Dune: Prophecy – Is the Sisters’ Shared Nightmare the Origin of the Litany Against Fear?

In episode four of Dune: Prophecy, “Twice Born,” acolyte Truthsayer Jen awakes to discover her fellow trainees in the throes of some kind of shared nightmare. Noticing that her friend Emeline is out of bed, she finds her sleepwalking just in time to stop her from cutting her own throat. What the audience sees of the trainees’ shared vision is certainly unsettling. It appears to include a series of images of the dunes of Arrakis, a Sandworm’s gaping maw, and a pair of eerie piercing blue eyes.

Thus begins another of Dune: Prophecy’s many mysteries. Tula Harkonnen attempts to get to the bottom of what the sisters saw, and what could be scaring them so badly. Using Spice-induced hypnotic suggestion, she has the trainees recall their dreams — and nearly drives them all to madness in the process. While the nature of the vision remains elusive, Tula deduces that the fear itself could be the true danger. It seems that the Sisterhood might need something to protect themselves from the destructive power of fear. And that idea is a familiar one in Dune lore.

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Dune’s Litany Against Fear

The Litany Against Fear is one of the most well-known pieces of Dune ephemera. It is a mantra used by many, including Paul Atreides, to gain control over their thoughts and not succumb to fear. Its influence has extended beyond the franchise and into common use by fans looking to gain a little bit of that Bene Gesserit willpower. For the uninitiated, the litany goes like this:

“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.”

While an earlier version of the litany was used during the Butlerian Jihad, the most well-known version is believed to be the work of the Bene Gesserit, who used it to control their emotions and keep their minds clear. Taught the litany by his Bene Gesserit mother, Paul Atreides uses it to pass the Humanity Test, placing his hand in a box that causes excruciating pain, while Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam holds the poisonous Gom Jabbar up to his neck.

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It’s clear that the Litany Against Fear is a powerful tool for keeping one’s mind calm and enduring frightening situations. However, throughout the franchise, it’s unclear where this mantra came from. With the sisters’ shared nightmare seeming to be some kind of fear-based attack, it’s possible that Dune: Prophecy is going to show the origin of the speech. It may come into being as the sisters attempt to gain control over whatever entity is trying to use their fear against them.

The Sisterhood’s Fear

It’s not yet known exactly what the sisters’ shared vision means, or whose bright blue eyes were drawing them into a cosmic void. The images of Arrakis relate to the blue-eyed Fremen, but the eyes seen in the nightmare are much brighter and more frightening than those of the Arrakis natives. This image, along with a deep, incomprehensible voice, seems to point towards some kind of bigger threat to the Sisterhood. The eyes appearing from within a Sandworm also suggests a connection to Desmond Hart, a man who somehow survived being swallowed by one, giving him strange powers.

At this point in the series, the Sisterhood is under multiple threats. There’s Hart, their main antagonist. There’s also the spirit of former Truthsayer Dorotea, who was compelled to take her own life by Valya Harkonnen 30 years ago. When Tula convinces acolyte Lila to undergo “The Agony,” Dorotea uses Lila’s body to threaten revenge for the Harkonnens’ deception. It’s possible that these visions could be the result of either of these threats, or some as-yet unseen third option that the series has been teasing.

In either case, it’s clear the sisters are going to need some powerful tools to defend themselves. During Tula’s Spice-induced dream recall session, the sisters are nearly overcome by fear all over again, frantically drawing the images from their dream as Tula helplessly tries to bring their consciousness back to the room. Later, she admits that it wasn’t her that brought them back, but the fear itself. The acolytes were so frightened by the images in their dream that their minds forced them to wake up as a protection.

Possibly the most crucial element of the Truthsayers’ training is their ability to control their own minds. It seems very likely that this harrowing ordeal will spur the sisters to want to conquer their fear. Dune: Prophecy is exploring how the Sisterhood becomes the Bene Gesserit, and it’s possible that the series might introduce the Litany Against Fear as another weapon in their arsenal very soon. As things continue to heat up, it looks like they’re going to need all the help they can get to protect themselves from all threats, including those that come from within.

Release Date

November 17, 2024

Cast

Emily Watson , Olivia Williams , Jodhi May , Travis Fimmel , Mark Strong , Jade Anouka , Chris Mason , Sarah-Sofie Boussnina , Shalom Brune-Franklin , Faoileann Cunningham , Aoife Hinds , Chloe Lea , Josh Heuston , Edward Davis , Tabu , Yerin Ha

Seasons

1

Creator(s)

Diane Ademu-John , Alison Schapker

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