Earlier this year, it was announced that “Dune: Prophecy,” a TV show set in Frank Herbert’s “Dune” universe, is coming to HBO.
According to HBO, the series is based off of Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s book “Sisterhood of Dune” and focuses on the Bene Gesserit.
The plot description reads, “From the expansive universe of ‘Dune,’ created by acclaimed author Frank Herbert, and 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, ‘Dune: Prophecy’ follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit.”
Fans of the first two “Dune” films are familiar with the Bene Gesserit — Paul Artreides’ mother, Lady Jessica, is a member of the Bene Gesserit, and the order plays a significant role pulling the strings behind the scenes.
But who are the Bene Gesserit? And what role do they play in the “Dune” universe?
What is the Bene Gesserit?
The Bene Gesserit are a powerful sisterhood who secretly control and manipulate the great houses of the Empire. They do this by placing most of their members in noble families as wives, advisers or concubines.
Members of the Bene Gesserit have advanced physical and mental powers.
These women play a crucial role in the political and social structure in the “Dune” universe.
The Bene Gesserit has a “strict hierarchal structure,” according to Game Rant, with the Reverend Mother Superior “at the top.”
The other roles among the sisterhood are, according to Screen Rant:
- Reverend Mothers, “who are charged with different roles, such as gathering intelligence, building diplomatic relations, and breeding heirs.”
- Truthsayers, who are able to tell if someone is telling the truth.
- Proctor Superiors, who “run chapter houses.”
The sisterhood also has a breeding program, with the goal of producing the Kwisatz Haderach — or “a male member of the order,” per Game Rant, who will have the same powers as the Reverend Mother Superior.
The Bene Gesserit believe that the Kwisatz Haderach will “lead humanity into a stable and enlightened future,” per Game Rant.
The origins of the Bene Gesserit
(Potential spoilers for “Dune: Prophecy” ahead!)
The beginnings of the Bene Gesserit are outlined in “Sisterhood of Dune,” a prequel written by Brian Herbert in 2012, according to Game Rant. This is what “Dune: Prophecy” is based on, and why the project was originally titled “Dune: The Sisterhood.”
Ten thousand years before “Dune,” the Butlerian Jihad took place — a revolt where humanity rose against “robots, thinking machines, and artificial intelligence,” per Game Rant. Afterward, intelligent technology and “anything that could potentially replace humans” was banned from the galaxy.
After the war, humanity was vulnerable and adjusting to their new way of life. In the midst of the “political turmoil,” an order, which would later be known as the Bene Gesserit, saw an opportunity, the article said.
In “Sisterhood of Dune,” the sisterhood positions itself as an influential order and begin to hone their training and abilities.
Bene Gesserit powers
The Bene Gesserit have access to powers, depending on their rank, training and roles. Only the Reverend Mother Superior has access to all abilities and more, as well as the Kwisatz Haderach.
Here are some of the powers.
Prana-bindu conditioning
According to Screen Rant, “In the books, prana-bindu is a mind-body discipline taught to every acolyte, adept and Reverend Mother in the sisterhood, forming the very foundations of the Bene Gesserit Way.”
Prana-bindu gives the Bene Gesserit extraordinary mind and body control, which helps with pain management — essential for surviving the effects of the spice “in its rawest form, the Water of Life,” Screen Rant reported.
Partaking of the Water of Life is how members become Reverend Mothers, which is how Lady Jessica became the Freeman Reverend Mother in “Dune: Part 2.”
Prana-bindu is also essential for the Weirding Way, which is, according to Screen Rant, “an advanced system of close-quarters combat developed by the Bene Gesserit.”
Prescience
According to Dune Wiki, “Prescience was the term commonly used to describe the ability to see into both the past, present and future.”
Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, who trained Lady Jessica, had “some degree of prescience,” the article said. Paul also had powerful prescience.
Prescience was often used to aid the Bene Gesserit’s strategy and to foresee the genetic outcome of their breeding program.
The Voice
Fans of “Dune” Part 1 and Part 2 will likely remember the Voice, first introduced when Jessica helps Paul cultivate his power.
According to The Gamer, the Voice “modulates the frequency of spoken words to make them impact the listener on a subconscious level. Essentially, the Voice allows the user to issue irresistible commands verbally.”
The Bene Gesserit often use the Voice to subtly manipulate those they are trying to control. It is often used for “rumormongering and arranged marriages for their broader goals,” per the Gamer.
Additionally, members of the Bene Gesserit are trained to resist the Voice, which is mostly to stop “lower-ranking Sisters from manipulating their superiors,” the Gamer reports.
Truthsense
Truthsense is the ability to tell if someone is lying, a power that is employed by Truthsayers.
According to Screen Rant, Truthsayers “are particularly adept at analyzing people’s speech and physical mannerisms to determine whether they’re lying or speaking the truth.”
Genetic memory
Genetic memory is the access of ancestral memories, according to Dune Wiki. This is “hidden away within (someone’s) genetic code.”
Once a Reverend Mother drinks the Water of Life, they “gain access to their genetic memories” on their female side, Dune Wiki reports. These memories are called Other Memory, which is used as a source of knowledge.
When Paul ingested the Water of Life, he gained the memories of his male and female ancestors.
Additionally, people can receive genetic memory before they are born, such as Alia Atreides, Paul’s sister. These individuals are called “Pre-born,” and have access to both male and female memories.
When will ‘Dune: Prophecy’ be released?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the HBO series “Dune: Prophecy” will be released in November 2024.
A specific release date hasn’t been announced yet.