"Dune: Part Two": Filling in the Details from the Original Work

Spice

"Power over spice is power over all." Before the main film begins, we hear a mysterious Sardaukar Chant, indicating that the story will revolve around the crucial resource of the Dune universe, "spice," and the power struggle between Paul and the Empire. This opening echoes "Dune: Part One," where the film began with "Dreams are messages from the deep." Throughout the movie, Paul's dreams recur, showing him fragments of the future and guiding him toward the dunes, where he is destined to become the Lisan al-Gaib.

But why is spice so important? To understand this, we must delve into a history that the film does not explain: thousands of years before the story begins, a holy war against artificial intelligence erupted, with humanity ultimately triumphing over AI, banning all thinking machines. Since then, humans have developed their abilities through training and the consumption of spice and other mind-enhancing drugs, including longevity, prescience, and manipulation. Thus, human development relies on spice, and the elite of the entire universe cannot do without it.

Mentats are humans with computational abilities akin to computers. In the first film, characters like Thufir Hawat of House Atreides and Piter de Vries of House Harkonnen, both Mentats, are seen rolling their eyes before speaking. They develop high cognitive and analytical abilities through spice and mental training. Bene Gesserit Sisters are ubiquitous in the Dune universe. They acquire superhuman skills through physical and psychological training, including manipulating others with "The Voice," controlling gender in reproduction, and transforming poisons, all of which require the blessings of spice. Navigators are responsible for controlling interstellar travel technology. They are highly dependent on spice, possessing superhuman computational and visionary abilities, while their appearance has mutated beyond recognition. Hence, "Power over spice is power over all."

Princess Irulan

Once the main film begins, Princess Irulan's voice narrates, detailing the brutal slaughter of House Atreides by the Harkonnens. In the first "Dune" novel, author Frank Herbert prefaces each chapter with excerpts from Princess Irulan's writings, explaining the protagonist's events and backgrounds and adding depth to the universe he created.

From Princess Irulan's writings in the novel, it's evident she is not only extraordinarily literate but also a prolific writer. Her works mostly revolve around Paul's life, indirectly reflecting how lonely life in the imperial palace can be. When Paul proposes marriage to Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV in the film, Princess Irulan's reaction is relatively calm, indicating she has accepted the reality.

In the novel, Princess Irulan even persuades her father when Paul requests the marriage. As a Bene Gesserit Sister, Princess Irulan probably foresaw this moment long ago, and this arrangement fits her mission perfectly. As Reverend Mother Mohiam once said, "We do not rely on hope; we make plans." The novel explicitly states Reverend Mother Mohiam and the Emperor's initial agreement, pushing a Bene Gesserit Sister onto the imperial throne, with Princess Irulan being their candidate.

Chani

The film takes significant liberties with the character of Chani, portraying her not as the resigned lover who silently accompanies Paul in his battles, as in the novel, but as an independent woman who bravely opposes feudal superstitions and cares about the fate of her people. In the film, after Paul fakes his death by drinking poison, Chani and Jessica have a heated argument, as Chani understands that their staged performance is to create a miracle. Although she succumbs to "The Voice" control and participates in the charade, a rift forms between her and Paul.

In the novel, Paul drinks the Water of Life to gain more power, and Jessica is unaware that it caused his coma. When Chani arrives, there is no conflict with Jessica. Instead, their relationship becomes even closer at that moment, with Chani tightly holding Jessica's hand.

Chani's action in the film is closely related to an unwritten subplot where Paul and Chani had a son who tragically died during a Harkonnen attack. Thus, when Paul's life is in danger, Chani realizes Jessica has experienced the threat of losing a loved one and is about to face her tragedy (the loss of her son), and they understand each other.

In the film, Chani is furious when Paul proposes to marry Princess Irulan, preparing to ride a sandworm away alone. In the novel, Chani's attitude is much more submissive, even asking Paul, "Do you want me to leave?" To keep her, Paul promises, "The bond that ties us will never loosen." Sensing the unfairness of this political marriage to Chani, Jessica questions Paul on how he will make it up to her, but Chani wants nothing.

Chani softly says, "I want nothing. Please." Faced with Chani's plea, Paul recalls their deceased son. He commits lifelong to her: "That Princess Irulan will gain nothing beyond the title. She will not have my child, caress, gentle gaze, or a moment of tenderness." Jessica intervenes timely, delivering the last line from the novel's end to Chani: "History will call us wives."

Alia

In the novel, Alia is born before Paul initiates his uprising. Due to Jessica drinking the Water of Life during pregnancy, Alia possesses mature consciousness from birth and her mother's memories and wisdom. In the first novel, Alia is captured by the Imperial forces and brought before Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV and Baron Harkonnen. Despite being only four years old, she verbally attacks Baron Harkonnen. She even addresses the Emperor by his real name, mocking Reverend Mother Mohiam. Ironically, Reverend Mother Mohiam and Baron Harkonnen have a child together—Jessica—so the two people Alia verbally attacks are her grandparents.

In the novel, Alia is the one who ultimately kills Baron Harkonnen. This four-year-old girl says, "Sorry, Grandfather," as she ruthlessly thrusts the gom jabbar into him. In the film, Alia tells her brother, "I love you," in his dreams, similar to a line in the novel she says to her nanny. Alia is crucial in the subsequent story and is expected to shine in the third film, so no spoilers here.

Feyd-Rautha

Feyd-Rautha is a strikingly memorable antagonist in the film, ruthless and cunning, with combat prowess rivaling Paul's. In the novel, Feyd-Rautha is the favorite nephew of Baron Harkonnen and his designated heir. After defeating House Atreides and reclaiming Arrakis, Baron Harkonnen sends Beast Rabban to manage spice extraction, instructing him to oppress the laborers and inciting hatred among the masses. When the time is right, Feyd-Rautha emerges as the heroic savior, earning the people's admiration and solidifying House Harkonnen's rule over Arrakis.

In the film, Feyd-Rautha's gladiatorial performance in the arena differs slightly from that in the novel, creating a stark contrast in his skill set. In the book, the Harkonnens had prepared a more comprehensive backup plan: first, they implanted keywords into the enslaved people's subconscious minds, causing paralysis upon their utterance; second, they coated one blade with poison, adhering to the rule that only one blade would be poisoned, yet Feyd-Rautha had also coated another blade with poison.

However, despite such advantageous circumstances, Feyd-Rautha initially held the upper hand, only to nearly be killed later due to his inferior skills, resorting to cheating to secure victory. While this sequence showcased his prowess in combat, it also exposed his tendency towards arrogance and complacency, having long relied on clandestine tactics to defeat opponents, never experiencing a genuinely fair fight, thus rendering the outcome of his final duel with Paul devoid of suspense.

In the climactic showdown of the film, although Feyd-Rautha maintained the upper hand against Paul, in the novel, it was Paul who possessed the decisive move: the passphrase implanted by Lady Margot Fenring in advance, the same method Feyd-Rautha used against enslaved people in the arena. Of course, the cunning Harkonnens were prepared with preparations such as coating Feyd-Rautha's blade with poison and concealing poisoned needles in his equipment.

In the novel, Feyd-Rautha behaves like a bouncing jester, continuously provoking Paul with taunts. On the other hand, Paul remained silent, calmly analyzing his opponent's movements and deflecting each attack. Although Paul was reluctant to win using the passphrase, he ultimately left Feyd-Rautha dumbfounded with the simple phrase "I won't say it," successfully turning the tables and fatally piercing Feyd-Rautha's chin with a dagger.

Lady Margot Fenring

Lady Margot Fenring in the novel is a morally ambiguous character, a Bene Gesserit Sister whose primary mission is to ensure the breeding program's success. She doesn't care which side she stands on as long as the outcome serves the interests of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood.

The film doesn't reveal Lady Margot Fenring's other identity—Count Fenring's wife. Count Fenring is a near-successful product of the Bene Gesserit breeding program. Still, unfortunately, he was born a eunuch and couldn't become the Kwisatz Haderach. When Paul first encounters Count Fenring, he feels fear because Count Fenring is an unknown factor; Paul has never seen him in his visions. Count Fenring is skilled in combat and strategy, having personally killed Emperor Elrood Corrino IX and helped Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV ascend the throne.

In the novel, the Emperor orders Count Fenring to kill Paul. Still, after careful consideration, Count Fenring refuses the Emperor's request. He calculates his advantages over Paul: adept at concealing his true self from young people, always mysterious, and no one can read his mind. Count Fenring does find an opportunity to assassinate Paul later but ultimately fails, unable to overcome the protagonist's aura. After the plan fails, he is exiled to a prison planet.

House Atreides

When Paul meets Gurney Halleck again, he mentions recognizing him by his footsteps, echoing a detail from the first film. Due to House Harkonnen's machinations in the novel, House Atreides' retainers suspect Jessica as the family traitor, and Gurney Halleck is no exception. Thus, when he sees Jessica again, he draws his knife to kill her, only to be persuaded by Paul's heartfelt words.

In the novel, when Feyd-Rautha challenges Paul, Gurney Halleck, who hates House Harkonnen, volunteers to fight, but Paul convinces him to stand down. There's a comedic detail here: Gurney Halleck passionately curses Feyd-Rautha as a Harkonnen beast, unaware that Paul also has Harkonnen blood.

In the film, Gurney Halleck teaches Paul a technique for defeating Feyd-Rautha. In the first film, Paul undergoes combat training with Gurney Halleck. In the end, Paul holds a knife to Gurney's neck, thinking he has won, but Gurney has already aimed a knife at Paul's heart.

Thufir Hawat, another loyal retainer of House Atreides, does not appear in the second film. In the novel, Thufir Hawat is captured by Baron Harkonnen and becomes his strategist, but his heart remains with House Atreides. Paul reunites with Thufir Hawat years later, and despite now being on the Emperor's side, their friendship remains intact. Later, Thufir Hawat is ordered by the Emperor to assassinate Paul but, at the last moment, stabs himself with the poison needle, sacrificing himself for three generations of House Atreides and finally finding redemption.

Returning to the protagonist, both the film and the novel depict Paul foreseeing the Jihad and wanting to avoid the devastation it will bring to the universe. However, amidst family feuds, enemy encroachment, and the adoration of his people, he finds himself becoming the person he never wanted to be.

Paul realizes that all his efforts will be in vain and that he will be unable to change the future. He once thought of resisting the shadow of Jihad entirely by his will alone. However, the Jihad will come. Even without him, his army would still rage out of Arrakis angrily. They only need a legend, and he has become the core of that legend. When he decides to fight Feyd-Rautha, he suddenly realizes he is standing at a critical historical juncture. He is propelled by the current of history, with destiny beyond his control.

This is the climax. Paul believes that from this point, like a breakthrough, the door to the future will reopen, turning all this into the beginning of glory, steadfastly leading the future towards Jihad. If I die in battle here, they will say I sacrificed myself to redeem the masses, and my soul will lead them forward; if I survive, they will say: Muad'Dib conquers all.

The author informs readers at the beginning of the second novel, "Dune Messiah," that the Jihad is inevitable, the dragon slayer eventually becomes the evil dragon, and Paul falls from the pedestal of heroism. Perhaps the next film will have different adaptations, and we eagerly anticipate how director Denis Villeneuve will handle the final chapter of Paul's legendary story.