HBO’s new TV adaptation Dune: Prophecy is actually a prequel that takes place almost 10,000 years before the events of the recent films. This show focuses on a religious order in Herbert’s universe called the Bene Gesserit. The Bene Gesserit is a Mother School on the planet Wallach IX that trains women in various superhuman skillsets like hyper-perceptiveness and the ability to manipulate others with their voices. The larger goal of the Bene Gesserit is to bring about the birth of a super-being called the Kwisatz Haderach through genetic research and arranged marriages.
In Dune’s universe, all economic activity revolves around a chemical substance called Spice, also known as “Melange.” Spice can only be harvested from the poop of massive alien worms on a giant desert planet called Arrakis. Arrakis is constantly in turmoil due to the high demand for Spice. The desert planet is also home to the Fremen, a desert civilization in a forever war against whichever great House occupies the planet.
The political empire in Dune is the Corrino Imperium, ruled by a single emperor, with the Great Houses and the Landsraad as other major players. The Spacing Guild, a trade organization and navigation school, provides pilots for interstellar travel in a universe where complex computers are outlawed.
House Harkonnen, portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård’s Baron, Dave Bautista’s Rabban, and Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha, is known for its ruthless rule over Arrakis. House Atreides, on the other hand, is noble, popular, and good-looking, residing on the watery planet of Caladan. The events leading to House Harkonnen’s exile and House Atreides’ rise to power are central to the story in Dune.
Understanding the lore referenced in the Dune movies, like the Bene Gesserit, Spice, Arrakis, and the political landscape, provides a solid foundation for enjoying the TV adaptation Dune: Prophecy. The intricate web of political intrigue, religious orders, and powerful families depicted in the Dune universe offers a rich backdrop for exploring themes of power, manipulation, and survival in a harsh and unforgiving galaxy.
