As their one-on-one duel reached the main floor, Dooku taunted Skywalker, remarking that he felt fear, hate and anger, but that he did not use them, a typical Dun Möch application. This proved to be a mistake, however—Anakin was indeed afraid, afraid of losing Obi-Wan. The taunt enraged Skywalker, and he channeled his hatred of Dooku into his swordplay, momentarily tapping into the dark side of the Force.
Refusing to be intimidated by the Sith Lord's victory over Kenobi, Skywalker came at Dooku in a frenzied demonstration of Djem So, hammering Dooku's defenses. He quickly gained the advantage, at one point striking at Dooku so hard that the Count's blade singed his own shoulder. With a swift maneuver, he proceeded to sever both of the Count's hands, doubly avenging the loss of his right arm in their first encounter. Dooku was now at the Jedi Knight's mercy.
Expecting his Master to intervene, and save his life, as Sidious had promised to do in the case of defeat, Dooku instead was shocked to see the Dark Lord command Skywalker to deliver the deathblow, and it was then that Dooku came to realize Sidious' second deception—the Sith Master never intended for the Count to survive—he had simply been used to create the Confederacy of Independent Systems and make Sidious's plan for galactic domination truly possible. On Palpatine's command, Skywalker—despite hesitating for a moment—executed the Sith Lord by decapitation. His last thought was, "Treachery is the way of the Sith."