Dune: Prophecy’s Desmond is a thriller henceforth unknown to Dune lore

[Ed. note: This post contains spoilers for the end of Dune: Prophecy episode 1.]

In our world, most Dune lore is thought. Whereas Dune, as a narrative, is rooted in choosing aside the messy intricacies of propaganda and prophecy, we — as readers and watchers of the Dune franchise — kind of know what the world incorporates (give or take a brand new entry right here or there).

However then this motherfucker named Desmond Hart walks into Dune: Prophecy and all the pieces modifications.

Desmond, performed by Travis Fimmel, is a little bit of an enigma on the planet of Dune: Prophecy: He’s come from Arrakis, the place he claims his crew was attacked by the emperor’s enemies in an effort to hurt his standing. He’s invited to remain, though the emperor’s truthsayer is aware of he’s mendacity — she sees him on the spice-filled deserts of Arrakis staring down an enormous sandworm, although we don’t know rather more about her imaginative and prescient. He saunters across the palace and, in the end, burns a child utilizing solely his thoughts. In our world, such pyrokinesis isn’t a identified component in Dune’s mythos, making Desmond a really curious specimen certainly.

Like all issues Prophecy, it’s protected to say his telekinetic powers are an extension of the e book’s lore, slightly than one thing truly present in them. Which all units up the most important mysteries of Prophecy after only a single episode: Who’s he, how did he get these powers, and the way will his life discover its place among the many annals of historical past? With Dune coming 10,000 years after the occasions right here, what may Desmond be right here to introduce to the on-screen lore of the franchise?

This early there’s a couple of other ways we might take it — so right here’s a few of our greatest guesses as to what Desmond is likely to be right here to do (and, in the end, what which may imply he’s able to).

He’s the beginning of the Sardaukar

A desert-trained warrior who was not born into court docket life however whose expertise and prowess earn the respect of these of upper rank, with a traditional human particular person title? Perhaps slightly too regular?

That’s your Duncan Idaho kind, my pal. A personality who started life as Home Atreides’ swordmaster finally grew to become one thing of a mascot for wider Dune canon. Regardless of what number of occasions Idaho dies, Brian Herbert retains discovering methods to convey him again and put him on the middle of galactic issues once more (normally through cloning).

Which is simply to say: When you’re doing a Dune story, you gotta have a Duncan Idaho. However what’s Desmond Hart truly doing on this story? I haven’t a clue, but when I needed to take a rip of the bong and guess one thing, it will be this:

Dune: Prophecy has promised us the rise of the Bene Gesserit order, however there are many different pillars of Dune’s setting which might be as but unformed in its time interval. And because the present is absolutely leaning into the other of expectations — rooting for the Harkonnens, making the Atreides kinda shifty — what if as a substitute Duncan Idaho befriending the Fremen, Desmond Hart winds up changing into a pivotal determine within the creation of the Emperor’s notorious Sardaukar military? —Susana Polo

He’s the Kwisatz Haderach (sorta)

Only one episode in, this present already appears very inquisitive about offering the origin story for among the most necessary tenets of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood. With that in thoughts, I’m going to throw out a wild card thought on Desmond: Perhaps he’s the proto-Kwisatz Haderach.

Not that he’s the true factor, and even what the Bene Gesserit would finally evolve the idea into, however slightly that he’s the primary inkling the Sisterhood has {that a} male might achieve magical powers from unusual interactions with Shai-Hulud.

Perhaps no matter occurs in Dune: Prophecy will lead the Bene Gesserit to resolve that pursuing a Desmond Hart of their very own, one which’s been completely and selectively bred in order that they might have most management over him, is likely to be a mission value pursuing. On high of that, possibly the concept of Desmond as a strong supernatural pressure might assist encourage the Sisterhood to create the Missionaria Protectiva, too, giving them the concept to plant the seeds of supernatural perception all through the universe, together with on Arrakis itself. —Austen Goslin

Pay attention, my equation’s easy. Desmond Hart spent some essential time on Arrakis. Arrakis, famously, is full of desert. Deserts, famously, are sizzling. And so is no matter cursed hearth magic Desmond used on that poor baby. Desert is sizzling + hearth is sizzling = Desmond’s utilizing desert energy. It’s simply simple arithmetic. —Pete Volk