How can Dooku be so good, yet so old?

I had an interactive cd-rom that was a guide to The Phantom Menace. It was revealed there that in TPM, Qui-Gon Jinn is 60 years old (considerably older than Liam Neeson IRL). Then, in AOTC, it is revealed that Dooku was Qui-Gon´s master, meaning that Dooku is at least 10 years older than Qui-Gon (and could be much, much older).

What I don´t get, is how Dooku could take on both Anakin (young, reckless, but undoubtedly very skilful, and a good fighter), and Obi-Wan (who fought brilliantly in TPM, and is one of the greatest Jedi fighters).

Dooku, at age 70+, took them both on, and beat them easily, chopping off Anakin´s hand, and playing with Obi-Wan, giving him painful small wounds.

This is ridiculous if you compare Dooku´s fast, great fighting with Obi-Wan in ANH. In TPM, Obi-Wan is a great fighter, but in ANH, when he is no more than 60 years old, he is very slow and can´t fight like he could before.

So why the difference? How can the very old Dooku kick both Anakin´s and Obi-Wan´s asses?

 

It probably has something to do with the fact that Dooku turned to the Dark Side.

 

YodaJeff is correct.

And, also, let us not forget, that SW teaches the importance of respect for our elders. Yoda was nine hundred years old and I bet he'd kick my butt in a fight any day.


Rick McCallum loves you!

 

Besides the reasons already stated, Dooku has most likely been training in his fighting and force skills almost everyday of his life.

Obi-Wan on the other hand has spent almost twenty years in a shack on Tatooine. I doubt he practices his skills much anymore.

 

yes i agree with the others, dooku was a powerful sith lord so his powers remain strong

 

The important thing is that Dooku has had several decades of Jedi training. He's around about mid-eighties to early ninties, and has been a Jedi for all but the last 10 years of that. And those 10 years have been spent learning the Dark Side ways, so he's been constantly learning all throughout his life.

Anakin's had, what, about 10 years' worth? Obi-Wan's in his mid-thirties by AOTC, but that's still a lot less than Dooku.

Anakin did WELL considering he's a Padawan with about an eighth of the experience Dooku has. It's a testament to his abilities that he was able to push Dooku so far, especially with a sabre style really unsuited against someone like Dooku. Obi-Wan just got caught up in a test of strength that he should've broken away from, but in the split-second he made the wrong decision against a surprisingly strong Dooku. Until that point he was doing well, fighting defensively and hoping he could buy time for Anakin to get back onto his feet. Together they would have taken him.

Watch Obi-Wan's opening series of strikes at Dooku, he still has the speed but he's a lot more cautious about attacking. With Maul, they both went blazing away and leaving a load of openings for a thoughtful swordsman like Dooku to stick a blade in. Obi-Wan is both fighting for time rather than to beat Dooku and has learnt to control his impulsiveness in combat.

Dooku's age would not have deteriorated his skill, and although his stamina definitely would be reduced this is offset fairly well by his Force powers. Notice that he was winded after fighting Anakin, and fought Yoda for less than a minute before realising the game was up for now.

EDIT : Obi-Wan on the other hand has spent almost twenty years in a shack on Tatooine. I doubt he practices his skills much anymore.

I missed that bit out, but ST is right. Both Obi-Wan and Vader are out of practise in ANH, I doubt either of them have fought another lightsabre user in several years and probably decades. You can do all the practise drills you like, but it's not the same thing as actual combat.

 

You all make interesting, thoughtful comments.

However, if the reason for Obi-Wan being rather poor in ANH is his lack of training (having not fought anyone for 20 years), why is he so good is TPM, because then he is a rookie, and has never fought anyone?

I think you´ve got good replies, it´s just that this stuff still troubles me. Especially that Obi was brilliant in TPM but got beaten easily by Dooku in AOTC.

Any discussion welcome.

 

The Emperor is probably pushing 100 by the time Return of the Jedi rolls around.

 

I kinda get the feeling that Obi-Wan tapped into the dark side after seeing Qui-Gon cut down. It looks like he gave into his anger which probably accounted for the quicker & fiercer battle between he and Darth Maul. Aggression is one of the paths to the dark side. It's also another reason why Dooku was such a better fighter in his age than Obi-Wan was in ANH, besides the 20 years in a hut thing.

 

I think its really funny how Lucas emphasized that we only saw old men and rookies fighting in the OT, and that in TPM we'll get to see Jedi's fighting in their prime. Then in AOTC, the most climactic battle is between 79 year old Count Dooku and 780 something year old Yoda.

Oh, and Obi Wan just went through the battle of Geonosis while Count Dooku stood around and watched it all. I think Obi might have been just a little tired while Dooku was fresh and rested.

 

Obi-wan was fighting to buy time for Luke to escape the Death Star in ANH, against an opponent he put in a life-support suit. Neither one has much reason to press things and wear themself out; as Vader says, "Escape is not his plan."

They were much more conversational than Obi-wan was with Dooku, too.

 

My personal opinion is that Dooku is not only more skilled and experienced with a lightsaber, but his very strength and skill in the Force made the difference. Like - because he is more skilled with the Force, and knows more about it (presumably), he was able to better predict Anakin or Obi-Wan's moves. Or even with the Force he simply 'knew' their specific weaknesses, even if he's never fought with them before.

I think its really funny how Lucas emphasized that we only saw old men and rookies fighting in the OT, and that in TPM we'll get to see Jedi's fighting in their prime. Then in AOTC, the most climactic battle is between 79 year old Count Dooku and 780 something year old Yoda.

I never thought of that, but you're right! But isn't it 800 something, right?

 

"So why the difference? How can the very old Dooku kick both Anakin´s and Obi-Wan´s asses? "

Judge him by his age do you? Age doesn't matter when it comes to the force. Check out Yoda. And Dooku's got theat dark side mojo workin for him.

 

Anakin is the chosen one and he couldn't beat Dooku. I'm sure he's going to beat him in the third film though, because we'll see a more aggressive side of Anakin. He will see more power in the dark side and use it against Dooku. Remember in AOTC he vows to double his strength until nothing can withstand his power.
And yes, that was a quote from the visual dictionary.

 

Bigger budget in AOTC than ANH = Better fighting in AOTC

 

But isn't it 800 something, right?

Always hated math.

 

In Ep1 Obi-Wan was in his prime with all his training he could fight to his heart's content with out breaking a sweat. Also, after Qui-Gon was shanked he did delve into the darkside a bit (sw.com). In fact this is how Maul sucker pushed him into the shaft. Using his "touching of the darkside as a conduit for a force attack" (sw.com)

In AOTC Obi-Wan is just coming off of his prime. He's also weary of the darkside. How can he be a good role model for Anakin if he uses the darkside to defeat Dooku?

I also believe Obi-Wan and Anakin were exhausted from the arena battle. Obi-Wan probably made Dooku a little bit tired and thats why Anakin was able to hold out a bit longer.

 

he was very experienced, any maybe it has something to do w/ the dark side/sith training.