More than a strategic retreat, Count Dooku running away from Yoda is a reminder that Dooku is far less powerful than Yoda. Dooku could have not beaten Yoda in Geonosis, meaning that the fight would have ended with Dooku either killed or captured had it continued.
Dooku was a practitioner of Form II: Makashi. He was regarded by many as one of the greatest duelists of his time, on par with Mace Windu, whom he had bested before in sparring duels, and was considered by many as second only to Grand Master Yoda prior to the Clone Wars.
Yoda and Mace Windu were the Jedi Order's most formidable warriors with both of them having completely mastered all seven forms of lightsaber combat. Windu has created and fully mastered Vaapad, a variant of Form VII. Yoda mastered the original variant known as Juyo.
Yoda FINALLY Reveals Who Would Win a Lightsaber Duel! Dooku or Mace Windu - Star Wars Explained
Can Yoda beat Count Dooku?
More than a strategic retreat, Count Dooku running away from Yoda is a reminder that Dooku is far less powerful than Yoda. Dooku could have not beaten Yoda in Geonosis, meaning that the fight would have ended with Dooku either killed or captured had it continued.
Even if Yoda did not want to arrest Palpatine, with Mace there, the two could have killed Sidious before Anakin could stop it, given that Anakin only arrived on the scene moments before Mace had the chance to slice through him with his lightsaber.
Yoda was winning between their duel why still in the light side of the Force. Meanwhile, Mace had to turn slightly to the dark between the duel between him and Sidious to win. Yoda on the other hand, didn't turn dark. So, this proves that Yoda is far more stronger than Sidious or Mace Windu.
Jedi Battlemaster Cin Drallig and Grand Master Yoda had knowledge and mastery of all seven forms, including Juyo, befitting Drallig's role as lightsaber combat instructor at the Jedi Temple and Yoda's reputation of having mastered all forms of lightsaber combat as did Anoon Bondara, another lightsaber instructor.
If the two spared as Jedi, Dooku would probably win the match because he was the better all-around duelist. But if this issue's fight had continued with Windu as a Sith, Windu would have been able to turn the tables.
7 Why Rey Couldn't Win: Dooku's Skills Far Outshine Rey's
Rey was able to triumph over a lot of foes through sheer pluckiness and a good mixture of luck and sheer Force power. That won't help her against Dooku.
1. Anakin Skywalker. Anakin Skywalker was one of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, with incredible dueling skills that were unmatched by any other lightsaber user. He was a prodigy who was able to hold his own against multiple opponents, including Count Dooku and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Thus, while Qui-Gon was less powerful than the likes of Yoda and Mace Windu, Palpatine feared him more. In the simplest terms, he was a wild card, and with the Sidious executing an intricate decades-long plan to seize power and destroy the Jedi, a wild card was something he just couldn't afford.
Yoda's presence on Dagobah was likely hidden due to his mastery of Force Stealth and the planet's connection to the Force. Yoda, with his enhanced Force abilities and potential home-field advantage, would have had the upper hand against Darth Vader if they engaged in a lightsaber duel.
Yoda claims that the light side of the Force is stronger than the dark, but his battle against Palpatine is almost equal. The Sith Lord's powers were enough to overwhelm the Jedi and send him plummeting down to the depths of the senate chamber.
The most damning evidence that Sidious was scared of Yoda comes from the little green Jedi himself: “If so powerful you are…why leave?” The only real answer at this point is because Yoda does indeed intimidate Darth Sidious.
Yoda struck the Podium too hard to control his landing, and he rolled off the main portion to the edge where he desperately attempted to climb back up. His hold on the smooth edge failing, Yoda lost his grip and fell several stories to the floor. Yoda chose to retreat as Sidious cackled in triumph above him.
He didn't pay close attention to the Sith and Palpatine, which allowed the Republic to be replaced by the Empire. Not to mention, Yoda's divided attention enabled Order 66 to run riot and kill many warriors.
The two were able to free Maul after he had been interrogated by the Sith Lord Count Dooku, and together the three rendezvoused with more Death Watch forces on the moon of Zanbar. Maul took command of his forces once again, and assured them that the war they had longed for was at hand.
Sidious revealed to Maul that he did not intend to kill his former apprentice, as he still had use for Maul; it was Sidious' hope that Maul would lead the Sith to Mother Talzin, Maul's mother and the leader of the Nightsisters, so she could be eliminated as a potential threat to the eventual Sith rule of the galaxy.
Having been trained to become Sith Lords, both Maul and Dooku sought to gain more power under Sidious while simultaneously looking to overthrow him. Toward the end of the Clone Wars, Dooku and Maul did actually meet each other in canon in the Son of Dathomir comics by Jeremy Barlow.
