Dune Prophecy Poster Travis Fimmel, Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Mark Strong, Dune: Prophecy is set 10,000 years before the rise of Paul Atreides. The show also explores the origins of one of the Imperium’s power players.

Dune: Prophecy hit the ground running with a shocking premiere, depicting a death competing with House of the Dragon‘s most controversial scene. The new Dune series is a distant precursor to the events of the movies, which reveals how the Bene Gesserit manipulates the Imperium behind the scenes. In an interview with The Direct, actor Jihae, who played Reverend Mother Kasha, explained how Dune: Prophecy expands the lore of the movies. As Truthsayer to the most powerful man in the Imperium, Kasha’s role also proved crucial to the clandestine beginnings of the Bene Gesserit.

Dune: Prophecy still featuring a member of the Bene Gesserit. Dune Prophecy Image Sarah Sofie Boussnina in Dune Prophecy Desmond Hart stands at attention, his hands clasped in front of him Valya surrounded by her Sisters Princes Ynez, dressed in red, stares out at the gathering crowd Dune: Prophecy still featuring a member of the Bene Gesserit. Dune Prophecy Image Sarah Sofie Boussnina in Dune Prophecy Desmond Hart stands at attention, his hands clasped in front of him Valya surrounded by her Sisters Princes Ynez, dressed in red, stares out at the gathering crowd

“Well, this is a story about the Sisterhood,” Jihae said. “And how they have come to basically be in charge of the lineage of the ruling, the governing bodies, and how women used to rule the world. That’s a huge difference to the movies, I think.”

Dune: Prophecy revealed the Truthsayers were ruthless in their mission to influence the Great Houses of the Imperium. Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two confirmed this when Reverend Mother Mohiam, Truthsayer to Emperor Shaddam IV, said the Bene Gesserit are the real kingmakers; they treated Feyd-Rautha, Paul Atreides, and every candidate who came before them as fodder to the long-term objective.

Jihae said her character wielded the same control over Emperor Javicco Corrino (played by Mark Strong), who in the premiere episode already discovered a threat to the Imperium’s fragile peace. “Working with Mark was a lot of fun and we played around with a lot of different ways,” she said. “And I thought one way was that she controlled him in multiple arenas. And we ended up just having it go very strictly one way, with her allegiance to the Sisterhood and just going to make sure that the main focus was on making sure that the wedding was going through… playing on his weakness.”

Earlier in the episode, Javicco consents to wed her daughter Princess Ynez to nine-year-old Pruwet of House Richese; the union intends to preserve the Imperial bloodline and assert Javicco’s control of Arrakis. A mysterious soldier convinces Javicco that House Richese is one of his many enemies; he suggests he wants the wedding plans “dealt with”. The episode ends with Pruwet and Kasha’s simultaneous deaths.

Lying Is a Truthsayer’s Survival Skill

Jihae said lying is a Truthsayer’s survival skill. It’s also a powerful weapon for those who can expertly wield it. “It is a very sophisticated task,” she asserted. “If you could do it convincingly. I think as a Truthsayer, or the best Truthsayer in the Sisterhood, or the most gifted, it’s an important piece to know. But, you know, sometimes people lie to protect. Sometimes people lie for personal gain. How bad is a lie? It’s a question. There’s definitely levels of lying. So a sophisticated task indeed.”

Dune: Prophecy Episode 1 is streaming on Max.