It was two years before they could finally rescue Han.
Jabba dropped Dooku and Luke into an area below, and a rancor was released.
Dooku silently cursed himself for agreeing to Luke's plan to leave give Artoo their lightsabers. He reached out with the Force and tamed the rancor. It was his to command, as long as he kept the connection between them. He began working to make it permanent when he was hit in the upper back and head with the flat side of a vibro-axe. He fell with a startled and pained grunt. The connection fell apart, and the rancor was its own again.
While it devoured the boar-like guard that had attacked the Master, the two Jedi scrambled away.
It followed, roaring angrily. It began to step under the huge durasteel gate.
Dooku saw the spikes on bottom and got an idea. He called upon the Force and slammed the gate down onto the rancor's head, killing the beast.
The entire group; Dooku, Luke, Han, and Chewbaca, were taken to be fed to the zarlacc.
"Any last words?" Jabba called from his ship, yanking Leia away from the window.
Dooku stepped forward, his aura noble and fearless.
"This is your last chance! Surrender of die, Jabba!"
Jabba and his guests laughed.
"Put him in!"
Dooku gave Leia a two-fingered salute, jumped, grabbed the edge of the plank, and leaped high into the air. Artoo shot the two lightsaber hilts up, and Dooku call them to his hands.
They burst to life as he landed, one red, the other yellow-green. He cut down the guards and gave Luke his 'saber.
"Dooku!" Luke cried in warning.
Dooku turned as he was knocked off his feet by Boba. He leaped back up and countered the bounty hunter's next attack, striking his jet pack.
Boba screamed as he fell into the deadly jaws of the zarlacc, and Dooku looked away in remorse.
Inside the barge, Leia used her chain to choke Jabba then blew up the barge. Safe and all together again, they went their ships, and Dooku and Luke returned to Dagobah.