History Recap / Dune

That said, the novel also ends on an ominous note. Ever since discovering he was the Kwisatz Haderach, Paul has seen that his actions could lead to a holy war in his name which will consume the Imperium in violence and bloodshed. He has been doing his best to make choices that steer the galaxy away from this outcome. As he takes the throne, Paul discovered that FailureIsTheOnlyOption; the choices themselves have cemented himself as a FamedInStory LivingLegend, and his followers -- or, rather, worshippers -- got locked into the Holy War somewhere along the way. Paul may be TheProtagonist, but his story has been that of ProtagonistJourneyToVillain, and what his followers are about to do to the galaxy in his name will make every preceding war look like a vacation. House Atreides triumphs... But at what cost?

That said, the novel also ends on an ominous note. Ever since discovering he was the Kwisatz Haderach, Paul has seen that his actions could lead to a holy war in his name which will consume the Imperium in violence and bloodshed. He has been doing his best to make choices that steer the galaxy away from this outcome. As he takes the throne, Paul discovered that FailureIsTheOnlyOption; the choices themselves have cemented himself as a FamedInStory LivingLegend, and his followers -- or, rather, worshippers -- got locked into the Holy War somewhere along the way. Paul may be TheProtagonist, but his story has been that of ProtagonistsJourneyToVillain, and what his followers are about to do to the galaxy in his name will make every preceding war look like a vacation.

!!Part 1

In the desert, Paul discovers that his dreams of the future have been amplified by the spice that saturates the Arrakeen diet, and not only consoles Jessica that Leto knew she was faithful, but reveals he knows she is pregnant with a daughter, and also that she is the illegitimate daughter of the Baron. Jessica realizes that Paul has become the thing the Bene Gesserit have been trying to create with their breeding program: [[TheChosenOne the Kwisatz Haderach]], literally "The Shortening of the Way" in Hebrew. While the original term refers to {{teleportation}}, what Paul is able to do is see the future, and therefore guide humanity to a better tomorrow. This was the other reason Jessica was instructed to bear a daughter: that child, Pauline, was to mate with a Harkonnen and produce the Kwisatz Haderach; however, this has proved to be unnecessary, as Paul is here, now. Paul, however, is horrified at the idea, as [[FutureMeScaresMe his prescient vision shows that it will involve him becoming a mass-murdering tyrant]]; he resolves to avoid it.

!!Part 2

Stilgar advises Jessica that [[WeHardlyKnewYe their own Reverend Mother will die soon]] and she should take the position to give herself a place in their society. Paul is recognized as a figure from the Bene Gesserit legends -- the "Lisan al-Gaib," the Voice from the Outer World -- who will lead them to prosperity, and is given the secret name Usul as well as the common name Muad'Dib to cement his place among them. He also grows close with Kynes' daughter '''Chani''' after recognizing her from dreams where she called him Usul.

Jessica goes through the ritual to become the new Reverend Mother, which involves converting a poison to be safe to drink, and allowing the memories of all previous Reverend Mothers inside her. The woman she is replacing is horrified to realize she's pregnant: [[GeneticMemory her daughter will also absorb the memories]]. (This becomes important later.) Afterward, Jessica upends tradition by inviting all the Fremen to partake in the liquid and gain its powers. This completes Paul's transformation into a {{Seer|s}} of the future, and he and Chani, propelled by the knowledge that [[YouCantFightFate they will fall in love]], begin to fall in love.

!!Part 3

Two years later, Paul is a beloved figure among the Fremen, though they're disturbed by his sister '''Alia''' [[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior who already acts like an adult]] due to the ceremony. Paul also has a son with Chani, [[DeadGuyJunior Leto II]], and undergoes an important rite of passage, calling and riding a sandworm. Hawat, meanwhile, has busied himself playing the Baron's own game by creating dissent between him and Feyd-Rautha. He's also confirmed that House Atreides' speculation on the Sardaukar -- and the Fremen suitability as a counter-force due to their TrainingFromHell -- were accurate, and suggests House Harkonnen take up a similar program to further cause resentment on Arrakis. The first step is cutting off support to Rabban whilst simultaneously demanding he crack down on the planet.

Many Fremen have been urging Paul to challenge Stilgar for leadership, but he refuses and insists Stilgar remain their secular leader while he takes his rightful place as Duke, with Stilgar (consensually) swearing fealty to him. The Fremen attack the smugglers Halleck joined, leading to a reunion, and Paul is able to convince Halleck his mother was innocent. Some of the smugglers turn out to be Sardaukar, and after the Fremen defeat them, [[SpareAMessenger Paul lets some escape to tell the Emperor about the power he wields]]. They also learn about Rabban's abandonment, and decide the time is ripe for an attack. But first he takes a concentrated dose of melange, which puts him in a coma for weeks until Jessica is desperate enough to summon Chani. Paul wakes up upon her arrival, and reveals he had a vision about a place in the mind of all Bene Gesserit where they dare not look -- the male half of their GeneticMemory, which only he can see. He has finally, irrevocably, become the Kwisatz Haderach.

The Baron and '''TheEmperor''' arrive at Arrakis, and attack Paul's home while he is away preparing the assault, killing Leto II and capturing Alia. Paul leads the counterattack under cover of a massive sandstorm, and the people of Arrakis are driven to rise up alongside the Fremen, killing Rabban. Mohiam is also present as the Emperor's advisor and is terrified of Alia, calling her an abomination. They're interrupted as the Fremen break through, and in the confusion Alia kills the Baron. The Fremen disable all the Emperor's ships, and Paul makes his camp in the ducal manor his father once inhabited before sending the Emperor terms for surrender. The Emperor tries to coerce Hawat into a SuicideAttack on Paul, but Thufir refuses, preferring to turn the weapon on himself. Paul then threatens to destroy all the spice, causing the various Guilds to turn on the Emperor and leave him powerless. The Emperor tries to persuade Count Fenring to intervene, but he also refuses, and is even revealed to have almost been the Kwisatz Haderach himself. Paul also turns on Mohiam, declaring that he may be the Kwisatz Haderach but he still refuses to follow her plan. Feyd-Rautha makes a last-ditch attempt to challenge Paul to single combat, and cheats as usual, but Paul still defeats him. Finally, he forces the Emperor to abdicate and to give away his daughter Princess Irulan -- yes, the historian who provided all the {{Fictional Document}}s -- in marriage, giving Paul full legitimate control of all humanity even as Chani still acts as his true wife, determined to create a prosperous new age.

That said, the novel also ends on an ominous note. Ever since discovering he was the Kwisatz Haderach, Paul has seen that his actions could lead to a holy war in his name which will consume the Imperium in violence and bloodshed. He has been doing his best to make choices that steer the galaxy away from this outcome. As he takes the throne, Paul discovered that FailureIsTheOnlyOption; the choices themselves have cemented himself as a FamedInStory LivingLegend, and his followers -- or, rather, worshippers -- got locked into the Holy War somewhere along the way. Paul may be TheProtagonist, but that doesn't mean he's the good guy: whether or not he gets his prosperous new age, his rule will involve the deaths of billions.