Set in the intricate universe created by Frank Herbert, Dune: Prophecy Season 1 finally ends, leaving notable questions to be solved in the next chapter. The series takes viewers back to when Paul Atreides wasn't born and dives into the origins of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood.
The events featured in Dune: Prophecy Season 1 occurred approximately 10,000 years before the events of the Dune films, opening the door to a new era and explaining how the iconic Dune universe formed. At the center of the series are two sisters from House Harkonnen, Valya and Tula, who establish the foundation of the Sisterhood and are widely connected to other characters.
Apart from the two sisters, the series also highlights the power and significance of other key characters like Reverend Mother Dorotea. Played by Camilla Beeput, Dorotea is the biological daughter of Mother Superior Raquella, a revered figure in the sisterhood’s history.
Dorotea is introduced in Dune: Prophecy Episode 2 during Lila’s Agony ritual when Dorotea’s spirit possesses the descendant of Dorotea and Raquella Berto-Aniru. Dorotea aimed to access genetic memory from Lila to help out the Sisterhood. This marks the beginning of Dorotea's journey to avenge Valya Harkonnen and reveal long-buried truths about the Harkonnen's brutal history on Wallach IX. Continue reading to dive deep into the return of Dorotea.
How Dorotea's death shaped the Bene Gesserit's fate in Dune: Prophecy
As mentioned, Dorotea's lineage in Dune: Prophecy, especially her connection to the Sisterhood, makes her a key figure. Her death is also a pivotal moment as it reveals the violent measure taken by Valya Harkonnen to assume the leadership of the Sisterhood.
Since Dorotea is the daughter of Mother Superior Raquella, she is a rival of Valya, who is thrust into having all the powers to control the Sisterhood. Unlike Valya, Dorotea had a unique moral vision for the Bene Gesserit. Before her death, Dorotea aimed to use the Sisterhood's abilities for growth and guidance, but this vision didn't sit well with the ambitious Valya Harkonnen.
Valya's vision was to stand as the leader of the Sisterhood and hold dominance over them. To achieve this power, Valya chose betrayal and murder and used a supernatural power unique to the Bene Gesserit— The Voice, to kill Dorotea.
As revealed in Dune: Prophecy Season 1, she made the daughter of Mother Superior Raquella take her own life by slitting her throat. Not only this but Valya also forced Dorotea's followers to choose between loyalty and death, and again used The Voice to kill them. She framed it as suicide, claiming that it was the choice of Dorotea's followers to commit suicide.
Dorotea's death in Dune: Prophecy created a gap in the guidance the Sisterhood needed, both spiritually and morally. Under Valya Harkonnen's leadership, Bene Gesserit focused on gaining power at any cost, contrasting with what Dorotea envisioned for the institution.
However, despite her death, Valya couldn't completely erase her legacy. Additionally, Dorotea's spirit didn't vanish as it found a way to return and take revenge on the current leader for her death and reveal the truth.
Also Read: Why is Desmond Hart called Bashar on Dune: Prophecy? Explored
Why Dorotea took over Lila during the Agony Ceremony in Dune: Prophecy
The reason behind Dorotea's return through Lila was revenge and protection of her granddaughter from the influence of the Harkonnens. In Dune: Prophecy Episode 2 when Tula Harkonnen conducts a dangerous genetic memory experiment on Lila to connect with the Mother Superior for guidance, but Lila accidentally taps into Dorotea's angry spirit.
The ritual results in Lila's death, but she is taken into the spiritual realm and is freed from the influence of Harkonnens who lied about the death of Lila's mother. One of the key moments is highlighted in the Dune: Prophecy Season 1 finale when Dorotea has control over Lila and makes big revelations.
Dorotea reveals that Young Valya, Tula, Francesca, and Kasha used The Voice to manipulate her Butlerian followers and caused their deaths by suicide. The brutal act resulted in the dead bodies of those who didn't side with Valya and followed the ideas of Dorotea who also opposed the use of thinking machines.
Now that Dorotea gained full control, she makes sure to protect Lila from the false narrative and Dorotea ignites rebellion within the Sisterhood. With the help of Emeline and Avila, Dorotea weakens Valya's influence by destroying Anirul, a key figure in Valya’s faction.
Dorotea's return has now divided the Sisterhood into two groups: one who believes that the human mind should be free from technology, while the other who supports Valya Harkonnen's idea to use technology to gain power. With this, the series has come to an end, and it would be intriguing to watch how the fractured Sisterhood will survive its ideological divide.
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