Dune 2021 Finally Understands That Paul’s Not The Hero
Previous Dune adaptations have portrayed Paul as a virtuous hero, but the 2021 Dune movie finally shows that his actions have dark consequences.
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Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Dune
Dune 2021 finally understands that Paul’s not the hero of the story. Paul Atreides is unquestioningly the most significant character in the world of Dune, holding a litany of titles from Duke of House Atreides to Lisan al Gaib and Kwisatz Haderach. By the end of the original Frank Herbert Dune novel, Paul is the most powerful person in the Known Universe both through his individual powers and by attaining the title of Padishah Emperor, but his sovereignty comes at great cost. He is only able to achieve his victory by instilling a fanatical sense of loyalty in his followers which ultimately snowballs into a universal jihad committed in his name.
The 1984 Dune movie and 2000 miniseries both showcase Paul’s significant powers gained through his breeding combined with prolonged exposure to the spice of Arrakis. His prescient abilities allow him to see into the future, a gift that leads to his victory over the Harkonnen and Sardaukar forces, but in the book, they also force him to foresee the genocide that would follow his ascension. 2021’s Dune is the first adaptation to properly examine this aspect of Paul’s character through a vision he has immediately after his father’s death of the inevitable jihad to come.
The scene reveals that Paul Atreides is not actually the hero of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movie. It’s the only adaptation that presents the main character as anything other than a champion of the downtrodden Fremen and the betrayed House Atreides. That’s not to say Paul is a villain either, but he is more accurately an antihero because the same powers that allow him to best his wicked enemies also show him the ultimately destructive consequences of his actions.
The two previous Dune adaptations completely misrepresent the internal conflict that revolves around Paul’s powers. They both focus on his frustration with Jessica as a member of the Bene Gesserit for allowing him to be born a freak and cursing Paul with dreams and visions while simultaneously portraying him as a heroic figure who embraces his abnormalities and harnesses them to beat the evil Harkonnens and the duplicitous Emperor. The 2000 miniseries briefly examines the idea of the inevitable genocide in Paul’s name, and Jessica briefly mentions her concern, but Paul merely brushes her off and continues to heroically take back Arrakis.
Dune 2021, however, finally shows that Paul is totally aware that his actions will lead to a universe-wide jihad. His vision shows fanatical zealots worshipping at a shrine to Paul’s father and armies baring the Atreides crest committing genocide in his name. To be fair to him, Paul keeps seeing, alongside the desert mouse, visions of his successful path which ultimately leads to mass murder, but his only alternative is almost always death for himself and his mother. It’s certainly difficult to view him as a pure hero when he knows that his actions will cause genocide, but it’s also hard to blame him since his circumstances are always do or die. In the end, Paul must be classed as an antihero because his actions are performed with the best intentions, but they also lead to something terrible.
The 2021 Dune movie does a fantastic job of finally capturing the complex relationship between Paul and his abilities. It’s refreshing to see an adaptation that fully examines how Paul’s powers in Dune are both a blessing and a curse, and this complex internal struggle along with Timothée Chalamet’s excellent performance creates the most compelling version of the character that viewers have seen yet. Audiences have a right to remain optimistic that the Dune sequel will continue to develop the complex and intriguing antihero.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/dune-movie-paul-atreides-antihero-books-understand-good/