The end ofDune: Prophecyfinds dramatic climaxes forits biggest storylines, but it also leavesalmost everything open-ended.
Lets dig into the 80-minute finale, The High-Handed Enemy!
When Valya chases after her, Tula tells her sister the news: shes pregnant.
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When Im Mother Superior we can do whatever we want, she says, adding Sisters above all.
Tula smiles through her tears and repeats it: Sisters above all.
Fear… thats what its feeding off, this virus.
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It begins a chain reaction.
The body attacks itself, Nazir says.
What is not clear iswhodid this to Desmond.
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Who created this bio-weapon?
Who made him the virus first victim?
Thats an ongoing mystery.
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Tula sobs in horror as Nazir dies.
In the palace, Desmond is at that very moment interrogating rebel sympathizer Keiran Atreides.
Keirans back in his suspension cell when Princess Ynez runs in, intent on breaking him out.
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Empress NatalyaYnezs own motherstalks in and has her arrested.
In his mind, his wife would be totally cool with this arrangement.
When Francesca hesitates, he asks her to request a meeting with the Mother Superior.
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Just then, a guard enters to tell the Emperor that Ynez has been arrested.
Francesca makes haste to tell Valya the news, first of Ynez and then of Corrinos offer.
In Valyas mind, priority one is getting Ynez out of the clink; nothing else matters right now.
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Corrino has forfeited his right to live out his reign in peace, she says.
Also, sorry Francesca, but Corrinos gotta be removed from the picture entirely.
To that end, we return to the flashback in the wake of Doroteas suicide.
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Combined, their very existence is almost unthinkable.
This is how, Valya smugly declares, theyll one day get a Sister on the throne.
Your child has incredible potential, she says.
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He could shape the trajectory of worlds!
We can guide him together.
Tulas face betrays that shes already thinking its not thebestidea to have Valya involved in raising her son.
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Tula argues that he wasnt born to be a weapon.
She decides the only thing she can do at this point is go talk to him herself.
Tulas departure from Wallach XI is supposed to be top-secret, but Emeline overhears two Sisters talking about it.
In her room/cell/creepy hospital room, Lila awakens and is annoyed to find shes in restraints.
In the palace, the Emperor is ripping into Desmond over Ynezs arrest.
Desmonds like, Your wife made me do it.
But he is surprised to hear that Corrino has softened his stance.
Hes no longer in favor of cutting the Sisterhood out completely.
Youre choosing their council over mine?
It looks like Lila, who everyone thought died a few episodes ago.
But its not Lila, and its not Raquella either.
Emeline doesnt know that, though, and shes surprised to see Lila searching through the Sisterhoods files.
They realize then that they are in the presence of Mother Dorotea, as incredible as it sounds.
Its time for a JAILBREAK!
Its a tough ask, because she does have deep feelings for him.
But, you know: Sisterhood above all.
The Emperor is in a terrible mood once his meeting with Valya rolls around.
Just before, hes realized that Natalya and Desmond are ganging up on him.
Therell be no sending the Empress on a tour of goodwill.
Oh, no no no.
So hes especially peeved to see Valya sitting on his throne when he enters the room.
Francesca doesnt really love him; he was just a Sisterhood assignment for her.
In short, she tells him: Your time is coming to an end.
Back on Wallach IX, LilaDorotea has a truth bomb of her own.
We go to a flashback.
The end result is a grim, forced mass suicide.
The only survivor is Sister Avila.
She pulls the poisoned needle from her sleeve and tells him it was Valyas plan, never mine.
In the jail, Valya easily overpowers the guards (with Theos help) and swiftly frees Ynez.
After some back and forth Valya agrees to free Keiran too.
(Keiran does a funny double-take when he sees Theo in disguise, and wishes her good luck.)
Desmond immediately knows its a set-up to free Ynez.
Sound the alarm, he sighs, wearily.
Lock down the palace.
Keiran, Ynez, and Valya hurry toward the shuttle port as Desmond enters the cell block.
The prisoners are all gone, but theres an injured guard lying on the floor.
We have a pretty good idea its Theo transformed again, since faux-Ynez is nowhere to be seen.
), but as we know hes weirdly resilient.
Meanwhile the fraught conversation between the Emperor and Francesca is getting scary and emotional.
The current sisters stare into the drained pool in horror as Dorotea shares her tale.
These are the remains of our most faithful.
Valya Harkonnen murdered them.
Then: The Sisterhood has lost its way.
But I will not be silenced again!
She leads the group into the hidden AI room, and smashes the computer to bits.
While all this is happening, Tulas alone on her ship to Salusa Secundus.
Only Francesca knows that Tulas son survived.
Its valuable no matter whos in charge, you have to assume.
And since we know House Harkonnen gets back up on top eventually, he has to start somewhere.
At last, it comes to this: Desmond and Valya standing face to face again.
You say youve seen my end, she says.
You have to let go of your fears!
You killed us all.
As Tula helps Valya gain control of her fear and pain, the dream landscape further changes.
Its no longer snowy Lankiveilits desert Arrakis.
Thumpers do their thing as Shai-Hulud rises from the sand.
Then, we cut to those two glowing eyes that so terrified the acolytes in their nightmares.
We see now its glowing blue lights on a thinking machine.
We can also see the shape of a cloaked figure watching from above.
She is certain, however, that they put a thinking machine inside him to weaponize him.
When she makes a move to finish Desmond off, Tula uses the Voice to stop her.
Hes my son, she explains.
Ive given you everything, sister, but I couldnt give you him, Tula says.
She wanted to protect him.
Valya is shocked by thisYou think Im a monster, sister?and Tula unloads.
All the carnage, deception, all by your orders.
But your hold on the Sisterhood wasnt fixed.
I could have broken it at any time.
Because were the same, you and I. Valyas ready to kill him, but Tula begs for her to trust her.
She wants to save him and patch up the threat herself.
Valya agrees, but says she knows the Reckoning is still upon them.
If their enemies want to fight in the shadows, Valya figures shell do the same.
The path to our enemy begins here, Valya says.
Despite its length, The High-Handed Enemy manages to leave quite a few dangling threads in its wake.
What will happen to the Sisterhood now thats Doroteas back in charge?
Who will lead the Imperium now that Emperor Corrino is dead and Ynez is off-planet?
Whats Harrow Harkonnen going to do with that surveillance footage?
Whats ahead for the Arrakis newcomers?
Will the Fremen Sister Mikaela help them out?
And who orwhatturned Desmond into a robotic virus-carrying weapon?
What did you think of the finaleand do you have any theories about all those questions that need answering?
you’re free to watch season one ofDune: Prophecyon HBO and Max.
A second season is on the way.
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