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Dune: Prophecy leans on its supporting cast is slick, setup-heavy fifth episode

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Dune: Prophecy leans on its supporting cast is slick, setup-heavy fifth episode

As a longtime fan of Frank Herbert’s Dune series, I must say that this episode, much like a spice melange, was a complex blend of intrigue, action, and a touch of the bizarre – all essential ingredients for any worthy adaptation.

Hard to believe, but we’re on the second last installment of the initial season of Dune: Prophecy. That’s right, just one more episode remains for this six-part series.

Some viewers consider the show “Dune: Prophecy” insufficiently long for a worthwhile investment, expressing that additional episodes might have added depth. However, I must commend “Dune: Prophecy” for effectively utilizing the time it’s been given. The series packs a lot into each episode and remains engaging.

As a devoted cinephile, I must confess that the penultimate episode left me feeling somewhat drowsy. This, I believe, is due to the fact that it spent more time focusing on characters other than Valya (Emily Watson) and Tula Harkonnen (Olivia Williams). Now, I appreciate that Dune: Prophecy is aiming to be an ensemble production, but it seems that the other characters haven’t been given the same depth of development as Valya and Tula. Nevertheless, there’s a lot of intrigue building up as we approach what promises to be an extraordinary finale.

Review: Dune: Prophecy Episode 5, “In Blood, Truth”

The narrative unfolds post the tumultuous Landsraad gathering, where Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel), harnessing his powers, reduced several criminals and a Landsraad member to ashes. Emperor Javicco (Mark Strong) has consolidated power within the Imperium, with Desmond Hart serving as his formidable enforcer. However, Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina) expresses strong disapproval towards this arrangement and swiftly departs from a military event as soon as she finds an opportunity to do so.

After his absence at the Landsraad meeting last week, Ynez and Constantine (Josh Heuston) have a touching conversation. She forgives him, and he promises not to let her down again. However, I find myself less emotionally engaged than expected. Their bond was strengthened during Ynez’s youth when she was kidnapped by enemies of her father, with Constantine choosing to stand by her rather than leaving her alone. While we’ve delved into Valya and Tula’s painful histories through flashbacks, we’ve only been told about the experiences that shaped Ynez and Constantine. Moments like this make me wish the show had more episodes to provide a deeper exploration of their relationship dynamics.

In other words, the episode titled “In Blood, Truth” offers significant character growth for Constantine, as his mother Francesca (played by Tabu), a Bene Gessert sister and potentially the great love of Emperor Corrino’s life, arrives on Salusa Secundus in response to Constantine’s summons. However, it appears that Valya was the one who summoned her, with the intention of reasserting control over House Corrino. By the end of the episode, Javicco is smitten with Francesca again, causing Natalya (Jodhi May) to kiss Desmond Hart passionately and strike a deal with him to eliminate these witches from the Imperium forever.

In the near future, we’ll discover the outcome of that situation. At present, I’m still captivated by how skillfully the show portrays the Bene Gesserit as shrewd long-term strategists, as depicted in Frank Herbert’s Dune novels. It appears that Javicco’s affection for Francesca was a move they orchestrated and executed decades prior. Valya may not have had much screen time in this episode, but her presence was undeniably powerful.

An instance of Valya’s skillfulness: she instructs Edward Davis (Harrow Harkonnen) to approach Desmond Hart amicably within the Imperial Palace. He offers some guidance regarding the whereabouts of the rebels who attempted to explode the Landsraad, advice that Desmond follows because he believes Harrow is attempting to rebuild his relationship with the emperor. However, in reality, Harrow is guiding Desmond into a trap set by Valya.

As a cinephile, I traced the clues to the watering hole where Kieran Atreides (Chris Mason) and Mikaela (Shalom Brune-Franklin), masterminds of their rebellious plots, had concocted their schemes. It’s important to note that Mikaela, being a Bene Gesserit operative, was armed with explosive charges that detonated the tavern in an exhilarating action sequence. I managed to escape unscathed thanks to my protective shield, but Valya hinted at a backup plan for me. Given their ongoing rivalry and the palpable tension it generates, I can’t help but anticipate another encounter between them in the final act.

In this episode, you observed some character growth in Constantine. His encounter with his mother, who he hasn’t seen in a while, reveals a fresh aspect of his personality. He inquires about her intentions if the Bene Gesserit always act with a specific purpose, questioning why she had him. His mother replies truthfully, indicating that his purpose is to safeguard his sister, whom the Bene Gesserit believe will become the next ruler of the Imperium. This revelation seems to trigger an internal struggle for Constantine, which he appears to resolve by accepting his role. Upon discovering proof that Kieran is a rebel, Constantine decides to hand him over.

Dune: Prophecy leans on its supporting cast is slick, setup-heavy fifth episode

Abomination, but in a fun way

Throughout, it’s fairly amusing, yet much of it seems to be setting up for a climax. Similarly, on Wallach IX, there’s more science fiction madness, making it more enjoyable.

In the closing scene of Episode 4, it was disclosed that Lila (performed by Chloe Lea) is alive once more, rejuvenated through intelligent machinery. However, she remains in the same predicament as before, following her unsuccessful escape from the spice torment several episodes back: her foremothers are battling to retain control over her body. Tula has faith that this struggle will eventually cease, and enlists Sister Jen (also played by Chloe Lea) to stay near Lila and assist in her recovery process. “I’m going to present you with something,” Tula tells Jen, “and you’ll need to form an opinion about it.

The narrative becomes captivating as Lila undergoes possession by Raquella, the founding Mother Superior of the Sisterhood, her great-grandmother. This scenario provides Chloe Lea with an opportunity to demonstrate her exceptional acting skills. Her portrayal was so convincing that I found myself convinced she was embodying a distinct spirit, which is remarkable given her youth.

In the contemporary universe of ‘Dune’, the Bene Gesserit regard such occurrences as abhorrent and strictly prohibited. It’s possible that ‘Dune: Prophecy’ may shed light on the reasons behind this. Raquella assists Tula in identifying what caused Kasha’s destruction, and what is causing the acolytes to have nightmares: it appears to be a virus developed by thinking machines during the Machine Wars that targets humans. For some time now, I’ve felt that the series might be hinting at an artificially intelligent adversary in the future, and this only strengthens that suspicion.

What’s the final outcome? Stay tuned next week for the answer. A lot is at stake in the finale. While this series has been consistently good, it hasn’t quite reached the level of brilliance that would guarantee a second season. Time is running out to convince viewers and critics alike. I believe it’s capable, so I’ll be tuning in. Will there be enough audience members joining me to bring the Dune universe back to TV screens?

Dune: Bullet Points

  • Adding in a new character like Francesca this late in the game may seem like the show is over-stuffing itself, but we already met her in Valya’s flashbacks, when she was played as a Bene Gesserit acolyte by Charithra Chandran, so I think the show gets away with it.
  • Harrow Harkonnen leaves Salusa Secundus to go bury his uncle Evgeny (Mark Addy) on the Harkonnen home world of Lankiveil. It’s not clear if he knows that Valya was responsible for Evgeny’s death, or if he does, whether he cares. This is another time when I wish we had another episode or two to flesh out the supporting cast.
  • Kieran is present with Mikaela when she blows up the bar, and finds out that she’s a Bene Gesserit plant. I don’t know what import that will have in the finale, though. There are a lot of dangling strings and I imagine the final episode will only be able to tie up so many of them.
  • Princess Ynez goes to visit Kieran after he gets found out and hung in suspensor jail. She uses truth sense on him to find out whether their time together meant anything, but because she isn’t fully trained in the ways of the Bene Gesserit, the effects that usually accompany the use of truth sense are a bit janky and jumbled. A nice little touch.
  • I need to shout out actor Barbara Marten, who has been doing a bang-up job of playing Sister Avila since the start of the show. She gives a great scandalized reaction shot when she learns that Lila is alive.

Episode Grade: B-

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2024-12-16 06:41

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