In 2021, Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune was as big a hit as the author's fictional universe. Unsurprisingly, Dune: Part Two is on the way, slated for a March 2024 release with Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Austin Butler, and Timothée Chalamet (among many others). The 2021 adaptation is rife with intense hand-to-hand combat. Due to the advent of Holtzman shield technology, high-speed projectiles are repelled, warranting the need for the return of close-quarters weaponry and techniques. This is seen prominently in the swordsmanship of characters like Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa) and Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), but also during the final moments of the film via martial arts techniques used by Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and her son Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet).

In the film's final scenes, Paul and Jessica are ambushed by Fremen warriors led by the enigmatic Stilgar (Javier Bardem). Although the Fremen are known for their battle prowess, Paul and Jessica manage to restain Stilgar and deal quick and stunning blows to his comrade Jamis (Babs Olusanmokun). The Fremen are taken by surprise as they find the tables turned quickly, with Stilgar subdued and Pual overlooking the remaining unshielded Fremen with a poison dart-firing Maula Pistol. At this point, Stilgar refers to Jessica as a "Weirding Woman." Huh?

So What Exactly Is a Weirding Woman in 'Dune'?

The term "Weirding" comes from a martial art in Herbert's Dune universe known as the "Weirding Way," a movement-heavy combat technique originally developed by the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, requiring exceptional mastery of both body and mind (referred to in Herbert's novels as Prana-bindu control, which derives from Sanskrit). Without this psychosomatic control, many things would not be possible for characters such as Paul and Jessica, such as subduing the Fremen or surviving the test of the Gom Jabbar.

As a member of the sisterhood, Jessica was trained in the Weirding Way extensively, as all members of the Bene Gesserit are. As part of Paul's mental and physical conditioning, Jessica taught him as much as she could about Bene Gesserit techniques, not only in the Weirding Way, but also in The Voice. We see these masterful tactics in action during tense situations such as Paul and Jessica's escape from captivity by Harkonnen soldiers inside an airborne ornithopter.

The Weirding Way in 'Dune' Isn't Perfect

Those skilled in Prana-bindu control and the Weirding Way could move at blinding speeds in close-quarters battle by using quick movements spurred on by an individual's shifting of their perception of space-time. This shift brings an increased understanding of cause and effect relationships and therefore give the practitioner the ability to forecast their opponent's movements and vulnerabilities. To the untrained eye, combat using the Weirding Way can almost seem like teleportation, though this isn't the case.

However, the technique has its limits along with the human body and mind, so it is only applicable at a distance of a few feet at best. Paul and Jessica's proficiency in the Weirding Way helped them in the first part of Villeneuve's adaptation. If Dune: Part Two continues to follow Herbert's written universe closely, this combat technique will become a huge part of Paul and Jessica's future. Paul's spice-induced visions have already laid the path for an army of Weirding Fremen, and there may not be a more dangerous force in all the Known Universe.

The Big Picture

• In the world of Dune, the advent of Holtzman shield technology has led to a resurgence of close-quarters combat techniques, seen prominently in characters like Duncan Idaho and Gurney Halleck.
• The term "Weirding" refers to a martial art known as the "Weirding Way," developed by the Bene Gesserit sisterhood. It requires exceptional physical and mental mastery and allows practitioners to move at incredible speeds in battle.
• Paul and Jessica, trained in the Weirding Way, use their skills to defeat the Fremen warriors in the final scenes of the film. Their proficiency in this technique will play a significant role in their future, potentially leading to the creation of an army of Weirding Fremen.