A Legendary Sci-Fi Saga
A sprawling universe, dazzling special effects, massive creatures and real to life characters, it isn’t hard to understand the appeal of the incredibly successful “Dune” films. I watched “Dune Part 1” on a whim, knowing nothing of Frank Herbert or even what the reimagined movie would be like. After witnessing it, I was floored, coming away from it I felt like I had witnessed something truly spectacular. Recently I sat down to watch, enjoy and ponder over “Dune Part 2”, a reimagined take on Frank Herberts wildly popular book series. If you haven’t heard of the blockbuster success of the two ‘Dune’ films, you might legitimately be living under a rock. ‘Dune’ has swept through theaters across the world, and captured the imaginations of millions of sci-fi fans. Even people who don’t like science fiction grudgingly admit enjoying the epic saga. Having witnessed both parts, I feel I can offer a unique perspective as a Christian.
Frank Herbert and The Bible
Let’s be very clear about something, Frank Herbert was open about his belief in God, and was a conservative, but it is questionable where exactly he stood theologically. Yet as I witnessed the sprawling science fiction saga, I was impressed by just how grounded both these films really are, especially from a Biblical perspective. Concepts such as atheism vs. faith, false Messiahs, proliferate both movies. Some of these concepts are so complex and deep, this will actually take multiple posts to explain fully. I believe that Christians should be the most informed people of all, and should think about things in pop culture differently than others. For the purposes of this post, we’ll take a broad overlook, before breaking open the Bible and carefully considering the concepts that are being played across the world.
The Lore of Dune
Here’s a small hint, having a basic working knowledge of the Old Testament is essential for understanding what is happening in this very long saga. The series opens with a young man, Paul Atreides, son of Leto Atreides, the head of house Atreides, and Duke of Arrakis. A desolate world , overrun by desert tribes, a strange belief system, and the all important resource, spice. An enigmatic resource that powers engines, cities, and serves as the biggest economic chip in the galaxy. Whoever controls the spice trade, is the wealthiest of families, and thus, the most influential of the Four Houses.
The Imperium functions as the ‘one world government’, ruled by the aging Emperor. Each of the Four Houses vie for supremacy by controlling a particular trade route. Supposedly this maintains peace and stability. Underneath this veneer of peace, House Harkonnen greedily plots a coup, to achieve dominance by murdering Leto Atreides and his son, Paul. Thus eliminating one House while also taking control of the spice trade. Leto sadly falls, but Paul survives and is exiled into the deserts of Arrakis.
As all of this transpires, there is another group working in the shadows to influence the Imperium. A strange, mystical cult called the Bene Gesserit. A group of women possessing supernatural abilities, dedicated to ensuring that everything in the Imperium, works according to their wishes. At the heart of all their work is bringing about a powerful ruler who will create the world they have envisioned for centuries. The Bene Gesserit had planned for their ‘chosen savior’ if you will to come from the line of House Atreides, but instead, Paul was born. He is viewed as an obstacle to their plans, and thus he is plotted against by this mysterious cult.
Prophecies In The Sands
On Arrakis, Paul comes to befriend the indigenous tribes, known as the Fremen. The Fremen have their own legends, they tell of a ‘sent one’, the Muad’Dib. A prophet chosen to free them from their oppression. Paul is viewed by many as this chosen one, yet for the majority of the films he rejects this idea, fearing that he cannot be what the Fremen want, and fearing his own corruption. Yet without even trying he fulfills the requirements of the coming sent one, and must resolve his strange destiny with his own desires.
Theology in The World of Dune
The brilliance of this sprawling mega-masterpiece lies in combining theology in a highly complex and carefully detailed world. I hope to show you this over the next few posts. I will feely admit, some discernment is required here, but as stated, a basic understanding of the Old Testament is vital. It has been quite a while since I have seen a story told with such depth, and with so many layers. My goal over the next few posts is to help you understand exactly what is being played across the screen and minds of the audiences the world over.
What audiences all over the world are witnessing is a tale that involves faith, religion (these are not the same) and false Messiahs. We will be carefully examining the concepts and themes over the next several posts. We will pick apart the themes from a theological perspective, so that we may better understand the concepts being played out. Hopefully once we reach the end, we will gain a much better perspective.
