Dune: Prophecy stars Emily Watson and Olivia Williams have explained why House Harkonnen are the heroes in the prequel series, unpacking their history. Dune Prophecy‘s story begins by revealing Valya (Watson) and Tula’s (Williams) great-grandfather deserted the war against thinking machines, led by House Atreides, forcing the Harkonnens to live on a cold, isolated planet. With the two sisters acting as early versions of the Bene Gesserit, however, they now have the ability to influence the galaxy to their liking, especially as Valya attempts to get one of their own as Empress of the Known Universe.

Speaking with Variety, Watson and Williams explained how the Harkonnen’s being the heroes in Dune: Prophecy reflects the complex history of the franchise. Watson posited that not everyone in the series is good or bad, but that it’s a matter of perspective, while Williams unpacked how the feud between the families reflects real-world politics in its presentation. Check out what the lead actors had to say below:

Watson: The name Atreides makes us wince because they have, based on a lie, ruined our reputation and our fortunes. That’s how I’m telling it. In the “Dune” universe, there’s nothing really that properly qualifies as good or bad. We think we’re very good. Not everybody would agree.

Williams: If you look back at any war over land and power and family feuds, where does it start? The science fiction in the 60s has this honorable tradition of reflecting what you see in real politics now. Who was there first? Who owns this land? Whose family spat on whose goat first? It’s human nature in whatever generation, 10,000 or 20,000 years from now. Sadly, people don’t forget.

What The Lead Actors’ Statements Mean For Dune: Prophecy

The Show Can Present The Harkonnens In A Sympathetic Light

 

The show’s current storyline involves Valya leading the Sisterhood in their attempt to get one of their own on the throne, that being Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina). However, despite her marriage to the young Prince Pruwet Richese (Charlie Hodson-Prior), Dune: Prophecy episode 1 ended with Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel) burning him to death with unseen power. This emphasizes a hidden agenda against the sisters’ wishes, which threatens to leave the Golden Lion Throne empty, or with an unchecked ruler having power over the whole galaxy.

While Dune: Prophecy‘s characters could be seen as trying to control the galaxy for secret influence, the Harkonnen sisters seemingly believe having the Sisterhood in power will redeem their House. Despite the family’s villainy in the Dune movies, their motives in the prequel emphasize how they feel wronged by House Atreides, wanting to ensure their influence brings their family back from disgrace. Since the films show them in league with Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken), it seems the sisters’ actions will set the stage for their family’s redemption.

Our Take On Dune: Prophecy Portraying Harkonnens As The Heroes

The New Perspective Fleshes Out The Sci-Fi Universe

The Harkonnen sisters taking the spotlight in Dune: Prophecy offers a new perspective on the family’s antagonism of House Atreides, showing how their future actions against them truly come to pass. It also seems like their scheme to get Ynez on the throne is what redeems their family in the eyes of the Empire, potentially leading into how they wind up controlling spice harvesting on Arrakis. With five episodes left to explore their intentions, it won’t be long until the prequel series offers more details on their unique viewpoint.

Upcoming Episode of Dune: Prophecy
Release Date

Episode 2: “Two Wolves”
11-24-2024

Episode 3: “Sisterhood Above All”
12-01-2024

Episode 4: TBA
12-08-2024

Episode 5: TBA
12-15-2024

Episode 6: TBA
12-22-2024