom Menace could have been avoided if Dooku had been on the Council.

Palpatine’s Plan May Have Been Thwarted

Without Dooku in his pivotal role, it’s highly likely that the Jedi would have discovered the darkness within the Senate far sooner. By distancing themselves from the Senate, the Jedi would almost remove themselves from Palpatine’s plan. And with Dooku and Qui-Gon there to guide Anakin as a Jedi, he may not have fallen to the dark side or listened to Palpatine’s falsehoods in the first place. Both Dooku and Qui-Gon believed in Jedi visions and prophecies, so they would have taken Anakin’s visions seriously from the start.

In the end, it seems like many of Star Wars’ problems could have been solved if Dooku had been given a position on the Council from the beginning. Yes, Dooku’s ego and greed for power would not magically disappear if the Jedi had given in to his desire. But at the same time, his reason and unclouded vision could have been at the center of the Council’s decisions early on. With his help, the Jedi may have been able to keep Anakin on their side, ultimately thwarting Palpatine’s bigger plan for the Sith in the Star Wars galaxy.