As a die-hard fan of epic fantasy series, I can’t help but draw parallels between the new arrival, Dune: Prophecy, and the much-loved House of the Dragon. After binge-watching both shows, it feels like I’ve stepped into a time machine, transported from the Great Houses of Westeros to the far-off lands of Arrakis.
[This story contains spoilers from the Dune: Prophecy series premiere, as well as House of the Dragon seasons one and two.]
After the conclusion of a long-standing conflict in a distant mythical realm, there occurs a shift in government, setting off a power struggle. From then on, one group wields significant influence over the remainder of the world, as others maneuver and conspire with the aim of gaining supreme authority – or face failure in their attempts.
Could this ring a bell? It might be because it’s a somewhat general description of two HBO series that aired episodes this year: House of the Dragon, which concluded its second season during the summer, and the latest addition, Dune: Prophecy, inspired by the novel universe established by Frank Herbert and most recently brought to screen by Denis Villeneuve in film.
Following closely behind the highly admired (and another Max production) titled “Penguin”, the new “Dune” series aspires to enthrall HBO fans with yet another adaptation of an epic novel, which shares some similarities with another such adaptation. While initial critiques have likened “Dune: Prophecy” to a “Game of Thrones” clone, is it accurate to make this comparison for a series that stands on the foundation of its own well-established franchise?
With the premiere episode of “Dune,” titled “The Hidden Hand,” now available, let’s scrutinize it and form our own opinions. To help us compare, let’s examine some shared aspects from “Dune” and “House of the Dragon” to determine just how similar they truly are.
° In the series Dune: Prophecy, events unfold 116 years following a conflict, while the birth of Paul Atreides is 10,148 years ahead. Unfortunately, Timothee Chalamet won’t be appearing in this show, but perhaps they’ll cast a doppelganger. On the other hand, House of the Dragon takes place 100 years after its own war (Aegon’s Conquest) and 172 years prior to Daenerys Targaryen’s birth. Both shows provide information about their timelines in title cards following an opening sequence, with a more extended and violent one for Dune.
In the series “Dune: Prophecy” and “House of the Dragon,” or more famously known as “Game of Thrones,” power and control over the throne are central themes. For Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen in “Dune: Prophecy,” her ambition is to mold the Imperium into a utopian future. On the other hand, both shows, especially “Game of Thrones” and its prequel “House of the Dragon,” are deeply engrossed in political machinations as various characters strive for power and claim the throne for themselves.
In the shows Vikings and Raised by Wolves, there are certain characters that share similarities. For instance, Travis Fimmel, who played a significant role in both series, delves into violent roles again this time as Desmond Hart, a soldier with his own ulterior motives. This character is not unlike his Game of Thrones counterpart, Daemon Targaryen. There’s also a hint of King Viserys in Mark Strong’s Emperor Corrine, a character making questionable moral decisions for what he believes is the greater good. As for the characters Valya and Tula (played by Olivia Williams and Emma Canning in flashbacks), they seem to mirror Rhaenyra and Alicent at the moment. It remains to be seen what the future may bring.
In the initial episode, Dune manages to traverse a vast expanse of territory that House of the Dragon took five episodes to navigate. A key character in Dune, a young princess, shares intimate moments with her sworn guardian; this is comparable to Rhaenyra and Criston Cole’s relationship in House of the Dragon. These romantic encounters take place in nightclub-like settings in both series. Both productions feature wedding ceremonies that erupt into unexpected violence, albeit with different levels of brutality: one prince meets his end in a fiery explosion after messing with a high-tech gadget, while Rhaenyra and Laenor’s midway wedding in the first season was marked by chaos. Regrettably, both series share the unfortunate theme of childhood royal betrothals. Other similarities abound.
It’s quite intriguing how the stories of “House of the Dragon” and “Dune: Prophecy” seem to align rather nicely. In the case of “Dune”, there is a significant plot device known as the Breeding Index, similar to the Targaryen’s Valyrian dagger and its prophecy of Ice and Fire. Both are powerful artifacts that must be safeguarded from falling into the wrong hands. As in another series set in space, “All of this has happened before, all of this will happen again,” seems to echo the recurring themes in these narratives.
If Dune seems similar to a Game of Thrones series, it’s because we’ve been pondering over intricate royal lineages and the corrupting influence of power for quite some time before television even existed as we know it today. The main question here is whether Dune: Prophecy will manage to stand out by offering a unique twist in the genre of grandiose adventure epics. At this point, it’s somewhat vague, but with five episodes remaining, there’s still time to find out.
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Dune: Prophecy releases new episodes Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO/Max, streaming on Max.
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2024-11-18 06:24