WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Dune: Prophecy and Dune: Part Two.
Several of the characters from the HBO prequel series Dune: Prophecy are distant ancestors of the characters of the recent Dune films. Dune: Prophecy is a six-part series based on the 2012 novel Dune Brotherhoodwhich was written by the original Dune son of author Frank Herbert, Brian, and Kevin J. Anderson. The story takes place more than 10,000 years before the rise of Paul Atreidies, narrated in the book by Denis Villenueve. Dune (2020) and Dune: Part Two (2024). Dune: Prophecy reveals the origins of the powerful shadow brotherhood known as the Bene Gesserit and how they manipulated the destiny of humanity.
Dune: Prophecy Episode 1 “The Hidden Hand” introduces Emily Watson’s Valya Harkonnen, a fierce and calculated leader, and her biological sister, Tula Harkonnen. Together, they oversee the development of highly qualified young women who learn to become Bene Gesserit sisters. The beginning of Dune: Prophecy also reveals how Valya came to power in the early days of the Bene Gesserit, which involved using the Voice’s supernatural power to kill Dorotea, the Reverend Mother Superior’s biological granddaughter, Raquella. Dorotea had a moral vision for the Bene Gesserit, but Valya had something else in mind.
The Great Houses seen in the Dune films – Atreides, Corrino and Harkonnen – fought together against the Thinking Machines during the ancient war known as Buterlian Jihad. This was the last time that House Harkonenn and House Atredies fought for the same end. As seen in Dune films, there is a lot of bad blood and conflict in the story between House Harkonnen and House Atreides, as the former tries to completely destroy the latter, setting them up for failure and death on the spice planet Arrakis. As revealed in Dune: Prophecythis rivalry began long before the rise of Paul Atreides with the determination of the Reverend Mother Superior, Valya Harkonnen.
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Valya Harkonnen
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, Jessica Atreides, Glossu “Beast” Rabban
Valya Harkonnen is the protagonist of Dune: Prophecy portrayed by Emily Watson. She is the second Reverend Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit who is determined to place a Sister on the throne of the Empire and prevent the impending Reckoning or Tiran Arafel from occurring. Valya is the distant relative of all Harkonnen characters seen in the Dune filmswhich includes Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, Jessica Atreides and Glossu “Beast” Rabban. While Jessica was married to House Atreides, she is revealed to be the daughter of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in Dune: Part Twowhich makes her a descendant of Valya.
Valya has made it her life’s mission to protect the bloodlines she orchestrated for the Bene Gesserit to maintain imperial control. At the beginning Dune: Prophecy episode 1, Valya predicts that a female empress will come to power 30 years before the main narrative of the series takes place. Raquella warned Valya of an impending reckoning known as Tiran-Arafel, which the Sisters recognized as “a sacred judgment brought about by a tyrant.” To prevent this from happening, Valya plans to place one of the Bene Gesserit on the thronewho arrives in the form of Princess Ynez, daughter of Emperor Javicco Corrino and Empress Natalya.
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Tula Harkonnen
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, Jessica Atreides, Glossu “Beast” Rabban
As Valya’s biological sister, Tula Harkonnen is also distantly related to Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, Jessica Atreides, and Glossu “Beast” Rabban. Tula is played by Olivia Williams, best known for her appearances in The Sixth Sense and The crown. Tula is more compassionate than the formidable Valya and is second in command of the Bene Gesserit Brotherhood. Despite her softer heart, Tula is incredibly loyal to her sister, Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen.and chooses to follow even the most pitiful orders for the betterment of the Brotherhood and House Harkonnen.
As shown in Dune: Prophecy episode 2 “Two Wolves”, Sister Tula Harkonnen took Lila under her wing as one of her most exceptional and promising students. Tula raised Lila as if she were her own daughter, but she is not her real mother. Tula reminds Lila that the Brotherhood separates babies from their mothers in order to promote a feeling of solidarity between them. Tula confesses to Lila that her mother died during childbirth and suggests, without promising, that she will be able to see her during the Agony ritual. Since Lila’s mother was not there when she met Raquella and Dorotea in the spirit realm, this suggests that Lila’s mother may still be alive.
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Harrow Harkonnen
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, Jessica Atreides, Glossu “Beast” Rabban
Harrow Harkonnen, played by Edward Davis, is Tula Harkonnen’s nephew. This makes him a distant ancestor of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, Jessica Atreides, and Glossu “Beast” Rabban as well. Although Harrow Harkonnen has not yet played a significant role in Dune: Prophecy after two episodeshe will likely serve a greater purpose before the 6-part limited series ends. Davis is best known for his previous roles in Shadow and Bone and Emma. According to Dune Wikihe is a “Rising politician from a once large family who harbored a strong desire to elevate their House to its former glory.”
As he shares a similar desire to redeem the reputation of House Harkonnen, which was banished after the war against the Thinking Machines and the Battle of Corrino, Harrow will likely become an important resource for Valya and possibly her Aunt Tula. Valya blames Vorian Atreides for the shame brought to House Harkoenn that occurred before the events of Dune: Prophecy. Vorian accused Valya’s great-grandfather, Bashar Abdulurd Harkonnen, of cowardice after the Battle of Corrin, which occurred before the Butlerian Jihad in 88 BG. Dune: Prophecy states that one Atreides showed great valor during the Butlerian Jihad, while Valya’s great-grandfather showed cowardice, which is the source of his hatred for House Atreides and the cause of the 10,000-year rivalry between the two houses.
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Emperor Javicco Corrino
Emperor Shaddam IV, Princess Irulan
Emperor Javicco Corrino is the distant ancestor of Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken) and Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), who were both introduced in Dune: Part Two. Before Paul Atriedes rose to defeat Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and claim the Emperor’s throne for himself, House Corrino ruled the empire for over 10,000 yearsworking hand in hand with the Bene Gesserit. It was in the year 10,193 AD that Paul Atreides removed Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV from his reign and demanded that he marry his daughter, Princess Irulan Corrino, at the end of Dune: Part Two. Paulo sought revenge on the Corrinos after what they did to his father, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Issac), in the first Dune film. The Emperor had “promoted” Duke Leto to oversee spice production on Arrakis, preparing him for the Harkonenn to regain control of their planet.
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Empress Natalya Arat Corrino
Emperor Shaddam IV, Princess Irulan
Empress Natalya Arat Corrino married into the Corrino line through Javicco Corrino and is the mother of Prince Constantine Corrino and Princess Ynez Corrino. His original family history is not known after two episodes of Dune: Prophecy. This means that, like her husband, she is a distant royal ancestor of Emperor Shaddam IV and Princess Irulan. During Dune: Prophecy episode 2, Empress Corrino chooses to use Desmond Hart’s magical powers to her advantage. It’s quite possible that since Natalya is working with Desmond Hart, she will face opposition from Valya and the other Harkonnens in future episodes. Natalya is played by Jodhi May, best known for The Last of the Mohicans and The wizard.
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Prince Constantine Corrino
Emperor Shaddam IV, Princess Irulan
As the son of Empress Natalya Arat and Emperor Javicco Corrino, Prince Constantine Corrino is also a distant relative of Emperor Shaddam IV and Princess Irulan. Throughout the first two episodes of Dune: Prophecy, Constantine is portrayed as a hedonistic party-goer with few serious concerns as well as protecting his sister, Princess Ynez. He should have a more integral role in the series if heads start to collide between House Harkonnen and House Corrino. For now, he has a special interest in Duke Ferdinand Richese’s daughter, Lady Shannon. No member of House Richese appears in any of the Dune films.
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Princess Ynez Corrino
Emperor Shaddam IV, Princess Irulan
Like Corrino, Princess Ynez is a distant relative of Emperor Shaddam IV and Princess Irulan. Ynez is admitted into the Bene Gesserit training program, where she must be treated like any other student. This will make her the first Bene Gesserit Sister to become Empress, which is in line with Valya’s master plan. Princess Ynez enters into an arranged marriage with the young Prince Pruwet Richese of House Richese in exchange for elite spice excavators that the Emperor can use on Arrakis. Princess Ynez is the key to the Bene Gesserit plan coming to fruition and preventing Tiran Arafel from happening.. Your Corrino bloodline will be protected and controlled by the Bene Gesserit for thousands of years.
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Keiran Atreides
Paul Atreides, Leto Atreides, Alia Atreides
The only Atreides character featured in Dune: Prophecy is the master swordsman Keiran, ancestor of Paul Atreides, his sister Alia and his father, Duke Leto. Keiran is featured in Dune: Prophecy much like Josh Brolin’s Gurney Halleck was featured in the recent Dune film. Keiran trains Princess Ynez in hand-to-hand combat techniques and sword fighting as she proves herself to be a competitive warrior. There’s also undeniable romantic tension between Keiran and Ynez which is later played out in a club scene that involves drug use and sexual intimacy. Although it is presented in the first moments of Dune: Prophecyhe does not play a major role in the pilot episode, which may hint at his eventual impact on the course of the series.