So, you watched Dune: Prophecy episode 1 on HBO Max. Congratulations on your bravery. Let’s face it—Dune adaptations are a minefield. Remember David Lynch’s Dune? Of course, you do because it’s impossible to unsee Sting in that ridiculous winged codpiece. And whilst Denis Villeneuve’s recent entries managed to elevate the franchise from high-school drama club aesthetics to actual cinema, they also came dangerously close to being too good—almost like Dune took itself seriously.
And now, here we are, back on shaky ground with Dune: Prophecy. Sure, the first episode was watchable, despite some environmental CGI that looks like it came out of a Sims expansion pack. But this isn’t a film review channel, so let’s dive into the show’s actual content—or, as I like to call it, The Philosophy 101 Drinking Game.
Eugenics: Creepy, Even by Dune Standards
Ah, eugenics. Nothing screams cosy sci-fi night in like a narrative steeped in genetic elitism. The Bene Gesserit’s obsessive fixation on a “pure bloodline” takes centre stage, making you wonder if they’re auditioning for a dystopian version of Who Do You Think You Are?. Creepy is putting it mildly. It’s all very master race, but with better posture and less obvious moustaches.
Righteousness vs. Power: The Valya Harken Show
Valya Harken is an enigma—or perhaps just your classic power-hungry sociopath cloaked in the silky veil of duty. Is she righteous? Maybe. Is she using morality as a smokescreen for her own ambition? Absolutely. Watching her wrestle with her supposed “deontological duty” to the sisterhood is like watching a cat pretend it cares about knocking over your wine glass. Sure, it’s interesting, but it’s also patently obvious there’s an ulterior motive.
Her quest for power is unmistakable. But here’s the kicker: the sisterhood needs someone like her. Systems, after all, fight to survive, and Valya is just the ruthless gladiator they require. Whether her motives are noble or nefarious is irrelevant because survival trumps all in the Dune universe. Her arc underscores the show’s recurring obsession with false dichotomies—righteousness versus calculated ambition. It’s not “one or the other,” folks. It’s always both.
Progress as a Façade
Progress, Dune-style, is a beautifully brutal illusion. One group’s advancement always comes at another’s expense, a message that’s summed up perfectly by the episode’s pull quote: “Adversity Always Lies in the Path of Advancement.” In other words, progress is just oppression with better PR. It’s a meta-narrative as old as civilisation, and Dune leans into it with an almost smug glee.
Lies, Manipulation, and the Human Condition
If humanity’s greatest weapon is the lie, then the Bene Gesserit are armed to the teeth. For a group that claims to seek truth, they certainly have no qualms about spinning elaborate deceptions. Case in point: the mind games encapsulated by “You and I remember things differently.” It’s a phrase so loaded with gaslighting potential it should come with a trigger warning.
This manipulation isn’t just a tool; it’s the cornerstone of their ethos. Truth-seeking? Sure. But only if the “truth” serves their interests. It’s classic utilitarianism: the ends justify the means, even if those means involve rewriting history—or someone else’s memory.
Fatalism, Virtue Ethics, and the Inescapable Past
The Dune universe loves a good dose of fatalism, and Prophecy is no exception. The idea that “our past always finds us” is hammered home repeatedly as characters grapple with choices, bloodlines, and cultural memory. It’s as though everyone is permanently stuck in a Freudian therapy session, doomed to relive ancestral traumas ad infinitum. In this world, identity is less a personal construct and more a hand-me-down curse.
Self-Discipline and Sacrifice: The Dune Holy Grail
Finally, we come to self-discipline and sacrifice, the twin pillars of Dune’s moral framework. Whether voluntarily undertaken or brutally enforced, these themes dominate the narrative. It’s a trope as old as time, but it works because it’s relatable—who among us hasn’t sacrificed something important for an uncertain future? Of course, in Dune, that sacrifice usually involves something more dramatic than skipping dessert. Think more along the lines of betraying allies, murdering rivals, or, you know, manipulating an entire galaxy.
The Verdict
Dune: Prophecy has potential. It’s rich in philosophical musings, political intrigue, and that uniquely Dune blend of high drama and existential dread. Sure, the CGI needs work, and some of the dialogue could use an upgrade (how about less exposition, more nuance?), but there’s enough meat here to keep you chewing. Whether it evolves into something truly epic—or collapses under the weight of its own ambition—remains to be seen. Either way, it’s worth watching, if only to see how far humanity’s greatest weapon—the lie—can take the sisterhood.
Philosophics 