The wonderful world of A moundcreated by Frank Herbert, it has the power of a large number of stories, spanning centuries of fictional history in the sci-fi universe. Denis Villeneuve's film franchise, which so far includes two impressive blockbusters, only scratches the surface of what can be shown on screen. It is in that capacity that the six episodes precede Dune: Prophecy it arrives. Inspired by the 2012 novel Sister of Dunea continuation of the series from Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, the prequel focuses on a mysterious organization called the Sisterhood (the future Bene Gesserit). But though Dune: Prophecy it makes the women of the Sisterhood its protagonists, and extends outward into the Imperium, including the emperor and his family.
The series opens more than 10,000 years before the events of A moundfocusing on the growth of Paul Atreides, and quickly introducing an array of characters and situations, very much in the style of the more popular HBO. Game of Thrones. The Sisterhood is led by Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson), a powerful schemer who has reached the top of the order through devious, violent means. His sister Tula (Olivia Williams) stands by his side, tutoring their new recruits in the art of truth-telling and physical and mental control. Beyond the walls of their sect, members of the Sisterhood are placed with all the great houses, including that of Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark Strong) and Empress Natalya (Jodhi May).
Valya's cunning plans begin to crumble on the eve of the royal wedding between Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina) and the youngest son of the house she is affiliated with. The young son-in-law is found to be harboring mechanical technology, now forbidden in the Imperium, and one of the emperor's soldiers, Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel), recently arrived from Arrakis, destroys the boy in a fire. Needless to say, the Imperium is shaken and the machinations of the great houses become a patch on an already crowded story. There is also a rebel wing, led by Keiran Atreides (Chris Mason) and a Freman woman, Mikaela (Shalom Brune-Franklin). The biggest threat comes from Desmond, who seems to have gained mysterious powers from one of the sandworms, much to the annoyance of Valya, who can control him with Voice.
It's to be expected if you can't follow all of this, though the series does a solid job of laying everything out in a way that isn't too crowded or overly complicated. Watching Dune: Prophecy requires no knowledge of films or novels, which is to Alison Schapker's credit. It's definitely helpful to understand what the Sisterhood is and what powers they use, but it's totally possible to join A mound party with this prequel. Schapker also cleverly provides an important backstory to Valya and Tula, who are able to do more than meets the eye, several episodes into the series. It's one of the show's most impressive episodes, showcasing the talent of Jessica Barden as Valya and Emma Canning as young Tula and revealing a side of the Harkonnen family we haven't seen in. A mound films.
Of course, the characters are amazing. Watson and Williams are the right pair (somehow they've never worked together before) and the original cast of Sisterhood includes some memorable young talent, including Chloe Lea, Aoife Hinds and Faoileann Cunningham. The production and costume design are immersive, with a world-building feel that goes beyond Villeneuve's movies but also feels like a continuation of what his team created. Contextually, it hits hard after the presidential election. No matter what kind of world we live in, no matter what kind of power we have, it is clear that men will continue to hold thrones and fight wars while women are forced to have their voices heard behind closed doors. It's also a sad reminder that it takes a sci-fi series to give female characters this much agency and control.
The first episode of 'Dune: Prophecy' premieres on Max on November 17.
