Stealth Moose
Umbrella Elite
Originally posted by Turr_Phennir
It's referenced in The Complete Visual Dictionary, but there's not much evidence of the deception in the film. Dooku's simply forced to give ground seemingly due to the combined ferocity of their synchronized attacks.
Dooku's style isn't particularly offensive though, and Obi/Anakin were actively bringing the fight to him and trying to flank him.
So if I saw a movie fight where Dooku pretty much maneuvers defensively and looks for opportunity in pretty much all his fights, I wouldn't assume that the novelization based on an unfinished product and a reference guide would have better perceptions than I would.
Dooku's duel with Yoda was fairly short and the latter was clearly pulling his punches with the former. When they fought in Yoda: Dark Rendezvous, despite the substantial benefits of a dark side nexus on Vjun {which diminishes the physical attributes of Jedi}, Dooku is still noted to perspire dramatically. Add to the fact the exhaustion Dooku experiences in the ROTS novelization and I'd say there's enough precedent for this to not be inconsistent.
Firstly, wow. Yoda was holding back in AotC? Really? What support is there for this?
Second, on Vjun, Dooku is not his normal calm, smug self. The dark side nexus on the planet highly effects people. For example, Whie starts to act manic and his powers manifest in odd ways. Dooku seems similarly effected. He becomes manic as well, frantic during the battle unlike in AotC where he's a master of himself.
I don't think the situation warrants "consistency" when clearly Dooku is affected both by Yoda's forgiveness (he's emotionally unstable and weak at the time immediately before the duel) and the atmosphere/nexus of Vjun is messing with him. His uncharacteristic sweating seems to me to be a result of the above factors just as much as the heated battle which Yoda was steadily winning. This is, IIRC, the only time we see Dooku having a shaking hand sporadically throughout.
Lastly, the RotS novelization as a source? That's a pretty shaky source, considering it reflects outdated and revised G-canon. GL has notoriously changed little things and big things in his movies without so much as a warning, so why do we assume that events which are internalized or explained away in the RotS novelization (but which aren't seen/implied in the final product) are valid?
There's no arguing around that fact either. The finished movie product is THE defining media to correctly and accurately establish those fight scenes. Using secondary media which has swaths of contradictory material is entirely foolish. Otherwise, Kit Fisto's head is on the desk, right? Oh wait, it's not. So why do we assume everything in the novelization is gospel because GL read it "line by line", when the same guy routinely changes the movies several times before they are edited?
George personally line-edited the novelization, but the conflict with the film puts it in a somewhat nebulous realm for me. My methodology requires a certain suspension of disbelief; so I can't just disregard what Lucas put in the novel. But I'd hesitate to declare it canon without doubt.
Han shot first.
Then GL declared "No, thou shalt not shoot first! I shall destroy the dreams of a generation with my whimsical ways!"
And SW canon was changed. And there was shit-all anyone could do about it.
GL's changed his mind multiple times. If you intend to argue the novelization as equal or perhaps better canon (I sincerely doubt that the latter is your intention, you just seem to be omitting the movie is a source rather than supplanting it) than the movie scenes which are the existing standard and finished product, then by all means, Han shot first, Luke Skywalker built a blue lightsaber, and Sidious ran away from Yoda in the battle in RotS. If you can't differentiate between "older, overruled media" and "highest recent canon media", there's no point in debating this further.
You have to consider that GL's idea of how Anakin got his scar is "he fell in the tub". He doesn't seriously consider all this on the level as say, us. He just makes shit up as he goes along.
If GL had his way, no post-OT material would exist, and likely no pre-PT material as well.