There are many thingsDenis Villeneuvecouldn’t show in hisDunemovies — it’s impossible to keep the huge scope ofFrank Herbert’s universe contained to just two movies. One such thing is the Landsraad, the High Council of the Great Houses, but we finally geta good lookat it in this week’s episode ofDune: Prophecy, “Twice Born.“One of the Imperium’s ruling bodies, the Landsraad is where most of the action takes place in Episode 4- but what exactly is it, and how does it work?
In “Twice Born,” the Landsraad gathers on the Imperial capital of Salusa Secundus, and we get to see it in action forthe first time ever. It isn’t unlike the Congress in most real-world countries, but it does leave out the democracy part, since it comprises only the Great Houses.In this sense,its purpose is to counterbalance the Padishah Emperor’s power, but usually, they operate togetherunless one acts as a direct threat to the other.
This is exactly what happens in “Twice Born.” Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark Strong) has silenced House Richese after Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel) killed young Pruwet Richese (Charlie Hodson-Prior) and attacked his father, Duke Ferdinand (Brendan Cowell). As Baron Harrow Harkonnen (Edward Davis) mentions, this violates Kanly, one of the Landsraad’sprime rulesin its Great Convention, according to whichany dispute between the Great Houses must be formalized.
The Emperor and the Landsraad aren’t the only governing bodies in the Imperium, though.Two private entities, the Spacing Guild and CHOAM, also help dilute power. The first provides the vital service of interstellar transportation, while the latter, which is still to be mentioned on screens,regulates spice trade. In CHOAM’s case, however, most of its directors are members of the Great Houses, and the Emperor himself holds a significant number of shares.
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Something important about the Landsraad’s workings is thatit doesn’t hold permanent congress, instead holding periodical sessions when it’s needed. In “Twice Born,” the Landsraad gathers to discuss the events of the departure of House Richese after the events of the first two episodes, “The Hidden Hand” and “Two Wolves.”
This doesn’t mean that the Great Houses aren’t allowed to treat outside Landsraad sessions. In fact,it also happens a lot in “Twice Born,” especially when two lords visit the Harkonnen apartment on Salusa Secundustoinvite House Harkonneninto the Great Council in House Richese’s place. The Bene Gesserit Sisterhood also plays a vital role in the Landsraad in this sense, given their role as advisors to the lords and their ownGrand Planthat must be followed.
In “Twice Born,” the Landsraad plans to directly oppose the Emperor because of his actions against House Richese, out of fear he might also act against the rest of them.In the movies, however, the Landsraad plays a more evil role ofdirectly opposingHouse Atreides, showing how, when it benefits them, the Great Houses have no problem stabbing one of their own in the back.
InDune, Liet-Kynes (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) acts as the Council’s liaison on Arrakis but is left in the dark about their plan, led by House Harkonnen and Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken), ofdestroying House Atreides. InDune: Part Two,the Great Houses threaten to invade Arrakis to stop Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) rising to the throne, even after he threatens to use atomics to destroy the desert planet’s spice fields. This is when his Holy War effectively begins.
During and after Paul’s reign,the Landsraad continues to exist, but its role is significantly diminished. His new empire, established through his alliance with the Fremen and monopoly over spice production, shifts the balance of power, becoming a symbolic body under the shadow of the Emperor’s overwhelming authority.
Dune: Prophecyis available to stream on Max in the U.S. New episodes air weekly on Sundays.
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Dune: Prophecy
Set in the universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune series, this sci-fi epic follows the political and spiritual struggles on the desert planet of Arrakis. As factions vie for control of the prized spice melange, a prophesied hero emerges, challenging the balance of power and the fate of the galaxy.
