Dune: Part Two sees the return of Part One‘s major factions, including the enigmatic Bene Gesserit. So, just who are the Bene Gesserit, and what role do they play in Dune 2?
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Dune 2: Who Are the Bene Gesserit, Explained
As depicted in Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel Dune and director Denis Villeneuve’s two-part film adaptation, the Bene Gesserit is a religious sisterhood. Their order dates back over 10,000 years and is a major political force in the Dune universe. Indeed, the Bene Gesserit’s quasi-head honcho, Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, has the ear of Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV himself.
This outsized level of influence often leads outsiders to brand the Bene Gesserit witches – and not entirely unfairly, either. The Bene Gesserit do pull a lot of strings behind the scenes, shaping entire civilizations for their own ends despite presenting themselves as humble servants to the Empire and its Great Houses. That the sisterhood’s members all possess superhuman physical and mental abilities only adds to the supernatural aura surrounding the Bene Gesserit.
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These powers include incredible martial arts prowess, detecting the lies of others, and a form of limited, verbal compulsion known as “the Voice.” Bene Gesserit sisters also have total control over their bodies; they can slow their aging, safely process deadly poisons, and even determine the sex of the children they carry! Reverend Mothers boast additional gifts, such as “Other Memory:” the ability to tap into the minds and egos of their female ancestors.
Notable Bene Gesserit introduced in Dune: Part One include Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam and Lady Jessica. Lady Jessica’s son and Dune protagonist Paul Atreides also has Bene Gesserit powers, due to the special circumstances of his birth (more on that below). That said, for obvious reasons – he’s a dude – Paul isn’t a member of the Bene Gesserit.
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What Role Does the Bene Gesserit Play in Dune and Dune 2?
In Dune: Part One, the Bene Gesserit’s millennia-spanning scheme to breed a male savior figure, the Kwisatz Haderach, with powers surpassing their own comes to fruition in Paul. But there’s a catch: Paul wasn’t supposed to be the Kwisatz Haderach – he wasn’t even supposed to be born, period. Defying the Reverend Mother, Jessica gave Paul’s father, Leto, the son he desperately wanted, instead of the daughter who would’ve birthed the Kwisatz Haderach a generation later.
This throws the Bene Gesserit’s plans out of whack. It also gives them less oversight of Paul, who’s raised outside their clutches. Even so, the sinister sect still interferes with its manufactured messiah’s life now and then, notably to administer the gom jabbar – the pain endurance test Paul passes to prove his self-control. The Reverend Mother also lobbies Baron Harkonnen to spare Paul and Jessica’s lives when he launches his attack on House Atreides, however, he still tries bumping them off.
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That’s pretty much it for the Bene Gesserit’s involvement in Dune 1 – so what about Dune 2? Without wading too deeply into spoiler territory, the Bene Gesserit directly and indirectly impact the sequel’s narrative in several major ways. Not only will Paul’s Kwisatz Haderach visions guide his actions and character arc in Dune: Part Two, but a Bene Gesserit-invented Fremen prophecy ensures his troops’ unwavering loyalty.
The Bene Gesserit will also dispatch a previously unseen acolyte, Lady Margot Fenring, to keep tabs on Paul’s new nemesis – and fellow breeding program subject – Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. You can expect the Reverend Mother to eventually step back into the spotlight before the credits roll, too.
Dune: Part Two arrives in cinemas on March 1, 2024.
