Warning! This article contains minor spoilers for Dune: Prophecy.
Dune: Prophecydelves even deeper into the franchise by further exploring many Houses and factions of the Landsraad, connecting to Denis Villeneuve’sDunemovies in the process. Theending ofDune: Prophecyepisode 1established each of the show’s main characters, exploring a story set over 10,000 years before Paul Atreides was born. Naturally, though,Dune: Prophecy’s characters link to the movies, adding invaluable context to the political landscape of the Landsraad, the ruling body that represents the Great Houses.
Many of these Great Houses are represented by the time ofDune: Prophecyepisode 2’s ending, as their members navigate schemes, deals, wars, marriage pacts, and other political elements to consolidate or grow their power. From the Sisterhood at the center of the show that is fighting against the titular prediction toDune: Prophecy’s mysterious Desmond Hart, the show has no shortage of factions grappling for control of the Imperium. Not only does this make for a solid prequel story in its own right, but it draws to mind the Great Houses at play long afterDune: Prophecy.
6Bene Gesserit
The Sisterhood Of Sorceresses Dedicated To Shaping The Imperium
The primary faction at play inDune: Prophecyis the Bene Gesserit. In the world ofDune, the Bene Gesserit are an order of women who have been spiritually, mentally, and physically trained to perform a vast collection of abilities, to the point of being dubbed witches by most others in the Imperium. Not only that but the Bene Gesserit are attuned to the ways of politics and have pledged to aid the Great Houses, with each family being assigned a member of the Sisterhood as an advisor.
Valya’s goal is to establish complete order in the galaxy via the subtle manipulation of the Great Houses and their bloodlines…
As is revealed in theDunemovies and further fleshed out inDune: Prophecy, however, the Bene Gesserit have ulterior motives.Dune: Prophecyoutlines these via the show’s lead character, Valya Harkonnen, the Mother Superior of the order. Valya’s goal is to establish complete order in the galaxy via the subtle manipulation of the Great Houses and their bloodlines, eventually leading toDune’s Kwisatz Haderach story with Paul Atreides. Via their political machinations, the Bene Gesserit essentially rule the Imperium from the shadows, as explored inDune: Prophecy, Dune: Part One, andDune: Part Two.
5House Harkonnen
A Manipulative, Backstabbing Great House
One of the first Great Houses confirmed to be part ofDune: Prophecyis House Harkonnen. It is revealed that the Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit, Valya, is a Harkonnen herself, as is her sister, Tula. Therefore, House Harkonnen inadvertently has a big influence over the story ofDune: Prophecy, despite Valya and Tula working only for the benefit of the Bene Gesserit. Besides these two members ofDune: Prophecy’s cast, there have only been brief references to House Harkonnen - and a minor appearance from one of its representatives - in the show’s first two episodes.
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Concerning how House Harkonnen links to theDunemovies, the descendants ofDune: Prophecy’s Harkonnen characters go on to be major antagonists to Paul Atreides. It is House Harkonnen that is commanded to leave Arrakis by Emperor Shaddam IV in the firstDune,only to return later and wipe out the Atreides family. House Harkonnen has long been a rival of House Atreides, something that is personified via Vladimir Harkonnen, Rabban, and Feyd-Rautha in theDunemovies. Ironically, Paul Atreides himself is a Harkonnen, as his mother Jessica is, solidifying how important the Great House is to the franchise.
4House Richese
A House Known For Manufacturing Machines
Introduced early inDune: Prophecy’s story is House Richese. This House is looking to secure a marriage pact with House Corrino, tying them closer to the seat of power in the Imperium. In return, House Richese offers to give House Corrino military support in securing the planet of Arrakis from the insurgent rebels threatening spice production. However, the death of the young Richese prince before the wedding sends shockwaves through the Imperium, kickstartingDune: Prophecy’s entire story.
Set around a century afterDune’s Machine War,Dune: Prophecymakes House Richese more important than the movies do. House Richese is known for the crafting of machines, providing a notable tension in the prequel show as most Houses have suffered at the hands of the Machine War. As alluded to, House Richese does not play much of a part at all inDune, though they do have a connection to the Atreides. Leto Atreides, the father of Paul in theDunemovies, was the son of a Richese woman, tying the House fromDune: Prophecyinto the story of the Lisan al Gaib.
3House Corrino
As mentioned, the other Great House involved in the marriage pact with House Richese inDune: Prophecyis House Corrino. House Corrino is the most powerful Great House in the entire Imperium and the seat of its power, holding this position for over 10,000 years betweenDune: ProphecyandDune. The leader of House Corrino during the former is Javicco Corrino, who navigates the treaty with House Richese while reckoning with a rebellion on the planet of Arrakis.
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House Corrino, like House Harkonnen, holds a big link to theDunemovies due to their rivalry with House Atreides. InDune, the leader of House Corrino orchestrates the plan to wipe out the Atreides and stop Leto’s rise to power. However, he fails to kill Paul Atreides, leading into the story ofDune: Part Twoin which House Corrino is supplanted as the ruling seat of the Imperium. By establishing their early power inDune: Prophecy, House Corrino’s downfall in theDunemovies is made all the more monumental to the franchise.
2House Atreides
The House That Will Birth Paul Atreides
Dune: Prophecyfinds space for House Atreides within its complex story, too. While not as prominent as House Corrino or House Richese in the first two episodes, House Atreides' role in the story will undoubtedly grow. This will be explored viaDune: Prophecy’s Keiran Atreides, the Swordmaster of House Corrino. Keiran is responsible for the security of House Corrino, yet is secretly part of a rebel cell that is responsible for the uprising on Arrakis. Furthermore, Keiran holds affection for Emperor Javicco’s daughter, Ynez, the princess who was set to marry the young Richese prince before his death.
Dune: Prophecy’s prologue also explains how someone from the Atreides family was a hero in the Machine Wars.
Of all the Great Houses inDune: Prophecy, House Atreides has the most obvious connections to Denis Villeneuve’sDunemovies.Dune: Part OneandDune: Part Twofocus entirely on the story of Paul Atreides and his journey to becoming the Kwisatz Haderach, despite the intentions of the Bene Gesserit being otherwise.Dune: Prophecyis fleshing out the history between House Atreides and the Bene Gesserit, with Valya being made aware of Keiran Atreides' deception of the Emperor in episode 2.
1Desmond Hart
Dune: Prophecy’s Wildcard
The last major faction at play inDune: Prophecyis not a faction at all, but a single man: Desmond Hart. Hart is introduced as a soldier whosurvived a sandworm attack inDune: Prophecy, something that the franchise has made clear is nigh impossible. In the first two episodes of the show, Hart is shown to be erratic, mysterious, and dangerous. He says he is committed to the Imperium and wishes to destroy the Bene Gesserit as a result, yet his true motivations remain hidden and his dark magic that is supposedly a result of his survival of Shai Hulud is incredibly intriguing.
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More than any other character inDune: Prophecy, Desmond Hart is the most enigmatic. Not only is it unclear how he fits into the show’s story and what he truly wants, but he also holds little connection to theDunemovie. Hart is not a name associated with any of the major Houses inDune,meaning the only link the soldier has to the films is his experiences on Arrakis. As more is revealed about Desmond Hart inDune: Prophecy, a stronger connection toDune’s families may be found. Until then, the character remains a compelling mystery.
Dune: Prophecy
Cast
Set in the universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune series, Dune: Prophecy, a sci-fi epic, follows the political and spiritual struggles on the desert planet of Arrakis. As factions vie for control of the prized spice melange, a prophesied hero emerges, challenging the balance of power and the fate of the galaxy.
