‘Dune’s Paul Atreides: “The Spice Must Flow”
Check out the lowdown on Paul Atreides, the charismatic young warrior from Caladan who led a crusade across the galaxy.
Dune has always been a highly regarded pillar in the sci-fi community. Both the films and the book series have been the topic of discussion for many years. One of the big questions people ask (or perhaps they should) is whether or not the young protagonist, Paul Atreides, is really a hero, or just another tyrant.
Dune is either a heroic story of a young leader leading an oppressed people to overthrow a corrupt dictator or a chilling warning about putting too much power in the hands of one person. Paul is the perfect candidate for both, someone with good intentions consumed by vengeance. But who is this young lordling from Caladan? What makes him such a perfect hero and villain in equal measure?
Life on Caladan and Journey to Arrakis
Paul is the only son of Duke Leto Atreides of Caladan and Lady Jessica, his favorite concubine. Lady Jessica also happens to be a member of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, an order of nuns that work to shape the galaxy to their own ends. Lady Jessica was part of their breeding program and was instructed to bear a daughter who would marry into the rival Harkonnen family, thus ending a bitter dispute. However, Lady Jessica falls in love with Leto, breaking her pact and bearing him the son he desires.
The Bene Gesserit learn of Lady Jessica’s betrayal, and the head of their order arrives to test Paul. She thinks he may be a prophesized hero and comes to either test him or kill him. Paul passes her test, resisting the pain and proving strong.
When the Emperor gives the Spice-producing planet of Arrakis to the Letos as a secret plot to destroy them, Paul accompanies his father to the planet. They expect to arrive to disdain from the local Fremen but are instead met with quasi-worship as Paul exits the transport. Leto learns that the Harkonnens, the previous stewards of Arrakis, left the equipment sabotaged and nearly unusable. They even left assassins behind, who nearly take the life of the young Paul, but his training with his mother saves him.
Fall of Arrakis and the Rise of Muad’Dib
Unfortunately, the Emperor’s true intentions are revealed soon after, when the Harkonnens descend on the Atreides stronghold with the Emperor’s own army behind them. Paul and his mother are driven into the desert, where the meet the native Fremen once again. Thanks to Bene Gesserit propaganda, they view Paul as their messiah, the Kwisatz Haderach. He unites them to take down the Harkonnens on Arrakis, then takes his holy war to the stars. He calls for the Emperor to step down, and takes his daughter Princess Irulan as his bride.
Paul survives several assassination attempts before leaving his children in the care of the Fremen and wandering into the desert, setting his sister Alia as regent. He returns later to discredit the religion that was built around him under the guise of The Preacher. Despite his prowess, he is eventually killed when he speaks against his son, Leto II, who has become Emperor. However, even is death, his consciousness exists in Leto’s ancestral memories.
What Makes Paul Atreides Special?
Paul is one of the only males able to use “The Voice.” The Bene Gesserit uses this psychic power to control the will of others. Lady Jessica also trained him in the Bene Gesserit martial arts. In addition, Duncan Idaho and Gurney Halleck, two of the galaxy’s finest swordsmen, trained him in swordsmanship.
His signature bright blue eyes, “The Eyes of Ibad”, are a result of prolonged exposure to Spice. Paul consumed small portions of Spice his entire life. However, it wasn’t until his arrival on Arrakis that he became saturated in it. While there, he became the first male to consume “the Water of Life”, which gave him access to his ancestral memories and power over his physiology. The Water of Life was a deadly poison at the best of times and took special training to endure, but Paul was able to do so.
Is Paul Atreides a Hero or a Villain?
That question is up to interpretation. Truly, he is neither; he does what he believes to be best for the good of humanity, but he is flawed by his desire for revenge. However, when he realizes that he is no longer good for the galaxy, he steps down and works to undo the damage the Bene Gesserit have done. Whether or not he is successful is up to the reader.
Paul Atreides on the Tabletop
If you want to meet Paul yourself, you can jump into Dune: Fall of the Imperium. This TTRPG by Modiphius Entertainment allows you to step into the tumultuous events of the DUNE books. Will you side with Paul and the Fremen against the Harkonen menace? Will you ally yourself with the Imperium to try and bring this madman to heel? Whatever choice you take, remember: The Spice must Flow, or the Galaxy Falls.
