The recently unveiled “Visions of Paul Atreides” trailer for Dune: Awakening has captivated fans with its dramatic alternate history, where Paul Atreides was never born, and his mother, Jessica, gave birth to a daughter named Ariste. This unique narrative divergence, showcased during the Summer Game Fest Live and a diagram depicting the timeline and branching alternate history (see above), sets the stage for a captivating twist in the Dune universe.
Funcom and the NMRBS Studio in Sweden, renowned for their promotional trailers for e-sports championships and games like Valorant and League of Legends, have collaborated to craft the cinematic story trailer, bringing a fresh and exciting perspective to the Dune saga.
As a fellow fan, I noticed several intriguing details in the trailer, which I’m excited to share with you.
No Big Screen Faces
Legendary Pictures and Funcom have worked together since the beginning of the game’s development. Dune: Awakening is visually heavily influenced by Denis Villeneuve’s movies, and the developers got access to all files and production material, even visiting the movie set of the first Dune.
I always wondered how Funcom would decide about the famous NPCs in the game. Would they be designed after the movie actors or be a new interpretation? We know it’s the latter since the Atreides family doesn’t look like Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, or Oscar Isaac.
Having seen the cinematic reveal trailer, it all makes sense now. Having the familiar faces from the movies in the game would possibly irritate gamers and moviegoers since the story unfolds quite differently.
Kindergarten on Arrakis
The next scene to talk about is Lady Jessica holding newborn Ariste in her arms. It’s hard to tell where this room could be. The Atreides design features in this scene, with round windows and wood decorations, are visible in Dune: Awakening artworks for Arrakis and Denis Villeneuve’s movie version of Caladan.
However, there are two visual hints: a sandstorm blasting through the windows and the dress Jessica is wearing. The design is a nod to the movie’s version of Jessica’s dress upon arrival at Arrakis. Thus, we could assume that Ariste and her family moved to Arrakis when she was a newborn and that she grew up there, in contrast to Paul.
Is Ariste a Bene Gesserit?
From Funcom‘s press release, we know that Ariste is confirmed as an NPC that players can encounter in the game on Arrakis. Clues from the original timeline may hint at what awaits her in Dune: Awakening.
The books and movies show that the Bene Gesserit planned to arrange a marriage between Jessica Atreides daughter (Ariste) and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, forging peace between the two houses. To let Ariste and Feyd meet, the Bene Gesserit could have chosen Arrakis as a more neutral ground.
In the scene where Dr. Yueh is exposed before he can betray House Atreides, the presence of Bene Gesserit and her entourage in Leto Atreides’ environment is surprising.
Maybe the Bene Gesserit were on Arrakis to oversee their marriage plans between Ariste and Feyd. There is another scenario I find more interesting: the Bene Gesserit in this scene looks relatively young, and Ariste would have been 20 years old by now. What if Ariste became a member of the sisterhood, and she exposed Yueh and saved her father’s life and her whole house from extinction? Turning her into a Bene Gesserit could have improved the chances of marriage and influence on Feyd, especially considering their Kwisatz Haderach offspring.
Thanks to Joel Bylos’ statement on X, we learned that the Bene Gesserit plans were not successful:
We already know that you can meet a “failed Kwisatz Haderach” in the game – could this still be associated with Feyd-Rautha?
Not Exterminated
Even without Paul, there is quite a chance that Leto Atreides’ alliance with the Fremen succeeded and aided in the defense against the Harkonnen. Naturally, the Harkonnen furiously reacted to their defeat and tried to wipe out the Fremen.
However, we know that the Fremen are still out there and are planned as a future faction in the game – potentially with sandworm-riding players. The trailer shows how Paul’s visions of the potential future have shortcomings and are not predictions set in stone.
As reported earlier, Legendary Pictures asked Funcom to limit revealing details about the Fremen culture before the release of Dune: Part Two to avoid spoilers from Dune: Awakening, a game initially meant to launch before the movie. Creative Director Joel Bylos once explained that the Fremen were kept out of the early development cycles.
Even without their near extinction, ordinary people would have rarely met Fremen face-to-face on Arrakis. The alternate history cleverly allows developers more time and freedom to create the Fremen culture, which players can explore later in the deep desert after building trust along the ranks of the Fremen.
Masters and Servants
Looking back to older screenshots and trailer clips, we realize we have seen the Sardaukar soldiers before. In the previous footage, they featured an utterly black design, potentially hinting at another type of squad, or maybe their design was more like a placeholder.
Did you notice that the Sardaukar helmets not only sport the classic red stripes but also beautifully incorporate the symbol design of their masters, Imperial House Corrino?
Hidden Blades
As Paul Atreides mentions that a war of assassins has begun, we are drawn into a gripping scene where the camera pans over a soldier’s gloved right arm adorned with the distinctive Harkonnen symbol. The soldier draws a dagger with a purposeful stride towards a group of fellow Harkonnen soldiers, revealing his identity as an undercover assassin.
The War of Assassins in the Dune universe is a pivotal method of conflict resolution among the Great Houses of the Landsraad. Originating during times when open warfare posed significant risks to the Imperium’s stability, this sanctioned form of conflict allows noble houses to settle disputes through targeted killings governed by the Great Convention.
The Great Convention outlines strict rules and protocols for declaring and conducting a War of Assassins. It requires houses to formally notify their target of their intent, specifying the methods and targets that will be employed. This ensures that conflicts are conducted with precision and secrecy, maintaining the delicate balance of power within the Imperium while minimizing widespread chaos.
In Dune: Awakening, players could engage with the dynamics of the War of Assassins during endgame content, choosing to align with House Atreides or House Harkonnen in PvP zones. These zones would provide environments where players undertake espionage, infiltration, and assassination missions to undermine their rivals. Advanced technology, disguises, and careful planning would be essential for executing missions discreetly and influencing the political landscape of Dune.
The upcoming second Dune: Awakening Direct livestream on Thursday, June 20th, is poised to delve deep into the game’s alternate history and overarching narrative. I expect gaining insights that may confirm or challenge theories discussed in this article. Character creation will be a focal point, too, offering glimpses into the diverse personas players can embody within this expansive universe. Maybe there’s a chance we’ll learn more about how the War of Assassins will integrate into both the narrative and gameplay mechanics.
