177-613: The Bene Gesserit ( / ˈ b ɛ n iː ˈ dʒ ɛ s ər ɪ t / ) are a group in Frank Herbert 's fictional Dune universe . A powerful social, religious, and political force, the Bene Gesserit is described as an exclusive sisterhood whose members train their bodies and minds through years of physical and mental conditioning to obtain superhuman powers and abilities that seem magical to outsiders. The group seeks to acquire power and influence to direct humanity on an enlightened path,
354-517: A hybrid of human and sandworm – still dominates the universe as the tyrant God Emperor in God Emperor of Dune (1981). Through prescience , he foresees humanity's possible destruction, and has forced humanity into what he calls the Golden Path , a plan which he believes will assure their survival. Having halted all spice production and thus making his own stockpile the only source of melange left in
531-438: A nerve induction device ("the box") that causes the sensation of intense pain. Paul learns that he is not the only one to have tried it, but is perhaps specially resistant; this conversation points to a widespread use of it as a tool among the Bene Gesserit to measure self control, nerve control, and as Mohiam puts it, crisis and observation. Unarmed attacks are part of a specialized Bene Gesserit martial art which incorporates
708-464: A no-ship upon Murbella's ascension to leadership. Within the Honored Matres, many admire Murbella's strength and abilities and desire Bene Gesserit training, but resist assimilation. Additionally, a number of Honored Matres refuse to acknowledge Murbella as their leader; the largest such rebel group is led by Matre Superior Hellica on Tleilax . As Murbella amasses weapons for the coming battle with
885-554: A successful desert revolt against the Turks during World War I . Lawrence employed guerrilla tactics to destroy enemy forces and communication lines, and came close to becoming a messiah figure for the Arabs. This historical event led Frank Herbert to consider the possibility of an outsider leading native forces against the morally corrupt occupiers of a desert world, in the process becoming a godlike figure to them. The similarity to T.E. Lawrence
1062-432: A Bene Gesserit to deeply understand a person's emotional state, and manipulate it. Knowing that any schooling impresses a particular pattern in its students, they are able to use these clues to predict and anticipate actions. The Bene Gesserit can easily determine a person's origins and root language by analyzing their speech patterns, cadence, and pacing, as Jessica does when she realizes that a visiting Spacing Guild banker
1239-590: A Fremen leader, and he eventually gains a level of omniscience which leads to his accession to the Imperial throne and causes the Fremen to worship him like a god. Juan A. Prieto-Pablos says Herbert achieves a new typology with Paul's superpowers, differentiating the heroes of Dune from earlier heroes such as Superman , A. E. van Vogt 's Gilbert Gosseyn , and Henry Kuttner 's telepaths. Unlike previous superheroes who acquire their powers suddenly and accidentally, Paul's are
1416-508: A Reverend Mother dies in the presence of another Reverend Mother, the second will accept the ego/memory of the first to prevent the loss of the dying Reverend Mother's experience and ancestral memories. Especially when the Mother Superior perishes, it is important to take her ego/memory so that her plans and strategies may continue uninterrupted. This is first explored in Dune , when Jessica accepts
1593-501: A bloody jihad in his name across the universe. Paul struggles with the idea of potentially seizing divine control over his newly minted empire, but by following the path of his destiny, he escapes from the burden of it. He lets an assassination plot against him play out, blinding him, and follows the Fremen tradition of the blind going out into the desert to die. The burden of the empire is then placed upon Paul's sister Alia , and his children Leto II and Ghanima . Paul later reappears as
1770-485: A child in the events of Dune . The origin of the ritual is explained in the prequel novel Dune: The Battle of Corrin (2004) when Raquella Berto-Anirul is poisoned by Rossak Sorceress Ticia Cenva with the Rossak drug . Raquella manages to internally convert the poison into a harmless substance and is thus the first to experience the awakening of Other Memory. Raquella later establishes the Bene Gesserit, presumably perfecting
1947-784: A concerted effort planned and executed over millennia. Members who have acquired the breadth of Bene Gesserit abilities are called Reverend Mothers ; some outsiders call them "witches" for their secretive nature and misunderstood powers. As the skills of a Bene Gesserit are as desirable as an alliance with the Sisterhood itself, they are able to charge a fee to teach women from Great Houses, and install some of their initiates as wives and concubines to their advantage. Loyal only to themselves and their collective goals, Bene Gesserit sometimes feign other loyalties to attain their goals and avoid outside interference. The Bene Gesserit are primary characters in all of Frank Herbert's Dune novels, as well as
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#17328585802722124-572: A conspiracy of the Bene Tleilax , the Bene Gesserit and the Spacing Guild. This attempt, made using a ghola (a resurrected clone) of Paul's friend and mentor Duncan Idaho also fails, but the ordeal seemingly helps the Duncan ghola to regain his memories. At the same time, Chani dies in childbirth, bearing twins: a boy, Leto II , and a girl, Ghanima (which means "spoil of war"). Paul, who did not foresee
2301-459: A film this size, there's every chance he'd get swallowed up by the sandworm-like enormity of everything around him—but even against the colossal spectacle, the magnetic charisma he displayed in smaller indie fare shines through." Pete Hammond of Deadline Hollywood called Chalamet "perfectly cast" and wrote that he plays the role "earnestly and effectively". Reviewing the 2024 sequel, Lovia Gyarke of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Chalamet sheds
2478-704: A full-time fiction writer. During the 1970s and 1980s, he enjoyed considerable commercial success as an author. He divided his time between homes in Hawaii and Washington 's Olympic Peninsula ; his home in Port Townsend on the peninsula was intended to be an "ecological demonstration project". During this time he wrote numerous books and pushed ecological and philosophical ideas. He continued his Dune saga with Dune Messiah (1969), Children of Dune (1976), God Emperor of Dune (1981), Heretics of Dune (1984) and Chapterhouse: Dune (1985). Herbert planned to write
2655-421: A future where humanity has long since developed interstellar travel and colonized many thousands of worlds. The series has been adapted numerous times, including the feature film Dune (1984), the miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune and Children of Dune , and a motion picture trilogy currently in production, with Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024) having been released. Frank Patrick Herbert Jr.
2832-793: A juvenile, seems to have been born to play this ambivalent prince." The character is also featured in the 1992 video game Dune from Cryo Interactive / Virgin Interactive , and the 2001 3D video game Frank Herbert's Dune by Cryo Interactive/ DreamCatcher Interactive . Paul and Chani were both added to Fortnite Battle Royale in October 2021. Paul also appears as a playable Operator in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 , alongside Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen , in December 2023. A line of Dune action figures from toy company LJN
3009-477: A leader (or made in a leader's name) are amplified by the numbers who follow without question." In a 1970 interview, Herbert noted that the character of Paul was constructed to express "the conflict between absolutes and the necessity of the moment". Brian Herbert wrote: Paul Atreides (who is the messianic "Muad'Dib" to the Fremen) resembles Lawrence of Arabia ( T. E. Lawrence ), a British citizen who led Arab forces in
3186-503: A mass devoted following, uniting many factions in the universe under the Bene Gesserit and against the forces of the Scattering. The spice agony is an ordeal in which an acolyte of the Bene Gesserit takes a poisonous "awareness spectrum" narcotic and, by internally changing the substance and neutralizing its toxicity, gains access to Other Memory , the combined ego and memories of all her female ancestors. In Dune , Lady Jessica notes that
3363-435: A mass sharing of ego/memories with each other to spread all the ego/memories amongst everyone; thus, if one survives, they all survive. In Chapterhouse Dune , the Bene Gesserit school on Lampadas , under attack by the Honored Matres, undertakes Extremis Progressiva ; Lucilla escapes with the "Lampadas Horde", hoping to return to the Bene Gesserit with them. Brian Herbert , Frank Herbert's son and biographer, explains that
3540-437: A means "to control others merely by selected tone shadings of the voice". By modulating the subtleties of her voice, a Bene Gesserit can issue commands on a subconscious level, compelling obedience in others that they cannot resist, whether they are consciously aware of the attempt or not. This control can be as subtle as influencing thoughts and motivations, or as strong as forcing physical actions and even temporary paralysis in
3717-539: A new one—Baheyeldin noted various specific similarities between Muhammad's career and that of Atreides. Paul is portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan in David Lynch 's 1984 film adaptation , and by Alec Newman in the 2000 Dune miniseries and its 2003 sequel . The character is played by Timothée Chalamet in the 2021 Denis Villeneuve film Dune , and its 2024 sequel, Dune: Part Two . Richard Corliss of Time notes that "MacLachlan, 25, grows impressively in
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#17328585802723894-427: A prisoner on the no-ship Ithaca , at the mercy of the latest Duncan Idaho ghola and a rebel group of Bene Gesserit. Nearing death from advanced age, a desperate Scytale trades his precious cell samples for permission to grow his own ghola; Duncan and the Bene Gesserit group subsequently grow gholas of Paul, Chani, Jessica, and others. Meanwhile, the independent Face Dancer Khrone obtains Paul's genetic material from
4071-432: A radical spice agony, constructs an executive of benevolent ancestral egos (such as Paul and Paul's father Leto I ) who protect him; Ghanima, as part of their plan to fake Leto's death, consciously blocks the memory of Leto and their plan, inadvertently developing a mental discipline capable of protecting her undeveloped ego. She also uses the ego of her mother, Chani, as a "door guard" of her alter egos, only "peeking behind
4248-788: A recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities . It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted. Frank Herbert believed civil service to be "one of the most serious errors we made as a democracy" and that bureaucracy negatively impacts the lives of people in all forms of government. He stated that "every such bureaucracy eventually becomes an aristocracy" and uses preferential treatment and nepotism in favor of bureaucrats as his main arguments. Frank Herbert used his science fiction novels to explore complex ideas involving philosophy , religion , psychology , politics and ecology . The underlying thrust of his work
4425-409: A religious relic on Caladan and tasks his Lost Tleilaxu prisoner Uxtal to create his own ghola of Paul. Named Paolo , this ghola is to be "conditioned" by Khrone's sadistic ghola of Baron Harkonnen to become a twisted version of Paul, who will serve the shadowy needs of Krone's mysterious masters, Daniel and Marty . In Sandworms of Dune (2007), the young Paul ghola ultimately duels Paolo. Paul
4602-590: A roadmap of the U.S. and actually driving across the country are two different things,' he said. 'Brian and I had a lot to work with and a lot to expand...' Snider, John C. (August 2007). "Audiobook Review: Hunters of Dune by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson" . SciFiDimensions.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2008 . Retrieved February 15, 2009 . the co-authors have expanded on Herbert's brief outline Paul Atreides Paul Atreides ( / ə ˈ t r eɪ ɪ d iː z / ; later known as Paul Muad'Dib , and later still as The Preacher )
4779-455: A seventh novel to conclude the series, but his death in 1986 left storylines unresolved. Other works by Herbert include The Godmakers (1972), The Dosadi Experiment (1977), The White Plague (1982) and the books he wrote in partnership with Bill Ransom : The Jesus Incident (1979), The Lazarus Effect (1983) and The Ascension Factor (1988), which were sequels to Herbert's 1966 novel Destination: Void . He also helped launch
4956-516: Is "The One Who Will Lead Us to Paradise". Paul and Jessica take shelter in Sietch Tabr , a Fremen settlement led by the naib , Stilgar . Paul and his mother train the Fremen in weapon use and martial arts, creating a formidable army. When Paul is accepted into the Fremen tribe, he is given the secret "sietch name" Usul , the Fremen word meaning "the base of the pillar". He chooses "Paul Muad'Dib" as his common name of manhood, to be used openly. Muad'Dib
5133-624: Is Bene Gesserit-trained. In fact, Shaddam is kept without a male heir on specific orders from the Sisterhood, and is bound by an agreement that only a daughter will ascend his throne. The Bene Gesserit had also placed their acolyte Jessica (herself the product of a secret Bene Gesserit liaison with the Baron Harkonnen) as the concubine to Duke Leto Atreides, and married the Bene Gesserit Margot to Shaddam's close friend and minion Count Fenring . After Shaddam's eldest daughter Princess Irulan
5310-401: Is Frank Herbert's warning about society's tendencies to "give over every decision-making capacity" to a charismatic leader. He said in 1979, "The bottom line of the Dune trilogy is: beware of heroes. Much better rely on your own judgment, and your own mistakes." He wrote in 1985, " Dune was aimed at this whole idea of the infallible leader because my view of history says that mistakes made by
5487-443: Is Paul." Chalamet's Paul is described as "spindly", and has "inward-looking sorrow". He is portrayed as "a boy-man [with] the patrician bone structure of an imperial hemophiliac". With Paul being 15 years old in the novel, The New York Times said, "Chalamet looks young enough for the role... and can certainly strike a Byronic pose, complete with black coat and anguished hair." Slate wrote, "Chalamet, at 28 still convincing as
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5664-455: Is Usul among us. Paul leads a Fremen campaign of resistance against Harkonnen rule. He and Chani , daughter of Liet-Kynes , take each other as mates and produce a son, named Leto in honor of Paul's father. Paul also reunites with Gurney Halleck, who had sought refuge with smugglers after the Harkonnen attack. In a bid to unlock his latent powers, Paul undergoes the process of spice agony via
5841-413: Is a Harkonnen agent. Bene Gesserit specifically trained as Truthsayers are able to determine whether someone is lying by analyzing their speech, body language, and physical signs like pulse and heart rate . In principle, all humans have such perception, but extensive training is required to develop this latent talent to the point of great usefulness. Truthsayers are used widely in politics and trade;
6018-482: Is a boy, Jessica gives him some training in the Bene Gesserit ways, including enhanced observation and the Sisterhood's specialized martial art. Initially described as "small for his age", Paul has secretly undergone the early Mentat training, and is also schooled in weapon use by Gurney Halleck and Duncan Idaho . In Dune (1965), Paul is fifteen years old; the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV orders
6195-599: Is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert . He is a main character in the first two novels in the series, Dune (1965) and Dune Messiah (1969), and returns in Children of Dune (1976). The character is brought back as two different gholas in the Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson novels which conclude the original series, Hunters of Dune (2006) and Sandworms of Dune (2007), and appears in
6372-480: Is consequently born a full Reverend Mother with the complete Other Memory of both her female and male ancestors. The Bene Gesserit refer to children born this way as " Abominations ". Without the benefit of a fully formed adult ego of her own, Alia is susceptible to the influence of her ancestral memories. This ultimately leads to her downfall, as she is eventually possessed by the persona of her evil grandfather Baron Vladimir Harkonnen , whom she herself had murdered as
6549-561: Is featured in the Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson prequel novel Dune: House Corrino (2001). The 2008 novel Paul of Dune explores both Paul's childhood before Dune and his life between the novels Dune and Dune Messiah . Brian Herbert and Anderson's The Winds of Dune (2009) also relates events from Paul's youth and the period before Dune Messiah . In the Dune parody novels National Lampoon's Doon by Ellis Weiner (1984) and Head-Space (2016) by Tom Fowler , Paul
6726-525: Is forced into marriage to Paul to secure his claim to the Imperial throne, in Children of Dune Irulan's loyalty to the Sisterhood gives them false hope that she can help them topple Paul, or at least control his offspring. Later in God Emperor of Dune , Herbert establishes that despite Leto's many restrictions on them, the Bene Gesserit still train young noblewomen for a price. In fact, when Leto meets Hwi Noree ,
6903-544: Is her first sign that her daughter is sinking into Abomination . One of the most significant biological abilities of the Bene Gesserit is their control of their own menstrual cycles , and their ability to control (at conception) their child's sex. Jessica was ordered to bear only daughters to the Atreides, but defied her Bene Gesserit sisters (out of her love for the Duke) and had a son, Paul Atreides. The Bene Gesserit conspired against
7080-440: Is instructed by the Bene Gesserit to seduce Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in order to "preserve the bloodline" by retrieving his genetic material through conception. She also intends to "plant deep in his deepest self the necessary prana-bindu phrases to bend him", which she later refers to as the "Hypno- ligation of that Feyd-Rautha's psyche". When Paul later fights Feyd to the death, Jessica advises her son to temporarily stun him using
7257-453: Is less powerful than the analytical abilities of a Mentat . This simulflow can also be held with Other Memory; Reverend Mother Darwi Odrade practiced both forms in Heretics of Dune . The Bene Gesserit develop their physical abilities as well as their mental abilities. A trained Sister has full control over each muscle in her body through training known as prana-bindu . This allows her to bend
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7434-523: Is mortally wounded, but the trauma restores his original memories and he manages to heal himself. A power-hungry Paolo overdoses on ultraspice , an incredibly potent form of melange, and falls into a catatonic state. Later on the recovering planet Dune, the awakened gholas of Paul and Chani have reverted to the ways of the ancient Fremen, resolving to lead simple lives and restore the planet to its former glory. Paul reaffirms his love for Chani, telling her he has loved her for five thousand years. Paul's birth
7611-690: Is not a child must be destroyed. Long were we warned against such a one and how to prevent such a birth, but one of our own has betrayed us." In Children of Dune , an adult Alia eventually succumbs to the ancestral ego of her grandfather, the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen , who wants nothing more than the destruction of the Atreides , and is given another opportunity, from the inside, to realize it. Paul Atreides and Chani 's twins, Leto II and Ghanima , are also pre-born, but before they become possessed, they stumble across solutions: Leto, forced to undergo
7788-484: Is not a product of a breeding program, his multiple rebirths and deaths as a ghola throughout the series had given him the opportunity to gain experience and develop himself as no other human could. The Bene Gesserit choose to use indirect methodologies to further their goals, rather than wield overt power themselves. They have noted the Taoist principle that whatever rises must fall; and so rather than taking direct control of
7965-410: Is not possible due to interference patterns caused by their own actions. Despising the religion that has risen up around him and seeing where it will lead, Paul walks into the desert seeking death in hopes that he can change the course of the future. Paul's son Leto II is also a Kwisatz Haderach; seeing the same future, Leto decides to do what his father could not. He takes control of both the empire and
8142-609: Is one of the Sisters trusted with the records of Raquella's breeding program, which are maintained by a secret cache of forbidden computers, concealed in a cave outside the Sisterhood School on Rossak. Raquella's granddaughter Dorotea undergoes the Agony and becomes a Reverend Mother, discovering the truth about her parentage and the existence of computers. As a devout anti-technology Butlerian, she assists Emperor Salvador Corrino in his raid on
8319-478: Is pregnant when she undergoes the spice agony while among the Fremen ; her resulting daughter, Alia , is born a full Reverend Mother, the mind of an adult in a child's body. She pretends to be a child, but others notice that she is different. The Bene Gesserit are eventually outraged and horrified by Alia's existence, but she is out of their control. Mohiam says, "I've said too much, but the fact remains that this child who
8496-416: Is reserved for only the harshest environments where a Bene Gesserit would need the maximum advantage over surrounding influences. Paul's meteoric rise to power is greatly facilitated by his association with the mahdi legend. Later, in Heretics of Dune , the Bene Gesserit plan to use Reverend Mother Sheeana's ability to control the great sandworms to build her into a religious figure around whom they can fashion
8673-574: Is revealed that the Sorceresses of Rossak , who possess destructive telekinetic powers existing only in women and have a breeding plan to create more powerful telepaths, had been the predecessors of the Bene Gesserit. As a Sorceress is always killed when she unleashes her full power, they sacrifice themselves to destroy some of the Titans and Neo-Cymeks during the Butlerian Jihad , over 10,000 years before
8850-436: Is spoofed as "Pall Agamemnides" and " Morty'Dyb ", respectively. According to novelist Brian Herbert , Frank Herbert's son and biographer, House Atreides was based on the heroic but ill-fated Greek mythological House Atreus . Noting that the characters in Dune fit mythological archetypes, Brian Herbert wrote that "Paul is the hero prince on a quest who weds the daughter of a 'king'". A primary theme of Dune and its sequels
9027-399: Is the best-selling science fiction novel of all time, and the series is a classic of the science-fiction genre . The Dune saga , set in the distant future and taking place over millennia, explores complex themes, such as the long-term survival of the human species, human evolution , planetary science and ecology, and the intersection of religion, politics, economics, sex, and power in
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#17328585802729204-468: Is the name of the adapted kangaroo mouse of Arrakis, and Stilgar relates that Paul's choice pleases the Fremen: Muad'Dib is wise in the ways of the desert. Muad'Dib creates his own water. Muad'Dib hides from the sun and travels in the cool night. Muad'Dib is fruitful and multiplies over the land. Muad'Dib we call 'instructor-of-boys.' That is a powerful base on which to build your life, Paul Muad'Dib, who
9381-493: Is unavailable to her, present as a dark void that terrifies her. Until the time of God Emperor of Dune , the purpose of the Bene Gesserit breeding scheme is to breed a Kwisatz Haderach, a male with Other Memory who can see both lines, male and female. Male memory will be complete until moment of conception, when physical contact with the father is lost. Reverend Mothers may also pass their own ego/memory combination to other Reverend Mothers at will, merely by touching foreheads. When
9558-492: The Dune franchise , using notes left behind by Frank Herbert and discovered over a decade after his death. Brian Herbert and Anderson have written three prequel trilogies ( Prelude to Dune , Legends of Dune and Great Schools of Dune ) exploring the history of the Dune universe before the events of the original novel, two novels that take place between novels of the original Dune sequels (with plans for more), as well as two post- Chapterhouse Dune novels that complete
9735-647: The Seattle Star and the Oregon Statesman . He was a writer and editor for the San Francisco Examiner 's California Living magazine for a decade. In a 1973 interview, Herbert stated that he had been reading science fiction "about ten years" before he began writing in the genre, and he listed his favorite authors as H. G. Wells , Robert A. Heinlein , Poul Anderson and Jack Vance . Herbert's first science fiction story, "Looking for Something",
9912-451: The Dune series, Chapterhouse: Dune (1985), a ghola of Scytale is seemingly the only Tleilaxu Master left alive. He secretly possesses a nullentropy capsule containing cells carefully and secretly collected by the Tleilaxu for millennia, including cells from Paul himself. In Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson 's Hunters of Dune , the 2006 sequel to Chapterhouse: Dune , Scytale is
10089-437: The Dune trilogy is: beware of heroes. Much better [to] rely on your own judgment, and your own mistakes." Paul rises to leadership through military strategy and political maneuvering, but his superhuman powers and ability to fit himself into pre-existing religious infrastructure allow him to force himself upon mankind as their messiah . As "Muad'Dib", Paul becomes the central figure of a new religion, and reluctantly unleashes
10266-476: The Honored Matres have themselves refined this ability to such an intense level that the targeted male becomes completely enslaved. The captured Honored Matre Murbella attempts this on Duncan; his own imprinting ability, secretly conditioned into him by his Tleilaxu creators, suddenly manifests itself. Murbella and Duncan imprint each other, neither having complete control over the other. In Chapterhouse Dune
10443-511: The Ixian ambassador obviously bred and trained to charm him, he realizes "that part of her education had been conducted by the Bene Gesserit. She had their way of controlling her responses, of sensing the undertones in a conversation. He could see, however, that the Bene Gesserit overlay had been a delicate thing, never penetrating the basic sweetness of her nature." With the Lady Jessica and Arrakis,
10620-679: The Oracle of Time , Norma Cenva. Thinking machine leader Omnius is wiped out of existence by the Oracle, and the Face Dancer threat eliminated. As Murbella joins Duncan Idaho in his plan to rule a universe in which humanity and thinking machines co-exist, Sheeana introduces sandworms to the former thinking machine planet Synchrony , where she will found an orthodox Sisterhood. In the Legends of Dune prequel trilogy (2002–2004) by Brian Herbert and Anderson it
10797-509: The Watergate scandal , President Richard Nixon had unwittingly taught an important lesson in not trusting government. He considered Nixon a better president than John F. Kennedy , calling the latter "one of the most dangerous presidents this country ever had." He praised President Ronald Reagan , for his pro-family and pro- individualist stances, while opposing his foreign policy . In Chapterhouse: Dune , he wrote: All governments suffer
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#173285858027210974-602: The prana-bindu allows the Bene Gesserit to precisely control each muscle and nerve, they also have complete conscious control over the functions of their internal organs and body chemistry. A Sister can completely control her breathing and heart rate to the degree that she can appear dead to most tests even after intense physical exertion. They can control their need for food and water to the extremes of hunger and thirst, and even commit suicide at will by simply stopping their hearts or shutting down their brains. The Bene Gesserit are therefore immune to poisons, as they can simply change
11151-415: The prana-bindu methods of optimized muscle control. These enable one to deliver powerful blows and to move with extreme precision and speed. The basic principle behind it is that, as Farad'n of House Corrino says, "My mind affects my reality." A practitioner of the art has to know that the action he or she "wants" to perform has already been performed. For example, to imagine oneself behind an opponent at
11328-438: The prequels Paul of Dune (2008) and The Winds of Dune (2009). According to Brian Herbert , Frank Herbert's son and biographer, House Atreides was based on the heroic but ill-fated Greek mythological house of Atreus . A primary theme of Dune and its sequels is Frank Herbert's warning about society's tendencies to "give over every decision-making capacity" to a charismatic leader. He said in 1979, "The bottom line of
11505-469: The unknown enemy , she trains an elite force of commando troops with the combined battle talents of Bene Gesserit, Honored Matres, and even the Swordmasters of Ginaz . These "Valkyries" are able to effect Hellica's defeat, galvanizing many dissenters into finally joining Murbella's cause against the unknown enemy, now revealed to be the resurrected thinking machines thought destroyed 15,000 years before. In
11682-519: The 1960s. The novel Dune was published in 1965, which spearheaded the Dune franchise . He later told Willis E. McNelly that the novel originated when he was assigned to write a magazine article about sand dunes in the Oregon Dunes near Florence, Oregon . He got overinvolved and ended up with far more raw material than needed for an article; while the article was never written, it planted in Herbert
11859-412: The 2007 sequel , Sandworms of Dune , the thinking machines have unleashed decimating viruses on planet after planet, while Face Dancers infiltrate human civilization in their own insidious plot to take over the universe. The New Sisterhood's fleet of warships succumbs to Face Dancer sabotage, but is saved from thinking machine attack by a host of Guild Navigators in heighliners , brought together by
12036-573: The 2021 film adaptation Dune , compared Paul to the character Michael Corleone in The Godfather , explaining that "He's training to be the Duke. But as much as he's been prepared and trained for that role, is it really what he dreams to be? That's the contradiction of that character. It's like Michael Corleone in The Godfather –it's someone that has a very tragic fate and he will become something that he
12213-584: The Atreides army. Duncan sacrifices himself while attempting to hold off the Sardaukar and ensures Paul's escape. His betrayal motivated by the Baron's capture and torture of his Bene Gesserit wife, Yueh implants a poisonous gas capsule concealed within a false tooth on Duke Leto after his capture and instructs Leto to use it to kill the Baron. Shortly afterward, the Baron has Yueh murdered. Upon meeting Baron Harkonnen and his twisted Mentat Piter De Vries , Leto bites down on
12390-555: The Bene Gesserit "consolidated their hold upon the sorceresses, explored the subtle narcotics, developed prana-bindu training and conceived the Missionaria Protectiva , that black arm of superstition. But it is also the period that saw the composing of the litany against fear and the assembly of the Azhar Book , that bibliographic marvel that preserves the great secrets of the most ancient faiths." Millennia later in Dune ,
12567-404: The Bene Gesserit and gained the full powers of a Reverend Mother, defeats the leader of the Honored Matres in combat and thus becomes Great Honored Matre. She immediately succeeds Odrade as Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit, joining the two forces under a single leader in an uneasy truce that, it is hoped, will be able to defeat the unknown enemy. In Hunters of Dune , the 2006 continuation of
12744-548: The Bene Gesserit base of power is the Mother School on the planet Wallach IX, whose graduates are fit mates for Emperors, and whose specially trained Truthsayers can detect falsehood. But beyond the outer virtues of poise, self-control, and diplomacy, Bene Gesserit training includes superior combat skills and precise physiological control that grants them total control over their bodies, including direct control over conception and embryotic sex determination , ageing , and even
12921-486: The Bene Gesserit breeding program in Children of Dune , and begins his own transformation into a human- sandworm hybrid to give himself the time he needs for his Golden Path to be fully realized. Thirty-five hundred years later, his breeding plan produces Siona Atreides , the first in a line of humans who are able to disappear from prescient sight, and Leto allows himself to be assassinated. After 1,500 more years (as chronicled in Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse Dune ),
13098-600: The Bene Gesserit have controlled and finessed bloodlines through the ages. Also called "the one who can be two places simultaneously" or "the one who can be many places at once", the Kwisatz Haderach (defined by Herbert as "The Shortening of the Way"), with mental powers that would bridge space and time and access to both male and female lines in Other Memory, will be an overt figure in the Bene Gesserit's manipulations and thrust upon
13275-458: The Bene Gesserit have regained their power and relocated to a hidden homeworld they call Chapterhouse, and the spice cycle has been renewed on Arrakis, now called Rakis. New opposition arrives in the form of a violent matriarchal order calling themselves the Honored Matres , a ruthless and brutal force who seek domination over the Old Empire and who do not use or rely on melange for their powers. As
13452-446: The Bene Gesserit have restored their breeding program. However, they are too terrified of the consequences of producing another Kwisatz Haderach, so instead breed for special individuals of great talent and usefulness in order to amplify certain human characteristics and preserve them. Now aware of Leto's Golden Path, the Bene Gesserit widen their goals of advancing humanity and saving it from extinction. The behind-the-scenes intrigues of
13629-437: The Bene Gesserit provide some of their trained initiates as wives and concubines, and will train the daughters of noble families for a fee. In Dune , Padishah Emperor of the known universe Shaddam IV keeps the wise but calculating Bene Gesserit Truthsayer Mohiam by his side at all times. The Emperor's deceased wife, Anirul , had been a "Bene Gesserit of Hidden Rank", and Herbert notes that every one of their five daughters
13806-545: The Bene Gesserit system of sowing implant-legends through the Missionaria Protectiva came to its full fruition. The wisdom of seeding the known universe with a prophecy pattern for the protection of B.G. personnel has long been appreciated, but never have we seen a condition-ut-extremis with more ideal mating of person and preparation. The prophetic legends had taken on Arrakis even to the extent of adopted labels (including Reverend Mother, canto and respondu, and most of
13983-413: The Bene Gesserit, called Dune: Prophecy , debuted on November 17, 2024 on Max . Some of their fictional powers are analyzed and deconstructed from a real-world scientific perspective in the book The Science of Dune (2008). In Frank Herbert's 1965 novel Dune , the Bene Gesserit are a secretive matriarchal order who have achieved superhuman abilities through physical and mental conditioning and
14160-622: The Dune serials and offered a $ 7,500 advance plus future royalties for the rights to publish them as a hardcover book. Herbert rewrote much of his text. Dune was soon a critical success. It won the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1965 and shared the Hugo Award in 1966 with ...And Call Me Conrad by Roger Zelazny . Dune was not an immediate bestseller, although by 1968 Herbert had made $ 20,000 from it, far more than most science fiction novels of
14337-644: The El Rancho Tropicana in Santa Rosa , California. In 1979, he met anthropologist Jim Funaro with whom he conceived the Contact Conference . Beverly Herbert died on February 7, 1984. Herbert completed and published Heretics of Dune that year. In his afterword to 1985's Chapterhouse: Dune , Herbert included a dedication to Beverly. The year 1984 was a tumultuous year in Herbert's life. During this same year of his wife's death, his career took off with
14514-566: The Emperor's abdication in favor of Paul. Urged by the Spacing Guild , Shaddam accepts his terms. In Dune Messiah (1969), Paul has been Emperor for twelve years. His jihad has killed sixty-one billion people across the known universe, but according to his prescient vision, this is a fate far better than what he has seen. Paul is beleaguered by a need he sees —to set humanity on a course that does not lead to stagnation and destruction, while at
14691-607: The Frank Herbert Trail at Point Defiance Park in July 2019 to honor the hometown writer. Beginning in 2012, Herbert's estate and WordFire Press have released four previously unpublished novels in e-book and paperback formats: High-Opp (2012), Angels' Fall (2013), A Game of Authors (2013), and A Thorn in the Bush (2014). In recent years, Frank Herbert's son Brian Herbert and author Kevin J. Anderson have added to
14868-527: The Honored Matres begin to destroy all of the Bene Gesserit-controlled planets and enslave the populace of the other planets they conquer. The Matres themselves are hunted by a far more powerful force from out in the Scattering . The new Mother Superior Darwi Odrade recognizes that the threat of this unknown enemy is greater than that of the Honored Matres, and forms another bold plan. The captive Honored Matre Murbella , who has been assimilated into
15045-476: The Imperial throne. With Paul holding a tight monopoly on melange, a decade later the Bene Gesserit participate in a conspiracy to topple his rule in Dune Messiah (1969). Even after a blinded Paul walks into the desert to die, his sister Alia rules his empire and keeps the Bene Gesserit at bay until Paul's young son Leto II takes control himself in Children of Dune (1976). Over 3,500 years later, Leto – now
15222-539: The Matres all but exterminate the Tleilaxu race and next target the Sisterhood, Bene Gesserit Mother Superior Taraza implements a bold plan to release humanity from the oracular hold of Leto II by goading the Honored Matres into destroying Rakis. Meanwhile, the Bene Gesserit have terraformed Chapterhouse into a desert planet like Rakis and bring a single sandworm there to begin a new spice cycle. In Chapterhouse: Dune (1985),
15399-553: The Missionaria Protectiva to prepare the Empire for its Kwisatz Haderach. In Dune , Jessica and Paul take refuge among the Fremen after the attack on House Atreides. With his mother's guidance, Paul is able to make use of the planted myths by claiming to be the " mahdi ", a messianic figure from legendary material planted among the Fremen by the Missionaria Protectiva. That the mahdi legend has been planted on Dune indicates to Jessica that conditions on Dune are truly awful, since this legend
15576-504: The Old Empire; over-controlling, they have built up both resistance and rebellion, and are now on the run from their former subjects. The prequel Dune: The Battle of Corrin establishes that the first Bene Gesserit to use the Voice is Raquella Berto-Anirul, the founder of the order. Bene Gesserit are trained in "the minutiae of observation", noticing details that the common person would miss in
15753-477: The Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV 's desire to have a male heir and instructed his Bene Gesserit wife to give him only daughters, such as Princess Irulan . The Bene Gesserit are notable for their extensive skill in seduction, sex and sexual imprinting . The most talented and most highly trained are known as Imprinters . Men in a position of power or future power, or those with specific qualities that
15930-492: The Padishah Emperors are never without one. Combined with the Voice, Truthsay is also useful for interrogation and torture. Bene Gesserit also practice simulflow , the flow of several threads of consciousness at once—mental multitasking , as it were. The combination of simulflow with their analytical abilities and Other Memory are responsible for the frightening intelligence of the average Bene Gesserit, though this ability
16107-504: The Preacher, seeking to end the religion founded around him, but is assassinated. Paul is portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan in David Lynch 's 1984 film adaptation , by Alec Newman in the 2000 Dune miniseries and its 2003 sequel , and by Timothée Chalamet in the 2021 Denis Villeneuve film Dune and its 2024 sequel . The son of Duke Leto Atreides and the Lady Jessica , Paul is
16284-521: The Reverend Mother's mind, and is able to inject itself into her awareness at appropriate or emotional moments, though the Reverend Mother's ego is always dominant. The prequel novel Dune: The Battle of Corrin by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson establishes that the first Bene Gesserit to access Other Memory had been Raquella Berto-Anirul, the founder of the order. A Reverend Mother has access only to her female lineage in Other Memory; her male line
16461-548: The Rossak school. Salvador has several dozen Sisters executed and disbands the Sisterhood, except for Dorotea's Orthodox followers, who return to the Imperial capital on Salusa Secundus to serve as court Truthsayers. Raquella has reestablished her school on Wallach IX in Mentats of Dune (2014), thanks to the help of industrialist Josef Venport. Valya, now a Reverend Mother, retrieves the hidden computers from Rossak and hopes to succeed
16638-613: The Sea . The story explored sanity and madness in the environment of a 21st-century submarine and predicted worldwide conflicts over oil consumption and production. It was a critical success but not a major commercial one. During this time Herbert also worked as a speechwriter for Republican senator Guy Cordon . Herbert began researching Dune in 1959. He was able to devote himself wholeheartedly to his writing career because his wife returned to work full-time as an advertising writer for department stores, becoming their breadwinner during
16815-496: The Shari-a panoplia propheticus). And it is generally accepted now that the Lady Jessica's latent abilities were grossly underestimated. The Bene Gesserit practice "religious engineering" through the Missionaria Protectiva, which spreads "infectious superstitions on primitive worlds, thus opening those regions to exploitation by the Bene Gesserit". Collectively known as Panoplia Prophetica, these myths, prophecies, and superstitions provide
16992-465: The U.S. entry into World War II , he served in the U.S. Navy's Seabees for six months as a photographer, but suffered a head injury and was given a medical discharge. Herbert subsequently moved to Portland, Oregon where he reported for The Oregon Journal . After the war, Herbert attended the University of Washington , where he met Beverly Ann Stuart at a creative writing class in 1946. They were
17169-565: The Voice is independent of the Reverend Mother ritual, so people outside the order may be instructed in its use. Before the events of Dune , Jessica has begun teaching it to Paul; after the Reverend Mother Mohiam tests him in the novel, she urges Jessica to "ignore the regular order of training. His own safety requires the Voice. He already has a good start in it, but we both know how much more he needs...and that desperately." Jessica herself later notes of Paul's novice attempt: "The tone,
17346-418: The Voice so that he may imprison Bene Gesserit. By the time of Children of Dune , Gurney Halleck has also been trained by Jessica to resist the Voice completely. In Heretics of Dune , Reverend Mother Odrade explains to Sheeana that planetary populations exposed to long-term Voice control learn ways to adapt to it, and can no longer be manipulated. This is why the Honored Matres have been driven back into
17523-434: The ability to render poisons harmless within their bodies. The Bene Gesserit power of Voice allows them to control others by merely modulating their vocal tones. Sisters who survive a ritualized poisoning known as the spice agony achieve increased awareness and abilities through access to Other Memory , and are subsequently known as Reverend Mothers. Every member of the Bene Gesserit is conditioned into singular loyalty to
17700-460: The actions of Leto cause a riot. Reacting to his blasphemy, Alia's priests rush forward and stab Paul to death, as Alia and the remaining Atreides watch from above. Over 3,500 years later in God Emperor of Dune (1981), Leto still rules the universe as the Tyrant. The ego-personas of Paul and Leto's other ancestors "live" within his Other Memory . At the end of Frank Herbert's sixth and last book in
17877-553: The agony while pregnant, the fetus will also experience it, acquiring full consciousness and access to Other Memory. Since the child has not yet developed a sufficiently strong ego before being exposed to her tide of ancestors, she is more susceptible to their influence, and there is a danger that she will ultimately be overcome and possessed by a strong ancestral ego. The Bene Gesserit call this " Abomination ", and such children are killed immediately. They are also referred to as " pre-born " in Children of Dune . In Dune , Lady Jessica
18054-411: The agony, but through their breeding program the Bene Gesserit seek the male Kwisatz Haderach who will be able to change an illuminating poison. The Bene Gesserit try over many generations through selective breeding to produce such a being. A Kwisatz Haderach is given abilities different from those of a Reverend Mother. During the spice agony, there are two areas of the soul that the acolyte may visit —
18231-490: The attack, he learns that his son Leto has been killed in a Sardaukar raid. They win and Paul requests an audience with Shaddam IV. He threatens to destroy the spice melange , thus making transport between the planets impossible and effectively destroying civilization. In return for preserving the spice, he requires the hand of the Emperor's daughter, the Bene Gesserit-trained Princess Irulan as well as
18408-698: The best "before 1990" in 1998. Dune is considered a landmark novel for a number of reasons: Herbert never again equalled the critical acclaim he received for Dune . Neither his sequels to Dune nor any of his other books won a Hugo or Nebula Award, although almost all of them were New York Times Best Sellers . Malcolm Edwards wrote, in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction : Much of Herbert's work makes difficult reading. His ideas were genuinely developed concepts, not merely decorative notions, but they were sometimes embodied in excessively complicated plots and articulated in prose which did not always match
18585-422: The birth of a hero . He has unfortunate circumstances forced onto him, and after a long period of hardship and exile, he confronts and defeats the source of evil in his tale. As such, Dune is representative of a general trend beginning in 1960s American science fiction in that it features a character who attains godlike status through scientific means. Paul's riding and controlling a giant sandworm cements him as
18762-466: The birth of twins, loses his prescience after Chani's death and becomes truly blind, although he conceals this. With a knife over the babies, the Tleilaxu Scytale offers to make a ghola of Chani and restore her to life, in exchange for all of Paul's CHOAM holdings and his effective abdication from the throne. However Paul, seeing through his newborn son's eyes, kills Scytale. Immediately afterwards,
18939-401: The boyish innocence of the first film for a darker, more complicated persona." Villeneuve described Chalamet portraying Paul, "There’s a deep intelligence in the eyes, and he has an old soul. When you talk with Tim, you get the impression that he's lived many lives. Yet he looks so young on camera. So that contrast of someone who has a lot of experience but is in the middle of his teenage years
19116-557: The breeding program are illuminated in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy (1999–2001) as the program nears fruition in the time immediately prior to the novel Dune . The origins of the program are explored in the Legends of Dune prequel series. Over 10,000 years before the events of Dune , the Sorceresses of Rossak had started keeping detailed breeding records circa 400 B.G., trying to improve
19293-601: The capsule. He succeeds in killing De Vries—and himself—but not the Baron. Fed a poison for which only the Baron has the antidote, Hawat is forced to serve as the new Harkonnen Mentat. With some help from Yueh, Paul and Jessica escape into the desert. They flee to the Fremen , who see in Paul the Lisan al-Gaib or "the Voice from the Outer World", a prophet they call the Mahdi whom they believe
19470-476: The career of Terry Brooks with a very positive review of Brooks' first novel, The Sword of Shannara , in 1977. Herbert's change in fortune was shadowed by tragedy. In 1974, his wife Beverly underwent treatment for lung cancer . She lived ten more years, but her health was adversely affected by the treatment. In October 1978, Herbert was the featured speaker at the Octocon II science fiction convention held at
19647-450: The chemical makeup of any harmful substance in their body and render it harmless. It is hinted that should a Bene Gesserit wish to, she could slow her aging process dramatically, controlling every aspect of her metabolism. It is suggested that a Sister would never attempt this, as it might call attention to the Sisterhood and reveal too much of their abilities. In Children of Dune , Jessica realizes that her daughter Alia has done this, which
19824-495: The concept of Other Memory is "largely based upon the writings and teachings of Carl Gustav Jung , who spoke of a ' collective unconscious ', that supposedly inborn set of 'contents and modes of behavior' possessed by all human beings". Frank Herbert was introduced to Jung's work by two Jungian psychologists, Ralph and Irene Slattery, and Jung's teachings ultimately had "a profound and continuing influence on [Herbert's] work". Bene Gesserit are trained in what they call "the Voice" –
20001-556: The consumption of the Water of Life . He survives, although barely, and the ordeal gives him knowledge of his male and female ancestors ; this proves Paul is the Kwisatz Haderach . Awakening, Paul launches an attack on the Harkonnen and Imperial troops with his Fremen army (and with his personal squad of bodyguards, the Fedaykin ), riding the enormous sandworms indigenous to the planet. In
20178-435: The current moment in time; when trained well, this knowledge will place you at the spot desired. To anyone witnessing, it almost appears as though the combatant has teleported. The Fremen refer to this fighting ability as the " weirding way ". In Dune , the Fremen use the word "weirding" instead of "Bene Gesserit", calling Jessica a "weirding woman" and noting "he has the weirding voice" when Paul wields this power. Just as
20355-634: The daughter she had been ordered to produce. This son, Paul Atreides, later proves to be the Kwisatz Haderach, born a generation early. Political intrigue results in Paul's rise to power as Emperor of the Known Universe, secured by his stranglehold on the melange supply. A decade later, in Dune Messiah , the Bene Gesserit are frustrated to be at the mercy of their own creation, but a conspiracy to remove Paul from power fails. He realizes, however, that while prescience grants knowledge, absolute control of outcomes
20532-669: The declining Raquella as Mother Superior. Raquella believes that the only hope for the Sisterhood to survive is for the Wallach IX sisters to reconcile with Dorotea's faction on Salusa Secundus; her health failing, she summons Dorotea to the School and forces Dorotea and Valya to put their differences aside and agree to work together for the good of the Sisterhood. Naming them co-leaders, Raquella dies; Valya however, still bitter about Dorotea's betrayal, uses her newly discovered power of Voice to force Dorotea to commit suicide. Valya declares herself to be
20709-409: The desert and preaches among the people of Arrakis. Led around by a boy, he discredits the religion that has been built around Paul Atreides, saying, "The religion of Muad'Dib is not Muad'Dib", and scorns Alia. It is strongly suggested that he is indeed Paul, which is confirmed when he walks past Alia and says, "Stop trying to pull me into the background once more, sister." Paul meets with his son Leto in
20886-536: The desert. They have both seen mankind's future extinction in their prescient vision; Paul had been unable to face the terrible sacrifice necessary to avoid this future, and hopes Leto will enjoy his life rather than take that path. Leto has decided otherwise, and soon begins the long transformation into a sandworm. Back in Arrakeen , Paul (as the Preacher) speaks out against Alia to the crowd outside Alia's Temple; his words and
21063-464: The door" when she needs advice from Other Memory. Frank Herbert Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr. (October 8, 1920 – February 11, 1986) was an American science-fiction author, best known for his 1965 novel Dune and its five sequels. He also wrote short stories and worked as a newspaper journalist, photographer, book reviewer, ecological consultant, and lecturer. Dune
21240-449: The dwarf Tleilaxu Master Bijaz makes the same offer regarding the Chani ghola; Paul orders Duncan to kill Bijaz. The blind Paul then walks into the desert to die alone, in accordance with Fremen law. He leaves his children in the care of the Fremen, with Paul's sister Alia set to rule the empire as regent. In Children of Dune (1976), a mysterious figure known as The Preacher emerges from
21417-418: The effects of melange are highly favorable, including vastly increased lifespan and mental powers, withdrawal results in death. Melange is expensive and thus is a continual drain on the Sisterhood's wealth; the most significant threat to the Bene Gesserit is the potential loss of their supply. Paul Atreides and then his son Leto II assert control over the Bene Gesserit and keep them in check by grasping control of
21594-405: The events in Dune . Later, they expand their genetic program to preserve human bloodlines when humanity is endangered by a widespread plague called the "Demon Scourge", genetically engineered and unleashed by the thinking machines. Raquella Berto-Anirul becomes their leader after surviving a poisoning attempt by being the first to internally render the toxin harmless. The ordeal also makes Raquella
21771-608: The family to leave Caladan and govern the desert planet Arrakis (known as Dune), though Paul's father Duke Leto is in full knowledge that the Emperor is colluding with House Harkonnen to destroy House Atreides as a perceived threat to the throne. On Dune, the family is betrayed by their Suk doctor , Wellington Yueh . He disables the House defensive shields, allowing the Imperial Sardaukar troops, dressed in Harkonnen uniforms, to capture Duke Leto and Thufir Hawat and to kill most of
21948-579: The first to access Other Memory and use the power of Voice; she later establishes the Bene Gesserit, instituting a similar ritualized poisoning to unlock the same abilities in others. In Sisterhood of Dune (2012), 80 years have passed since the end of the Butlerian Jihad, and an aging Raquella remains the only Sister to have survived the Agony. Ambitious young Valya Harkonnen has hopes of using her Bene Gesserit training to complete her family's vendetta against Vorian Atreides and his entire bloodline. Valya
22125-531: The genes they require. The Bene Gesserit super-being – whom they call the Kwisatz Haderach – arrives a generation earlier than expected in the form of Paul Atreides , who is free from their direct control though his mother is the Bene Gesserit Lady Jessica . In Dune , Paul seizes control of the harsh desert planet Arrakis , the only source of the all-important spice melange; by threatening to destroy all spice production, he maneuvers himself onto
22302-410: The heir of House Atreides , an aristocratic family that rules the planet Caladan . Jessica is a Bene Gesserit and an important key in the Bene Gesserit breeding program . According to the breeding program, she was to produce a daughter, who would be bred with Feyd-Rautha , a nephew of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen . However, Jessica falls in love with Leto and grants him the son he desires. Although Paul
22479-414: The human race, they instead manipulate the social and political order with subtlety and insinuation, often using extraordinarily long-term stratagems spanning generations. The Bene Gesserit avoid appearing too rich or powerful, or revealing the extent of their powers, to prevent being seen as overtly responsible for the rise and fall of governments and empires, and to avoid any organized backlash. To this end,
22656-434: The last joint in her little toe while remaining otherwise motionless, bend and contort her body in ways that most would consider impossible, or put a remarkable amount of force behind a physical blow. The mental part of prana-bindu , or prana-nervature ( prana stands for breath, bindu stands for musculature) is the precise control of the totality of nerves in the human body. In Dune , Reverend Mother Mohiam tests Paul with
22833-440: The level of thinking [...] His best novels, however, were the work of a speculative intellect with few rivals in modern science fiction. The Science Fiction Hall of Fame inducted Herbert in 2006. California State University, Fullerton 's Pollack Library has several of Herbert's draft manuscripts of Dune and other works, with the author's notes, in their Frank Herbert Archives. Metro Parks Tacoma built Dune Peninsula and
23010-410: The life experience of the dying Fremen Reverend Mother Ramallo . In Chapterhouse Dune , Darwi Odrade is Mother Superior, a contentious choice ratified by the fact that she was present at the previous Mother Superior's death, and has her in Other Memory; she represents the most continuous line of leadership. Under extreme conditions, a large community of Bene Gesserit will practice Extremis Progressiva ,
23187-656: The newspaper before the age of five, had an excellent memory, and learned quickly. He had an early interest in photography, buying a Kodak box camera at age ten, a new folding camera in his early teens, and a color film camera in the mid-1930s. Due to his parents' drinking, he ran away from home with his little sister, 5-year-old Patricia Lou, in 1938 to live with Frank's favorite maternal aunt, Peggy "Violet" Rowntree, and her husband, Ken Rowntree, Sr. Within weeks, Patricia moved back home. But Frank, 18, remained with his aunt and uncle. He enrolled in high school at Salem High School (now North Salem High School ), where he graduated
23364-702: The next year. In 1939, his parents and sister had moved to Los Angeles, California, so Frank followed them. He lied about his age to get his first newspaper job at the Glendale Star . Herbert then returned to Salem in 1940 where he worked for the Oregon Statesman newspaper (now Statesman Journal ) in a variety of positions, including photographer. Herbert married Flora Lillian Parkinson in San Pedro , California , in 1941. They had one daughter, Penelope (b. February 16, 1942), and divorced in 1943. During 1942, after
23541-619: The only students who had sold any work for publication; Herbert had sold two pulp adventure stories to magazines, the first to Esquire in 1945 titled "Survival of the Cunning", and Stuart had sold a story to Modern Romance magazine. They married in Seattle in 1946, and had two sons, Brian (b. 1947) and Bruce (1951–1993). In 1949 Herbert and his wife moved to California to work on the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat . Here they befriended
23718-423: The opportunity for a Bene Gesserit to later cast herself as a guide, protector, or some other figure in fulfillment of a prophecy in order to manipulate the religious subjects for protection or other purposes. These myths also exploit religion as a powerful force in human society; by controlling the particulars of religion, the Bene Gesserit have a manipulative lever on society in general. The Bene Gesserit also employ
23895-447: The order and its goals with allegiances to even family being secondary, and no goal is more paramount than the Sisterhood's large-scale breeding program . It aims to create a superbeing that can tap into abilities even the Bene Gesserit cannot, a being whom they can use in order to gain more direct control over the universe. To this end, the Bene Gesserit have subtly manipulated bloodlines for generations, using breeding sisters to "collect"
24072-514: The order has learned the Honored Matre method from Murbella and use it for their own purposes, specifically to awaken the memories within the Miles Teg ghola. Reverend Mothers are dependent on melange to give them their abilities. Any person who consumes melange regularly becomes addicted to it and requires it for survival; however, one who has gone through the agony has a far greater need. Though
24249-503: The order wishes to incorporate into their breeding program, are typical targets of a Bene Gesserit imprinter. Men seduced by an imprinter are permanently affected (imprinted) by the intense sexual experience and are thereafter consciously or subconsciously favorable to the Sisterhood. An imprinter can be successfully resisted if the subject has been psychologically pre-conditioned to do so, and the subject's automatic defensive response may even be entirely subconscious. In Dune , Lady Fenring
24426-517: The original on April 9, 2009 . Retrieved November 12, 2008 . Brian was cleaning out his garage to make an office space and he found all these boxes that had ' Dune Notes' on the side. And we used a lot of them for our House books. "Interview with Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson" . Arrakis.ru. 2004. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012 . Retrieved November 12, 2008 . We had already started work on House Atreides ... After we already had our general outline written and
24603-402: The original on October 12, 2007 . Retrieved October 12, 2008 – via DuneNovels.com. Frank Herbert wrote a detailed outline for Dune 7 and he left extensive Dune 7 notes, as well as stored boxes of his descriptions, epigraphs, chapters, character backgrounds, historical notes—over a thousand pages worth. "Before Dune , After Frank Herbert" . Amazon.com . 2004. Archived from
24780-519: The original series ( Hunters of Dune and Sandworms of Dune ) based on Frank Herbert's own Dune 7 outline. Quinn, Judy (November 17, 1997). "Bantam Pays $ 3M for Dune Prequels by Herbert's Son" . Publishers Weekly . Archived from the original on March 4, 2016 . Retrieved February 6, 2014 . The new prequels ... will be based on notes and outlines Frank Herbert left at his death in 1986. Anderson, Kevin J. (December 16, 2005). " Dune 7 blog: Conspiracy Theories" . Archived from
24957-404: The part that gives, and the part that takes; a Reverend Mother cannot access the memories of her male ancestors, and is terrified by the psychic space within her that the masculine memories inhabit. Until Paul Atreides, all men who had attempted the spice agony had died. In Dune , Jessica endures the agony while pregnant with her daughter, Alia . This has a profound effect on the unborn Alia, who
25134-416: The people and environment around them. When combined with their analytical abilities, this "hyperawareness" enables the Bene Gesserit to divine secrets and arrive at conclusions that are invisible to everyone else. Slight differences in air currents or the design of a room might allow a Bene Gesserit to detect hidden portals and spyholes; minute variations in a person's vocal inflection and body language allow
25311-412: The planet Arrakis and the spice supply in a show of hydraulic despotism . A Bene Gesserit who survives the ritual spice agony gains access to Other Memory, the combined ego and memories of all her female ancestors. An adult Reverend Mother can manage the presence of these subordinate inner voices because she has a full personality of her own and a solid sense of self. However, if a Bene Gesserit undergoes
25488-472: The potency and prevalence of their telekinetic powers. In 108 B.G., the Sorceresses begin collecting genetic samples of various human bloodlines, which were in jeopardy from a catastrophic virus genetically engineered and unleashed by the thinking machines. In Sandworms of Dune (2007), written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson , Duncan Idaho is revealed to be the final Kwisatz Haderach destined to bring together humans and thinking machines. While he
25665-403: The prequels and sequels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson . They also feature prominently in the multiple adaptations of the Dune series: the 1984 film Dune ; the 2000 TV miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune ; and its 2003 sequel, Frank Herbert's Children of Dune ; as well as the 2021 feature film Dune , and its 2024 sequel, Dune: Part Two . A television series based on
25842-435: The proposal sent to publishers, then we found the outlines and notes. (This necessitated some changes, of course.) Adams, John Joseph (August 9, 2006). "New Dune Books Resume Story" . SciFi.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2007 . Retrieved December 19, 2007 . Anderson said that Frank Herbert's notes included a description of the story and a great deal of character background information. 'But having
26019-449: The psychologists Ralph and Irene Slattery. The Slatterys introduced Herbert to the work of several thinkers who would influence his writing, including Freud , Jung , Jaspers and Heidegger ; they also familiarized Herbert with Zen Buddhism . Herbert never graduated from college. According to his son Brian, he wanted to study only what interested him and so did not complete the required curriculum. He returned to journalism and worked at
26196-503: The questions he explored. Dune and the Dune saga constitute one of the world's best-selling science fiction series and novels; Dune in particular has received widespread critical acclaim, winning the Nebula Award in 1965 and sharing the Hugo Award in 1966, and is frequently considered one of the best science fiction novels ever, if not the best. Locus subscribers voted it the all-time best SF novel in 1975, again in 1987, and
26373-641: The release of David Lynch 's film version of Dune . Despite high expectations, a big-budget production design and an A-list cast, the movie drew mostly poor reviews in the United States. However, despite a disappointing response in the US, the film was a critical and commercial success in Europe and Japan. In 1985, after Beverly's death, Herbert married his former Putnam representative Theresa Shackleford. The same year he published Chapterhouse: Dune , which tied up many of
26550-463: The result of "painful and slow personal progress". And unlike other superheroes of the 1960s—who are the exception among ordinary people in their respective worlds—Herbert's characters grow their powers through "the application of mystical philosophies and techniques". For Herbert, the ordinary person can develop incredible fighting skills (Fremen and Sardaukar) or mental abilities (Bene Gesserit and Mentats). Denis Villeneuve , director and co-writer of
26727-505: The ritual originated with the "discovery of the poison drug on Rossak ". On Arrakis , the Fremen Reverend Mothers use a poison called Water of Life , which is the exhalation of a drowning "little maker" (small sandworm) in water. In the Fremen version of the rite, after the ordeal the Reverend Mother also provides the changed poison for the sietch orgy . An acolyte unable to effect this change dies. Only women have ever survived
26904-494: The role; his features, soft and spoiled at the beginning, take on a he-manly glamour once he assumes his mission." Lynch and producer Raffaella De Laurentiis specifically wanted to cast an unknown actor in the role of Paul, and began a nationwide search. Casting scout Elizabeth Leusting found MacLachlan, who had been performing in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival . Laura Fries of Variety writes that "Newman, as
27081-541: The saga's story threads. This would be Herbert's final single work (the collection Eye was published that year, and Man of Two Worlds was published in 1986). He died of a massive pulmonary embolism while recovering from surgery for pancreatic cancer on February 11, 1986, in Madison, Wisconsin , aged 65. Herbert was a Republican and an environmentalist . His political views have been variously described as conservative , reactionist , and libertarian . Herbert
27258-435: The same time managing both the Empire and the religion built around him. A Fremen conspiracy attempts to assassinate Paul using a stone burner . The attempt fails, but the effects of the weapon destroy Paul's eyes. Although he becomes physically blind, his prescience allows him to "see" by tightly locking in reality with his prescient visions. Despondent as a result of his prescience, Paul faces another assassination attempt by
27435-502: The seed that would become Dune . Another possible source of inspiration for Dune was Herbert's purported experiences with psilocybin , according to mycologist Paul Stamets 's account, which describes Herbert's hobby of cultivating chanterelles . The biography of Frank Herbert, Dreamer of Dune , written by his son Brian Herbert, confirms that the author was passionate about culinary mushrooms but not his use of psilocybin. Dune took six years of research and writing to complete and
27612-404: The series by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson , Murbella adopts the new title of Mother Commander and struggles to bring the opposing factions of her New Sisterhood together. Among the Bene Gesserit, some are willing to accept the merger with the Honored Matres, while others oppose allying with their enemies; a group of dissenters led by Reverend Mother Sheeana having fled Chapterhouse aboard
27789-600: The sole Mother Superior, and ingratiates herself to the new Emperor, Roderick Corrino. The ultimate goal of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, up to the end of the novel Dune , is the creation of a male Bene Gesserit they call the Kwisatz Haderach ( / ˈ k w ɪ s ɑː t s ˈ h ɑː d ər æ k / ). They intend to achieve this superbeing through a massive human breeding program , which they have conducted for countless generations; using careful manipulations of relationships and breeding sisters to "collect" key genes,
27966-481: The sour Paul, sticks to just one note". Emmet Asher-Perrin of Tor.com suggested that the choice to cast adult actor Newman as Paul is problematic because the character is written in the script as less mature and observant than he is in the source novel. Chalamet received strong praise for his portrayal in the 2021 film. Ben Travis of Empire wrote, "Among the uniformly excellent performances, Timothée Chalamet holds his own in his first blockbuster leading role. In
28143-415: The subject. The Voice may also be subtly employed in any manner of conversation, public speaking, or debate to help soothe, convince, persuade, influence, or otherwise enhance the effect of the words being spoken. To affect this, the Bene Gesserit must "register" the intended target by analyzing his or her personality and vocal patterns through observation or seemingly innocuous direct questions. Training in
28320-405: The target's subconscious mind, the Voice is of limited utility against an extremely disciplined mind, such as a Reverend Mother or a strong Mentat ; if the target understands what the Voice is and how it works, and is aware that it is being used, he may resist it. One trained in the use of the Voice may easily detect its use by others, even subtly. In Dune Messiah , Paul trains some guards to resist
28497-407: The technique and training others to survive the ordeal. One of the 'powers' of a Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother is her Other Memory : the combined ego and memories of all her female ancestors, passed on through genetic memory , and thus, up to the point where each following ancestor was born and the physical contact with the mother broken. The ego/memory combination remains a distinct identity within
28674-401: The timbre excellent – imperative, very sharp. A slightly lower pitch would have been better, but it could still fall within this man's spectrum." The Voice is useless against targets who cannot hear the speaker; both Baron Harkonnen in Dune and House Corrino in Children of Dune employ deaf people to guard Jessica, knowing that she cannot control them via the Voice. Being a manipulation of
28851-593: The time. It was not, however, enough to let him take up full-time writing. The publication of Dune did open doors for him; he was the Seattle Post-Intelligencer 's education writer from 1969 to 1972 and lecturer in general studies and interdisciplinary studies at the University of Washington (1970–1972). He worked in Vietnam and Pakistan as a social and ecological consultant in 1972, and in 1973 he
29028-583: The universe as a messiah . In Dune , the Bene Gesserit breeding scheme is, in theory, to have come to full fruition from the union of an Atreides daughter (planned to be born of the Bene Gesserit Lady Jessica and the Duke Leto Atreides ) and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen , nephew of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (himself secretly the natural father of Lady Jessica). This plan is disrupted when Jessica chooses to conceive an Atreides son rather than
29205-504: The universe, Leto is able to maintain firm control over the various factions and effects a "forced tranquility". He takes the Bene Gesserit breeding program from them and uses it for his own mysterious purposes, and their limited spice supply is conditional on their obedience to him and his prescient vision. Recognizing that his work is finally done, Leto allows himself to be assassinated. Fifteen hundred years later in Heretics of Dune (1984),
29382-482: The use of the drug melange . Under the guise of humbly "serving" the Empire, the Sisterhood is in fact a major power in the universe, using its many areas of influence to subtly guide humanity along the path of its own plan for humanity's future. Herbert notes that over 10,000 years before the events of Dune , in the chaotic time after the Butlerian Jihad and before the unveiling of the Orange Catholic Bible ,
29559-527: The word-sound Uroshnor , typically implanted in a dangerous person who has been prepared by the Bene Gesserit. Paul, however, refuses to use this advantage. In Heretics of Dune , Reverend Mother and Imprinter Lucilla is charged with the seduction-imprinting of the Duncan Idaho ghola so that the Sisterhood may assert some control over him; he ultimately avoids her. Lucilla also mentions the hundreds of sexual positions and variations she knows. In Heretics ,
29736-495: Was a fascination with the question of human survival and evolution . Herbert has attracted a dedicated fan base, many of whom have attempted to read everything he wrote (fiction or non-fiction); indeed, such was the devotion of some of his readers that Herbert was at times asked if he was founding a cult , a proposition which he very much rejected. There are a number of key themes found in Herbert's work: Frank Herbert refrained from offering his readers formulaic answers to many of
29913-482: Was appalled to learn of McCarthy's blacklisting of suspected communists from working in certain careers and believed that he was endangering essential freedoms of citizens of the United States. Herbert also opposed American involvement in the war in Vietnam . He was also critical of welfare , arguing that it increased dependence on the state. Herbert believed that governments lie to protect themselves and that, following
30090-659: Was born on October 8, 1920, in Tacoma, Washington , to Frank Patrick Herbert Sr. and Eileen ( née McCarthy) Herbert. His paternal grandparents had come west in 1905 to join Burley Colony in Kitsap County, one of many utopian communes springing up in Washington State beginning in the 1890s. His upbringing included spending a lot of time on the rural Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas . He was fascinated by books, could read much of
30267-401: Was director-photographer of the television show The Tillers . I don't worry about inspiration or anything like that.... later, coming back and reading what I have produced, I am unable to detect the difference between what came easily and when I had to sit down and say, "Well, now it's writing time and now I'll write." By the end of 1972, Herbert had retired from newspaper writing and became
30444-518: Was much longer than other commercial science fiction of the time. Analog (the renamed Astounding , still edited by John W. Campbell ) published it in two parts comprising eight installments, "Dune World" from December 1963 and "Prophet of Dune" in 1965. It was then rejected by nearly twenty book publishers. One editor prophetically wrote, "I might be making the mistake of the decade, but..." Sterling E. Lanier , an editor of Chilton Book Company (known mainly for its auto-repair manuals), had read
30621-534: Was not wishing to become." The Egyptian-Canadian commentator Khalid M. Baheyeldin has enumerated the obviously Islamic concepts and references appearing in Dune , to the level of finding multiple similarities between the career of Herbert's Paul Atreides and that of the Islamic prophet Muhammad . Beyond the obvious general resemblance—both Muhammad and Atreides found a powerful new religion, energizing hitherto disregarded desert-dwellers to topple an old empire and build
30798-695: Was politically active within the Republican party, and worked as a speechwriter for several politicians, including Senator Guy Cordon . Herbert also volunteered on the campaign of Republican William Bantz in the 1958 Washington Senate election , who unsuccessfully challenged the incumbent Democrat Henry M. Jackson . Herbert was a critic of the Soviet Union . He was a distant relative of the Republican senator Joseph McCarthy , whom he referred to as "Cousin Joe". However, he
30975-507: Was published in the April 1952 issue of Startling Stories , then a monthly edited by Samuel Mines. Three more of his stories appeared in 1954 issues of Astounding Science Fiction and Amazing Stories . His career as a novelist began in 1955 with the serial publication of Under Pressure in Astounding from November 1955; afterward it was issued as a book by Doubleday titled The Dragon in
31152-473: Was reinforced within the novel Dune Messiah , in which a chapter heading-quotation is taken from a post-conquest work of Paul's, with the title The Seven Pillars of the Universe . This appears to have been inspired by Lawrence's account of his war-time activities in the desert, titled Seven Pillars of Wisdom . Throughout Paul's rise to superhuman status, he follows a plotline common to many stories describing
31329-414: Was released to lackluster sales in 1984. Styled after David Lynch's film, the collection featured a figure of Paul, as well as other characters. In October 2019, Funko announced a " Dune Classic" line of POP! vinyl figures, one of which would be Paul in a stillsuit , styled after Lynch's film. Paul appears in the 1979 Avalon Hill board game Dune , the 1984 Parker Brothers game Dune , and
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