Book Club: Dune (Part 1)

Summary

**Gom Jabbar: A Dune Podcast - Episode Summary
Episode: Book Club: Dune (Part 1)
Release Date: May 28, 2021
Hosts: Abu and Leo
Podcast: Gom Jabbar: A Dune Podcast by Lore Party Media

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Introduction

[00:32] Abu & Leo:
The episode kicks off with Abu and Leo setting the stage for their first official Dune book club session. They express excitement about delving into Frank Herbert's Dune novel, aiming to read and discuss the book in anticipation of upcoming film adaptations.

Chapter Summaries

[04:40] Chapter 1-5 Overview:

• Chapter 1: Introduction to Paul Atreides and his mother, Jessica. Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam arrives at Castle Caladan to test Paul's humanity using the Gom Jabbar, a deadly test that measures fear and pain tolerance.

  • Notable Quote:
    • Leo: “...the Gom Jabbar takes. You understand what's in the box? Pain.” [00:34]

• Chapter 2: Introduction of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and his entourage, including Piter DeVry University and Feyd-Rautha. The Baron reveals plans to move the Atreides to Arrakis as part of a larger scheme.

  • Notable Quote:
    • Abu: “Go hedgehogs, baby.”
    • Leo: “Go Warthogs. Yeah.” [05:34]

• Chapter 3: Back at Castle Caladan, Jessica and Mohiam discuss significant terminologies like Kwisatz Haderach and Paul's prescience, hinting at Paul's unique abilities.

• Chapter 4: Gurney Halleck mentors Paul in combat, emphasizing the importance of fighting without being swayed by mood.

  • Notable Quote:
    • Gurney Halleck: “What has mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises. No matter the mood.” [07:04]

• Chapter 5: Paul interacts with Dr. Yueh, who is revealed to be a traitor under duress. Dr. Yueh's internal conflict and regret are evident as he contemplates betraying House Atreides.

[09:33] Chapter 6-8 Overview:

• Chapter 6: Duke Leto discusses the treacherous nature of Arrakis, highlighting the presence of Sardaukar (the Emperor’s elite troops) disguised as Harkonnens. Paul discovers his secret Mentat training.

  • Notable Quote:
    • Duke Leto: “We have there a potential of a core as strong and as deadly as the Sardaukar.” [15:35]

• Chapter 7: The Atreides arrive on Arrakis. Jessica senses the political and environmental challenges awaiting them. They meet Shadout Mapes, the first Fremen character, indicating the impending complexities with Fremen culture and survival on Arrakis.

  • Notable Quote:
    • Abu: “Shit's going down on Arrakis.” [39:18]

• Chapter 8: Jessica and Yueh have a tense conversation where Jessica’s Bene Gesserit training enables her to navigate the delicate situation with Mapes, utilizing the Missionaria Protectiva legends to gain trust.

  • Notable Quote:
    • Abu: “Protective legends implanted in these people against the day of a Bene Gesserit's need.” [37:07]

Key Takeaways

1. Paul Atreides as the Protagonist:
Paul is portrayed as more than just the Duke’s son; he possesses unique abilities and training that hint at his potential to become the Kwisatz Haderach, a prophesied figure with extraordinary powers. His resilience is evident in his passing of the Gom Jabbar test, illustrating his humanity and strength.

Notable Quotes:

• Abu: “Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration.” [17:32]

2. Baron Harkonnen’s Intricate Plot:
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is depicted as a master schemer with layered plans to undermine House Atreides. His collaboration with Piter DeVry University and the Emperor to deploy Sardaukar disguised as Harkonnens showcases the depth of his treachery. The revelation of Dr. Yueh’s coerced betrayal adds complexity to the narrative.

Notable Quotes:

• Leo: “Observe the plans within plans within plans.” [21:08]

3. The Harshness of Arrakis and Fremen Resilience:
Arrakis is established as an unforgiving planet where survival hinges on adaptability and respect for water. The introduction of Shadout Mapes provides insights into Fremen culture, their superstitions, and their formidable nature. The emphasis on water conservation and the advanced societal structures of the Fremen highlight the planet's significance.

Notable Quotes:

• Abu: “Water is power, Water is life or death on Arrakis.” [33:24]

Deep Dives & Lore Insights

1. Kwisatz Haderach and Bene Gesserit Goals:
The Kwisatz Haderach is a central concept, representing a male figure capable of accessing both male and female genetic memories, a feat the Bene Gesserit have long sought. This prophecy drives much of the political and mystical undertones in the narrative.

2. Sardaukar and Imperial Influence:
Sardaukar, the Emperor’s elite soldiers, play a pivotal role in maintaining his power and executing covert operations, such as the attack on House Atreides. Their portrayal underscores the Emperor’s manipulative strategies to eliminate threats without direct involvement.

3. Missionaria Protectiva:
This Bene Gesserit strategy involves planting religious and cultural legends across planets to manipulate future events. Jessica’s use of these legends to gain trust with the Fremen exemplifies the long-term influence and control the Bene Gesserit exert over different cultures.

Notable Quotes:

• Abu: “Protective legends implanted in these people against the day of a Bene Gesserit's need.” [37:07]

Lore Notes (Lightning Round)

• Ikazian Art and Ecaz:

  • Ikazian Art uses trees that grow based on human emotions, resulting in unique, emotion-driven sculptures.
  • Ecaz is a planet known for its bizarre flora and fauna, including the production of the drug Alaka from Alaka wood.
  • Butlerian Jihad: A pivotal galaxy-wide war against machines and advanced AI, shaping the socio-political landscape of the Dune universe.

• Weapons of Dune:

  • Introduction of various weapons like the Kinjal, Bodkin, and Holtzman Shield, essential for survival and combat in the Dune universe.
  • Holtzman Shield: Utilizes a defensive mechanism that repels fast-moving objects, influencing combat strategies to be slow and deliberate.

• Fixed vs. Unfixed Kris Knives:

  • Unfixed Kris Knives disintegrate when not in use, making them nearly mythical and highly valued.
  • Fixed Kris Knives can be stored long-term, indicating their practical use in certain contexts.

Conclusion

[48:20] Abu & Leo:
Abu and Leo wrap up the episode by reflecting on the dense and complex nature of the first 100 pages of Dune. They encourage listeners to share their thoughts and questions, emphasizing the depth and richness of the material covered. The hosts tease the next book club meeting, guiding listeners on their reading assignment up to page 204 in the classic paperback version.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Leo: “...the Gom Jabbar takes. You understand what's in the box? Pain.” [00:34]
• Gurney Halleck: “What has mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises. No matter the mood.” [07:04]
• Abu: “Protective legends implanted in these people against the day of a Bene Gesserit's need.” [37:07]
• Abu: “Water is power, Water is life or death on Arrakis.” [33:24]

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This episode of Gom Jabbar: A Dune Podcast serves as an in-depth exploration of the first segment of Frank Herbert's Dune, laying the groundwork for understanding the complex interplay of characters, political maneuvers, and the harsh realities of Arrakis. Whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer, Abu and Leo provide valuable insights and engaging discussions to enhance your journey through the Dune universe.

Transcript

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[Abu]

Get on with it. Old woman.

[Leo]

Old woman. You've courage that can't be denied. Well, we shall see. Sira, you will feel pain in this hand within the box. Pain. But withdraw the hand and I'll touch your neck with my Gom Jabbar. The death so swift, it's like the fall of the headsman's axe. Withdraw your hand and the gom jabbar takes. You understand what's in the box? Pain. Oh, I keep going. You've heard of animals chewing off a leg to escape a trap? There's an animal kind of trick. A human would remain in the trap, endure the pain, feigning death that he might kill the trapper and remove a threat to his kind.

[Abu]

Wha. Why are you doing this?

[Leo]

To determine if you're human. It burns. Silence.

[Abu]

Welcome to Gom Jabbar, your guide to the iconic world of Dune. We'll be exploring the themes, philosophies, and characters found in the sandy depths of this vast universe, from Frank Herbert's groundbreaking novels to the adaptations on film and tv. My name's Abu.

[Leo]

And my name's Leo.

[Abu]

And today we're going to be focusing particularly on. On the groundbreaking novel part. Am I right?

[Leo]

Yup. Book club. Book club time. Finally. Oh, my God.

[Abu]

This has been a long time coming. Yes. Today is the first official episode of our Dune book club. We are going to be reading through the entirety of the first Dune novel in preparation for the upcoming film.

[Leo]

Yeah, never a better time. And. And we're going to be covering it such that if you follow along with us, if you read alongside us, we will finish the book Dune before the movie comes out. So you'll be primed and ready to enjoy an adaptation of the story that you're already familiar with, which is, I think, a good way of enjoying it for sure.

[Abu]

And a couple of housekeeping things that we have to take care of here at the top of the episode one. This is intended to be a book club, and we want to hear from you as you read along with us. So, as always, get in touch with us on twitter or email. USAM jabbar podcastmail.com yes, and a reminder that these book club episodes are going to be spoiler free. Our goal here is if you are a first time reader, we will be your expert guides through this incredible story. And if you are revisiting the story and you're a longtime Dune fan, you we will be your expert guides pointing out some of the tiny details in the expanded lore tidbits that you might have missed on your first or second or third read of the book. So either way, whether you're a newcomer to the Dune universe or you're a longtime Dune head, welcome to the book club. We are so excited to dive into.

[Leo]

It and diving into it, let's start with a very fast. This is going to feel crazy because these first hundred pages were packed with. But it's insane. But talk about starting a book. We're going to talk through the major plot points and the sort of chapter summaries of what we covered today, just to kind of refresh you if it's been a couple of days since you read the pages. And then we'll get into kind of the three major takeaways, followed by sort of a lightning round highlighting of some really fun, deep lore notes that we caught as we were reading through these first hundred pages for sure.

[Abu]

So let's jump right in with the summary. Chapter one. We jump right into it. Beat first. And we meet our boy, Paul Atreides, heard of him, and his mother Jessica. And in the very first chapter, Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Moheim arrives at Castle Caledon and she is here to test Paul. And I just want to point out Gom Jabbar. Name drop on page two, baby.

[Leo]

Yup, we're right there. We're there at the beginning.

[Abu]

We are right there. And this first chapter is just chock full of so much stuff that we're going to get into later in our key takeaways. But the gist here in the first chapter is that we meet Paul, we meet Jessica, the Reverend Mother arrives and, and she conducts this Gom Jabbar test of humanity on our protagonist, Paul Atreides.

[Leo]

Into chapter two, we meet Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. He's hanging out with Piter Devry University.

[Abu]

Go hedgehogs, baby.

[Leo]

Go Warthogs. Yeah. And Sting Feyd Rautha, played famously by sting in the 1984 adaptation. And they are explaining, they're just telling us, yeah, we've got a traitor. His name is Dr. Yui. You haven't even met him yet, but he's the traitor. Welcome to the book. And guess what? The Atreides moving to Arrakis, AKA Dune. Part of our plan. We have constructed this as part of our plan.

[Abu]

So, moving on to chapter three, we are back in Castle Caladan with Jessica and Mohiim. They're chatting it up and we start to hear some pretty major terminology that's gonna be huge. Throughout this series, we hear the words Kwisatz Hederach. We learn about Paul's prescience. And we realize that there's more to Paul than meets the eye.

[Leo]

I mean, surprise. Main character is the main character. He's got the main character superpowers. So, on to chapter four. Through fear, Howat and Paul talk about Dune and enter. Mm. The ladies love him. Gurney Halleck. Yeah. Amazing. With a baliset over his shoulder. Oh. True to form, he trains Paul in combat and teaches him about moods.

[Abu]

Yes. We get one of my all time favorite Dune quotes in this chapter. Gurney Halleck hitting us with the. What has mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises. No matter the mood. Mood's a thing for cattle or making love or playing the baliset. It's not for fighting. Gurney Halleck. Fucks, folks.

[Leo]

Canon teaching. Paul. Book's gotta happen. Paul, we don't have. Doesn't matter if you're in the mood for a 900 page book. We're here. We're doing it.

[Abu]

We are. So now, moving on to chapter five, Paul chats with one of his other mentors. We've already met Thufir, we've met Gurney, and now we're talking to Dr. Yui Yueh. We should decide on a consistent pronunciation here.

[Leo]

However you pronounce it, he's the traitor. We've already learned, so.

[Abu]

Exactly.

[Leo]

Cool.

[Abu]

So what a tense chapter here. We know Dr. Yuey is going to be the traitor, but Paul's chatting it up with him. And Dr. Yueh even reflects on this upcoming betrayal. We realize that he is doing it unwillingly and actually feels remorse and has genuine love for the Atreides and for Paul. And he's wracked with guilt, but he feels like he has to do it. Which we'll learn more about later on.

[Leo]

On to chapter six. Leto. I and Paul discuss the trap of Arrakis. Side note, Leto is gonna be played by Oscar Isaac. Shout out to the beard. Respect the beard. Yes. Looks great. They note that Sardaukar. We don't even know what those are yet. They're the imperial troops of the Emperor. But the imperial troops, the Sardaukar, are parading. As Harkonnens. I'm also gonna take a quick moment here. Abu, you and I both say Harkonnen. I understand that. Most people, I think, say Harkonnen.

[Abu]

Yeah.

[Leo]

I don't know. I like Harkonnen better. So that's what we're gonna say. We're sorry. We're sorry. Genuinely. Paul also learns in one of the most hilarious paragraphs that he's been secretly trained to be a mentat and agrees to continue his studies, even though this isn't really his terrible purpose, quote unquote. It's just something he's game to keep doing because it's useful. Useful to be a human computer.

[Abu]

Right. And we're gonna touch on that terrible purpose in just a minute here. But first, chapter seven. We're here, baby.

[Leo]

We made it.

[Abu]

Welcome to Dune.

[Leo]

Off page. We made it. It's great.

[Abu]

Here's the tourist pamphlet. There's nothing on it.

[Leo]

It's just sand. It's a piece of paper with sand in it.

[Abu]

But we have arrived, and specifically we are with Jessica and the moving boxes.

[Leo]

This is like a very casual chapter. It's just like. This is the U Haul truck is parked. It's got, like, the movers moving boxes. It's great.

[Abu]

But in classic Dune fashion, it actually turns out to be a monumental chapter. And we'll get into it here in a second. But Jessica's moving in. She's got this sense of foreboding. They're on this new planet. They realize the Harkonnens have set a trap for them. And this is where we also meet the Shout Out Mapes.

[Leo]

Yup. Shout out to shout out.

[Abu]

Shout out to Shout Out Mapes, baby.

[Leo]

First time that joke's been made.

[Abu]

She is our first glimpse at a Fremen, and we get a taste of Fremen culture. And she is our first Fremen character that we interact with. And they become such a central people to this story. And this is our first interaction with them. And it's a tense one. There's a knife involved.

[Leo]

Yeah. Moving on from that, we're into chapter eight. Jessica and Yui talk. Yui, by the way, this whole time is like, oh, fuck, oh, fuck, oh, fuck. Oh, fuck.

[Abu]

She's a Bene Gesserit. Oh, shit.

[Leo]

Yeah. Her whole job is noticing things. She's gonna notice. Turns out she doesn't. She's, like, just completely blind to his betrayal. But, you know, can't win em all. Jessica, the Benning Jesuit adept, can't win em all.

[Abu]

And that brings us to the end of our first 105 pages. So those are the chapters we'll be covering today. So much to dig into. But before we get into our key takeaways and really go deep, I just wanna say, Leo.

[Leo]

Yeah.

[Abu]

What a tense start to a book.

[Leo]

Yeah.

[Abu]

Literally in chapter two, we know a betrayal is coming. We, we know shit's about to go down. And the bad guy explained almost his entire plan to us already.

[Leo]

It's crazy how much for anybody rereading the book. It is crazy how much of late game stuff is talked about not only like later on stuff in Dune, but also later on stuff, like thousands of pages later in like the third and fourth books. Like crazy how much stuff is set up here. And some of it you are really meant to lock onto. Right. Like that Kwisatz Haderach term is mentioned like six times. It's in italics. Every person who talks about it's like, oh my God, can you. Is it possible? You know, it's like, it reminds me of like Morpheus and Trinity talking about Neo being the One. You know, same energy. You know that this is a big deal, but there's a lot that is kind of meant to be or it's kind of understood that it's gonna go over your head and you know, that's okay. It's all right.

[Abu]

That's completely all right. For a first time reader. You are not supposed to understand a lot of this terminology.

[Leo]

Right.

[Abu]

This book really lends itself to rereads. But that's okay. That's why we are here and we are, are gonna get into the key takeaways, the things you wanna take away from these first hundred pages of the Dune novel. If you're a first time reader or if you're revisiting after a while. And the first one, Leo, you brought this up. Paul is Neo. Yeah, he's the One.

[Leo]

Did you notice he's special in some way. He's the main character.

[Abu]

He's Keanu Reeves.

[Leo]

Boy, he's Keanu Reeves. He is working a dead end office cubicle job and there are agents on the way. That agent's name is Yui. No, again, this, Paul is special. This is really the biggest takeaway that should be so obviously clear.

[Abu]

Yeah. And not just because he's the Duke's son, which he is. He's the heir apparent to the Atreides throne. But in addition to that, we learn that he's having these strange dreams that he himself recognizes are not just dreams that these things will come to pass. He like inherently knows this.

[Leo]

Right?

[Abu]

And thanks to the training that his Bene Gesserit mother provides that Gurney Halleck and Thufir Hawat and Dr. Yui have been giving him since probably birth, he is being trained to be a mentat. He is an excellent fighter, as we see in the standoff with Gurney. He's smart and inquisitive, as we see in the conversations with Thufir and his father, and as we see in the Gom Jabbar scene with the Reverend Mother. He's also been trained in some of the Bene Gesserit secretive ways through his mother. This dude got so many superpowers, it's wild.

[Leo]

And again, if you've listened to our kind of spoiler free episodes, you'll remember that Gurney Halleck is one of the greatest warriors in the universe. So that Paul effectively reaches a stalemate with him, where they're both sort of in a position of having dealt one another a mortal blow, is a really good sign of Paul's prowess as a fighter. Right. So Mohaim, who is the head of the Bene Gesserit, and again, this is an all female religious and political faction, submits Paul to the test of the Gom Jabbar, heard of it, and wonders if he may be the legendary Kwisatz Hettererach, which, again, is kind of analogous to the One. And we're going to learn a lot more about what that is throughout the books.

[Abu]

Right. And Mohim even kind of explains why the Kwisatz Haderach is special.

[Leo]

Right.

[Abu]

She explains how the Bene Gesserit have this ability to access their genetic memories along their female ancestors, along the female line. And what the Bene Gesserit are basically looking for is a male who can use that same power of genetic memories along both male and female lines.

[Leo]

Right? Yeah.

[Abu]

And males that they have tested in the past or have thought could be Kwisatz Haderach all year died in the process of trying to get to that point. None of them turned out to be Keanu Reeves. They didn't have the charm or the powers to access both of those genetic memories. Now, at this point, we don't know why the Bene Gesserit want this. We don't know what these powers would entail specifically, but we know that Paul could potentially be the One. And even Mohiam in these early chapters has to kind of tell herself, like, oh, wow, he's really showing promise. But don't get too excited. We have failed too many times before.

[Leo]

Yeah. Little does she know she's in a 900 page book following this character.

[Abu]

So little does she know he's the protagonist. It's just Paul's world, baby. We're living in it.

[Leo]

And again, these early scenes with Paul are some of the most iconic in all of Dune. We get the incredible line where what's in the box? Pain. And yeah, it's the classic trailer video like this.

[Abu]

We saw the scene in the trailer.

[Leo]

Yeah, we've already seen this. And he passes the test. He passes the human test, but is clearly shaken by it. You know, I was struck after the scene with how stoic some of his thought process was. You know, how he's dealing with it. And he even recites the litany of fear. Right? This kind of iconic, iconic thing.

[Abu]

It's worth repeating actually. Let me pull up the quote.

[Leo]

Oh, yes, do it. Yeah.

[Abu]

The litany of fear goes. I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain. So good, so good, so powerful. Now, the one last point about Paul before we move on to our second key takeaway from these chapters. Paul may be special, may have these abilities, but it also comes with some baggage. He is haunted by this sense of foreboding that he has these powers or can do things that other people can't because he is meant to fulfill some terrible purpose. Now, it's unclear at this moment what that terrible purpose could be. It's unclear to Paul, it's unclear to us as the reader, but this does set the scene for like, oh, man, these powers aren't all gonna be like sunshine and daisies, and these aren't superpowers. This is maybe a burden and he's maybe meant to do some terrible things, and this is planting that seed very early on.

[Leo]

Yeah, you can kind of feel the hands of fate twisting him towards some great confrontation.

[Abu]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Leo]

All right, we're gonna keep this conversation going, but first a quick break.

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[Leo]

So we've talked about one side of the coin. We've talked about the Atreides. The major second takeaway is the other side of the coin. The other force that is present in this story. Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, or Harkonnen. And this second takeaway is his plan, which he so thoughtfully lays out for us like the 10th page. It's great. He's chatting, he has his twisted Mentat, Peter DeVry University. And they're talking about this secret plan to his nephew and heir, Feyd Rautha, and also, of course, to us. It's great that we're in the room with them. Wonderful. And you know, Baron says, listen carefully, Feyd. Observe the plans within plans within plans. And then he continues, but really that plans within plans within plans is huge.

[Abu]

Because again, that's iconic too.

[Leo]

Nothing is a straightforward scheme. It's always scheming within scheming within scheming. It's great. I love that. Kind of a Russian nesting doll of plans. And then we have this sort of, again, the exposition. Dr. Yuh will move against him soon and that will be the end of all the Atreides.

[Abu]

Really kind of getting to the thesis there, you know, like he is right to the point. The Baron just says that tells Feyd Rautha that that's the plan.

[Leo]

That's what's gonna happen. That's what I hope to do.

[Abu]

Yeah. And then, you know, of course, he has Piter, his twisted mentat, explain the plan in a little further detail to Feyd Rautha. Because Feyd Rautha's like, what? How is that gonna work? Because the big, huge, like, unprecedented thing that happened here is that piter somehow broke Dr. Yui's suit. School imperial conditioning, right? And again, here is just more terms being thrown at the poor, poor first time reader who's like, souk school. What a, what a, what a conditioning, you know? But the easiest way to think of this conditioning, basically is like the Hippocratic Oath taken to the extreme. Like Dr. Yueh as a medical professional cannot betray the person he is supposed to take care of. And that person is the Atreides. Leto Atreides. His family, his household. He is bound through his training, through his conditioning, and through, you know, his honor to do them no harm ever.

[Leo]

Right?

[Abu]

So Piter has figured out a way to break that conditioning to convince Dr. Yuh that he needs to bring harm to the Atreides and betray them and move against them. And we learn later on when Dr. Yueh is talking to Jessica that his conditioning was broken because the Harkonnens are holding his wife Juana hostage and basically blackmailing him.

[Leo]

Seems pretty on the nose. I mean, that seems like a first thing that you would try, right? But I did want to emphasize here, we've talked about in our spoiler free deep Dives that in this universe, the main way that people are assassinated and the main way that wars are won are poisoning and assassinations. Like, this is not the era of, like, big armies moving against one another. So you think about, like, a doctor who has access to, like, giving medicine and giving things in this universe of poison. Of course, the doctor would be the first target for, like, we're gonna get, you know, a doctor into the house, and they're gonna get trusted, and then they're gonna kill the person. It has never been done. The Imperial conditioning of the Suk School has. Has never been broken in thousands of years. So I just want to emphasize that, and that's going to be important moving forward, because as much as this seems super just obvious, like, oh, how'd you do it? We got his wife. Oh, yeah.

[Abu]

We kidnapped the person he loves more than anything in the world. And then we convinced him. We offered him.

[Leo]

Thank you, ma' am. Thank you, ma' am.

[Abu]

Done it. Yes. This. This is one part of the story here where I'm like, frank didn't hit on this hard enough. Like.

[Leo]

Right.

[Abu]

I'm really glad that you brought up that this is unprecedented. There's actually a quote Piter says in this chapter. Quote, it's assumed that ultimate conditioning cannot be removed without killing the subject. However, as someone once observed, given the right lever, you can move a planet. We found that lever and, and moved the doctor. End quote. So the lever seems pretty obvious.

[Leo]

Again, like, we're saying it's an obvious lever.

[Abu]

And, you know, it's hard to believe that no one has ever tried kidnapping a loved one of a doctor before to try and blackmail him. But we just have to take Frank for his word here that this has never been done before. It's unprecedented. And this is not something that anyone would think is possible. And that actually plays into the Baron's plan. Right? So they will signal Dr. Yui, he will take action against the Atreides, and the Harkonnens will move in their forces along. And this is key. Along with two secret legions of Sardaukar that are hidden among them in Harkonnen clothing. That's the batshit crazy part that this is where we learn, oh, the Emperor is in on this. He's helping the Harkonnens wipe out the Atreides.

[Leo]

But it is secret. And again, check out our Sardaukar episode is spoiler free. And to really have an understanding of the implications that these are Sardaukar, this is one of the few things that I felt was not fully explained in the books and would help you understand later on events. So just as a side note, check out that episode.

[Abu]

Yeah, everyone fears going up against these guys. And the Harkonnens will secretly have them in their ranks when they move against the Atreides. And then the idea here is that the Atreides will be wiped out and the Harkonnens will be given Arrakis back. And the Emperor, without getting his hands dirty, without anyone ever knowing, will also get rid of the pesky Duke Leto, who we learn in these chapters is, you know, getting a little too popular for his own good. People in the Landsraad, the people of the other major and minor houses in the Imperium, in this government, are really starting to back and like Duke Leto a little too much. And the Emperor is feeling a little bit threatened. So this is his way of taking out a major player on the political stage. So this is kind of a combined secret effort between the Harkonnens and the literal Emperor of the galaxy to wipe out the Atreides.

[Leo]

Now, part of the craziness is that Duke Leto knows. Yeah, Duke Leto's like, yeah, it's a trap. And in the iconic words of Obi Wan Kenobi, I sense Count Dooku, I sense a trap. Next move, spring the trap. Great, great, great, great quote. And definitely in line with his. I mean, in line with his quote, which is knowing where the trap is. That's the first step in evading it. So he's talking about springing this trap, but understanding its mechanics so that they can maybe get out of it, because really, it's a well made trap. It's a well constructed scheme. So he knows, and he talks about this a bit, he knows that the Emperor and the Harkonnens or the Harkonnens are stockpiling hordes of spice and are in cahoots.

[Abu]

Yeah, yeah, we understand that things in this Empire politically and militarily, are tenuous and could. The scales could tip in any direction. And Duke Leto understands this. And part of his plan in agreeing to go to Arrakis and taking it over is his secret weapon, the Fremen. He's already sent Duncan motherfucking Idaho which will, you know, we'll meet the most badass of badasses in a future episode. He's already sent Duncan Idaho with an advance party to Arrakis because the Fremen people, he realizes, could be tough enough to fight the Sardaukar. These Fremen that the Harkonnens and the Empire have long ignored could be his secret weapon in springing this trap and countering it and actually coming out both alive on the other side and on top. So that's the big gamble that Duke Leto is taking here by going to Iraq, is there's actually a really great quote here that basically encapsulates the strategy. He says, and this is in conversation with Paul, Duke Leto says, quote, we have there a potential of a core as strong and as deadly as the Sardaukar. It'll require patience to exploit them secretly and wealth to equip them properly. But the Fremen are there, and the spice wealth is there. You see now why we walk into Arrakis knowing the trap is there? End quote. Arrakis has the most valuable substance in the galaxy, the spice Milaj, and potentially has some of the strongest, most resilient fighters and people in the galaxy, the Fremen.

[Leo]

It does strike me that we learn as we meet Leto and as we meet him through these first hundred pages, that he is a tremendously honorable person. You know, Baron Harkonnen talks to Piter, and Piter says, well, what if he just runs? And Baron says, he would never do that. He's too honorable. He's too good.

[Abu]

Yeah.

[Leo]

In this little sentence, it really struck me that he's saying we're going to exploit the Fremen because that's really. It's not a very honorable way to talk about a people of a planet. But it does show how serious he takes this situation that the only way to survive this trap that's been set for them is by understanding the resources available, even if those resources are a people on a planet and learning how to utilize them. And again, just wanted to emphasize here that wording, that idea of like, exploiting them secretly rubs me the wrong way. Absolutely. Certainly.

[Abu]

Me, too.

[Leo]

Yeah. It's real gross. But just know that he is a very honorable man. And the only reason he's thinking in these phrases is because he is locked into this game of politics, in this game of exploitation, in this game of if he doesn't work with them and kind of entice them and court them and get them on his side, he and everyone he knows and loves will die.

[Abu]

Yeah. It's survival out there. It's cutthroat. He's gotta do what he's gotta do as the duke, as the leader of these people. It's brutal. It's brutal. And actually, speaking of brutal, he.

[Leo]

Yeah.

[Abu]

Let's move on to our third key takeaway from these chapters. Takeaway number three is that Arrakis is a harsh, tough place and so are its people. And we get a clear picture of that in the scene where Jessica is in the U Haul. She's moving those boxes and meets Shout Out Mapes, our first Fremen character in the book. This is such a fascinating scene. And we learn just from this one interaction so much about Arrakis and the Fremen and even Jessica herself, her relationship with Leto, her position in this household, and her abilities as a Bene Gesserit. This is a really, really enlightening scene.

[Leo]

Also helpful that we're riding alongside Jessica, who has trained Bene Gesserit like, noticing of details. Like, I really found myself grateful that this is our pilot for this first chapter on Arrakis, because, again, she has this conversation with Shadout. Right? Shadout says, I don't even have to wear my stillsuit here, and me not even dead. Shadout Mapes mentions this stillsuit, which we learned earlier from the UE Paul chapter, is a garment that keeps almost all of your fluid preserved so you're not losing any liquid on this dry, hot planet. And so it's so useful a piece of equipment. Not wearing it usually means you're dead. But in this case, we get this sense that this Arrakeen palace is really a seat of power and wealth because it's so, like, irrigated. It's so, like, moisturized.

[Abu]

It's so moist. It's so wet all the time.

[Leo]

It's just wet constantly. Ew. But it is. I mean, this is the place where the richest person lives. And the fact that you can be in this building not wearing a stillsuit, that's preserving your bodily fluids and not die, is a clear sign of wealth. And status, period.

[Abu]

Right. And a sign that water is key on Arrakis. Water is power, Water is life or death on Arrakis. And Jessica begins to recognize this as well in these chapters.

[Leo]

Yeah.

[Abu]

She realizes how critical water is on the desert planet of Arrakis. This interaction with shout out Mapes. Later on, when Jessica draws a little bit of blood with the ceremonious knife cut on Mapes, she even notices the quote, ultra fast coagulation of Shadow Mapes blood. The Fremen have physically and biologically adapted in this harsh environment to preserve water. That's how important it is that they have had to evolve as a people physically to survive on this planet. Yeah, it's a really morbid way to think about it, but it really puts into stark focus the immense priority given to water in this culture and on this planet.

[Leo]

Totally. Yeah. And we also get a sense in the Shadout Mapes interaction, but also discussions of the Fremen and is that they are a superstitious people and not only curious about this new batch of off worlder rulers, but also hesitant. They're cautious. They don't just trust openly. They are constantly measuring and evaluating. You know, Shadout doesn't at any point kind of drop her guard around Jessica. Now for her credit, she. Jessica's Bene Gesserit training is key. I mean really, I think about how pretty much any other woman in this situation definitely could have died.

[Abu]

Yeah, yeah.

[Leo]

First of all, she mentions this Missionaria Protectiva, which is the sort of like seeding of superstitions on planets that the Bene Gesserit do. They sort of put out into the universe these legends of off worlders who come speaking the old languages and stuff like that. Coincidentally, they all teach the Bene Gesserit the old languages. So in a pinch, Jessica can be like, oh, I know of your maker. And the shout out's like, holy shit.

[Abu]

Oh my God, she knows about maker.

[Leo]

Fuck. And it's really just a translation like Jessica's like, whoa, I'm glad my Google Translate just saved my life. That's exciting.

[Abu]

Yeah, no, it is really tense. Like how like literally and figuratively, Jessica is on the knife's edge here. Yeah, she, she kind of says the word maker by accident in this chapter.

[Leo]

Yeah.

[Abu]

You know, like if she had said one word further, Mapes would have been like, nah, nah, you're not the one.

[Leo]

Yeah, yeah.

[Abu]

But she, you know, through her Bene Gesserit training, she kind of knows the correct things to say to tap into these legends and superstitions that the Missionaria Protectiva has planted here centuries ago.

[Leo]

Right?

[Abu]

And there's actually a quote about the missionary Protectiva that says, quote, protective legends implanted in these people against the day of a Bene Gesserit's need.

[Leo]

Right?

[Abu]

So this is like, generations ago, the Bene Gesserit came to Arrakis. They planted these legends among the people there, among the cultures there. In the event that in the future a Bene Gesserit would visit that planet and be under attack, she could say things like the word maker, or she could use the Chakabza battle language that every Bene Gesserit is trained in to get in the goodwill of these Fremen people, who for generations have been told through legends and stories that there will be a legendary woman who comes and knows your language and knows of the maker, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

[Leo]

Right?

[Abu]

And it's, like, so brilliant and nefarious. And on your first read, you might miss this entirely. You might just read Missionaria Protectiva and be like, I don't know what this means. Or you might. Honestly, on my first read, I didn't understand this chapter at all. I had no idea what was happening. And it's so deep how far the Bene Gesserit sort of manipulation goes. I mean, I was just thinking, like, what. What could I compare this to? You know, like, what is there even a. There's no real life comparison. Like, if I. I guess if I walked around my entire city and whispered to everyone, a tall, beautiful man named Leo will one day approach you and say the words, hey, have you heard my podcast? Gom Jabbar. He'll be the one. And then, you know, post Covid, in the future, next year, when you say that to somebody on the street, they're going to be like, oh, my God.

[Leo]

Holy shit.

[Abu]

Holy shit. You're the one.

[Leo]

Hey, I'm not opposed. Let's get that rumor started.

[Abu]

So it's a really brilliant chapter that showcases so much about the Bene Gesserit, showcases so much about Fremen culture, and it clues us in on the priority of water, and also gives us our first interaction with the Fremen people. And what a tense interaction it is, we now know to be afraid of these Fremen people. And we now know that there's much more going on here than meets the eye. Shit's going down on Arrakis.

[Leo]

Shit within. Shit within. Shit is going down.

[Abu]

Yes.

[Leo]

Yeah. So, you know, again, Paul is the chosen one. Baron Harkonnen's got plans within plans within plans. And Arrakis is harsh and so are its people. These are the three major takeaways. And there is so much more to talk about in this chapter in this section. But that's basically those are the kind of three main things that you should glom onto and carry with you for the rest of the story. But now that we've talked about these sort of major, the major business of this section, let's talk about some fun little details. And this section is going to be, it's going to have to be lightning round because, you know, I feel like the episode's as much as we don't.

[Abu]

Want it to be.

[Leo]

I know, I just want to talk for hours about glowglobes. But anyway, we'll keep it as brief as we're capable. This is going to be kind of a lightning round section where we talk about some of the details you may have missed, which is totally understandable because again, there's so much, especially this episode. So much.

[Abu]

Yeah. Okay. Item number one, we get name drops for Ikazian art for the planets, riches and Ix and the planet to peel. Yeah, it's absolutely crazy that those things are brought up so early in tune. I didn't realize these like late game things or even extended lore things that never come up in the books are here within the first hundred pages is absolutely insane. Duke Leto says, quote anything. The guild will transport the art forms of Ikaz, the machines of riches and ix, but all fades before Milaj. A handful of spice will buy a home on Tupil. And if you've listened to our Ekaz episode, you know that Ekazian art is famously formed from this special type of tree that only grows on Ecas that responds to human emotion. And the tree trunk grows in reaction to the artist's feelings, whether they are happy or sad. And the tree ends up growing in a way that represents the artist's inner emotions. It's crazy. Check out our ECAS episode for more batshit insane plants and like fauna and bacteria and just absolutely. The history of the planet Ecas is awesome. There's a spoiler free episode in the feed. Check that shit out. And then of course, riches and Ix are also mentioned here by Duke Leto. And these two planets are intrinsically linked not only to each other, but to the single most important event in the entire galaxy known as the Butlerian Jihad, which we could do a whole two hour episode about that. But in brief, the Jihad is this galaxy wide war waged against machines and advanced technology like Artificial intelligence. So those things are name dropped so early here in the book. And again, if you want to learn more about those things, a couple of episodes of ours that you can check out. You can check out our Planets of Dune episode to learn more about To Peel and to learn more about Richis and I. You can check out our Tech of Dune episode to learn more about ICS and their technology and the history of the Butlerian Jihad. And then, of course, check out our ECAS episode to learn more about those strange, strange plants and drugs coming off the planet. Ecaz.

[Leo]

Hell, yeah. All the most fun. Speaking of the most fun. And pairs well with drugs. Weapons. We get weapons. Name dropped like crazy in this chapter and almost never again. So let's talk about it. Piter asks, you know, Baron Harkonnen, why Yui hasn't quote, slipped a Kinjal between Leto's ribs? This is a casual turn of phrase in the Dune universe. Why haven't you slipped a Kinjal between the ribs? You know? And in a later scene, when Gurney Halleck enters the room, baliset over his shoulder, he lays out on a table basically a ton of weapons, including a Kinjal, which is really kind of fun. Again, this is telling us what characters are going to have sheathed on their hips. This is the things that our characters will cling to in moments of life and death. We get to see these now. We also get to see the bodkin, the slip tips. We see a number of other things. The rapier, right. We're seeing these different weapons spread out. And especially as Paul and Gurney are training, we see the Holtzman Shield. And we hear about this sort of slow on attack, fast on defense method that you have to use in order to penetrate the sort of magnetic feeling force that protects you against fast moving objects, which is. I mean, that's a foundation of everything in Dune in one quick scene. So again, we have a Weapons of Dune episode, if you want to hear some very phallic jokes regarding some of these weapons. But this is a lot of fun, and it was a great reminder that this is where these foundations are set. These are where these items are name dropped. And then these are sort of the weapons that will be in the hands of our heroes throughout the entire journey.

[Abu]

Okay, item number three. I'm going to have to go back to those drugs for me, Cass, because this ties in the Baron Vladimir's table. You know what, here's a direct quote. I'm going to read this. First quote. An ellipsoid desk with a top of jade Pink petrified Elaka wood stood at the center of the room. End quote. You might read that as a casual reader, you might read that even as a Dune fan who doesn't know about Alaka wood and be like, oh, cool, the Baron's got like a fancy oak wood desk or something, right? No, dear reader, Nope. Alaka wood is burned to create the drug called Alaka.

[Leo]

Yes.

[Abu]

And the Baron has chosen to take this wood that creates this drug and turn it into a wonderful centerpiece for his office.

[Leo]

It's crazy.

[Abu]

It's crazy. So, in essence, if you want to make a real world comparison, the Baron has a desk in his office made of cocaine.

[Leo]

Made of it. And this is, by the way, the only time that we see a piece of furniture constructed out of a drug substance. So really crazy on a reread and crazy to know about that background.

[Abu]

Yeah, it's so fun. It's the most mob shit I've ever heard.

[Leo]

Yeah. The final thing, the final kind of point here, which is mentioned here and then again, never really talked about again, is the idea of a fixed versus unfixed Kris knife. So Shadout Mapes hands Jessica the Kris knife and says, take caution. This is an unfixed blade, so it will disintegrate away from your body if it's away from your body for too long, it's like a week or two. Kris knives can be fixed, which allows them to be stored long term, but most of the ones that we encounter are unfixed. And. And this is part of why, you know, Jessica, when she sees this knife is like, holy shit, is that a Kris knife? Because no one off world has ever seen it, because they can't get off world. They dissolve if you take them away from their wielders. So again, nearly mythical, nearly legendary, and really kind of fun little detail here that is again, not mentioned ever again.

[Abu]

Yeah, tiny, tiny detail. Okay, we're going to take a quick break here, but stick around. We'll be right back.

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[Abu]

What a stunning first hundred pages, Leo. That brings us to the conclusion of this first Duke Book Club. Yeah, that was both exhausting and exhilarating in equal measure.

[Leo]

We're exhausted. We're exhilarated. We want to hear how you're feeling. What lingering questions do you have? What kind of big takeaways did you draw from these hundred pages? I will tell you that as someone who's read the book, that is one of the most dense hundred pages that we're going to deal with. So if this was exhausting for you as well, take heart, this was a particularly heavy hundred pages, and we'd love to hear how you felt about them again. Now's the time. Gom jabbar, podcastmail.com or, you know, direct message us on Twitter, lorparty. But for our next episode, Abu. How far do they need to read?

[Abu]

So, for the next book club episode, which will come out in two weeks, yes, you should read up until page 204 in the classic paperback version of the book. Or if it's a different page in your book, you're going to want to read up until the sentence that ends with quote, I like this, Duke. End quote.

[Leo]

Don't we all?

[Abu]

Don't we all? Oscar Isaac.

[Leo]

Oh, that beard. How can you not? How can you not?

[Abu]

So if you are reading along with us, that is what you want to be prepped and ready for in the next two weeks when the next episode of this book club will drop. I'm excited.

[Leo]

You've got your homework, folks. Read on and let the fear pass by you or something through you. I still haven't memorized that. Should I? Well, Abu, you know, it's like that old crone was saying. Many men have tried to listen to this podcast.

[Abu]

So.

[Leo]

So many. But none have succeeded.

[Abu]

They tried and failed. All of them.

[Leo]

Oh. Oh, no. They tried and died. So she said it, right? Perfect. Well, friends, there is no real ending. It's just. Just the place where you stop the recording. But this podcast is always one step beyond logic. So help spread the word of Wadib and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to check out the other shows on the Lore Party podcast network on loreparty.com you can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram at loreparty. Thank you so much for listening. And remember, he who controls the podcast controls the universe. We'll see you on the Golden Path. No, moods are for.

[Abu]

What is it for herding cattle for? We should just look up the quote. What are we doing? We got the books right here.

[Leo]

No, we should guess at it and get it really wrong.