Dune: Prophecy Unveils Shocking Secrets That Will Change Everything for Dune Messiah!

by

Summary

  • Dune: Prophecy is an HBO series that fills the void for Dune fans post Villeneuve’s adaptations.
  • Dune: Prophecy introduces the Bene Tleilax, a group known for genetic engineering and pivotal to upcoming Dune content.
  • Face Dancers, like Sister Theodosia, play a significant role as shapeshifters in Dune: Prophecy and beyond.

Denis Villeneuve’s films Dune and Dune: Part Two have already made their appearance and disappeared. These movies rekindled the 1965 novel, causing fans to immerse themselves in the franchise as it was originally written. However, once the second movie ended, there was no more to explore for cinema-goers. It was akin to finding oneself in an empty desert, with only the wind for company. But that feeling of desolation was short-lived when Dune: Prophecy appeared on television screens.

The TV show, titled “Dune: Prophecy,” initially aired on Max in November 2024, catering to its new followers. Despite initial doubts due to different directors and being inspired by Brian Herbert’s “Schools of Dune” book series (not as popular among fans compared to his father), the show managed to find success. It introduced original characters and narratives that audiences appreciated. Interestingly, the Max series appears to be setting the stage for Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming “Dune Messiah.

What Was Dune: Prophecy About?

In the story titled “Dune: Prophecy“, we delve into events that transpired 10,000 years prior to the familiar narrative, chronicling the beginnings of the Bene Gesserit, Mentats, and Navigators. The HBO series primarily explores multiple viewpoints, with a significant emphasis on Valya Harkonnen as she strategically positions the Sisterhood of Truthsayers, who will eventually evolve into the Bene Gesserit, as an essential institution within the empire. Initially, her efforts seem quite promising, even successful at the outset of the series. However, everything changes when Desmond Hart makes his grand entrance in Emperor Javicco Corrino’s throne room.

As a die-hard cinema enthusiast, I’d rephrase it like this: In the heart of a soldier, I once stood – Desmond Hart. Struck by a colossal sandworm on the desolate Arrakis, my unit was wiped clean, save for me. Miraculously surviving the ordeal, I found myself under the scrutiny of Valya at the palace. Yet, all I could muster was a simple declaration: “I… survived.

Shai-Hulud took my eye, and granted me with the gift to see what even you cannot.

His assertions are initially dismissed, but things take a turn when significant individuals begin meeting untimely and mysterious deaths. This tragic sequence of events begins with Pruwet Richese, a young man betrothed to Ynez Corrino, the Emperor’s daughter. In an eerie coincidence, it appears that Pruwet Richese was consumed from within, much like Reverend Mother Kasha Jinjo, who died in similar fashion on Wallach IX – a location far removed from where Pruwet perished.

Desmond unflinchingly admits to being behind Pruwet’s downfall and even flaunts his ability to publicly execute Landsraad members planning to oppose the emperor. His main aim is to wipe out the Sisterhood, as he thinks they possess too much influence and hinder human progress.

Towards the conclusion of the series, viewers discover that Desmond Hart’s extraordinary abilities stem from him being a type of advanced artificial intelligence. A mysterious device surgically removes one of his eyes, inserts nanotechnology into his optic nerve, and replaces it, enabling him to manipulate a virus known as the “fear virus”. It remains unclear whether Desmond is infecting others with this virus or if it was pre-existing among people. However, what’s most intriguing is the identity of the enigmatic group that bestowed these powers upon Desmond.

What Is The Bene Tleilax, & How Is It Involved In Dune: Prophecy?

In the vast Dune universe, it’s hard to single out any one faction as an embodiment of virtue, but when set against the Bene Tleilax, even the most morally ambiguous factions appear almost saintly. The Bene Tleilax, also known as the Tleilaxu, are infamous for their lack of principles and quick to exploit power dynamics whenever they can. As of now, the Bene Tleilax are not yet familiar faces on the big screen, but readers, who have delved into the works of both Frank and Brian Herbert, have a clear understanding of this enigmatic group and their ruthless nature.

The Bene Tleilax excel in genetic manipulation, and their xenophobia is so extreme that they come close to matching the Space Marines from Warhammer 40K. One product they sell to their clientele are Mentats with a twisted mindset. In the Dune appendices, mentats are described as:

This version maintains the original meaning but uses simpler and more modern language. The term “so xenophobic” is replaced with “their extreme xenophobia,” making it easier for a wider audience to understand. Additionally, the phrase “give Warhammer 40K’s Space Marines a run for their money” is clarified as “come close to matching” to make the comparison clearer. The last sentence is left unchanged for clarity and conciseness.

A class of Imperial citizens trained for supreme accomplishments of logic.

Ordinary Mentats maintain disciplined conduct to uphold morality. However, a corrupted Mentat, in contrast, doesn’t adhere to moral boundaries and is customized to meet their purchaser’s requirements. An illustration of such a Mentat would be Baron Vladimir Harkonnen’s assassin, who was a twisted Mentat.

One important creation attributed to the Tleilaxu is gholas, which can be understood as clones with a unique twist. The Bene Tleilax have the ability to modify these clones, changing their characteristics, behaviors, or skills that are triggered by specific words or phrases. Unlike regular clones, gholas do not carry the memories of their original DNA donors. However, it was later found that the Tleilaxu could restore the original’s memories in a ghola.

In the story of Dune: Prophecy, it seems plausible that the enigmatic organization behind Desmond Hart’s unusual skills is the Bene Tleilax. This group is known for its deep involvement in genetic manipulation, often pushing the boundaries of laws set by the Imperium. They employ advanced technology, such as thinking machines, to achieve their objectives.

The Bene Tleilax’s Large Role in Dune Messiah

In contrast to other books in Frank Herbert’s series, Dune Messiah is comparatively shorter, but it plays a pivotal role that further develops the universe he constructed. The narrative commences with Paul Atreides firmly established as the Emperor of the Known Universe, ruling his Imperium from Arrakis with a firm grip. Frank Herbert wrote this sequel to underscore the importance of examining charismatic leaders. Through the initial pages, readers gain insight into the kind of leader Paul has become for the Fremen and the broader Imperium, as an execution takes place in response to questioning his decisions.

In the novel “Dune Messiah,” there existed a clandestine group intent on dethroning Paul and his royal lineage. This alliance even attempted to assassinate him at one stage. The key players in this conspiracy were a Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother, a Navigator from the Spacing Guild, Paul’s spouse who was also the daughter of the previous emperor, and a shapeshifting member of the Bene Tleilax. Initially, Paul’s leadership was met with apprehension by the Landsraad, but he refused to entertain their concerns. However, it seemed that only the Fremen were gaining from Paul’s reign, yet there were even dissenting voices among them questioning the Lisan al-Gaib.

A key aspect of the plot against Paul included the Bene Tlelax presenting him with a duplicate of Duncan Idaho, the previous Atreides swordmaster (portrayed by Jason Momoa in Villaneuve’s Dune). This replica, who was called Hayt instead of his original name, had no recollections of life as Duncan Idaho. Despite being a clone, Hayt exhibited unique traits such as mechanical, metallic eyes and advanced Mentat training, granting him exceptional logical reasoning and problem-solving abilities. However, Hayt carried a genetic code within his DNA that was designed to prompt an uncontrollable urge to assassinate Paul at unexpected moments.

Instead, it should be noted that while the Tleilaxu aimed to dethrone Paul, their genetic engineers had additional objectives concerning Hayt. Their ultimate goal was twofold: to bring an end to Paul’s rule and, concurrently, to refine their cloning techniques by producing gholas capable of retaining the memories of the original. This strategy offered significant benefits for the Tleilaxu; if Hayt succeeded in assassinating the Kwisatz Haderach, they achieved their goal. Alternatively, should they produce the first ghola to remember every facet of the source’s life, their cloning process would be perfected.

Introducing the Bene Tleilax as significant characters in Dune: Prophecy sets the stage for their appearance in the upcoming Dune movie adaptation. This move makes it easier for director Denis Villeneuve to smoothly integrate the Tleilaxu into his film, avoiding potential complications if they were not adequately introduced beforehand.

Face Dancers Are a Big Deal

The Bene Tleilax aren’t just proficient in making clones; they also specialize in creating shape-shifters, like Sister Theodosia shown in Dune: Prophecy. These shape-shifters are called Face Dancers, but it’s unusual because the books suggest that Face Dancers didn’t exist 10,000 years before Paul Atreides’ birth. The series might delve deeper into Sister Theodosia’s past to explain this intriguing detail.

As a passionate cinephile immersed in the intricate universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune, I found the Face Dancers to be an intriguing race of transhumans, engineered in the same tanks as the gholas. They held significant roles throughout the epic saga, particularly as emissaries for the enigmatic Tleilaxu. The first Face Dancer I encountered was Scytale, who appeared in Dune Messiah and demonstrated an uncanny ability to impersonate various characters, even going so far as to challenge Paul Atreides when he was blind, threatening the lives of his newborn twins, Leto II and Ghambina.

Read More

2025-01-16 18:06