Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Dune: Prophecy Episode 1 and the Dune Novels.In the first scenes of Dune: Prophecy, we finally get our first glimpses at the Butlerian Jihad, the great war between humanity and artificial intelligence (“thinking machines”) that results in the victory of the former and the complete banning of the latter. Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson) explains that this war happened not so long before the present in the series, but those events are only ever mentioned in Frank Herbert‘s Dune novels, never properly shown. So where in this universe can we find the facts of the Machine War?
The Machine War Has a Book Trilogy of Its Own in the ‘Dune’ Universe
Even though it happened over 10,000 years before its events, the consequences of the Machine War are still deeply felt by everyone in Frank Herbert’s original Dune series. People are wary and even afraid of computers and machines in general, and only the essential technology is allowed. Unfortunately, Herbert died before he could complete the whole series, and his son, Brian Herbert, completed it with Kevin J. Anderson, writing the last entry, Chapterhouse: Dune.
Frank could never fully convey his vision of what the Butlerian Jihad actually looked like, but fortunately, Brian and Anderson did. Together, they wrote a number of prequel novels expanding on some of this universe’s key aspects, including the Machine War. Their Legends of Dune trilogy comprises three novels that follow the events of the war itself: The Butlerian Jihad, The Machine Crusade, and The Battle of Corrin.
Prophecy is set around a century after the events of the Machine War, and uses another trilogy by Brian and Anderson as the basis: Great Schools of Dune, comprised of Sisterhood of Dune, Mentats of Dune, and Navigators of Dune. These explore the galaxy in the aftermath of the Machine War, and how it led to the formation of the institutions present in the original series.
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‘Dune: Prophecy’ Episode 1 Recap: A Conspiracy Begins To Unfold
It’s time to return to the ‘Dune’ universe.
The Events in ‘Legends of Dune’ Influence the Galaxy for Millennia
The Dune universe is fascinating because of its complexity and unique dynamics, which come, in part, from its multiple institutions and organizations. The Bene Gesserit, the Mentats, the Guild Navigators, and many others begin as direct consequences of humanity’s rebellion against thinking machines, as is the feud between houses Atreides and Harkonnen. It’s all explored in Legends of Dune.
The Machine War itself began on Earth when the sadistic AI Erasmus kills the infant son of human diplomat Serena Butler. At that time, humans were mostly slaves to the machines, which, in turn, were created by a group of twenty beings known as cymeks — former humans whose brains are kept alive on robotic bodies. The murder of Serena’s child galvanizes humanity everywhere to rise against the machines, including the son of one of the cymeks, Vorian Atreides. He, Serena, and Xavier Harkonnen lead humanity in the earlier stages of the war against the Synchronized Worlds led by the evermind Omnius. In this context, humanity avoids machines at all costs.
The Bene Gesserit, for example, begin as the Sorcerers of Rossak, developing complete control over their minds and bodies. The Mentats come from a person trained by Erasmus itself to “think efficiently,” and the Spacing Guild comes from research into ways of bypassing the need for computers when traveling through space. Even medicine had to adapt, leading to the creation of the Suk School.
The war rages on for over a century, finally coming to an end at the Battle of Corrin, when Vorian Atreides (who had an expanded lifespan; it’s complicated), Abulurd Harkonnen, and Faykan Butler lead humanity to defeat the machines. The first two have a major altercation, resulting in House Harkonnen being exiled and branded as cowards, while the Atreides are hailed as heroes. Faykan Butler takes on the name Corrino in honor of the battle, effectively starting the Corrino Empire.
Dune: Prophecy is available to stream on Max in the U.S. New episodes air weekly on Sundays.
Set in the universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune series, this sci-fi epic follows the political and spiritual struggles on the desert planet of Arrakis. As factions vie for control of the prized spice melange, a prophesied hero emerges, challenging the balance of power and the fate of the galaxy.
- Release Date
- November 17, 2024
- IMDb ID
- tt10466872
- TMDB User Rating
- 0 .0
- Cast
- Emily Watson , Olivia Williams , Jodhi May , Travis Fimmel , Mark Strong , Jade Anouka , Chris Mason , Sarah-Sofie Boussnina , Shalom Brune-Franklin , Faoileann Cunningham , Aoife Hinds , Chloe Lea , Josh Heuston , Edward Davis , Tabu , Yerin Ha
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
- Seasons
- 1
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