Dune: Part 1 (2021) Plot Summary
Dune: Part 1 is the first instalment of the sci-fi epic which is based on Frank Herbert’s books of the same name. It follows an intergalactic struggle for power as the Emperor decides to take Arrakis, a spices colony from the Harkonnens and give it Duke Leto of House Atreides.
Meanwhile, his son, Paul Atreides faces his own challenges as he starts dreaming about the future and tries to make sense of it all. He is suddenly thrust into the spotlight as The One when the Harkonnens decide to give House Atreides a bloody surprise for taking over their spice trade.
Why does Paul dream about Chani?
From the beginning of Dune, it is established that Paul can see the future and he does this by having dreams of the Fremen, Chani, Duncan, Jamis, Jessica and himself. It gets frequent once he goes through the Bene Gesserit test. It is very likely that Paul dreams the most about Chani because she plays an extremely pivotal role in his life once he decides to take down the Imperium.
One popular theory is that Paul dreams of multiple futures and with every decision he makes, he keeps narrowing down the multiple futures he can have. This explains why he sees a vision of Jamis teaching him and then killing him. He takes a different decision when he duels with Jamis and opens up a new path for himself.
What does it mean to be The One?
The Bene Gesserit have supernatural powers which they use to manipulate the strongest political players from behind the scenes. For centuries, they have been sending their people to infiltrate the Houses and give them an heir who will be The One and lead them. To also make sure that no one questions their leader, they plant prophecies and rumours amidst those who are superstitious like the Fremen, claiming that The One will be their saviour.
Jessica believes that her son, Paul is The One due to his vast power. The Fremen believe this prophecy and mould it according to their own beliefs such as associating their sacred crysknife with the One whom they also call the Lisan al-Gaib. As for Paul, he hopes to become The One and wield his influence to take down the Emperor.
Why does the Emperor want Atreides dead?
While the Harkonnens have been busy controlling the spice planet, Arrakis, the Emperor orders them to abandon ship. Instead, he asks the House of Atreides to take over and get the spice trade running again. But when Duke Leto and his family land, they see that the Harkonnens have destroyed the machinery to sabotage them.
Leto realises that it is a ploy by the Emperor to take down Atreides since they control the air and water. However, the Emperor does it all without lifting a finger since he creates a rivalry between the Harkonnens and Atreides. To take back their monopoly over the spice trade, the money-hungry Harkonnens attack and take down the House of Atreides.
Why does the Imperium want Arrakis’ spices?
The spices in the Dune world are not your usual cooking spices. Basically, the spices that everyone is fighting over are said to be mind-altering and can be used to travel in space instantly. The spices are everywhere in Arrakis including the air because of which those who are exposed to it for a long time, primarily the Fremens, have blue eyes. This can also explain why Jessica and Paul have blue eyes in his futuristic dreams.