Franchise roots explored ahead of Season 2

(This story contains major spoilers from the Dune: Prophecy Season finale.)

The hierarchy of dune The universe just changed.

No, the skirt was nowhere to be found in HBO’s season finale Dune: Prophecy. Instead, another stone takes center stage: Arrakis, the desert planet at the center of Frank Herbert’s novels on which the series is based.

While this was referenced in the first six-part season, Dune: Prophecy Aside from a few brief (but important) holographic flashes, I avoided actually bringing Arrakis to life on screen. Thanks to the last scene of the finale, the whole thing can now be seen clearly and completely. The spicy world of Arraks is officially on the map and ready to be explored in the recently announced second season.

In a press conference last week Dune: Prophecy Showrunner Alison Schapker said the change of scenery was decided after “a season of Arrakis unfolding its appeal from afar, whether it be in the spice economy, in trade, or in the psychological aspects of these visions and nightmares that are kind of a picture of that.” Arrakis and Desmond’s past invades everyone’s consciousness.

“(We’re actually going to go) and have ground under our feet in this incredibly overdetermined and almost mythical Dune area that we know very well, but we’ve kind of kept it at arm’s length all season,” Schapker added of the Add choice.

Schapker is referring to Desmond Hart, Travis Fimmel’s passionate follower of the Empire and archenemy of the evolving Bene Gesserit, who displays fiery power, literally and figuratively, in the first season. Hart’s powers are at least partially due to the time he spent on Arrakis, where he was devoured by a sandworm, only to emerge with new abilities. Now Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson) has landed in Arrakis to learn more about Hart’s roots.

“I think it’s very significant that Valya is back,” said Schapker. “It’s kind of back where Desmond came from, where he emerged with a story and a myth: ‘I come from Arrakis, was swallowed by a worm, and survived after my entire regiment was killed.’ I would just say: I think Valya is there… to find out a lot more, considering that she’s back where Desmond acted as an enemy, so to speak. And it will be interesting to see what she finds out there.”

But Desmond isn’t just Valya’s opponent; he is also her nephew. In the penultimate episode Dune: Prophecy revealed that Desmond is the product of a love affair between an Atreides and Valya’s Harkonnen sister Tula, played by Olivia Williams. The Houses of Atreides and Harkonnen are sworn enemies as Denis Villenueve’s films explore the story of Timothee Chalamet’s Paul Atreides – who, spoiler alert, is one Also Half-Harkonnen.

Does this mean that Desmond is a chosen one, 10,000 years ahead of Paul’s time? That’s a question Valya wants to answer, with some familiar faces in tow: Keiran Atreides and Princess Ynez, played by Chris Mason and Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, respectively.

“The Atreides were there, but he may have been here before when he was training or something,” Mason said The Hollywood Reporter about what he hopes to see from Keiran’s story in season two. “It’s really exciting to see where this goes now.”

Possible directions a second season could take include not only delving into the history of Arrakis, but also dealing with a burgeoning civil war within Valya’s sisterhood, as well as the aftermath of the assassination of the Emperor (played by Mark Strong).

How will Valya, Keiran and Ynez deal with all these deadly developments? We’ll have to wait a while for the answers. But at least we know the answers will come in season two.

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Dune: Prophecy is now streaming on Max.