Lady Jessica links the Bene Gesserit to the Atreides family in Dunebut was an Atreides ever a member of the Bene Gesserit before Duke Leto's concubine? HBO news Dune TV series, Dune: Prophecyexpanded the franchise's lore in some important ways. Set 10,000 years before the events of Denis Villenueve Dune films (it doesn't get more prequel than this), the series explores the origins of the Bene Gesserit. It introduced the Landsraad High Council and the roots of the conflict between the Atreides and Harkonnen families.
When Jessica gave birth to Paul, Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam was furious with her because she was supposed to have only daughters. But Mohiam changed his mind when he saw Paul's potential. The Atreides bloodline ended up becoming inextricably linked to the Bene Gesserit when Paul was cast in the messianic role of Lisan al'Gaib. But is Jessica the first Atreides to be a member of the Bene Gesserit, or has there been an Atreides in their ranks before?
Reverend Mother Raquella Berto-Anirul was the illegitimate granddaughter of Vorian Atreides
Raquella was the founder of the Bene Gesserit Order
There was, in fact, an Atreides within the Bene Gesserit long before Lady Jessica appeared. In truth, the original member of the Bene Gesserit, Raquella Berto-Anirul, was an Atreides. She was the founder and first Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit Order under its original name, the Brotherhood of Rossak. The identity of Raquella's father is unknown, but she is an Atreides on her mother's side. His mother, Helmina Berto-Anirul, was the illegitimate daughter of Karida Julan and Vorian Atreides; Vorian was the founder of House Atreides.
Raquella appears as a guest in Dune: Prophecyplayed by Cathy Tyson. She dies at the beginning of the first episode, after having a vision of a deadly reckoning, Tiran-Arafel, but her great-great-granddaughter Lila tries to contact her from beyond the grave. Raquella briefly reappears in the fifth episode, "In Blood, Truth", when she possesses Lila to praise Valya. She's not a major character in the series – only in the pilot episode's prologue – but she's clearly a huge figure in Bene Gesserit history.
Raquella Berto-Anirul was the first Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother of Dune
Raquella left behind a legacy that changed the world
Raquella was the first Reverend Mother of the Bene Gesserit Order. She led a long and impactful life and left a world-changing legacy behind. After her husband was killed in the war, Raquella became a doctor and dedicated her life to saving people injured in war zones. She created the antidote that ended the Rossak epidemic. She worked at the Hospital for Incurable Diseases during the Scourge of Omnius. Raquela is one of the Dune most benevolent characters in the saga.