The world of Dune has forever been a maze for the fans who have been hooked to the vibe since the beginning. Even if you aren't an avid reader, and your gateway into the world of the great houses battling in the future are the two films by Denis Villeneuve, you are educated in the lore enough to have an opinion about it. Over the past three years, Villeneuve has made the audience fall in love with the oddities of the visual universe that he has managed to create from Frank Herbert's novels. Dune, in a way, is a peep into the probable future and how the planet-hopping kings and their armies, and Denis, made it all believable. So now, as that franchise branches out in another direction with a TV series titled Dune: Prophecy, your expectations are very high. Turns out, the first episode is indeed a tease into how the show will impress the audience and what it will impress them with. 

Dune: Prophecy is set over 10,000 years before Paul Atreides and tells the story of the Sisterhood that, with time, came to be known as the Bene Gesserit. The show begins by the end of the war between humans and the thinking machines. They are no longer the technology that is allowed in this world. The Sisterhood, now led by Valya Harkonnen, has managed to seep into the world and manage it. Even the Emperor is not spared, he has his own political agendas too. When things unfold, a prophecy is hinted at, and a killer is allowed in, it all becomes dreary because now the Sisterhood is in danger. So, with Episode 1 airing on JioCinema, here are the highlights from the same.

Dune: Prophecy Episode 1 Highlights

Valya Harkonnen's Power

So far, all we know about Valya Harkonnen is that her determination propelled the Sisterhood and gave them the top seat in the world. But little did we know she was ruthless enough to save everything that the Sisterhood stood for. The show captures the ruthlessness of Valya, played by Emily Watson. It is established that the darkness in her is not marinated over time but is always there in order to save the Sisterhood. Even if it meant she would have to kill Dorotea by using her Voice to compel her, she wouldn't think twice. Her character arc in the first episode is supreme because she starts off as a slayer, and becomes the most influential behind Fearless, but as the episode concludes, you see fear on her face, and that tells you that the danger is too lethal for Valya to be scared.

Who Is Desmond Hart Exactly?

While we are learning the ways of the Sisterhood and the political game laid with the Emperor trying to make his reign stronger, a strange knock on the door brings in Desmond Hart, a soldier from the Emperor's troop sent to Arrakis. The fact that he is the sole survivor of that expedition raises alarms, but he is cunning enough to make people believe him and not eradicate him. But who is he exactly? There is a lingering doubt about him that runs through the entire episode till the very point he chooses to kill a character that seemed like one of the most pivotal ones to the show going ahead. The way he kills makes him look like a witch, and things get even more serious.

That Sandworms Exist…

One of the most attention-worthy and visually fascinating things about the Dune lore is the Sandworms. The inhabitants of Arrakis, hold the entire planet hostage and can eat anything that taps on the surface of the desert beneath which they stay. Of course, the people of Dune: Prophecy are unaware of their existence considering they are on a planet far away. Emperor Corrino's dream sequence featuring a giant sandworm connects to the larger mythos of Dune. This visual parallel to Mother Superior's earlier vision emphasizes the looming threats on Arrakis and ties Desmond’s fate to the ominous forces at play, which fans appreciate for its thematic depth.

Kasha’s Vision and Climax

Reverend Mother Kasha’s vision foreshadowing disaster involving Princess Ynez adds tension and suspense. Her foretelling that Ynez might not be the ideal candidate for Valya’s plans raises questions about the Sisterhood's ambitions and their potential consequences, captivating viewers with its dramatic implications. So, in the climax, when Desmond is killing Pruwet by grilling him with his powers, Kasha is also affected, who gets burnt, and eventually succumbs to the injuries. This shocking series of deaths is enough to shake the code of the Sisterhood because there's an enemy at the door.

Dune: Prophecy premieres on JioCinema with the first episode on November 18. Fresh episodes will drop every Monday at 7:30 am. With the original language in English, the show will also be additionally available in Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, and Bengali. Stay tuned to Mobile Masala for more information on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.

Read Also: Dune: Prophecy Episode 1 Ending Explained: Why did Desmond kill them and how?