Anybody who has learn any of the Dune books, or watched any of the Dune films, or, heck, talked to anybody who has carried out both of these issues will let you know: The world of Dune is difficult. This can be a grand sci-fi universe, constructed on just a few millennia of royal politicking, energy performs, manipulation, and violence.
So it’s no shock that Dune: Prophecy has lots of people to cowl. It’s the identical universe, positive, and is loosely tailored from Brian Herbert’s Nice Faculties of Dune, a prequel trilogy to his father’s collection. However Prophecy is ready some 10,000 years and alter forward of when Paul Atreides lands on Arrakis, so there’s an entire host of latest characters and traditions to determine right here. The household names will nearly definitely be ones you’re conversant in, however the circumstances of the homes is not going to be.
In gentle of that, we’ve pulled collectively a primer on who to know from Dune: Prophecy and the way they correlate to different characters throughout Dune.
[Ed. note: The rest of this post contains spoilers for Dune: Prophecy season 1.]
The Bene Gesserit Sisterhood
Photograph: Attila Szvacsek/HBO
Within the pilot of Prophecy we see the Sisterhood at a pair completely different occasions: Early on we see Valya Harkonnen (performed then as Jessica Barden) as a sister, referred to as to the bedside of the dying Mom Superior Raquella. In an effort to protect the Bene Gesserit breeding program, which is simply getting began at this level, Valya makes use of the Voice on fellow sister Dorotea (Camilla Marie Beeput) and makes her drive her personal knife into her neck.
Flash-forward to 30 years later, when the Sisterhood is prospering, and now-Mom Superior Valya (performed within the current day by Emily Watson) remains to be dedicated to doing something to protect the Bene Gesserit imaginative and prescient of the universe. At her facet is Reverend Mom Tula Harkonnen (Olivia Williams because the elder, Emma Canning as younger Tula) and Reverend Mom Kasha (Jihae), who presently serves because the very trusted truthsayer to Emperor Corrino.
There’s a set of younger sisters presently learning with the Bene Gesserit, however we don’t know a ton about them fairly but. Some have been raised by the Bene Gesserit, and others got here once they have been a bit older (like Princess Ynez will); largely what’s necessary about them proper now’s Tula and Valya every have their favorites — and perhaps even a plan for every of them.
Photograph: Attila Szvacsek/HBO
You may not know the title, however you definitely know the home: Corrino remains to be the ruling household through the interval of Dune. So the complete title of Christopher Walken’s emperor character in Dune 2 is Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV. However right here, 10,000 years earlier than then, Corrino’s Empire is at a really completely different place.
It’s headed up by Emperor Javicco (Mark Robust), who at this level is generally involved with how weak his place is (or may very well be perceived as) and is all set to marry off his daughter. He’s additionally fairly reliant on his private truthsayer, Reverend Mom Kasha, a lot to the chagrin of his spouse, Empress Natalya Arat (Jodhi Might). She is anxious concerning the rising gulf between herself and her husband (saying the Empire was extra secure once they have been extra of a unit), and cautions her daughter towards consuming an excessive amount of of the Bene Gesserit Kool-Support.
However the youngsters are all proper: Constantine Corrino (Josh Heuston), Javicco’s illegitimate son, isn’t striving for the throne and is very happy to deal with some enterprise on behalf of the household. Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina) is doing all she will to organize to be an efficient empress: taking sword coaching, enlisting with the Bene Gesserit, and marrying a 9-year-old so she will have 10 years to herself.
Although Dune: Prophecy’s pilot doesn’t get into specifics, we all know it is a rocky interval for the Harkonnens. After being branded traitors by the Atreides throughout the Butlerian Jihad (the books inform us it’s as a result of the Atreides needed to push an assault at the price of human captives, whereas the Harkonnens needed to carry again, and 100 or so years later all anybody can keep in mind is that the Harkonnens abandoned), the household has fallen out of favor. After we choose up with them, the Harkonnens have been banished to a distant, icy planet.
Clearly two Harkonnens make it fairly far within the Bene Gesserit. However past that, an important Harkonnen participant is… Harrow Harkonnen (Edward Davis). He doesn’t make a ton of impressions on the princess’ marriage ceremony festivities! Largely his character for now will be winnowed all the way down to: “boring the emperor speaking concerning the utilities of whale farming” and “a Harkonnen with hair.”
There hasn’t been a lot discuss of Home Atreides within the first episode of Prophecy. They’re roughly restricted to Valya’s voice-over, that “historical past says it was an Atreides who led” people to victory over the pondering machines. She claims this was a historical past “spun out of lies.” However this opinion of hers clearly units up the Atreides-Harkonnen feud going sturdy 10,000 years later.
However there’s an Atreides already amongst our solid of characters, although his home is definitely downplayed: Kieran Atreides (Chris Mason), the princess’s swordmaster.
Photograph: Attila Szvacsek/HBO
Desmond Hart serves Home Carrino… however he appears to be holding again about one thing, no less than per Kasha’s evaluation about him. Oh, additionally, he burned a child alive with solely his thoughts. Looks as if there’s extra to find out about this stranger! Most notably: What are his true loyalties, and what sport is he taking part in?