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Warning: This put up comprises spoilers for the primary episode of Dune: Prophecy.
The HBO collection Dune: Prophecy is about about 10,000 years earlier than the start of Paul Atreides, the protagonist of the unique Dune books. Sadly, which means Timothée Chalamet—who performs Paul in Denis Villeneuve’s ongoing adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune novels—will not be making any cameos as a sizzling prophet within the six-episode season. But the excellent news is his ancestors play an enormous function within the present, as do the ancestors of Paul’s rival, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (performed by an eyebrow-less Austin Butler in Dune: Part 2) and people of his betrothed, Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh, who regarded regal for the 7 minutes and 47 seconds she was onscreen within the Dune sequel).
Dune: Prophecy is loosely primarily based on the novel Sisterhood of Dune, co-written by Frank Herbert’s son, Brian Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson. The present facilities on Valya Harkonnen (Jessica Barden and later Emily Watson), who joins a cult of witches and ultimately earns the title Mother Superior of the Sisterhood. The Sisterhood will ultimately develop into the Bene Gesserit, the magical clan to which Paul’s mom Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) belongs.
Read More: Breaking Down the Complex Family Tree within the Dune Universe
Valya shouldn’t be individual. We see early within the present that she makes use of the Voice—a deep, foreboding register that she will summon to be able to pressure individuals to do her bidding—to make a fellow Sister slit her personal throat. But what did you anticipate? Her descendants are creepy, hairless dudes who torture individuals for enjoyable.
Still, Dune: Prophecy does attempt to conjure up some sympathy for the Harkonnens, who, based on their very own household mythology, had been unjustly condemned by an Atreides after which banished to a barren ice world. They’re doomed to promote smelly whale meat for a residing.
If the Atreides-Harkonnen feud sounds acquainted, that is as a result of it is a key plot level within the two Dune films. Giant slug-man Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (an unrecognizable Stellan Skarsgård) tortured the noble Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac, bare for some motive) in Dune: Part 1. And Paul Atreides and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen have interaction in a West Side Story-esque rumble in Dune: Part 2.
Now, you might be questioning, how is it that this household feud has endured throughout 10 millennia?Apparently little has modified within the Imperium between the occasions of Dune: Prophecy and Dune. Mark Strong performs Emperor Javicco Corrino in Dune: Prophecy, and it is his line that can ultimately produce Christopher Walken’s Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV and Pugh’s Princess Irulan Corrino. Arrakis stays a terrifying but coveted planet as a result of it’s house to the dear useful resource of Spice. Even the defend expertise that troopers deploy when preventing is equivalent. Sure, the characters in Dune are fearful of “considering machines” or A.I. But, for perspective, the autumn of Rome was simply 1,548 years in the past. And 10,000 years in the past was the tip of the Ice Age. (For expertise, the ruling household, and even the outfits to haven’t modified in 10 millennia within the Dune universe is a bit mind-boggling. But I digress!)
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The incontrovertible fact that the Atreides-Harkonnen feud has endured from the time of Dune: Prophecy to Dune means that the rivalry is important to Herbert’s universe. Yet the origins of the rift go largely unexplained in Herbert’s authentic collection. Characters reference that it started throughout an important struggle however do not dive into the main points. Here’s the background of the Harkonnen-Atreides rivalry.
The authentic Dune e-book affords solely hints concerning the origin of the feud
Lady Jessica briefly alludes to the origins of this blood feud within the pages of Frank Herbert’s Dune upon which Villeneuve’s films are primarily based. As a political energy battle builds between the Atreides and the Harkonnen households, Jessica observes, “The Harkonnens received’t relaxation till they’re dead or my Duke destroyed… The poison in [Baron Harkonnen], deep in his thoughts, is the data that an Atreides had a Harkonnen banished for cowardice after, the Battle of Corrin.”
That’s just about all that Frank Herbert says on the matter. We by no means discover out the main points of the cowardly act. Frank Herbert’s son, Brian Herbert, carried on his legacy and wrote books set within the Dune universe, together with one titled The Battle of Corrin. Many Dune followers don’t take into account Brian Herbert’s books canon. But a few of his tales are the free foundation for Dune: Prophecy, so that they’re in all probability value summing up right here, no matter their literary advantage.
What went down on the Battle of Corrin
According to Brian Herbert, many millennia earlier than the occasions of Dune, people had been enslaved by A.I. (Think: Terminator or The Matrix or Battlestar Gallactica…or actually any sci-fi property written within the final century.)
A gaggle of human rebels rose up in opposition to what are referred to as the “considering machines.” A man named Vorian Atreides lead humanity’s military within the final battle on the planet of Corrin. There, the machines held two million people captives in cargo containers that had been rigged to blow up as quickly because the human army superior.
Read More: How the Ending of Dune: Part Two Sets Up a Third Movie
Hundreds of billions (sure, I mentioned billions) of people had already died within the struggle. Vorian argued they should sacrifice the 2 million hostages to finish the battle. But Bashar Abulurd Harkonnen, who served underneath Vorian, disagreed. The two argued and Vorian dismissed Abulurd. Abulurd, in an try to save lots of the captives, disarmed the weapons of all the human fleet, crippling them of their struggle in opposition to he machines.
Abulurd’s betrayal resulted in a particularly bloody battle. At the tip of the struggle, Vorian branded Abulurd a coward, and the Imperium banished him to a desolate planet the place his household might eke out a residing promoting whale meat. Which, once more, is a bit grim.
Where the Harkonnens and Atreides stand on the time of Dune: Prophecy
Many Dune followers take into account the above clarification for the feud non-canonical, but it surely does appear to be the premise for Valya’s grudge in Dune: Prophecy. Valya speaks about her household legacy with a disturbing depth by the primary episode of the collection. She additionally cites restoring her household’s honor as the explanation she murdered one other lady within the Sisterhood.
Read More: Why Filmmakers From David Lynch to Denis Villeneuve Have Struggled to Adapt Dune
In a vacuum, Valya’s actions appear, frankly, unhinged. But she believes Abulurd acted as a hero, not a coward and resents his fall. Though the shaming of her great-grandfather does not excuse her willingness to lie and homicide her technique to turning into Mother Superior of the Sisterhood, it does add context for why she is so ruthless in her objective to revive the household’s honor.
Valya’s seething hatred for the Atreides clan doesn’t bode effectively for Keiran Atreides (Chris Mason), the swordmaster to the Emperor, and the one Atreides audiences have met thus far on the present. Valya is nearly definitely conscious of his presence within the Emperor’s court docket and maybe even conscious that he has been flirting with Princess Ynez Corrino (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina).
Keiran, for his half, appears extra thinking about seducing the princess than he does in partaking with Valya’s vendetta—a minimum of for now.
