Finding Light in Tales of the Jedi

If you had every reason in the world to embrace darkness—if adversity set up camp in your life, if sickness hunted you like a dog, if powers and people seemed to rally together to work against you, if you continually experienced pain and grief, if it seemed all hope was lost—would you give in? One of Star Wars' newest animated installments, Tales of the Jedi, answers this impossible question for two former Jedi: Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku.

Quality of Light

Highlighting the choices of two prequel-era Jedi, Tales of the Jedi teaches that choosing how we respond to our circumstances matters. It reminds us that we are left to choose between good and evil every day: our choices determine our destiny.

A Little More Review

Dave Filoni's 4th animated Star Wars series most assuredly did not disappoint. After 7 seasons of Clone Wars, 4 seasons of Rebels, and The Bad Batch, Filoni knows how to masterfully stretch stories, plots, and animation to their fullest potential

As an anthology series highlighting the lives of Ahsoka and Dooku, Tales of the Jedi dives deeper into Star Wars lore. Filoni expertly balances suspense, action, and intrigue to captivate his audience and teach valuable lessons. But if anything, Tales of the Jedi deserves a watch for its breathtaking animation.

The above image illustrates, quite literally, the artistic value of Tales of the Jedi. Imagery and artistic precision like this transfix you, transporting you to another world, making you feel as if you are really there.

A picture can say 1,000 words, so I'll shut my trap about the animated landscapes (my words will do them little justice), and we'll move on to what I believe to be the crux of Filoni's story.

The Story of Two Jedi

Tales of the Jedi begins in the humblest of circumstances, quietly with the birth of Ashoka Tano. After a short story about Tano completing a right of passage, we are thrown into Episode 2, which tells the story of Count Dooku and a young Qui-Gon Jin attempting to rescue a senator's son. After two more episodes on Dooku, the 6-part series finishes with Ashoka. Why structure the episodes like that? Was it to subtly show that Ashoka and Dooku are cut from the same cloth?

Count Dooku

Over his years as a Jedi, Count Dooku grew dissatisfied with the Jedi council. He felt they were too wrapped up in politics and were too busy to care for the people of the Republic. After witnessing the senate's corruption time and time again, he decided to leave the Jedi council and rally planets to the Separatist cause.

He felt an iron fist was the best course of action for stability. By maintaining order and limiting freedom, he believed he could achieve peace. Unfortunately, his experiences led him down a dark path from which he could not reclaim himself.

Ahsoka Tano

Ahsoka Tano is the padawan of Anakin Skywalker. Skywalker and Tano are kindred spirits, hot-headed, dramatic, and arrogant. But, more importantly, both always seemed to have a problem with how the Jedi did things. Unorthodox is the best way to describe their peace-making methods.

Although incredibly loyal to the Jedi's ways, Tano was wrongfully accused of a crime she did not commit. Even though she was acquitted of all wrongdoing, she saw the council for what it was, too obsessed with politics, and left the order for good.

Ashoka spent the rest of her days helping others and living the spirit of the Jedi code rather than the woefully lost law. But, most impressively, she turned towards the light and embraced a greater good, even when she had as much, if not more, reason as Count Dooku to seek validation in the darkness.

We All Have a Choice

We do not have to look far to find heartache, grief, pain, sickness, or loss. Life is a challenge; it is a struggle. Our circumstances do not make us who we are, but our choices certainly do.

Count Dooku and Ahsoka Tano went through similar circumstances. They felt betrayed by their order, sought after and found fault in people they loved, and marched forward for far too long in the fog of war. One turned to the light and the other to darkness.

Rather than being the cause of change, adversity is an element of magnification of who a person is. Ahsoka found herself and fought for what mattered, while Dooku plunged further into evil. Our trials are opportunities that reap massive benefits or pitfalls: it is up to us to choose.

So, the question remains. Are you an Ahsoka, or are you a Dooku?