Like Max Dune: Prophecy continues to expand the world of Dune franchise, several characters continue to display a wide range of superhuman abilities. Although some characters in Dune universe, such as the Bene Gesserit, have demonstrated the ability to brainwash people and see through time, others have been known to change their bodily appearance in seconds. Dune: Prophecy it even introduced a unique character who can incinerate people with just a thought.
All the different superpowers that DuneThe characters on display alone make it one of the richest and most distinctive science fiction franchises in popular culture. Max and Warner Bros. just started to scratch the survival of DuneDenis Villeneuve's potential with the two Denis Villeneuve films and the prequel show Dune: Prophecy. At this point, so many unique powers have been introduced in live action, while many others are just waiting to be adapted from the Dune novels.
10
Foldable space
Spice connects the dune universe through space travel
The seasoning on Arrakis in Dune is important to the Empire's prosperity as it allows them to travel the cosmos by “folding space”. This means that Spacing Guild members are able to open doors to another dimension, allowing your Heighliner ships to travel through space and time faster than the speed of light. It is essentially the Dune the franchise's version of traveling through hyperspace in Star Wars.
However, doubling the space isn't as simple as pressing a button on the dashboard. In books, Space Guild Navigators must be physically transformed by consuming large amounts of spicesand they must live in anti-gravity tanks filled with spices to access warp space. While spacebending is an essential and incredible feat of interstellar travel, it requires its practitioners to commit themselves to this singular purpose, transforming themselves into fish-like mutants to wield their cosmic abilities.
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Another memory
Some can unlock the memories of their Dune ancestors
After drinking the Water of Life, the Bene Gesserit can transmute this toxic substance and gain access to the memories hidden in the genes inherited from their female ancestors. After accessing this “Another Memory”, a Bene Gesserit can complete her ascension to the position of Reverend Mother. Like Kwizatz Haderach, Paul Atreides can also drink the Water of Life and unlock his Other Memory in the same way he did in Dune: Part Two. However, he is able to acquire even more knowledge by accessing the memories of his male and female ancestors.
Using Other Memory, one can gain access to memories dating back centuries, even information that has been all but forgotten. Considering the vastness of the Dune timeline and the amount of space between stories like Dune: Part One and Dune: Prophecysuch power can be extremely useful. For example, Paul and Jessica discover the long-lost secret that the latter is Baron Harkonnen's daughter in Dune: Part Twoestablishing both as members of House Harkonnen.
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The strange way
In fact, the Bene Gesserit's powers are very unusual.
After intense physical and mental training, the Bene Gesserit can gain complete mastery of every muscle and nerve in their body (an ability known in Dune novels like “Prana-Bindu Control”). Only this martial arts training allowed the characters to rival the Fremen in combat and withstand the test of the Gom Jabbar. However, it also allows the Bene Gesserit to perform an even more unique fighting style known as “Strange Path” for the Fremen.
The strange way to enter Dune allows the Bene Gesserit to move at incredible speeds while fighting at close range. By altering the way they perceive reality through their nervous and muscular control, the user can move at speeds so remarkable that it would appear like teleportation to the average viewer. They could also focus a remarkable amount of strength into powerful physical attacks. Jessica demonstrated skill on Arrakis, quickly overpowering the Fremen leader Stilgar while she and Paul were cornered by the Fremen in Dune: Part One.
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Face dance
Dune's shapeshifting is a powerful ability that can backfire
First introduced in the novel Messiah Dune, Face Dancers are humans genetically modified by the Bene Tleilax have greater control of your muscles and nerves. Thanks to this, they are also able to copy the appearance, voice and personality of another human being. Dune: Prophecy appears to portray a Face Dancer for the first time in DuneThe modern film/TV franchise, as Theodosia is revealed to be a shapeshifter who then transforms into Griffin at Valya's request.
With this incredible form of shapeshifting, Face Dancers have worked as spies for hire to infiltrate other organizations and governments. The Bene Gesserit could initially detect Face Dancers based on their pheromones on the Dune books. However, the Bene Tleilax eventually made the Dancers more able to hide from the Bene Gesseriteven giving them the ability to absorb other people's memories. Despite this, if a Face Dancer impersonates someone for too long, they run the risk of losing their grip on reality and believing they are the person they are impersonating.
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The Voice
The words of the Bene Gesserit speak volumes in Dune
One of the Bene Gesserit's most notable abilities in Dune universe is The Voice. By changing the tone of your speech, the user can take control of a person's mindincluding other Bene Gesserit, forcing them to obey his will and perform any task. Dune: Prophecy episode 1 revealed the origins of the Voice, having been started by Valya Harkonnen and later taught to future generations of Bene Gesserit. However, Paul Atreides gained mastery of the Voice thanks to the teachings of his Bene Gesserit mother, Lady Jessica.
Although Voice is a very powerful ability, one can be trained to resist its hypnotic effects. Characters like Desmond Hart in Dune: Prophecy have shown immunity to the Voice, even when spoken by a Reverend Mother like Valya. Some forms of technology can also nullify the effects of the Voice, such as the Cone of Silence used by Baron Harkonnen in Dune: Part One.
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Foreknowledge
A chosen few can see the past and future in the dunes
Thanks to his genetic creation as Kwizatz Haderach, Paul starts in Dune having dreams of the future, with his visions becoming stronger after his exposure to spices on Arrakis. He then gains the ability to see multiple possible futures at once. after drinking the Water of Life. With his knowledge of the past and the future, Paul tries to follow the “Golden Path” This will lead you to victory against the Empire and prevent the eventual destruction of humanity. As a result, he manages to defeat the Harkonnens, overthrowing House Corrino and becoming Emperor of the Known Universe.
Although not portrayed as Kwizatz Haderach in the original, Dune romance, Feyd-Rautha shows the possibility of being one of the Dune: Part Twohaving had visions of Lady Margot Fenring before meeting her. It is also implied that his ability to see the future allowed him to locate the Fremen's Sietch Tabr, where Paul and Chani were hiding. Dune: Part Twoallowing him to destroy him in one devastating attack and establishing himself as a formidable foe.
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Abomination
The past can haunt people in the dunes in a unique way
Although Other Memory endows one with incredible knowledge of the past, there can be a terrible downside to this ability. If a Bene Gesserit drinks the Water of Life during pregnancy, the still developing and vulnerable child runs the risk of being dominated by the memories of their ancestors and going “Abomination.” What this means is that the child will be possessed by the genetic memory of one of their ancestors, making them dangerous in the eyes of the Bene Gesserit.
It is a unique type of possession that Dune: Part Two appears to have been created by Jessica and the unborn Alia, with the latter's adult version of Anya Taylor-Joy possibly becoming Abomination in the future.
In the book Children of Dune, Jessica's daughter, Alia, is dominated by memories inherited from her grandfatherthe evil Baron Harkonnen, years after Jessica drank the Water of Life while pregnant with her. This allows the dead villain to return once again in the story, in which he attempts to take revenge and rule the Atreides Empire in the body of regent Alia. It is a unique type of possession that Dune: Part Two appears to have been created by Jessica and the unborn Alia, with the latter's adult version of Anya Taylor-Joy possibly becoming Abomination in the future.
3
Priokinesis
A certain villain displays a frightening new ability in Dune: Prophecy
After returning from Arrakis in Dune: Prophecy episode 1, Desmond Hart stated that he gained supernatural abilities after being consumed by a sandworm and surviving. Most notably, Desmond reveals he can make a person's body burn from the inside. He first uses this shocking new power to burn nine-year-old Pruwet Richese, later using it to nearly kill the boy's father, Duke Ferdinand, as well.
Desmond's fiery abilities are incredibly terrifying, making him seem like an even more powerful “prophet” than Paul Atreides. However, Using this deadly ability appears to harm Desmond as well.. Whenever he tries to burn someone alive, he places his hand on the scarred part of his face, appearing to be in pain as he concentrates on releasing his power. Thus, it is implied that Desmond could only use this ability to a certain extent before it burned him to the max.
2
Mentat Thought
Dune's human computers are vital figures in a world without AI
After the ban on “thinking machines” After the Butlerian Jihad, the Empire filled the void that sentient AI left behind, creating human computers known as “Mentates.” Similar to the Bene Gesserit, Mentats undergo intense training and psychological conditioning think like computers, allowing them to perform complex calculations in just a few seconds. This ability is displayed in Dune: Part Onewhen Thifur Hawat quickly calculates the cost of Duke Leto's meeting with the Judge of Change on the planet Caladan.
However, Mentats are not just used as calculators. Their advanced level of thinking gives them incredible memory and vision.allowing them to store and analyze huge amounts of data and draw logical conclusions with quick results. Due to these abilities, the Great Houses employ Mentats as essential political advisors, with the Atreides having Thifur and the Harkonnens having Piter de Vries.
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Sense of Truth
Along with the Voice, the Bene Gesserit are sought after for their abilities as Truth-Revealers. In the world of Dune, Bene Gesserit are trained to detect any physical signs that a person is lyinglike his speech and mannerisms. The ability makes them essential figures in the world of Dune, as the Imperium employs them to detect truths and lies in political discussions to help determine their tactics and better maintain order.
Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam first demonstrated this ability in Dune: Part Two. She stood by Emperor Shaddam IV when he questioned the Harkonnens on Arrakis, giving hand signals that declared whether what they said was true or false. However, Dune: Prophecy goes deeper into how truth detection works, as it shows the Bene Gesserit training their students to detect lies by having them confront convicted criminals.