The new series that promises to catch fans in 2024 is Dune: Prophecy, the prequel series to the Dune trilogy and which will tell in six episodes how 10,000 years before the rise of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), the two Harkonnen sisters – Valya (Emily Watson) and Tula (Olivia Williams) – fight forces that threaten the future of humanity and establish the legendary sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit.

The Bene Gesserit are a sisterhood whose main goal is genetic and social manipulation to achieve a future that they consider more beneficial for humanity. They also seek to create the Kwisatz Haderach, a male being with extraordinary mental and precognitive abilities, who they believe will be able to see all possible futures and thus guide humanity to safety and prosperity.

To achieve this goal, the Bene Gesserit employ a variety of techniques, including rigorous education, physical and mental training, and political manipulation. They are known for their abilities in mind control, reading emotions, and manipulating events and people to achieve their ends. In addition, the Bene Gesserit maintain a carefully controlled breeding program, marrying members of noble families to produce offspring with desired characteristics.

Among the Bene Gesserit, Valya and Tula seek power and revenge. Valya is the central character, determined to restore the name and honor of the Harkonnen family, which she considers unjustly tarnished in the past. Tula is also involved in the efforts led by Valya, sharing the same determination and ambition. Together, the Harkonnen sisters are extremely dangerous and harbor deep resentment and hatred for the Atreides family.

The Rivalry of the Houses

In the Dune universe, the Atreides and the Harkonnens are like the Montagues and Capulets of Romeo and Juliet: their mutual aversion is passed down from generation to generation, beginning during the Butlerian Jihad, the conflict between humans and thinking machines. During this period, Xavier Harkonnen, an ancestor of Valya and Tula, was accused by his son, Vorian, of betraying humanity and favoring the machines. Vorian adopts the Atreides surname while the Harkonnens’ reputation is tarnished, and this change of sides marks the beginning of the long rivalry between House Atreides and House Harkonnen.

Coincidentally (or not), the Atreides family prospered while the Harkonnens were ostracized. Valya and Tula believe that this ascension was achieved unfairly, fueling the animosity that becomes a driving force for the sisters to plan the annihilation of the Atreides. To make matters worse, Vorian Atreides has been seen as a hero of the Butlerian Jihad, known for his honor, integrity and leadership qualities. All of which they consider false.

Valya Harkonnen: the strategist of Harkonnen revenge

Valya grew up listening to her family’s resentment towards Vorian’s betrayal, turning him and his descendants into mortal enemies for the Harkonnens. In this game of revenge, she uses her brothers in her plan to assassinate all of the Atreides line.

While still young (Jessica Barden), she proved to be a promising student of Mother Superior Raquella Berto-Anirul within the Sisterhood of Rossak, excelling in her training and proving to be one of the most loyal and talented Sisters. The training also included close collaboration with Sister Karee Marques, one of the last pure-blooded Sorceresses, who taught Valya about drugs and poisons. With the trust she had from Raquella, Valya is one of the few to know the secret of the Sisterhood’s computers, helping in the negotiations with Emperor Corrino (Mark Strong).

To Valya’s surprise, she is at Court when Vorian Atreides, who she did not know was still alive, asks the Emperor for protection for his planet, Kepler. Seeing an opportunity for revenge, Valya warns Griffin about the whereabouts of his enemy Dekes and he goes to Kepler, but there he discovers that Vorian was exiled on Arrakis, in exchange for the safety of the Keplerians. Going after Vorian, Griffin is killed by Hyla Atreides, his sister, but Valya harbors even greater hatred for the hero of the Butlenian Jihad.

The Rossak Order is suspended by the Emperor, but before that Sister Dorotea (Camilla Beeput), a sympathizer of the Butlerian movement and Valya’s best friend, takes the Rossak drug that makes her a reverend. After the news of Griffin’s death, Valya decides to become the third Reverend Mother and help rebuild the Sisterhood.

A political and tragic marriage

Valya discovers a new branch of the Atreides family that originated with a Vorian with Leronica Tergiet during the Butlerian Jihad. She manages to arrange the marriage of Tula Harkonnen to Orry Atreides, ostensibly as a the political alliance, but in reality it was just an attempt against the enemies and he is assassinated by Tula on their wedding night, on Valya’s orders. What was unexpected was that Tula really loved Orry.

Within the Sisterhood there are also opposing currents fighting for Power, with Raquella announcing that Valya and Dorotea would be co-leaders. Without the others knowing, Valya uses the power of Voice to force Dorotea to commit suicide, thus becoming the only Reverend Mother Superior of the reunited Order and renaming the order Bene Gesserit.

At this point, Tula is the target of an assassination attempt by both Vorian and Orry’s brother, Willem Atreides, as revenge, but Valya saves her and begins to manipulate her to continue with the project of ending the lineage of her enemies.

Eventually, a confrontation between brothers and sisters is inevitable, and Tula and Valya duel with Vorian and Willem, but Tula reveals that she is pregnant. The fight is interrupted.

Highly skilled, Valya can monitor the minutiae of others, to detect hidden emotions, motivations, agendas, or even physical things, such as hidden weapons, a false accent, surgery, or general deception. She loves Tula and believes in her strength, which is why she brings her into the Brotherhood, but disagrees due to her sister’s sympathies for the Atreides.

Another woman Valya has influence over is the Emperor’s daughter, Princess Inez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina), who was also with the Rossak Brotherhood.

Dense plot with twists

If there is one characteristic of the adaptation of Dune for the cinema, which may be present in the books (I haven’t read it), it is the complexity between antagonists and heroes, at least on the male side. This will come when Paul Atreides assumes his gray role, but even in this we can suggest a simplification: he is a Harkonnen, even if only 50%. And this gene is the one that has until now been dominated by cruelty, envy and revenge.

Yes, Paul Atreides is the Kwisatz Haderach that the Besse Gesserit wanted to create: after drinking and surviving the Water of Life, he reveals himself to be a being who possesses extraordinary mental and physical abilities, including the ability to see the future and access ancestral memories from both sides of his genetic lineage. Only the Kwisatz Haderach could survive, and he emerges with even greater powers.

The story of Paul Atreides as Kwisatz Haderach explores complex themes of destiny, power and responsibility, making him one of the most iconic characters in science fiction literature. The MAX series, which premieres in November (we can expect a new trailer soon), will be significant in understanding the root of all the drama in the Saga. Will it be like House of the Dragon, which used the gaps in the book to suggest another narrative? We’ll see. I’m betting on Emily Watson’s charisma to make us fear and hate Valya Harkonnen, but at least understand her too.

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