Dune Who Is The Emperor Imperium & War Explained

Dune: Who Is The Emperor? Imperium & War Explained

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The Emperor in Dune is the head of a vast and interwoven universe. The varying factions of the Imperium all contribute to the series’ great intrigue.

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Dune Who Is The Emperor Imperium & War Explained

Warning: Spoilers for Dune ahead.

The Emperor in Dune and his rule over the Imperium and the war he incites is complex; here it is explained. The film follows Paul Atreides and his family, led by the Duke Leto Atreides, as they relocate to the desert planet, Arrakis, also called Dune, the only source of the most valuable commodity in the universe, spice. Honor-bound to answer the call of the Emperor, House Atreides leaves their homeworld of Caladan and are thrust into a complex political conflict wrought with subterfuge and betrayal.

Although he is a major player in the world of Dune, the Emperor is never shown in the movie. He is only referred to by other characters, even though the story calls for him to hugely impact the second part of the story that will be covered in Dune 2. 2021’s Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve, keeps his identity a mystery, instead having him act as a sort of puppet master, clearly influencing the violent events without getting directly involved. To do so, he employs the help of House Harkonnen, the sworn enemies of House Atreides.

The Emperor keeping his distance from the events that unfold on Arrakis is actually a vital part of his overall scheme. It’s integral that he isn’t seen openly helping to destroy a great House, but the subterfuge could leave some audiences confused as to his motivations for waging war on House Atreides as well as his overall role in the universe and the complex factions within it. Here is a guide explaining the Emperor’s identity, the Imperium, and why war breaks out in Dune 2021.

Who Is Dune 2021’s Emperor?

Dune Who Is The Emperor Imperium & War Explained

The Padishah Emperor is the title held by the hereditary ruler of the Imperium and the Known Universe. During the events of the Dune movie, the seat is held by Shaddam IV of House Corrino, whose ancestors have held the title for over 10,000 years. Although he isn’t pictured in the film, the source material, the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert, describes Emperor Shaddam IV as a slim and elegant man with red hair who looks far younger than his actual significant age. He is married to Anirul, a woman of the Bene Gesserit order, with whom he has five daughters, including Princess Irulan, who will become important to the story later.

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How Big Is Dune 2021’s Empire – Power & Scale Explained

Dune Who Is The Emperor Imperium & War Explained

The Imperium in Villeneuve’s Dune movie is influenced by a traditional feudal structure with additional aspects that create a complex web of codependent factions that simultaneously rely on one another while vying for greater power and influence. At the center of the Imperium is the Padishah Emperor, the supreme leader of the Known Universe which is comprised of millions of planets in several galaxies. He rules over the Landsraad, the body of great houses throughout the Known Universe, including House Atreides and House Harkonnen amongst many others. A fragile balance is maintained between the Emperor and the Landsraad in that only the combined forces of all the great houses could create an army large enough to challenge the Emperor’s power.

Other key factions of the Imperium that audiences should know about before seeing Dune include the Bene Gesserit and the Spacing Guild. The Bene Gesserit are a powerful and pseudo-religious order of women who influence the universe through political manipulation and selective breeding to create their prophesied chosen one known as the Kwisatz Haderach, a sort of super-human being. The Spacing Guild is a highly mysterious organization with a universal monopoly on interstellar travel and thus the transportation of the spice melange. All the factions of the Imperium also share a vested interest in the CHOAM company, which essentially controls the entire economy of the Dune universe.

Why The Empire Is At War With House Atreides

Dune Who Is The Emperor Imperium & War Explained

The war between the Emperor and House Atreides is in many ways just as complex as the makeup of the Imperium. Emperor Shaddam’s motivation for wiping out the Atreides line is primarily as a precaution. The incredibly popular Duke Leto Atreides had gained enough influence within the Landsraad that he could pose a potential threat to the Emperor if he chose. Destroying a major house of Dune would look quite controversial to the rest of the Landsraad, however, which is why the Emperor achieves his aim through subterfuge and by striking a deal with House Harkonnen, the mortal enemies of the Atreides. The Emperor appears to bestow a gift on Duke Leto, by granting him stewardship over the planet of Arrakis, the sole origin of spice, the most valuable resource in the universe. However, House Harkonnen used to be the rulers, giving them an excuse to wage war on House Atreides. Thus, Shaddam maintains deniability when the Atreides are wiped out by their jealous Harkonnen adversaries.

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The Bene Gesserit also play a role in the war against the Atreides, since the Reverend Mother, the leader of their order, constantly whispers in the ear of the Emperor. The quasi-religious ringleader holds a grudge against Duke Leto’s partner and trained Bene Gesserit herself, Jessica, for giving birth to a son instead of a daughter, a clear violation of the faction’s careful plan. They believe that Dune’s protagonist, Paul Atreides, could be a premature Kwisatz Haderach who, if left uncontrolled by their influence, could induce catastrophic events on a universal scale. Their primary motivation for helping incite the war is to recover Paul, whom they view as the result of their centuries of selective breeding, from Jessica’s insubordinate influence.

What Role The Emperor Will Play In Dune Part 2

It’s likely that the Emperor will play a much more direct role in the Dune sequel. When Paul and Jessica survive the annihilation of House Atreides, they present a major threat to the Emperor as they have the ability to reveal his betrayal. Furthermore, they ally with the Fremen, natives of Arrakis who, under Paul’s leadership, have the capability to halt spice production on Dune, bringing the entire universal economy to a standstill. The heightened stakes of the Dune 2 story mean that the Emperor will likely be forced to step out of the shadows and face the new threat of Paul Atreides head-on. His legions of Sardaukar, elite warriors of the Padishah Emperor, are the only fighting force that could challenge the Fremen army, but their open presence would also reveal his hand in the plot against House Atreides.

The Emperor will face an uphill battle against the combined Atreides and Fremen alliance. He will find himself precariously perched between revealing his treachery to the Landsraad, which risks galactic war, or totally disrupting the entire universal economy. All audiences can do now is hope for a Dune sequel to find out who will prevail between the duplicitous forces of the Emperor and House Harkonnen and the Fremen followers of Paul Atreides.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/dune-movie-2021-emperor-imperium-explained/

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