Dune Prophecy Is Finally Here: What Is It About & Is It a Must-See for Dune Fans?
A new project in the Dune universe has arrived.
Max has released the first two episodes of Dune: Prophecy, a TV prequel to Denis Villeneuve's Dune, set 10,000 years before the birth of Paul Atreides.
What Is Dune: Prophecy About?
The action begins with the key event of the Dune universe – humanity's victory over intelligent machines in the Butlerian Jihad. After the conflict, humans abandon computer technology completely.
Against the backdrop of these events, the personal story of Valya Harkonnen unfolds, who manages to escape the punishment of exile to a distant planet imposed on her home for cowardice in the war.
Valya is lucky: she makes it to Wallach IX, where she joins the female order Bene Gesserit and eventually becomes its leader. Through grueling training, the nuns of the order develop abilities such as clairvoyance and manipulation.
Her powers allow Valya to influence the politics of the galaxy, including Emperor Javicco Corrino. The Order also manages to recruit the heir to the throne, Princess Ynez, for training. The girl plans to travel to Wallach IX immediately after her wedding to the nine-year-old heir of an influential house, Pruwet Richese.
But the plan is in jeopardy when a mysterious soldier, Desmond Hart, arrives at the Emperor's court shortly before the wedding, determined to prevent the Bene Gesserit's spread of power.
Dune: Prophecy's Story Is Too Overloaded
The first thing you notice when watching the show is how difficult it is for the writers to cope with the scope of Frank Herbert's universe.
Unlike Villeneuve's films, which relied on visual language and minimalism in the presentation of information, the show is full of terms and historical references, overloading the viewer with exposition from the start.
In the very first episode, the viewer is bombarded with an avalanche of voice-over text. However, after the initial encyclopedic excursion, the story slows down and the narrative becomes more standard.
GoT & HotD Influence Is Obvious
The influence of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon on the show is not so much on the story level as it is on the visual level. In terms of visuals, the show is more in line with the big HBO hits, moving away from the proven style of Villeneuve.
The Bene Gesserit haven resembles House of Black and Whites, and the costume and location design is not as elaborate and austere as in the original duology. However, the series still inherits the political intrigue at the heart of the plot and the bright showstoppers from the George Martin universe projects.
Dune: Prophecy Is Still a Worth-Watching Project for the Dune Fans
All in all, Prophecy looks like an interesting attempt to look at the world of Dune from a new angle, away from the standard epic about the messiah. Even the first episode has enough spectacular moments, but the question is whether the creators will be able to hold the viewer's attention and not overload the story.
There are still five episodes to go, and HBO has a well-deserved reputation for being experts at big stories that unfold gradually. But for now, Dune: Prophecy feels like an unnecessary addition to Villeneuve's saga.