The main characters of Dune wield impossible amounts of power. Paul Atreides is the scion of a noble dynasty and the beneficiary of generations of psychic techniques. Though Dune sees him rise through the ranks and attain his destined position, he encounters several ancient roadblocks. The oldest and mightiest force seeking to stop Muad'Dib is Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV.
Dune: Part Two boasts one of the most impressive ensemble casts in recent memory. While it offers many familiar decisions fans might expect, a few notable names shocked viewers. Some of the stars in the film were hidden during its marketing. When the film showed off Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV, many were surprised to see the beloved performer behind the widely despised character.
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Who Is the Emperor In The World of Dune?
Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV is the 81st representative of House Corrino to hold the highest office in the universe. House Corrino claimed the Imperium almost 10,000 years before the story's events. The family's first patriarch was Faykan Butler, a military leader who attained glory during the Butlerian Jihad. Faykan participated in the Battle of Corrin, the climactic engagement in which humanity defeated the thinking machines and their artificial god. Faykan took the name Corrino after his military success. With that name, he became Viceroy of the League of Nobles. He plotted to restructure society, tossing aside the voting body he took over to instate a lone strongman government. He partnered with his niece's extremist anti-machine cult, wielding religious fervor with military success to establish the Corrino Imperium. The Jihad upended society perfectly, allowing him to claim dominance, dismantle the League of Nobles, and replace them with new Great Houses elevated by the war. Shaddam IV inherited Faykan's dynasty millennia later.
Shaddam IV ascended to the throne when his father, Elrood IX, succumbed to a poisoned drink. Shaddam's early life is vague, though he forged a lifelong friendship with his cousin, Count Hasimir Fenring. Hasimir assassinated Elrood with Shaddam's blessing. He married Anirul, a Bene Gesserit Sister, who bore him five daughters. Sisters can decide the sex of their offspring, implying that the Bene Gesserit wanted to avoid providing Shaddam with a legitimate male heir. Shaddam viewed his cousin, Duke Leto Atreides, as a threat. The Duke's natural charisma and nobility prompted many to prefer his leadership. Leto also trained an army that could rival House Corrino's elite Sardaukar force. Shaddam quietly admired Leto, wishing his eldest daughter had been old enough to marry him, as Leto would've made an excellent successor. Despite his appreciation, he conspired with House Harkonnen, House Atreides' longtime rival, to destroy Leto's family.
Shaddam forcefully moved House Atreides to Arrakis, placing them in charge of gathering the spice melange, the universe's most critical resource. After moving them into place, Shaddam melded his Sardaukar army with Harkonnen forces to wipe out House Atreides. With the help of the traitorous Doc Yueh, House Harkonnen eradicated House Atreides. Leto perished first, quickly followed by his army. Leto's bride, Jessica Atreides, and his son Paul escaped, surviving in the brutal desert. Shaddam employed his friend Hasimir again, using him to deliver bribes to every other Noble House. Betraying House Atreides could have made Shaddam several powerful enemies. Instead, it made him an adversary that would end his reign.
Who Plays Emperor Shaddam IV In Dune: Part 2?
Christopher Walken portrays Emperor Shaddam IV in Dune: Part Two. Walken is one of Hollywood's most prolific performers. He's in everything, from studio comedies to independent dramas. His most recent projects before Dune: Part Two included The War with Grandpa, Percy, and Wild Mountain Thyme in 2020. He doesn't enjoy a lot of screen time as Shaddam IV. He appears in his throne room, admonishing House Harkonnen for failing to find the warrior defying him. His most notable scene comes at the end of the film. Walken is a compelling screen presence and an outside-the-box choice for Shaddam IV.
What Happens To Emperor Shaddam IV?
Paul Muad'Dib Atreides happens. After escaping the Emperor's attack, Paul and Jessica live in a Fremen community for several months. Paul becomes a respected warrior and earns the name Muad'Dib. The Fremen attack and disrupt the spice trade until Emperor Shaddam takes notice. Finally, Paul sends a message as Muad'Dib, threatening to destroy Arrakis's spice stores. Emperor Shaddam sends his army to Arrakis to defeat Muad'Dib. Unfortunately for the Emperor, Paul ascended to his destiny, gained prescience across time and space, and gained the zealous worship of the Fremen. Muad'Dib leads the Fremen to defeat Houses Harkonnen and Corrino. He unseats Emperor Shaddam and marries his daughter, claiming the throne for himself. Shaddam spends his final years in exile on the former prison planet Salusa Secundus.
Shaddam IV is a pitiful figure wielding unconscionable power he doesn't deserve. He's a living embodiment of the problems with generational monarchy. Shaddam is duplicitous, cruel, ambitious, and unwilling to look ahead. His fate is the natural result of his actions. His efforts to keep power breed his greatest nemesis and end his 10,000-year dynasty.
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