Warning: There will probably be spoilers on this publish for the plot of Dune, together with plot factors from the second e-book that may function the premise for the as-yet unmade third film.
The lately launched Dune: Half 2 has been a giant box-office success, as was the primary film. These two motion pictures have been primarily based on the primary e-book within the sequence, and it’s been confirmed that the second e-book, Dune Messiah, will function the premise for a 3rd film. I first learn Dune in my early teen years and have re-read it a number of occasions since then. I additionally re-read the e-book previous to watching every of the 2 most up-to-date motion pictures, to maximise my capacity to note and be irritated by every part the film modifications from the e-book. (Don’t ask me why I do that to myself, I don’t totally perceive it both!) I’ve additionally lately re-read Dune Messiah, though the third film received’t arrive for at the very least a number of years. There has additionally been numerous on-line dialogue a few key factor of the Dune story – is Paul Atreides the hero of the story, or is he a villain?
To briefly summarize, with the key help of the Emperor and his feared Sardaukar military, Home Harkonnen launches an enormous assault that each one however wipes out Home Atreides. Paul, the son of Duke Leto Atreides, and his mom, the Woman Jessica, narrowly escape and are taken in by the Fremen, a civilization that has lived natively on the tough desert planet of Arrakis for hundreds of years. The Bene Gesserit, an all-female spiritual order to which Woman Jessica belongs, had implanted among the many Fremen (in addition to different civilizations via the galaxy) the seeds of legends and prophecies to assist make these populations extra vulnerable to manage. The wing of the Bene Gesserit answerable for this course of, the Missionaria Protectiva, places these superstitions in place to make sure that if any member of the Bene Gesserit is trapped amongst these societies, they’ll leverage the implanted beliefs to place themselves ready of authority and guarantee their very own safety. The Fremen come to see Paul as a savior fulfilling one in all these manufactured prophecies, and he rapidly ascends to a place of authority among the many Fremen. The Fremen, having spent generations dwelling and surviving within the harshest circumstances within the galaxy, develop into a preventing power that outmatches even the Emperor’s seemingly invincible Sardaukar military. The primary e-book (and second movie) finish with Paul ascending to the Imperial throne, deposing the Emperor and bringing in regards to the downfall of Home Harkonnen. Within the second e-book (and presumably within the third film) we be taught among the penalties of Paul’s ascendancy to the throne.
With Paul’s reign, the Fremen are set out on the galaxy decided to unfold the faith of Muad’Dib (Paul’s Fremen title). By the point all is claimed and achieved, over sixty-one billion individuals have been killed, ninety planets have been rendered sterile and over 5 hundred others devastated, and the followers of over forty different religions have been utterly worn out. Paul estimates his reign has caused extra destruction than any earlier than and any that may comply with, and that the galaxy will spend 100 generations recovering. Paul’s regime is despotic, bloodthirsty, and brings about devastation.
The writer, Frank Herbert, thought-about the story of Paul Atreides (and the Dune sequence extra usually) to be a cautionary story towards the concept of messiahs, sturdy leaders, and so-called “nice males.” Paul grew to become a messiah and an icon of devotion, and this solely precipitates an unprecedented wave of destruction. And a few individuals interpret the story of Paul Atreides because the rise of a villain – maybe the literary embodiment of Lord Acton’s dictum that “absolute energy corrupts completely.” However I interpret issues in another way.
I don’t see the story of Paul Atreides for example of individual corrupted by energy. (To be clear, I do assume energy is corrupting even of excellent individuals, however that’s not what I take from the story of Dune.) As a substitute, I see it as a critique of the concept that energy turns into much less harmful if it’s wielded by good individuals. Paul involves energy pretty much as good individual and continues to be individual even after taking energy. However nonetheless, he can not wield this energy to do good – he finds, to his despair, that each path he takes results in tragedy and devastation.
Paul Atreides doesn’t search to deliver in regards to the atrocities that come about because of his reign. Quite the opposite, he desperately needs to forestall issues from taking place the best way they do. Paul is an effective and noble individual, motivated by a powerful sense of justice. He has been raised with Mentat coaching, which supplies an individual superhuman psychological skills akin to a dwelling supercomputer. He turns into the primary male to completely achieve the powers and talents of the Bene Gesserit, and positive factors prescient skills permitting him to see how potential futures and timelines unfold. And even within the first e-book, he begins to glimpse the long run that awaits him:
Someplace forward of him on this path, the fanatic hordes reduce their gory path throughout the universe in his title. The inexperienced and black Atreides banner would develop into a logo of terror. Wild legions would cost into battle screaming their battle cry: “Muad’Dib!”
It should not be, he thought. I can not let it occur.
However he might really feel the demanding race consciousness inside him, his personal horrible objective, and he knew that no small factor might deflect the juggernaut. It was gathering weight and momentum. If he died this instantaneous, the factor would go on via his mom and his unborn sister. Nothing much less that the deaths of all of the troops gathered right here and now – himself and his mom included – might cease the factor.
After all, Paul can not spontaneously manufacture the deaths of himself, his mom, and a whole Fremen military on the spot. And thus, the fear unfolds.
Within the minds of some individuals, nice energy can serve nice good, so long as the facility is within the fingers of the proper of individual. However in Herbert’s saga, this seems to be false. Paul Atreides is just not corrupted by the facility he positive factors, nor doesn’t crave energy for its personal sake. If ever anybody might be trusted with absolute energy and to result in good outcomes with it, it ought to be Paul Atreides. Right here we now have somebody who’s honest, well-intentioned, harboring a powerful sense of justice, and who has the advantages of superhuman psychological skills and prescient foresight. And but, within the story of Dune, even somebody like Paul Atreides can’t wield absolute energy with out devastating outcomes. The issue isn’t that energy corrupts good individuals – the issue is with energy itself.
