Surprise! Decided to revamp Count Dooku vs Saruman (Star Wars vs Tolkien’s Legendarium) just for the hell of it after reading a bunch of SW and Tolkien books. 4.5k words of connections and contrasts.

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Theme

• Treacherous mystical emissaries of darkness of their respective verses.

Connections

• Before their respective stories, each was once an esteemed member of a heroic order of mystics and wise figures. And protected the common folk of their settings from the forces of evil. Each having a keen interest in hunting down an elusive evil.

  • Dooku was once a powerful Jedi Master of the Jedi Order in the final decades of the Republic. Having an illustrious career spanning almost 70 years, he was one of the few Jedi to not only be trained by Grand Master Yoda as an initiate, but as a full-time Padawan. After becoming a master himself, Dooku in turn trained the great Qui-Gon Jinn as his Padawan, along with Komari Vosa after that. Having resolved numerous disputes and crises around the galaxy, and befriending other notable Jedi like Mace Windu and Sifo Dyas, Dooku was considered one of the finest Jedi the Order had ever produced. And his skill with a lightsaber made him among the most esteemed swordsmen in its history. Being considered the foremost expert in Form II: Makashi, which was specialized to combat other lightsaber-wielding opponents. In the original Legends Canon, Dooku would become focused on hunting down the mysterious Dark Lord of the Sith after Qui-Gon was slain by the Dark Lord's apprentice (NOTE: Disney Canon retconned this in Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi).
  • In the Third Age of Middle-Earth, the Dark Lord Sauron was slowly beginning to resurface after his defeat in the War of the Last Alliance. Acting slowly over the course of centuries, he undermined the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth by sowing discord and launching attacks through proxy kingdoms. And in response to this, the Valar of Valinor decided to aid the Free Peoples by sending five of their own Maiar as emmisaries. Unlike Sauron, they would forgo overt displays of power, and help rally the kingdoms of Elves, Men, and Dwarves. Among those five was Curumo, who like Sauron before him, had been a Maiar in the service of Aule the Smith. Having been the first of the five to volunteer for the mission, Curumo was designated the leader of what would come to be known as the "Istari" (or Wizards). And after arriving in Middle-Earth in the guise of an old man, he came to be known among the Elves as "Curunir", and to Men as "Saruman". Becoming a greatly respected wise man across Middle-Earth over 1500 years. And he formed the White Council alongside his fellow Istari, Gandalf the Grey (formerly Olórin) and Radagast the Brown (formerly Aiwendil). Along with Lady Galadriel, Elrond Half-elven, Círdan the Shipwright, and Glorfindel.

• However, they would slowly lose faith in their respective orders due to perceived societal failings and personal ambitions.

  • In both Legends Canon and Disney Canon, certain missions would shake Dooku's faith in both the Republic and Jedi Order. In Legends Canon, two catalysts were his missions to Galidraan and Baltizaar. At Galidraan, Dooku and a Jedi task force were forced to battle a group of Mandalorian warriors at the behest of a local governor. Who Dooku later learned had framed the Mandalorians and sold one of their survivors, Jango Fett, into slavery. And at Baltizaar, Komari Vosa was presumed killed in action when they fought against the Bando Gora cult. Both incidents made Dooku believe the Jedi Council were needlessly wasting Jedi lives, and were too easily manipulated by corrupt politicians. Slowly he became more cynical of the Republic as a whole, as corruption became increasingly rampant across it. Similarly in Disney Canon, he would become disillusioned after carrying out missions on Wayyl and Raxus Secundus that served the interests of senators that oppressed their own citizens.
  • Although Saruman was well-respected among the Free Peoples, he slowly became disillusioned with them as a decaying force against the power of Sauron. While the Elves had great wisdom, their power in Middle-Earth was waning. As many had begun to set sail back into Valinor in the west. The Dwarves had dug too greedily in Moria, and accidentally unleashed a balrog that lay hidden under their mountain kingdom. Resulting in its fall, and later occupation by orcs. The Dwarven kingdom of Erebor too would be seized by the dragon, Smaug. And the race of Men were the one that Saruman particularly came to see as weak, both in power and morality. The sister kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor were gradually ravaged by Sauron's servants and machinations, until the former was all but destroyed, and the latter was hanging by a thread. And in the Men of the South and the East, Saruman saw a people that were too easily made to submit before Sauron's might.

• That disillusionment would ultimately result in them descending into villainy. Choosing to ally themselves with the dark lords that they once opposed. Though not out of a sincere desire to serve them. But to learn all those dark lords' secrets, build up their own power, and then usurp them. Something that their new masters were all too aware of.

  • In Legends Canon, Dooku was approached by the newly elected Supreme Chancellor Palpatine after having left the Jedi Order. Who as it turned out was the same Dark Lord he sought out, Darth Sidious. Palpatine had taken an interest in Dooku. Not only because he sensed the man's inner turmoil. But also because his former master, Darth Plagueis, had eyed Dooku as a potential replacement for Palpatine. Dooku admitted that his interest in finding the Dark Lord had gone from wanting to eliminate him, to joining with him. Believing at that point that they shared a similar vision to reshape the galaxy into one ruled by order. Palpatine revealed his true identity to Dooku, and took him on as his new apprentice, Darth Tyranus. As was naturally the case with the Sith, Dooku had eyes on taking Palpatine's place as the new Dark Lord, much to Palpatine's private amusement. In Disney Canon, this alliance was altered to have begun before Qui-Gon's death, and he would murder Master Yaddle after she discovered he was in league with Sidious.
  • While Saruman was growing increasingly disillusioned with the Free Peoples' ability to rule themselves, he slowly developed an admiration and envy for the work of his enemy. Being the leader of the Istari, he became the most well versed in the lore of the Rings of Power. Which Sauron had tricked the Elves of Eregion to help him make, as the nineteen wielded by the Free Peoples' leaders would all come under the influence of his own One Ring. While he still opposed Sauron, Saruman came to think that he had the right idea. And that the Free Peoples would be better off under the rule and order of a Maiar, instead of merely being guided by them. And so by the time that Gandalf sent Bilbo Baggins off on his famous quest with Thorin Oakenshield, Saruman was already a traitor at heart. When he eventually announced his desire to side with Sauron, it quickly became apparent to the dark lord that the wizard was a false ally. As he claimed to not know of the Ring's location to Sauron's Nazgûl, only for one of his servants to confess that it had been a lie when they interrogated him. And one of Sauron's lieutenants, "The Mouth of Sauron" later boasted that he would claim Saruman's seat, being a more faithful servant.

• At first they undermined their respective orders behind the scenes. Before then revealing themselves as traitors. And after capturing them, attempted to convince another powerful member of their old orders to join them.

  • Dooku's first acts on his master's behalf were ones of sabotage. His old friend, Sifo-Dyas was something of a radical in the Jedi Order, and believed that the Republic's disbanding of its military after the Ruusan Reformation had been a grave error. And he had been manipulated by Plagueis (in his civilian guise of Hego Damask) with information about the cloners of Kamino. When Sifo-Dyas went behind the backs of the Jedi Council and commissioned a clone army from the Kaminoans, Dooku had his old friend assassinated and hijacked control of the clone army project. And after doing so, he snuck into the Jedi Archives to erase Kamino and various other worlds from their galactic map records (NOTE: Disney Canon revised the timeline of events so that Sifo-Dyas' death and the erasure of the records took place before Qui-Gon's death). Dooku maintained a respectable façade for the next decade as an independent figure. Although he became the rallying figure for a Separatist movement that became the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Dooku was perceived by both the Jedi Order and the galaxy at large as a man politically opposing the Republic on matters of principal. And it would not be until the Battle of Geonosis that it was discovered that he had turned to the Dark Side of the Force, and was secretly preparing for an all-out war with the Republic. While at Geonosis, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was taken captive while he investigated the planet. Having been Qui-Gon's Padawan and being told great things about him, Dooku considered Obi-Wan to be something of a spiritual "grandson". He made a gamble by revealing that the hidden Sith Lord was called Darth Sidious, and that they secretly influenced the Senate. Hoping to convince Obi-Wan to become his Sith Apprentice, so that they could overthrow Palpatine together. Obi-Wan refused.
  • Intentionally misleading the White Council by claiming that the One Ring had surely disappeared into the ocean when it was carried by the River Anduin. When in reality, he secretly had begun searching for it. And he advised against launching an attack on Sauron after the dark lord was discovered to be hiding in Dol Goldur. With Saruman's true intent having been to allow Sauron to rebuild his strength, beleiving that the One Ring would reveal itself if that happened. In the years leading up to the discovery of the One Ring's whereabouts, Saruman secretly built up his own army of factions that opposed the kingdoms of Gondor and Rohan. Masterminding raids on the latter's territory, while presenting himself as a friend to the Rohirrim. Saruman would finally reveal his true colors (fittingly he discarded "Saruman the White" in favor of "Saruman of Many Colors") when he manipulated Radagast into sending Gandalf his way. And upone meeting him, Saruman told Gandalf that the Free People were utterly doomed against Sauron. But that the wisest course would be to instead ally themselves with him. Presenting it as a difficult-but-noble decision, as they could slowly gain control while deploring Mordor's evils. Gandalf was unconvinced by his overtures and refused. Resulting in Saruman locking him up as a prisoner, before Gandalf was rescued by the eagle, Gwaihir.

• In contrast to the humbler members of their orders, each held a lordship and ruled over domains. This would foreshadow their later turns towards villainy and authoritarianism.

  • Before he was taken in by the Jedi as an infant, Dooku had been born to a noble family on the planet Serenno, House Dooku (House Serenno in Disney Canon). Although his relationship with his family differed between continuities (with Dooku being abandoned to die by his father and not knowing of his origins in his early years), one thing remained the same about his attitude and demeanor. Even as a Jedi, Dooku carried himself with the air of an aristocratic nobleman. Something that made many of his fellows think of his as aloof and prideful. As the Jedi had renounced the titles of "Lord" after the Ruusan Reformation. When he left the Jedi Order and became a Sith Lord, Dooku returned to Serenno and usurped the position of its Count from his nephew. Using the wealth of his homeworld to fund the Seperatist movement.
  • Some time after he took an interest in the Rings of Power, Saruman ingratiated himself with Steward Beren of Gondor and King Fréaláf of Rohan. Convincing them to let him take up residence in the warden tower of Orthanc at Isengard. Promising to act faithfully as a watchmen for both kingdoms and a representative of Gondor. When in truth, he exploited his newfound position to attain power. Using Isengard as a base to build up his secret army, and to hide his collected artifacts. One that he found inside the tower was a lost palantír (or Seeing-stone), which he used to gather intelligence around Middle-Earth. This interest in behaving like a lord himself contrasted greatly with the other Istari. Who all lived like pilgrims, and interacted with the common people of Middle-Earth. Gandalf having gone back and forth across the land as a friend to Elves, Dwarves, Men, and especially to the Hobbits of the Shire. Radagast cared for the birds, beasts, and plant-life of Middle-Earth. And while they disappeared and presumably failed in the quest, the Blue Wizards Alatar and Pallando went to the East to try and stir up rebellions among the tribes of men that Sauron had forced into his service.

• Their armies would act as a secondary antagonist faction to the main one in a great war to seize control of their setting. To create those armies they would both participate in the creation of artificially bred soldiers, as well as convince other disaffected beings to aid their movements. Their misdeeds would also tie in with themes of industrialization.

  • Dooku's Confederacy would primarily utilize massive armies of droids created by the Trade Federation, Techno Union, and other corporate interests aligned with the Separatist movement. To create so many droids, the Seperatists converted multiple planets in the Outer Rim into factory worlds, which utilized slave labor and resulted in massive pollution. Though he also employed organic soldiers in the Confederacy forces, many of whom had come from worlds that had genuine grievances against the Republic, and sincerely believed they were fighting for freedom. In truth, Dooku was scheming with Palpatine from the very beginning to use the Separatists as a threat to frighten the Republic into militarizing and embracing authoritarianism. Planning to throw them under the bus when the time was right, and help Palpatine bring both the corrupt megacorporations and the sincere rebels alike to heel. Which is why he aided in the creation of the Republic's Clone Army. Which had been bred using the DNA of the same Mandalorian-turned-bounty hunter he'd encountered years before, Jango Fett. Fett having succeeded where other bounty hunters failed in a contest to find and assassinate Dooku's rogue Padawan, Komari Vosa, who had survived and became the leader of the Bando Gora. Being made in Fett's image, the clones were a professional army made up of highly trained soldiers with top-of-the-line weaponry. And they were also secretly implanted with inhibitor chips in their brains that would turn them against their Jedi commanders, and render them completely obedient to Palpatine.
  • Before he revealed himself to the Free Peoples as a traitor, Saruman had secretly made alliances with the Wild Men of Dunland as part of his plot against the Rohirrim. Although they swore their allegiance to Saruman, the Dunlendings were not necessarily evil. As they had lived in the region that became Rohan for eight centuries by the time it was granted to the Rohirrim by the Gondorians. Who drove the Dunlendings out, earning their enmity. And after bring them and orcs from the Misty Mountains into his ranks, Saruman began work on the main fighting force of his army; the Uruk-hai. Speculated in the books to be a result of cross-breeding orcs with men, and depicted in the films as being created from mud through some twisted sorcery, the Uruks represented the strongest of the orc race and were uninhibited by sunlight. In order to arm his new soldiers, Saruman ordered his orcs to harvest huge numbers of trees from the neighboring forest of Fangorn. Much to the fury of the Ents inhabiting it. Saruman would later command similar acts during the Scouring of the Shire as an act of spite against the Hobbits. It should also be noted that the film versions of the Uruk-hai are depicted as the closest thing to a professional army the orcs have in the setting. Wearing uniform armor and weapons, in contrast to the orcs of Mordor that used weapons and armor of inconsistent quality.

• They would both have a deep rivalry and enmity with another powerful member of their order that they felt overshadowed by.

  • Before leaving the Jedi Order, Dooku had learned of the existence of Anakin Skywalker. A boy with the highest midi-chlorian count on record, that was believed by Qui-Gon to be the prophesized Chosen One that would bring the Force back into balance. Dooku expressed deep skepticism about his former Padawan's faith in the boy during a meeting with Palpatine. And when he met the boy again ten years later, at that point the Padawan of Obi-Wan, Dooku remained unimpressed. While he acknowledged that Anakin's raw potential in the Force was undeniable, Dooku thought him arrogant and undisciplined. During a private meeting with Yoda on Vjun, Dooku confessed that Anakin reminded him of himself in his youth. Anakin would in turn have an intense hatred for Dooku, both for all the death he'd caused, as well as for cutting off Anakin's arm on Geonosis.
  • From the beginning of their mission in Middle-Earth, Saruman developed a jealousy of Gandalf. As in their previous identities, he had been specifically handpicked to be one of the Istari by the Queen of the Valar, Varda. And after they'd all arrival, Curumo later learned that Círdan the Shipwright had bestowed one of the three Elven Rings of Power, Narya, to Olórin. Even though Curumo had been designated as the leader of the five, Círdan regarded Olórin as the wisest among them. A similar event would happen during the formation of the White Council, as Galadriel nominated Gandalf for the position of its leader. While Gandalf humbly declined and accepted Saruman as its leader, it fueled Saruman's resentment. This envy would only grow deeper when Gandalf was restored to life by the Valar and made into "Saruman as he should have been", Gandalf the White. Saruman also considered Radagast a fool, and resented being charged to bring him along at the behest of the Valar, Yavanna.
  • It's also worth noting that Anakin and Gandalf have some parallels with the characters of King Théoden of Rohan and Yoda respectively. Like Anakin, Théoden was a proud and heroic battlefield commander. And he came to deeply despise Saruman for the attacks carried out against his people. But most especially for the murder of his son, Prince Théodred. Gandalf meanwhile, despite being a powerful being that Saruman envied, was much humbler than Anakin. Having an outlook on life and wisdom much like Yoda's. The meeting on Vjun showed that Yoda still had faith that there was good within Dooku, going along to what he knew was a trap, in the hope of bringing his old Padawan back to the light. Gandalf too cared about Saruman a great deal. Having genuinely considered him a friend, and believing him to be the greater of the two. Even after his treachery was revealed, Gandalf urged Saruman to atone for his actions by revealing what he'd learned of Sauron's plans.

• Both corrupted individuals into becoming their personal servants and assassins. Frequently abusing them, until finally those servants sought to kill them in retaliation.

  • Dooku brought a Nightsister from Dathomir into his employ, named Asajj Ventress. Having been rescued from slavery by a Jedi Knight and trained in the Jedi arts, only to later lose her master, Ventress was consumed with anger and vengeance. Dooku directed her anger against the Jedi, Ventress having already been convinced that they abandoned her master. And made her his new apprentice, bestowing Ventress with the same dual lightsabers that once belonged to Komari Vosa. And sent her out as his enforcer and assassin throughout the Clone Wars. But eventually she realized that he was only ever using her, and wouldn't hesitate to dispose of her if it was convenient. After he attempted to do just that, Ventress rejoined her fellow Nightsisters and became a sworn enemy to Dooku. Attempting to carry out an assassination against him. It's also worth noting that in Legends Canon, Dooku would also corrupt Jedi Knights such as Sora Bulq and Quinlan Vos to his side (though the latter turned back to the light).
  • Saruman would ensnare a man of Rohan to his cause, Gríma, son of Gálmód. Subverting Gríma into his spy within the court of King Théoden. Promising him both treasure and the king's niece as in exchange for weakening Théoden mind through lies and deceits. Which earned Gríma the nickname of "Wormtongue". Saruman regarded his servant with disdain, and became increasingly abusive of him after Gríma returned to Isengard with news that Gandalf had broken his hold over the king. The treatment would only grow worse when Saruman took Gríma with him to the Shire, forcing him to crawl like a wretch and kicking him. As well as commanding him to murder Lotho Sackville-Baggins. In the film version of events, it's implied that Gríma may have poisoned Prince Théodred while he lay wounded from battle. Eventually the abuse led Gríma to seek vengeance.

• They would ultimately meet their ends in an act of betrayal that they did not see coming.

  • In the final stages of the Clone Wars, Dooku took part in an elaborate scheme with Palpatine to stage a kidnapping of the Chancellor during a Separatist attack on Coruscant. With the true purpose of it being to have Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi carry out a rescue mission, and fight Dooku in the process. Dooku was commanded to kill Obi-Wan, so as to enrage Anakin and turn him to the Dark Side. At which point Palpatine would reveal his true identity, and the three would fake Dooku's arrest. The two Sith Lords going on to subvert the Republic, with Anakin becoming their general in charge of a new Sith army. What Dooku failed to anticipate was that Palpatine's true scheme was to have Anakin kill Dooku outright, and take his place as Palpatine's new apprentice. It was only when Palpatine urged Anakin to execute him that Dooku realized Palpatine had had his eyes on the Chosen One as his true apprentice from the moment he revealed himself as Darth Sidious.
  • In both the book and film, Saruman's abuses of Gríma would push the humiliated Rohirrim over the edge. Gríma slit Saruman's throat from behind with a hidden dagger. Before being killed himself when Hobbits shot him with arrows. In the film version of events, Saruman was killed at Isengard when Gríma stabbed him in the back atop Orthanc (with Legolas shooting Gríma). Fittingly, Saruman's body fell onto the spikes of one of his own machines.

• They both possessed a strong affinity for the mystical abilities of their verses, the Force and "Magic" (though beings like Galadriel found the word unfitting). And both were able to utilize the darker elements of such powers, the Dark Side and black sorcery. They would often combine those powers with their natural charisma and polite demeanors to subvert and undermine their enemies. Dooku having great skill as both a political orator and a practitioner of Jedi Mind Tricks. And Saruman's voice having a compelling effect that could erode the will of others.

• They each wielded a special weapon with unique properties, that is notably used by members of their former orders, Dooku's lightsaber and Saruman's staff. Although it wasn't described beyond its color in the book, the film version of Saruman's staff had a very imperious look, resembling the pinnacle of Orthanc and having an orb in its crown. Dooku's lightsaber was likewise distinct, in that he constructed it with a curved hilt that aided with the precise movements of his Makashi form. A key moment symbolizing their defeats was being stripped of their weapons. Anakin took Dooku's curved lightsaber and used it to decapitate him in conjunction with his own blue saber. While Saruman's staff was telekinetically broken by Gandalf, formally stripping him of his position as a member of the Istari.

• In addition to both being portrayed by renowned English actor Sir Christopher Lee, his role with both characters came about due to a kind of legacy casting. George Lucas had expressed and interest in casting Lee in a Star Wars movie for some time. And had previously cast Lee's close friend and fellow Hammer Films alumni, Peter Cushing, in the role of Grand Moff Tarkin. Lee once asked Cushing "What is a Grand Moff?", to which Cushing replied "I haven't the remotest idea, dear fellow". In addition, Lee would be the one cast member of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy to have not only met J.R.R. Tolkien, but was also a great fan of the books. And had long desired to play the role of Gandalf if they were ever adapted to film. While he ultimately didn't get his wish, Lee was very enthusiastic to play the role of Gandalf's villainous counterpart.

Contrasts

• Dooku was one of the most legendary swordsmen within the Star Wars franchise. Being to Makashi what Obi-Wan was to Soresu. Saruman meanwhile, favored combat purely through sorcery. And unlike Gandalf, did not seem to use a sword as far as we know.

• Dooku met his end with a measure of dignity and grace. After realizing with shock what Palpatine's true intentions were, he resigned himself to his inevitable death. Staring Anakin in the face before the final cut. And giving both Anakin and Obi-Wan one of the toughest fights of their lives in the leadup to it. Saruman by contrast came across as more pathetic in defeat. After being overthrown at Isengard, he carried out a final spiteful campaign to ruin the Shire. Before being overcome by Frodo and the other Hobbits, and then murdered by his own servant.

• The narration of Yoda: Dark Rendezvous indicated that the titular grand master's faith that there was still good in his student wasn't misplaced. As for a moment, Dooku did genuinely consider reaching out and accepting Yoda's offer to rejoin his old master and atone for his actions. Only rejecting it in a fit of jealousy and rage when he saw that Anakin had arrived on Vjun (at Palpatine's command), angrily referring to Anakin as Yoda's "new favorite son". Disney Canon would also depict Dooku hesitating to kill Yaddle in his duel with her. Saruman on the other hand never seemed to show any hint of remorse for his actions. Coldly rejecting Gandalf's appeals to make amends.

• Whereas Saruman regarded the race of Men as weak and unfit to govern themselves, The Revenge of the Sith novelization gave insight into Dooku's mindsight that showed a very different outlook. Being a human himself, Dooku was actually something of a human supremacist. Privately regarding his non-human allies like General Grievous and Nute Gunray as pitiable beings at best. And envisioning the new empire that he and his master were going to build as one where humanity would be the guiding race of the galaxy. While he wouldn't live to see it, that would indeed be the doctrine of the Galactic Empire. Fittingly, many of the humanocentric policies of the Galactic Empire were conceived of by Grand Moff Tarkin, the character portrayed by Christopher Lee's close friend.