The sci-fi genre is no stranger to intricate narratives, secret organizations, and ominous prophecies. HBO’s Dune: Prophecy and Paramount’s Star Trek: Picard share a striking similarity: both revolve around a secretive group of women working to prevent catastrophic futures.
**Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers**
In Star Trek: Picard, the first season centers around another ominous prophecy, the Ganmadan. This vision warns of destruction caused by synthetic life forms. The Zhat Vash, a shadowy group of Romulan women, are its guardians. They go to great lengths to stop the prophecy, even resorting to deception and violence to eliminate synthetic beings.
Set in the Dune universe, Dune: Prophecy expands the story beyond Denis Villeneuve’s films. It focuses on the Sisterhood of Truthsayers, the predecessors to the Bene Gesserit.
At the heart of the show is the Tiran-Arafel prophecy, foretelling the Sisterhood’s potential downfall at the hands of a tyrant. This vision shapes Valya Harkonnen’s rise to power and her desperate attempts to secure the Sisterhood's future through a controversial breeding program.
Key similarities
Prophetic Visions as the Narrative Foundation
In both series, a terrifying prophecy drives the plot. The Sisterhood fears the Tiran-Arafel, while the Zhat Vash is haunted by visions of the Ganmadan.
Female-Led Secret Societies
The Sisterhood of Truthsayers and the Zhat Vash are secretive organizations led by women, both determined to avert apocalyptic futures.
A Central Destructive Force Tied to the Prophecy
Each prophecy hinges on a specific “destroyer.” For the Sisterhood, it could be Desmond Hart, a mysterious figure with strange powers. In Picard, it’s Soji, a synthetic believed to bring the end of organic life.
Tiran-Arafel: The Sisterhood’s Warning
Tiran-Arafel predicts the Sisterhood’s destruction by a tyrant. Valya Harkonnen takes extreme measures to ensure their survival, including orchestrating political marriages.
The Zhat Vash’s vision of Ganmadan foretells chaos caused by synthetics. They believe in stopping it at all costs, even fabricating a synthetic uprising to spread fear.
The Sisterhood operates openly as royal advisers, while the Zhat Vash hide their existence, working entirely from the shadows.
The Sisterhood strives to control its future by strengthening alliances, while the Zhat Vash focuses on immediate and violent eliminations.
Valya’s determination to save the Sisterhood defines Dune: Prophecy. Her decisions, including ignoring warnings from allies, lead to dramatic consequences.
In Picard, the Zhat Vash relentlessly pursue their goal, driven by their shared vision of doom and their fear of synthetics.
Prophecies offer a compelling mix of suspense and inevitability. They allow for dramatic storytelling, exploring how characters respond to their foretold fates whether by embracing, resisting, or manipulating them.
While the parallels between Dune: Prophecy and Star Trek: Picard are striking, they likely reflect shared sci-fi tropes rather than direct influence. Both shows creatively adapt the concept of prophecy to fit their unique worlds.
Trending
The similarities between Dune: Prophecy and Star Trek: Picard highlight the enduring appeal of prophecy-driven narratives. These shared elements enrich their respective stories, giving audiences a thrilling dive into worlds where the future is both a warning and a guide.
Keep reading Soap Central for more such pieces!
Reply
