What does the "prophecy" of Dune: Prophecy refer to? Before the show's first episode, the answer seemed obvious and easy. The prequel series takes place 10,000 years before the birth of Paul Atreides. That long ago era marked the early days of the Sisterhood that put in motion a grand plan to breed the super being of Frank Herbert's seminal novel. But -- fittingly considering the nature of prophecy -- dark visions, conflicting objectives, a fearsome power, and the prescience of what awaits the galaxy makes divining the true meaning of the show's title less clear.
Raquella Berto-Anirul, a hero of the wars against the thinking machines, founded the Sisterhood that will become the Bene Gesserit. She wanted her group to help "govern the future." To bring about "transformation" she began a secret breeding program via royal unions with the goal of creating "better leaders" the Sisterhood would control. We know that plan, carried on at all costs by Valya Harkonnen, will eventually become focused on bringing about the Kwisatz Haderach. Yet, Dune: Prophecy's first episode raised serious questions about whether or not its own title specifically refers to that project.
On her deathbed, Mother Raquella saw an ominous vision of the future. "It's coming," she said as she saw red dust, a sandworm on Arrakis devouring buildings from other planets, blood, fire, and lights -- maybe eyes? maybe lights of a spaceship? -- among the stars. "Tiran-Arafel" she named the ominous forewarning. Her most devoted followers called that a "reckoning," a "holy judgement brought on by a tyrant." That unimaginable darkness could destroy the Sisterhood and all of humanity completely.
Raquella trusted Valya with ensuring her vision did not come to pass. The dying Mother Superior made Valya her successor. "You will be the one to see the burning and know the truth," she told Valya. By episode's end that burning became quite literal.
Reverend Mother Kasha guided the group's choice to rule the Corrino Empire, Princess Ynez, from the time she was a child. She was also instrumental in pushing Ynez to agree to marry the young Richese boy, which the Emperor was willing to gobecause of his vulnerability on Arrakis. (A position he's in because the Sisterhood is weakening his forces on the vital planet full of spice melange.) Days before their promise ceremony, though, Kasha had her own nightmarish vision. She saw Ynez wearing a gown of blood, the Princess and herself both swallowed by a sandworm, a rotten pomegranate representing a rotten marriage union, and the same lights in space Raquella had seen on her deathbed. The episode did not explore the full meaning of Kasha's horrible vision, but it did validate her fears.
Desmond Hart sees the Sisterhood for what it is. Thinking machines might be outlawed, but "the witches" are controlling mankind same as machines once had. And more than anyone else alive he might be able to stop the Sisterhood. On Arrakis, during an attack caused by the Sisterhood, a sandworm ate him. Only, somehow, he survived. And when he was "reborn" from the sands of Arrakis he emerged with a fearsome ability and a sacred purpose. Using only his mind he burned the young Richese boy alive from the inside out. As he did, across the galaxy on Wallach IX. Kasha suffered the same fate.
When Valya found the dying Kasha said had her own vision, which she called "the burning truth," the one Raquella had spoken of.
What does it all mean? Is Desmond Hart the burning truth Raquella warned against? While inside the sandworm did he imbibe the Water of Life -- as Paul Atreides will one day -- long before anyone even knew what that liquid could do? If so could Desmond create or even be 'the tyrant" who might bring about a holy judgement? Or is he the one who will try and stop this prophecy of doom? He did stop a wedding Kasha herself came to view as ruinous for all involved.
Or does the show's name refer to Kasha's warning to Valya, that the Sisterhood's plan to create a supreme leader could "cause the very thing" they seek to prevent? We know that will happen. Ten thousand years later billions will die because the Kwisatz Haderach the Bene Gesserit created will launch a holy war on the galaxy.
Even if Dune: Prophecy's title is as obvious as we thought before the first episode and it does refer to the Kwisatz Haderach, it's not nearly as simple. Even those responsible for putting mankind on a path that leads to Paul Atreides don't yet know exactly what prophecy they should fear.
Editor's Note: Dune: Prophecy is a Legendary Entertainment production. Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.