Dune: Prophecy has explored the backstory of the longstanding rivalry between the Atreides and Harkonen. The first film, Dune (2021) was directed by Denis Villeneuve and made over $400 million at the box office.
The movie won six Academy Awards, including Best Visual Effects, and earned ten nominations overall.
Its sequel, Dune: Part Two released in 2024 and continued the story of Paul Atreides and his rise to power. The movie earned $520 million globally and surpassed the first film.
And then came the HBO series Dune: Prophecy on November 17, 2024, which focused on the Bene Gesserit. The show explored the origins of the 10,000-year feud between House Atreides and House Harkonnen which began after Vorian Atreides accused Bashar Abdulurd Harkonnen of cowardice after the Battle of Corrin.
The series also explores the backstory of Valya and Tula Harkonnen.
The focus of the show remained on revealing Valya and Tula Harkonnen's role in shaping the political battles of the Imperium but has also played a part in explaining why the two Houses hate each other and gives viewers more insight into how this feud began.
Dune: Prophecy - The origins of the feud between House Atreides and House Harkonnen
The HBO prequel series Dune: Prophecy has gone deep into the origins of the centuries-long animosity between House Atreides and House Harkonnen.
The six-part series is based on Sisterhood of Dune (2012) by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson which sets the stage for the feuds, political maneuvering, and power struggles that define the Dune saga.
The feud started during the Butlerian Jihad, which was humanity's war against thinking machines. During the final Battle of Corrin, a Harkonnen leader, Bashar Abdulurd Harkonnen, was accused of cowardice by Vorian Atreides.
The accusation was said to be the beginning of a bitter rivalry between the two houses. While the Atreides gained fame and prosperity on Caladan the Harkonnens were disgraced and eventually exiled from political prominence.
In Dune: Prophecy, Emily Watson portrays Valya Harkonnen, a determined figure leading the Bene Gesserit alongside her sister, Tula Harkonnen. Episode 1, The Hidden Hand, reveals that Valya solidified her control by using the Voice to eliminate Dorotea, who represented a more moral vision for the Sisterhood.
The act secured Valya's rise and set a precedent for Bene Gesserit's calculated approach to controlling humanity’s future.
The series also explains how Valya’s deep hatred for House Atreides stems from her family's fall from grace. She blamed Vorian Atreides for the dishonor her great-grandfather faced, which became a driving force behind her desire for revenge.
The Harkonnens, led by Valya, played a critical role in the political landscape, orchestrating marriages like that of Princess Ynez Corrino to Pruwet Richese. These strategic moves shaped alliances that would later impact the entire Imperium.
The feud through the ages and its resolution in Dune: Part Two
The tension between the two houses persisted for millennia. As revealed in Dune: Prophecy, the Atreides prospered on Caladan, cultivating a noble reputation and excelling in governance, education, and warfare.
Meanwhile, the Harkonnens, banished and ostracized, cultivated hatred. Their homeworld, Giedi Prime, became a symbol of their harsh and industrial approach to survival, contrasting starkly with the idyllic paradise of Caladan.
The feud reached its peak during the events of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films. Emperor Shaddam IV and Baron Vladimir Harkonnen plotted to destroy House Atreides, setting them up for failure on Arrakis under the guise of promoting Duke Leto Atreides to oversee spice production.
The betrayal led to the death of Leto and the near-destruction of House Atreides, setting the stage for Paul Atreides’ rise.
In Dune: Part Two, Paul seizes power by defeating Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Emperor Shaddam IV. By forcing a marriage with Princess Irulan Corrino, Paul consolidates his authority, ending both the Corrino reign and the Harkonnen’s vendetta.
His victory over Vladimir Harkonnen marks the culmination of the 10,000-year feud, finally shifting the balance of power in the galaxy.
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Dune: Prophecy is now streaming on HBO.
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