Prophecy’s Imperial Family Has Complex Political And Interpersonal Relationships

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home November 16, 2024 82 Views 6 Min Read
Prophecy's Imperial Family Has Complex Political And Interpersonal Relationships

By the time of Frank Herbert’s Dune, the Imperium’s rulers, House Corrino, are but a fading echo of their former glory. Emperor Shaddam may sit the throne as Padishah Emperor, but true power is in the hands of figures like Paul Atreides and Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. HBO’s Dune: Prophecy, set approximately 10,000 years prior, shows House Corrino at the height of its power, with a devious ruling couple, an ambitious princess, and a suave illegitimate son. Dune: Prophecy’s take on House Corrino is a group of schemers who are constantly navigating complex relationships both personal and political.




Game Rant spoke to Jodhi May, who plays Empress Natalya Corrino, the wife of Emperor Javicco, and Josh Heuston, who plays Javicco’s illegitimate son Constantine. Both discussed how their characters fit into House Corrino, their relationships with key figures like Emperor Javicco and Princess Ynez, and how Natalya and Constantine navigate the scheming of factions like the Bene Gesserit, House Harkonnen, and many others.

david lynch dune 1984 poster, timothee chalamet and austin butler in dune part one and part two, kyle maclachlan, sean young, sting

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The 1984 film is a bold, if flawed, take on the story, focusing more on the imperial grandeur and politics of the universe than the newer versions.

The Empress Feels Frustrated With Her Relationship

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Empress Natalya Corrino, portrayed by Jodhi May, is not the kind of ruler who will simply sit back and let her husband Javicco make all the decisions. She wants to have an active role in the governing of the Imperium – a goal she finds frustrated during Dune: Prophecy due to Javicco’s increasing dependence on Sister Kasha, his Bene Gesserit advisor, and Desmond Hart, a soldier returning from Arrakis. Describing their relationship, May says:


“But really, for Natalya, there’s a real sense of disappointment and disillusionment with Javicco. It’s almost like a shared project or partnership that has not gone in the direction that she wanted it to go in…there’s a real sense of frustration for Natalya about not being able to have a sense of agency or a shared project that she originally thought this marriage was going to be about.”

A powerful woman like Natalya is refreshing to see in a Dune story, especially as women in that universe are often relegated to supporting roles unless they are Bene Gesserit. May, who has previously portrayed powerful women such as Anne Boleyn and The Witcher’s Queen Calanthe, makes Natalya a relatable and impactful figure who stands steadfast in the eye of the figurative storm that whips through the Imperium’s royal family just as constant sandstorms mar the desert surface of Arrakis.


Ynez And Constantine Complicate The Succession

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The Emperor has two children: Princess Ynez, his acknowledged heir, and Constantine, his illegitimate son. Ynez (Sarah-Sophie Boussnina) begins the series in a complicated position, facing an arranged marriage and desiring both to take a more active role in governing and study with the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood. This brings her into conflict with Natalya, who distrusts the Bene Gesserit greatly.


Constantine’s position in this is a strange one. He is illegitimate, and thus cannot inherit – but, where this would breed resentment in some, Constantine has a close relationship with “Nez,” as he calls her. He sees himself as her protector, explained actor Josh Heuston, and “for him, and the way he operates in the universe, it’s basically Nez first, and everything else comes second.” This becomes important for Ynez, and she and Constantine find themselves unexpectedly stepping up when the Emperor’s reliance on untrustworthy advisors grows too strong.

Dune: Prophecy’s look at House Corrino is a fascinating one – a stalwart Empress struggling against a conflicted Emperor who does not rely on his own opinions, a wild but ambitious princess protected by a suave playboy, and the many, many factions and families constantly fighting for a seat at the table. The Imperial government of 10,000 years ago may be far more powerful than it is in Dune but it is no less complicated or dangerous.

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