Following the rise of Paul Atreides in Dune: Part II, the franchise’s first television series takes us back over ten thousand years, following the inner workings of one of the most secretive yet powerful organizations in the world. the universe: the Bene Gesserit.
The main character of Dune: Prophecy is Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen, who made a terrifying and formidable first appearance in the first episode of the series – played by British royalty Emily Watson.
If you want to know more about who Valya is and how she connects with the villains of Dune and Dune: Part Two, we have all the information you need. Note that this article will focus on the TV series and films, rather than the original Frank Herbert books, which contain slightly different details.
What has Dune: Prophecy revealed about Valya Harkonnen so far?
The opening scene of Dune: Propechy tells us that Valya’s great-grandfather abandoned the fight against the thinking machines and that an Atredis led them to victory. His family was branded cowards and banished to a desolate world. Bitter about the way her lineage has been perceived, Valya vows to rewrite her name.
Valya was chosen by the very first Mother Superior, Raquella Berto-Anirul, to lead the Bene Gesserit to its true destiny: raising a new leader to the throne, the first Empress, using genetic records that could be controlled by the Brotherhood to ensure the protection of the group.
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However, his ambitions were considered disruptive and dangerous by other members. When Reverend Mother Dorotea attempted to destroy the Reproduction Index, Valya used “the voice” to push her to commit suicide. This appears to be the first use of this power, and it will continue to play a vital role throughout the Dune universe.
Years later, Valya and her sister, Reverend Mother Tula Harkonnen, lead the Brotherhood and are about to fulfill the prophecy when a marriage is made between Princess Ynez Corrino (daughter of the Emperor) and the son of the Richese house, aged nine. Lord Pruitt. They also train the next generation of members.
However, they ignore the mysterious and disturbing soldier Desmond Hart, who burns the child alive, thus putting a huge obstacle in their plan. Valya is informed of this as Reverend Mother Kasha burns with him, in front of her. He is aware of their work in the shadows and seeks to put an end to their manipulation.
Valya’s weaknesses are her stubbornness and thirst for blind obedience from her sisters. She is also motivated by revenge and has broken relationships with her family – as indicated by the fact that she has refused visits from the rest of the House for the fourth time.
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Watson confirmed these qualities during an interview with Screen Rant:
They had a really traumatic childhood and she’s driven by a sense of grief, of vengeance, but she channels all of that into being part of the sisterhood and really trying to control the fate of humanity. I mean, that’s his ambition.
Who is House Harkonnen in Dune and Dune: Part Two?
It can be difficult to keep track of all the different elements of Dune’s story – understanding terms like Muad’Dib and Kwisatz Haderach is already a lot – so you may not remember exactly the name of the Harkonnens.
In short, this is the family led by Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in the Dune films – aka Stellan Skarsgård, who wears a black cape, bald cap and floats when he’s not taking a bath in sickly black sludge.
He rules a brutal empire that kills his enemies without remorse and will resort to torture when they deem it necessary. House Harkonnen seeks to control the flow of spices and will use any measures to achieve their ends, even if it forces others to live in dire circumstances.
Other members of the House include Glossu ‘Beast’ Rabban Harkonnen (Dave Bautista) and Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler).
At the time of the Dune films, House Harkonnen and House Atreides – of which Paul (Timothée Chalamet) is a part – have a feud that spans generations and is the source of many conflicts within the films. This animosity was fueled by Valya in the books, and Dune: Prophecy will undoubtedly explore how her cruelty eventually leads to generations of hatred.
