The Big Picture

• House Atreides, the protagonists of Dune, are caught in a political trap as they are tasked with taking control of spice production from House Harkonnen, their ancient enemies.
• House Harkonnen, known for their brutal methods, controlled Arrakis and the spice production until House Atreides arrives, causing tension and conflict.
• The Fremen, the native people of Arrakis, possess unique survival skills and have been in open war against House Harkonnen. House Atreides aims to befriend them and form an alliance in the extraction of spice.

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune does a wonderful job adapting the first half of Frank Herbert’s original novel, a sci-fi epic that mixes space opera with political disputes to create one of the most curious fictional universes ever. However, as many viewers will have their first contact with the Dune universe through Villeneuve’s films, it might be hard to follow the saga’s political disputes. That’s even more true since Dune has its own set of odd words to describe the different players in the political conflict to control spice production. It wouldn’t be a good fantasy universe without names that are hard to pronounce, would it?

Now that Dune is available to stream on Netflix, you may want to catch up on the sci-fi epic's politics before you watch. Luckily, we’ve prepared a handy guide to explain the political actors involved in Villeneuve’s saga. The following list will tell you all you need to know about the Imperium, its Houses, and the Fremen of Arrakis. Nevertheless, we’ll keep spoilers at a minimum so that newcomers have enough to not feel lost but still enjoy the twists and turns of Villeneuve’s adaptation. So get your spice ready; we are going on an interstellar trip.

House Atreides

The protagonists of Villeneuve’s Dune come from House Atreides, a noble house of the Landsraad, one of the main political forces in the Known Universe. While the Padishah Emperor rules the Imperium, the Landsraad is a force created to put the absolute power of the emperor in check, as all the Great Houses united could theoretically match the Emperor’s power. However, in reality, the houses are too busy with their own struggle for power and frequently work against each other for the emperor’s favor.

Dune's events start when the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV asks House Atreides to take control of the spice production in the desert planet of Arrakis. The spice is the most expensive substance in Dune's universe, capable of extending human youth, vitality, and lifespan, making it essential for interstellar exploration. Therefore, the request looks like a great honor, as House Atreides is also promised richness beyond imagination for taking control of the spice production. But the task is not so simple, first because House Atreides comes from the ocean planet Caladan, and its people know nothing about surviving in the desert.

Most importantly, though, is that House Atreides must take control of the spice production from the hands of House Harkonnen. House Atreides and House Harkonnen have a centuries-old grudge, making the Emperor’s request a curse disguised as a gift. Moreover, House Harkonnen is known for using any means necessary to maintain its power, making the deal dangerous. Even so, House Atreides answers the call from the Emperor, well aware that their departure to Arrakis is a political trap put in place to drain their influence.

House Harkonnen

The sworn enemy of House Atreides is known for its brutal men who’ll torture and kill anyone on their way to power. For many years House Harkonnen controlled the desert planet of Arrakis with an iron fist, pushing its native people to the brink of their lives just to increase spice production. While House Harkonnen’s methods could be frowned upon, their efficiency was indisputable, making the Padishah Emperor's request for them to leave Arrakis a surprise. The Harkonnens grew rich with spice exploration and were unhappy to see their goldmine hand-delivered to their enemies. However, House Harkonnen is well aware of the Emperor’s displeasure with House Atreides and their growing political influence, a knowledge they might use for their advantage. Given that Villeneuve has said that Dune 2 will show more of House Harkonnen, now is a great time to brush up on your knowledge of House Atreides' greatest rival.

The Fremen

The native people of Arrakis learned how to survive the harsh desert and the giant sandworms that swallow everything that makes the sand vibrate. Using spice as a sacred substance, the Fremen can survive the high temperatures of the desert and fight as possessed warriors. However, the Fremen are more than brutes as they develop technological wonders to help them cross the desert safely. While the Fremen are aware of the existence of the Imperium, they are not a part of the political organization, often looked down on by outsiders as a people that needs to be tamed. As a result, the Fremen remained in open war against House Harkonnen during their entire occupation. House Atreides comes to Arrakis with intentions of befriending the Fremen so that their people can work together in the extraction of spice. Co-operation is not easy to achieve, though, as the Fremen are used to new masters coming from the Imperium and employing the native people of Arrakis as a working force, sometimes against their will. The Imperium has a colonialist structure that dismisses the native people of the planets that they explore as political agents, and the Fremen know that. So when Dune’s events start to unfold, House Atreides knows it will take a lot of time and effort to convince the Fremen to become their allies.

The Padishah Emperor and the Sardaukar

The highest power of the Imperium is the Padishah Emperor, who controls a vast army known as the Sardaukar. The Emperor can order the Sardaukar to destroy any Great House that opposes their power, which often seems to be the biggest fear of the noble families. The immense power of the Padishah Emperor and the Sardaukar led to the creation of the Landsraad, as the Great Houses could stand together should the Emperor abuse their power. Completing the trio of influential organizations that control the Imperium is the Spacing Guild, responsible for the economic support of the political structure. During the events of Dune, Shaddam IV is the current Padishah Emperor. With no children or wife, Shaddam IV fears his lineage might be over after he passes away, putting an end to the hereditary succession of the Padishah Emperors. Shaddam IV also distrusts House Atreides, a Great House whose influence grows over time and might lead the Landsraad to take over the Imperium. That’s the main reason why Shaddam IV orders House Atreides to go to Arrakis, knowing that the desert will be their end. If House Atreides refuses the Emperor’s request, they will publicly defy the Imperium; if they accept, they’ll be destroyed by House Harkonnen. In any outcome, Shaddam IV comes out victorious.

The Bene Gesserit

While the Imperium is officially formed by three powers — the Padishah Emperor, the Landsraad, and the Spacing Guild —, the Bene Gesserit acts as a fourth influence in the shadows. The women-only organization is known for their vast powers, which includes mind-reading and dreaming about the future. It’s no wonder, then, that the Emperor keeps the Bene Gesserit close by as a tool to uncover secret plots against the Imperium. Even if the Bene Gesserit claim that they are loyal to the Padishah Emperor and justify their actions as being in favor of the Imperium, people often wonder what their true intentions are and what they can do with all their power.

Dune is now available to stream on Netflix and Max. Read up on everything we know so far about Dune 2, which is set to hit theaters on March 15, 2024.