How Ahsoka Tano And Count Dooku Are Similar, According To Ashley Eckstein - Exclusive
There are two sides to the Force in "Star Wars." There's the light and the dark, both in perfect balance with one another. Where there is one, there must be the other, and it's up to each individual to decide which path they will take.
With that in mind, it would seem like Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku couldn't be more dissimilar. Ahsoka is a paradigm of what every Jedi should strive for: She's fearless and confident; she knows her power and how to wield it wisely. Meanwhile, Count Dooku may have started on the light side, but he quickly fell toward darkness. He believes only he knows how to bring balance to the galaxy, and he'll resort to any means to achieve it.
Despite their differences, the two were given greater character development in the recent Disney+ series "Tales of the Jedi." All six episodes are now available, with three of those episodes devoted to both Ahsoka and Dooku. In an exclusive interview with Looper, Ahsoka voice actress Ashley Eckstein spoke about how the two characters are more alike than audiences may initially think — and why it's worthwhile for Ahsoka and Dooku to get this new series to flesh them out even further.
They're both a result of their environments
When asked about what makes Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku complementary characters in "Tales of the Jedi," Ashley Eckstein discussed how they both could've strayed onto each other's paths. As she put it, "Both Ahsoka and Dooku are classic examples of how their decisions are based upon what happened to them, but they chose two completely different paths ... We are all faced with the light side and the dark side, and which one do you choose? Your choice determines your destiny."
As we see in "Tales of the Jedi," Count Dooku was quickly radicalized into the dark side of the Force after seeing how those in power refuse to use their influence to better the lives of the people they're supposed to serve. He saw corruption within the Senate, so when Palpatine offered him another way, he was more than happy to take it. Meanwhile, Ahsoka continually saw the good side of people, even if her master, Anakin Skywalker, succumbed to the dark side of the Force himself. Ahsoka always strove to attain what was right for herself and for others, to the point where even after the Jedi Council fell, she continued helping those in need.
"Tales of the Jedi" is now available on Disney+.