Neph
Looks like you were wrong about them being closer in power now. Dookus pwned him.
I hardly think so. {Though it is interesting that Nai and you seem to react differently to that duel than Eminence, ares, and myself.}
The official website's slideshow recap
At Dooku's command, Rish Loo lures Anakin into the temple hideout. Finished with the traitorous Gungan minister, Dooku kills Rish Loo, and engages in an uneven duel with Skywalker, overpowering the Jedi with aid from his bodyguard droids.
Dooku noticeably struggled with Anakin throughout the duel and was visibly winded after incapacitating him, which in turn only occurred after the MagnaGuards struck him in tandem with a sustained discharge.
{I'll use another, condensed clip of the duel to reference [it cuts out the dialogue with Sidious and Rish Loo].}
Dooku begins the duel with uncommon ferocity, forgoing his usual taunts and sophistication for a two-handed assault. At 0:28, he and Skywalker lock sabers. Skywalker forces Dooku's blade down slowly before heaving it down hard enough to nearly throw Dooku off balance at 0:31. Their second saber lock begins at 0:33 and Anakin again presses down on Dooku's saber; you see Dooku's eyes shift from Anakin to the crossed blades; Anakin presses harder, forcing Dooku's blade back. Dooku responds by using the Force to hurl the floating lanterns at Anakin, who immediately senses them and whirls aside to deflect.
The next time, Dooku dodges two strikes of Anakin's before pulling out his lightsaber. {This was not the prolonged evasion Dooku demonstrated with Ventress and Opress in season three.} Dooku doesn't even bother fighting fair, nodding to the MagnaGuards to intervene the second they cross blades at the 1:20 mark. Anakin senses this. Anakin disengages to fend off two MagnaGuards while the Count attacks. After he's disarmed, the four MagnaGuards strike him down with a prolonged surge that lasts four seconds.
Dooku is visibly surprised at Anakin's durability at 1:35 and incapacitates the off-guard, disarmed, weakened Anakin. Between this, the website's commentary {previously posted}, and the fact that Dooku is noticeably winded after knocking Anakin unconscious, I don't see how Anakin was by any means pwned.
{All of this is to say that Dooku still noticeably struggled with Anakin despite the assistance of four MagnaGuards. The idea that the Count pwned Anakin is baseless.}
Originally posted by RE: Blaxican
He was panting after electrocuting Anakin, and we saw that he had to put some visible effort into knocking him out with the force attack.I don't see how that has any bearing on their duel. Skywalker had already been disarmed of his lightsaber and had lost the fight by that point.
I agree. He wasn't panting before he knocked Anakin out with the Force. He likely just overtaxed himself with the sudden beatdown he initiated. When he has his back to Anakin and the Magnaguards are electrocuting him he seemed fine. He was smirking.
Neph
I agree. He wasn't panting before he knocked Anakin out with the Force.
To be fair, the Count let the MagnaGuards do the heavy lifting for much of the duel. He shouldn't be expected to pant from simply walking.
Neph
He likely just overtaxed himself with the sudden beatdown he initiated. When he has his back to Anakin and the Magnaguards are electrocuting him he seemed fine. He was smirking.
I'm not sure I buy that.
Palpatine visibly smirked and cackled throughout his duel with Yoda, but that didn't mean he pwned him. It means that there were moments in which he either had the upper hand or simply wasn't losing; when the reverse was true, the cackles and smirks ceased. The Count's conduct here is similar.
Originally posted by TheAuraAngel
You get to be a bender from Avatar the Last Airbender! What kind of bender would you be? Being the Avatar is obviously not a legit choice.
Originally posted by Nephthys
Firebender. They're obviously the best ones plus I like how progressive their society is. Women have completely equal rights and can even be Fire Lord! At the age of 14! Damn Azulas cool. Compared to the Waterbenders who in general suck.WATER SHIELD!
NOW YOU GUYS PICK! BUT GIDEON HAS TO BE A WATERBENDER CUZ THEY SUCK THE MOST LOL.
Neph
I was focued on the panting part. Saying that because he was panting it meant he was having trouble is wrong. He was panting because he'd just opened up a can of whoopass.
?
In this context, the panting is an indicator of exertion.
Given the Count's usual economy in terms of dueling and Force displays, it might have been taxing to contain Anakin, whose powers have noticeably increased throughout the show, particularly since the Mortis arc.