IIncludes SPOILERS for Dune: Prophecy season 1
Dune: Prophecy season 1 the ending sees Dorotea return and take control of the Brotherhood in a shocking twist. Set 10,000 years earlier in Dune timeline than the Denis Villeneuve-directed films, HBO's prequel show examines a much earlier stage of the Bene Gesserit. The powers that the public knows them for are still beginning to take shape, and only recently began the genetic enhancement plan that would eventually lead to Paul Atreides several centuries later. Much of this was put into practice by Mother Superior Raquella Berto-Anirul before Valya Harkonnen took over.
Emily Watson and Jessica Barden play Valya Harkonnen at different stages of her life in Dune: Prophecy cast. In the first episode of the program, viewers saw how the young Valya assumed power over the Brotherhood, using the Voice to kill Dorotea. Valya took control of the organization through bloodshed, believing herself to be Raquella's chosen heir. This path of bloodshed eventually comes back to haunt her. Dune: Prophecy season 1 finale, when Dorotea returns from the dead to organize a mutiny against those who killed her and her supporters.
Dorotea uses Lila to return in Dune: Prophecy Episode 6
Dorotea is Lila's ancestor
Dune: Prophecy Episode 2 saw Tula Harkonnen using her sister Lila for a dangerous procedure using Rossak poison. Her The plan was for Lila to access her genetic memory so that the Brotherhood could receive help from Mother Superior Raquella.Lila's great-grandmother. Node Dune universe, genetic memory is a concept that suggests that memories are imprinted in the cells of an individual and, therefore, also in the cells of their descendants, allowing access to the memories of their ancestors through a narcotic.
The procedure goes wrong at first when Sister Lila accesses not only Raquella but also the angry Dorotea, who, of course, is still furious with Valya Harkonnen and Tula by proxy for being killed. Lila nearly dies in the process, causing protests throughout the Brotherhood over the death of her friend and colleague. In an attempt to save her, Tula takes Lila to a hidden chamber where she begins her recovery using Spice Melange. and the illegal Thinking Machine technology they use for their genetic files.
It remains to be seen how long Dorotea will have in her body or if she will find a way to maintain her presence, but she has already wreaked havoc.
In Dune: Prophecy episode 5, Lila returns through Raquella, allowing Tula and Sister Jen to examine Sister Kasha's body, discovering the Omnius Plague's new form. However, in episode 6, Dorotea manages to grab Lila's body. Raquella seemed unsure how long she would have control of Lila's thoughts, but Dorotea took control of her young descendant's body long enough to organize a mutiny against Valya Harkonnen. It remains to be seen how long Dorotea will have in her body or if she will find a way to maintain her presence, but she has already wreaked havoc.
What Dorotea reveals about the sisterhood when Valya took over
Dorotea shows them the sisters that Valya killed
In order to win the Brotherhood over to his side and turn them against Valya Harkonnen, she shows them the proof of the blood on Valya's hands. The young members of the Brotherhood are already tired of Valya at this point due to the horrible nightmares they have been experiencing, and Sister Ávila makes a point in episode 5 of suggesting that some of the students are trying to leave and return home. Tula ignores this detail, as she is too focused on her mission. This allows Dorotea, shocking her sisters by using her friend Lila's face, to win them over.
A flashback scene earlier in the episode saw Valya, Tula, Francesca, and Kasha kill all of Dorotea's followers using the Voice. When Valya took over the organization, she did so by murdering nearly half of the sisters which had been unified under Mother Superior Raquella. She then buried them in a hole in the room where she had murdered Dorotea. Dorotea somehow knows this and reveals the carnage to the Brotherhood. Sister Ávila, who was present that day and was also dissatisfied with the Harkonnen sisters, confirms this to be true.
Why did so many sisters take their own lives after Dorotea's death?
Valya gave them a deadly ultimatum
A brutal scene following Dorotea's death shows several members of the Brotherhood taking their own lives in response to Valya Harkonnen's request. With her and her friends using Voice, Valya orders these sisters to decide right then and there between serving her loyally or cutting their necks with her blades.. Forced to choose one of the options, those who do not believe they are capable of following Valya truly and loyally take their own lives. While it may have been their choice, the use of the Voice essentially makes this murder.
Sister Ávila is the only sister outside the circle who accepts Valya that day. However, there are probably other sisters who were already loyal to Valya and who also survived this time. Those given the ultimatum were specifically the sisters loyal to Dorotea, and Valya wanted to eliminate them soon rather than be forced to deal with potential uprisings along the way. Having access to the Voice gives her a clear advantage over them, and they are easily killed.
What the truth about the Brotherhood's history means for the future of the Bene Gesserit
The Brotherhood is essentially in ruins in Dune: Prophecy end of season 1. Valya Harkonnen is still technically Mother Superior and is carrying out her plans by protecting Princess Ynez and looking to track down the creator behind Desmond Hart. THE The problem for Valya now is that she is almost completely without supporters. Francesca and Kasha are dead, Tula is imprisoned, and the Imperium is under the control of Natalya and Desmond Hart, who despise her. On Wallach IX, Dorotea will be able to maintain power as long as she can access Lila's body.
Dune: Prophecy The first season saw Valya's ambition and lack of humanity constantly make people distrust her, and now, the bond between the young members of the Brotherhood has taken over. Younger sisters like Jen and Emeline trust Lila's face and words more than Valya's, and they don't want to be part of something with their friends who are used and end up dying for nothing. Dune: Prophecy season two will see the Harkonnen sisters away from Wallach IX for some time, and they will have to return with new strength to win back the organization.