As a seasoned sci-fi enthusiast and someone who has seen their fair share of space operas, I must say that this latest episode of Dune: Prophecy left me with a mixed bag of emotions. On one hand, the action sequences were thrilling and the character development was intriguing. But on the other hand, the plot seems to have taken a rather chaotic turn, leaving many questions unanswered and the overall narrative feeling somewhat disjointed.
Knowing that another season of “Dune: Prophecy” is in production eases the burden on Episode 6, the season finale, since it doesn’t need to tie up all loose ends by Christmas. However, this isn’t necessarily a positive aspect, as Season 1 ended without much resolution. If there wasn’t a second season, Episode 6, titled “The High-Handed Enemy,” would have been disappointingly incomplete. As it currently stands, it only partially succeeds but still leaves viewers feeling frustrated, similar to many episodes this season. Here’s hoping that Season 2 improves upon this.
The title gets its name from the Gom Jabbar, the thin needle coated with meta-cyanide that is used by the Bene Gesserit to test people. We saw it in Dune (2021), when the Mother Superior held it to Paul Atreides’ neck and tested him (with that whole “hand in the box” trick). The needle has a literal role in Episode 6, but also seems figurative. Many of the major characters in the show are being put into positions they never wanted, but are forced to act as if the needle was right at their throat. They’re being tested at the end.
All Falls Down
In Episode 6, as per custom, the narrative is divided between the events unfolding for Valya and her Sisterhood, and those at the Imperial Palace involving Desmond Hart. By the end of Season 1, both entities seem to be unraveling in distinct manners. The Emperor Javicco Corrino’s affection for Sister Francesca intensifies, which may explain his desire to negotiate peace with the Sisterhood and Mother Superior Valya (his choice, like many made in this episode, appears somewhat arbitrary). Additionally, he wishes to dispatch his wife on an imperial journey to keep her away from the palace, allowing him to continue his clandestine romance with Sister Francesca.
In the meantime, the Empress, his wife, has been drawing nearer to Desmond Hart, creating a rival group. For reasons discussed in Episode 5, they are distancing themselves from the Sisterhood due to both personal and political motivations. This infuriates Desmond as he feels the Emperor is disregarding him and seeking advice from the Sisterhood instead. It seems that loyalty has its limits in this situation. Additionally, Desmond resorts to torturing Swordmaster Keiran Atreides in hopes of learning more about the Sisterhood, but finds no success.
When the Game’s Over, the King and the Pawn Return to the Same Box
In simpler terms, Princess Ynez makes an attempt to rescue Keiran, but it’s unclear how they would have escaped or what their next steps would be. This decision appears reckless and ends with Ynez being captured by her mother, who then has her arrested as well. This is too much for Valya to bear, so she comes up with one of her usual strategies. Valya believes that the Sisterhood has worked diligently to position Princess Ynez for the throne, and it’s crucial that she be released from custody. The situation remains vague, and justifying everyone’s actions requires some mental gymnastics. It seems that Valya believed that if Ynez were freed, she would not be harmed or killed; in fact, Corrino was planning to free her before Valya intervenes at the palace.
This results in a harsh soliloquy from the Emperor’s throne, directed at Javicco. Addressing him, she implies he’s merely a part of their system, suggesting that the Sisters have been orchestrating events secretly, and if not them, it would be others like Desmond and the Empress. She portrays Javicco as a weak man. It’s a cold rebuke, and one can’t help but feel more empathy for this seemingly powerless Emperor who has always appeared to lack control. She then orders Valya’s arrest, all part of her scheme. Unbeknownst to her, her nephew, Baron Harkonnen, had used the glowing orb (a recording device) that Desmond provided him to record Valya’s conversation with Sisters Francesca and Theodosia about their plan.
Goodbye, Emperor. Goodbye, Theodosia.
Valya assigned Sister Francesca the mission of assassinating Javicco Corrino using a lethal syringe, so that Ynez could ascend as Empress (presumably). However, Francesca couldn’t carry out the deed, and upon learning about the manipulation by the Sisters, Emperor Corrino looked at her with disgust and dread. He decided to do something within his control, choosing suicide. Yet, even in death, his demise would be orchestrated and distorted by someone else. This is because the Empress used the cyanide needle to kill Francesca, creating an appearance of either a double suicide or a fierce battle between the Emperor and Francesca.
As the Empress shouts, “The Emperor has been stabbed!”, we are abruptly left with those three characters, marking an unsatisfying and hurried end to both the Emperor’s tale and Mark Strong’s outstanding portrayal. The word that comes to mind is “unceremonious,” suggesting they deserved a more dignified farewell from the writers, even including Francesca in this assessment.
In the final episode of the season, Sister Theodosia is left in a humiliating and disheartening manner by Desmond’s troops, as she appears to be arrested while unconscious. This character is integral to Valya’s scheme, where the Mother Superior employs her Voice to subdue her guards and free Princess Ynez and Keiran Atreides from their ethereal prison. The narrative implies that Theodosia, who is suspected to be a shapeshifter produced by the Tleilaxu, will disguise herself as Princess Ynez to deceive Desmond and his men. However, an unexpected twist occurs when Theodosia transforms into a dying guard on the ground, calling out to Desmond. Upon hearing her, Desmond bends down, at which point Theodosia plunges a thick dagger into him. After knocking Theodosia unconscious, he manages to remove the dagger from his own body.
In a way that seems unnecessary given the circumstances, Desmond persists in pursuing Valya, Keiran, and Ynez, ultimately following them in a ship, engaging in combat, and eliminating guards under Valya’s command who attack him. This act diminishes the significance of Theodosia’s sacrifice, and is one example of many implausible elements present in Episode 6. Similarly, despite enduring severe torture that same day, Keiran manages to navigate the palace, pilot a ship, and battle numerous guards, killing them all. In poor storytelling, the extent of injuries doesn’t matter; minor wounds can be fatal if it serves the plot, while major ones seem to have little effect on a character’s resilience. Essentially, a character’s vulnerability is determined by the needs of the narrative.
The Disappointing Showdown Between Harkonnen & Hart
Ynez and Keiran keep fleeing as Valya stalls the Imperials by effortlessly taking down some guards with her Voice. This leaves Valya and Desmond, who isn’t influenced by the Voice but is visibly injured. In an attempt to set Valya on fire, Desmond ends up causing intense pain for both of them, ultimately leading to their unconsciousness.
As Desmond lies motionless on the ground, realization dawning that he’s been stabbed, one can picture Valya valiantly battling her attacker. We now understand that this attack is a strange viral infection, symbolized by Valya standing in a vast, snow-covered expanse, desperately trying to rescue her brother from drowning. Blame is cast upon Valya, and she’s told that the predicament is entirely her fault. Just as she’s grappling with this, Tula arrives at the crucial moment, searching for her son, Desmond Hart. Guiding Valya through the viral ordeal, Tula offers Zen advice, encouraging her to embrace the pain rather than resist it, as the virus thrives on fear – a possible origin of the Bene Gesserit phrase, “Fear is the mind killer.
In her recovery from hallucinations, Valya identifies the origin of the unsettling blue gazes that have haunted the Sisters’ slumber. It turns out to be a thought-processing device, and she witnesses it performing a grisly operation on Desmond Hart, extracting his eye and infecting it with a scorching virus. This revelation suggests that Hart may indeed be a ghola (a clone or revived individual from the deceased, created by the Tleilaxu who have become significant in the story of Dune: Prophecy. Valya attempts to slay Desmond or remove the poisonous eye, but Tula intervenes. He is her son, after all. They share a long embrace before she is taken into custody by him.
What Does the Season Finale Mean and Add Up To?
As a film enthusiast, I must confess that “The High-Handed Enemy” was an episode that felt disjointed and fell short in many ways. While it did offer some exhilarating individual scenes and poignant character developments featuring Valya, Ynez, and Keiran on Arrakis, it ultimately failed to coalesce into a satisfying narrative whole.
Additionally, we have the Sisterhood to consider. Lila, influenced by her deceased grandmother Dorotea, drains the water from the central fountain and uncovers the bones of numerous Sisters who were brutally killed by Valya, Tula, Francesca, and Kasha. These young aspirants of the Sisterhood appear to be preparing for a rebellion against Valya. Perhaps it is appropriate that they do so. In the finale of “Dune: Prophecy,” nearly every character is shown to either manipulate others or be manipulated themselves.
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2024-12-23 06:32