A brand new Star Wars book reveals when Count Dooku was first recruited Asajj Ventresswhich created a huge problem for the Sith Rule of Two. Ventress was introduced into the canon Star Wars timeline in Star Wars: The Clone Wars as Nightsister of Dathomir and Force-sensitive assassin of Count Dooku. Ventress is thus one of several non-Sith dark side Force users in Star Wars movies and TV shows. However, that Star Wars book suggests this wasn’t Count Dooku’s long-term plan.
In the new book Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Complete Guide to the Star Wars GalaxyWritten by Dan Brooks, Megan Crouse, Amy Richau, Amy Ratcliffe, Brandon Wainerdi, Dan Zehr, and Kelly Knox, additional information about the story of Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress has important implications for Dooku’s story. Star Wars history. The book explains:
“Over the next decade, Dooku emerges as the leader of a separatist movement that convinces thousands of star systems to secede from the Republic. In Rattatak, he also recruits Asajj Ventress to be his apprentice.”
The language of this passage Star Wars Encyclopedia reveals Dooku’s true intentions: to usurp Darth Sidious/Palpatine and become the Sith master.
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What Dooku’s Choice Means for Star Wars
This description of Ventress reveals Dooku’s secret plans
While it may seem like a small difference, the fact that Ventress is described as Dooku’s daughter “apprentice” rather than his acolyte (or even simply his assassin) in Star Wars Encyclopedia is significant. Based on the Rule of Two Sith, there can only be two Sith in the master/apprentice dynamic at any given time: a master and an apprentice.. As is the nature of the Sith, eventually the apprentice will kill the master and take on his own apprentice.
This section of Star Wars Encyclopedia suggests that Count Dooku had already broken this rule. In truth, Star Wars Encyclopedia confirmed that Ventress’s recruitment occurred before The Clone Wars. Evidently, Dooku had been defying the Sith Rule of Two for some time, training an apprentice even when he was supposed to be the only Sith apprentice. This makes it even more interesting that Dooku tried to recruit Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. Dooku was clearly taking steps to take down Palpatine from the start.
Our opinion on Dooku’s betrayal
Dooku was playing a losing game
While it is in keeping with the Sith power structure that Dooku was planning to overthrow Palpatine as his Sith master, he was doomed to fail. Not only was Palpatine easily one of the Star Wars the most powerful Sith, but he also had an extensive and meticulously crafted plan that even someone as wise as Dooku could not have undone. Considering that none of the Jedi were able to realize Palpatine’s true intentions, it simply wasn’t in the cards for Dooku to actually defeat Palpatine and become the Sith master.
However, it is interesting that this was Dooku’s intention and that Ventress was apparently Dooku’s Sith apprentice. Ventress has proven herself to be a formidable Force user, even facing off against Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Clone Wars. She would have undoubtedly become a powerful Sith, although that future was hampered because Palpatine was always one step (or several steps) ahead. This new Star Wars the book still adds significantly to Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress’ stories, as it reveals that Dooku was in fact training Ventress as his apprentice, breaking the Sith Rule of Two.
Source: Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Complete Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy