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Before its finale aired, HBO’s seriesDune: Prophecywas renewed for a second season. After spending five episodes seeing the Bene Gesserit, the Corrinos, and the Insurgency led by Keiran Atreides bid for power of the Imperium, we are finally beginning to see each of their plans play out. To no surprise, none of their plans play out as they had hoped. But doesDune: Prophecy‘s finale deliver?
Dune: ProphecyEpisode 6 Recap
The episode begins with Tula recalling the time when Valya (Jessica Barden) killed Dorotea. She and the other sisters decide to lie and say that Dorotea killed herself out of grief, hiding the truth of Valya’s betrayal.
Tula gets sick, and while Valya initially suspects that it’s because of her actions, Tula reveals that it is because she is pregnant. She wants to keep the baby even though it is Orry Atreides’s, and to her surprise, Valya says she will support her and that they can raise the baby together.
In the modern day, Tula (Olivia Williams) and Nazir (Kaima McAdams) investigate the connection between Kasha’s death and the drawings that the acolytes are producing of their nightmare. Nazir determines that Kasha was killed by a virus that feeds off of fear. She speculates that Desmond did not develop it, but that it was developed as a bioweapon and that he was its first victim.
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The duo resolves to create an antiviral, but in Tula’s attempt to isolate the virus in Nazir’s DNA, it overcomes her. She says she sees eyes that are “watching him,” and the more she fights it, the more aggressive the virus becomes until she dies.
On Salusa, Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel) and his goons interrogate Keiran Atreides (Chris Mason) about the sisterhood’s collaboration with the insurgents. Atreides denies these accusations, saying he would never trust a Harkonnen because of their past. Desmond offers him a chance to avenge his family by testifying against the Order at the Landsraad, but Atreides refuses because he hates Desmond and the Emperor worse.
Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussina) attempts to free Atreides, but her mother, Empress Natalya (Jodhi May), catches her in the act. Ynez asks her mother to spare his life, but instead, she has her arrested.
Emperor Corrino (Mark Strong) asks Francesca (Tabu) to stay on Salusa with him and requests that she relay a message to Valya that he seeks a meeting with her.
Valya (Emily Watson) wants to act quickly to regain control over the Imperium, but Francesca says that she cannot become Empress because it would cause a war. Sister Theodosia (Jade Anouka) is tasked with freeing Ynez until her coronation can be assured, and Valya realizes that the only way forward is to assassinate Corrino.
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In the past, young Valya, Tula, and their sisters match a young Natalya and Corrino with the genetic library, determining that they will have a daughter who will become the ultimate empress and fulfill their prophecy of having a member of the Sisterhood on the throne. In secret, Valya also shows Tula that her child has incredible potential and that, with the correct guidance, he could shape the trajectory of the world.
Back in the main timeline, Tula discovers that the virus is actually caused by machines. Anirul, the AI for the genetic library, suggests to Tula that the easiest way to eliminate the threat would be to eliminate Desmond, but she says she will talk with him. Meanwhile, Lila (Chloe Lea) asks Jen (Faioleann Cunningham) to loosen her restraints and escapes, tranquilizing Jen.
The Emperor confronts Desmond about his daughter’s arrest, and Desmond tells him that it was not he who gave the order, but Natalya. Corrino says that he plans to send Natalya on a tour of goodwill, but Desmond calls him out on his lie, knowing that it is just an excuse for him to spend more time with his mistress, Francesca. Desmond explains that he doesn’t trust Drancesca because he knows that the Sisterhood is backing the emperor’s downfall. However, Corrino says he’s going to bring back the Bene Gesserit, much to Desmond’s dismay.
Natalya reveals to Corrrino that she and Desmond have teamed up and that she refuses to continue to lie dormant. Valya takes the meeting with Corrino, who asks for help in getting rid of Desmond because he and Natalya want to take over. She tells him that he is a weak man and that his time is coming to an end, causing him to have his guards arrest her.
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Lila, now controlled by Dorotea, recruits the rest of the acolytes and tells them the story of when Dorotea was killed. We see a flashback of young Valya and her allies using the voice to issue an ultimatum to the other sisters: follow her or kill themselves. All but one dies. Lila/Dorotea shows the acolytes their mass grave.
Corrino goes to Francesca’s quarters, telling her that he is going to dismiss her. Francesca takes out the poisoned needle she was to kill him with and sets it down.
Valya uses the Voice to break Ynez out of prison. Theodosia, whose secret power is revealed to be shapeshifting, takes her place. Ynez insists that they also free Atreides. As the empress and Desmond conspire to frame the Sisterhood, Desmond receives word of the escape and orders that the palace be locked down.
In the commotion, Valya, Ynez, and Atreides escape, while Theodosia — disguising herself as an injured guard — stabs Desmond and gets captured.
Francesca begs Corrino to work with her and find a way through this conflict, but Corrino kills himself. Natalya takes the poisoned needle and uses it to kill Francesca.
Dorotea destroys Anirul. Baron Harrow Harkonnen (Edward Davis) retrieves a camera that he planted to record Valya’s conspiracy.
Valya sends Ynez and Atreides with a smuggler to get them off the planet, staying behind to buy them time and stop Desmond. Desmond uses the virus against Valya, causing her to hallucinate the time when she learned to use the Voice to save her drowning brother.
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Tula arrives on Salusa and attempts to find Valya and Desmond. Ynez and Atreides work together to kill a bunch of guars.
Tula finds Valya and attempts to bring her back, telling her that she cannot fight because it’s a machine. She tells her to let go of her fears, but when Griffin dies in her dream, she begins to succumb to the virus. As Valya sees the sandworm approaching, Tula tells her to let it come, and she embraces it, overcoming the virus. She begins to see from Desmond’s perspective, witnessing a memory in which a machine implanted his eyeball with biotechnology.
Valya attempts to stab Desmond’s eye out, but Tula uses the Voice against her to stop her. Tula reveals to Valya that Desmond is her son and that she lied about the baby’s death. Valya explains that there is another hidden hand grasping for control and that they are using Desmond’s potential. Tula says she can handle the threat and asks Valya to spare him, and Valya leaves the decision to Tula.
Tula tries to embrace Desmond, and he first pushes her away, then reluctantly accepts. However, he has the guards arrest her.
Later, Ynez, Atreides, and Valya take refuge on Arrakis, and Valya says that this is where their new path begins.
IsDune: Prophecyepisode 6 good?
The world ofDuneis one that has virtually infinite possibilities to explore, and while the origins of the Bene Gesserit may sound like an intriguing premise,Dune: Prophecydoes not deliver on that potential. It takes far too long to get into the actual meat of the conspiracies at its core, with awful pacing that feels far too slow in the first three episodes and too rushed in the finale.
However, now that the pieces are in motion, this will hopefully allow the show to be much more compelling in its second season. Maybe it’s just the colossal expectations set by how epic Denis Villeneuve’sDunefilms were, but season one ofDune: Prophecywas a massive disappointment, and this finale was no exception.
Dune: Prophecyis now streaming on Max.
Sean Boelman
Managing Editor for Film and TV
Articles Published :441
Sean is the Managing Editor for Film and Television, working to determine editorial strategy for the critics team. He has been on the FandomWire team since 2022.In addition to writing reviews himself, Sean helps match writers on the FandomWire team with assignments that best fit their interests and expertise.
