The second episode of Dune: Prophecy reveals some answers, while bringing about even more questions and intrigue. Let’s break it all down!
Whatever reservations/concerns I had with Dune: Prophecy from the first episode, have been completely washed away with the second. Titled “Two Wolves” and directed by , the next chapter in this series brings the goods in a variety of ways. From laying bare motivations, to deepening other mysteries, and some stellar performances, this is the one that has me hooked.
As always, I’ll be diving deep into spoiler territory for the episode, so if you haven’t watched yet…come back later. In the meantime, feel free to gander at my previous breakdown: Episode 1.
Wheels Within Wheels
As one would expect, the bulk of Dune: Prophecy‘s second episode deals with everyone reacting to the sudden, brutal, deaths of Pruwet Richese and Sister Kasha. Two deaths separated by a whole galaxy, yet inexplicably linked. The result is both the Sisterhood and Emperor Corrino “circling the wagons” and working to maintain control, even as a new player (Desmond Hart) reveals his intentions and ability to manipulate them both.
After trying to uncover the strange manner of Kasha’s death (to no avail) and discovering a similar assassination happened in the Emperor’s household, Mother Superior Valya heads to Salusa Secundus. Her goal is to ensure she still gets the Princess Ynez to the training school, while hopefully figuring out who’s behind the attacks, and why. Emperor Javvico tries to get to the bottom of it all, on top of maintaining peace with the enraged Duke Richese. After all, he needs those warships to defend his tenuous hold over Arrakis.
The result is just about all the major players are gathered together in one spot, allowing for some interesting discussions that deepen both the plot and connections to these characters. Meanwhile, Tula is left in charge of the Sisterhood on Wallach IX and charged with trying to get the Acolyte, Lila, through the ‘Agony’ in order to access her Other Memory.
As it turns out, Lila is a direct descendant of Reverend Mother Raquella, meaning it might be possible to access her memories and potentially offer new clarity on his prescient vision. Now that Valya has seen the “burning truth” as prophesied on Raquella’s death bed, she thinks Lila’s ancestry could prove vital in avoiding Tiran-Arafel.
The problem, however, is Lila is super young and at the early stages of her acolyte training. It’d normally be several years before she’d even attempt the Agony to transform into a Reverend Mother, and even those much older with more experience, have failed. Against her sister’s wishes, Tula decides to leave the choice to undergo the Agony to Lila; potentially putting the fate of the entire sisterhood in her hands.
Revelations
Lila’s heritage isn’t the only major reveal out of “Two Wolves,” however. In fact, a whole bunch of things are made clear, even as the overall mystery begins to deepen.
Desmond Hart – First and foremost, Emperor Javvico very quickly figures out who’s behind the assassination of Pruwet Richese; which Hart is quick to take credit for. It’s a small scene near the beginning, but I loved the interplay between these two characters.
For one, we get to see that Javvico is actually quite savvy and smart. He’s not as naive or incapable as his detractors believe. Secondly, we get to see more of Hart’s fanaticism and genuinely terrifying nature. It’s a compelling scene for both.
Beyond that, however, the big reveal(s) we get in regards to Desmond has to do with how he killed both Kasha and Pruwet, along with his ultimate goals. I’ll talk more about this in a bit, but he somehow has some powers to burn people up from the inside out. He’s using that to worm his way close to the throne so he can try and destroy the Sisterhood.
His reasons for hating the Bene Gesserit are still unclear, but he makes it plain to Valya, their utter destruction is what he seeks.
Keiran Atreides – This episode also gave us a bit more insight into Keiran Atreides, who is apparently far more than the Emperor’s Swordmaster…but part of a larger Rebellion against the Corrino family. He’s been working as a spy inside the palace, mapping out the palace for his comrades in the rebel cell on Salusa Secundus to conduct some sort of a attack.
It’s a pretty big reveal, especially considering Keiran’s obvious emotional attachment to Ynez Corrino. More so, it feels a bit odd to see an Atreides, a household we associate with loyalty and honor, be part of a conspiracy to kill the Emperor. Of course, this is set several thousand years in the past, so obviously things can be different. Even so, I’m eager to see how his role in this Rebellion expands.
SISTER Mikaela – Speaking of rebels, not only do we learn that Mikaela is part of this plot and working alongside Keiran (hence their familiarity in the previous episode), but is also a Bene Gesserit!
While the show hasn’t directly addressed this, we know from officially released descriptions that Mikaela is, “A Fremen woman on a foreign planet, Mikaela does what she needs to do to survive in the shadows.” This explains how the Sisterhood is not only engineering the attacks on Arrakis, but also fomenting an overall Rebellion against the Emperor. Their goal, of course, to destabilize and make him easier to manipulate.
Looking further ahead, perhaps Mikaela is where the beginning of the Sisterhood’s “Missionaria Protectiva” on Arrakis comes from. Maybe Mikaela one who lays the groundwork for the religion/prophecy that Paul Atreides eventually takes advantage of. It feels like a bit of a leap, but considering her background as a Fremen and a Sister, it could end up being a neat connection. Regardless, as an intriguing character, it’s great to see she has a purpose beyond being a part of this rebel cell on Salusa.
Duke Richese’s Ambition – While reeling from the death of his son, and demanding satisfaction, Ferdinand makes his ultimate ambitions plain. Going so far as to tell the Emperor directly that he’ll use his orbiting warships and take the Throne—along with Arrakis—by force.
Lingering Questions
For every revelation we got in “Two Wolves” it feels like more mysteries cropped up to replace them. What impressed me, is how well the episode balances these aspects without feeling cheap or crammed in. Just as we learn Keiran isn’t all he seems to be, we simultaneously discover there’s a larger Rebellion brewing. As we learn Desmond has some sort of powers (even able to resist the Voice), we have no idea how he truly came to them.
On top of those, however, some newer questions are brought to light worth mentioning:
Sister Theodosia – While we learned Acolyte Lila had a secret regarding her lineage, we also learned that there’s something about Theodosia’s past that’s important as well. Her official character bio within the show is describe as, “A talented and ambitious acolyte who harbors a dangerous secret about her past, Sister Theodosia is deeply loyal to the Sisterhood, which once gave her sanctuary in a time of need.”
On top of that, Mother Superior Valya specifically chose Theodosia to accompany her to Salusa Secondus, even making mention of her “circumstances.” Curious to see how that unfolds and why her background would be helpful in regards to wooing Princess Ynez to the Sisterhood’s side.
Desmond Hart – Desmond all but says he believes he’s some sort of prophet; believing his encounter with Shai-Hulud has granted him both powers and divine purpose. We’re dealing with a franchise in which giant worms are the key to space travel, and witches can control people with their Voice…so it’s not entirely outside the realm of possibility this is the case.
I’m not convinced, however. Call it a hunch, but I don’t think Desmond’s abilities are quite as natural, or divine, as he’s implying. It think it’s another manipulation tactic. I mean, there’s no denying he’s doing something, but I have a suspicion it’s not mystical.
My only real “evidence” at this point is how he holds his head when attacking Duke Richese. Almost like he’s waiting to push a “stop” button at the Emperor’s command. This made me go back to my previous inclinations that he’s involved with the Bene Tleilax. For those unfamiliar with the Tleilaxu, they’re fanatical/religious scientists who aren’t afraid to push the boundaries of the taboo/ethical. Masters of genetic engineering, they’ve done some terrible things in the name of the “greater good.”
Pretty much all of the various Dune adaptations haven’t dealt with them very much, but they become integral in the latter Dune novels. Considering some of the references made in the show so far that point to those stories, I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a hand in Desmond’s abilities.
Expanded Prophecy – When Lila decides to attempt the Agony, she manages to make the connection to Raquella, Valya and Tula were hoping for. As a quick aside, I have to say how much I LOVE how the show presented this. The books make it clear the Agony is, well, exactly what it says, a terrible experience needed to unlock the genetic power of Other Memory.
And while Other Memory is a vital tool and allows access to a wealth of knowledge, it is also a terrifying thing. It’s why Alia (Paul’s sister) was considered an abomination for undergoing the change while still in utero. Prophecy showcases this extremely well, making the entire sequence more like something out of a horror movie than anything else, even when the benevolent Raquella makes contact.
Anyway in the brief time Raquella reaches out through Lila, we’re given a little extra bit of the prophecy: “The key to the Reckoning is one born twice. Once in blood, once in spice….A revenant full of scars. A weapon born of war on a path too short”
According to folklore, a “revenant” is a spirit, or corpses, brought back from the dead in order to haunt the living. Sure feels like Desmond Hart fits the bill in that regard! I’m on the fence about it. While Valya is convinced the reckoning is happening NOW and against the Sisterhood, Arafel has bigger implications much further down the road. Have their misread Raquella’s prophecy to the point where Valya is twisting it to fit her own goals? That would be my bet, even as Hart is a very real threat at the moment.
Sadly, further information about Raquella’s prophecy is lost to us now. Dorotea (another link in Lila’s ancestral chain) manages to get her revenge from beyond the grave. It was a shocking moment I wasn’t expecting. A genuine gut punch of a death that could have some far-reaching consequences…
Repercussions and Character Beats
A major theme throughout this new episode—and honestly a major theme for Dune in general—is that every action bears a consequence. Big or small and regardless of the passage of time, there’s always a repercussion to consider. Obviously, Dorotea’s unexpected revenge is a key example of this on display, but there are many subtle nods to this theme throughout the episode.
Keiran’s role with both the Rebellion and Ynez is sure to pose some conflict, while the Sisterhood’s involvement in the attacks on Arrakis is biting them in the ass thanks to Desmond. Similarly, the Emperor’s own words seemingly spurred the current events taking place, while his son Constantine discovers he needs to be careful with his words.
“Two Wolves” manages to hammer home these themes through a bunch of really great character moments. For all the rushing in the first episode, it shined when it slowed things down and focused on the characters. This episode is absolutely stacked with those moments, which helps ratchet up the tension and emotion on all levels. Truly, by the end of the episode it feels like we’ve spent a lot of time with these characters, rather than just the two episodes we’ve gotten.
Easter Eggs
The few Easter eggs in “Two Wolves” came mostly in the form of various name drops. Here are the main things I noticed:
Rayna Butler – the leader of the Butlerian movement, and descendant of the iconic Serena Butler (who kicked off the war against the thinking machines, known as the Butlerian Jihad), gets a name drop. Rayna was a central character in The Battle of Corrin and coined the central tenet: Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of the human mind. Following the victory over the machines, her uncle took the name Corrino and became the first Padishah Emperor.
Rossak Poison – In the book and films, the process to become a Reverend Mother is largely hush-hush, until Jessica undergoes the Agony thanks to the Water of Life from Arrakis. In the original novels, the Water of Life became the norm for the Sisterhood. It wasn’t until the Legends of Dune prequel novels that we learned the Bene Gesserit previously used the “Rossak Poison” for the ritual.
The show explains how the original Reverend Mother, Raquella, was poisoned and discovered a way to chemically change the drug and unlock her cellular memory, which is pretty much exactly how it happens in the books. Neat to see it formally named and how they utilize it!
Vorian Atreides – It’s mentioned that Keiran is a direct descendant of Vorian, who was the primary antagonist of both the Legends of Dune trilogy and Great Schools of Dune. Thanks to a procedure given to him by his father (the evil Titan, Agamemnon), Vorian was able to live for centuries.
He was the one who shamed the Harkonnens following the battle of Corrin and ostracized them for cowardice (as mentioned in the first episode). Making him directly responsible for kicking off their millennia spanning feud. His tale is a long one, and definitely too much for any series to cover. Even so, I’m glad to see the quick mention.
Balut – Desmond mentions he’s from Balut, a world with a long history in Dune lore. Most notably, during the Legends of Dune books, Balut was a colony world hit by Tlulaxa slavers. The Tlulaxa (who became the Bene Tlielax) raided the planet to capture slaves for their “organ farms” and would make it look like a Thinking Machine attack instead. Perhaps this is another mark in the evidence column for my Desmond is a Tleilaxu adherent theory…
For all the reservations I had from the first episode, “Two Wolves” one washed them away. It shows how much potential this series has, while still feeling uniquely Dune. As I’d hoped, with all the big exposition drops out of the way from the previous episode, the show is able to slow down a bit and allow the characters to shine on their own. Between the strong character beats and expanding intrigue, I’m enthralled in where this story might be heading.
