Highlights
- Harkonnens in Dune are powerful and devious, engaging in epic feuds with House Atreides.
- Characters like Piter De Vries and Feyd-Rautha showcase the brutality and cunning of the Harkonnens.
- Surprising connections between Houses Atreides and Harkonnen add depth to the drama and conflict in Dune .
The devious Harkonenns rank among the most powerful of Dune's various factions. Their epic feud with House Atreides serves as the background for much of the drama of Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024), as their brutal attack on the forces of Duke Leto Atreides forces the young Paul Atreides to confront his destiny among the Fremen of Arrakis. However, as Denis Villeneuve's second installment makes clear, Houses Atreides and Harkonnen may have more in common than they think.
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Emblematic of this villainous faction is the grotesque Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, a depraved sadist with a talent for scheming. However, other Harkonnens play equally prominent roles in Frank Herbert's epic saga—including members of a surprising branch of the family tree.
This article contains spoilers for Dune: Part Two
6 Piter De Vries
A Sadistic Mentant Who Served House Harkonnen
- Played by David Dastmalchain
- Appears in Dune (2021)
Of all the Mentats trained to replace computers following the Butlerian Jihad, Piter de Vries is perhaps the cruelest. This personality trait makes him especially suited to working as Baron Harkonnen's personal advisor. de Vries is instrumental in the kidnap and ransom of Wellington Yueh's wife, an act which causes Yeuh to play a key role in the downfall of House Atreides. In fact, de Vries has no intention of reuniting the couple, as he has already murdered Yueh's wife. As such, he forces Yeuh to betray House Atreides for nothing.
However, while de Vries is an excellent strategist and tactician, his cognitive skills are not infallible. He incorrectly predicted that Jessica Atreides would bear a daughter rather than a son, meaning that he failed to foresee the rise of a threat to the Harkonnens. Nor is de Vries able to cheat cosmic karma, as he is killed by a potent poison released by Duke Leto Atreides.
5 Glossu "Beast" Rabban
A Sadistic Harkonnen, Known For His Brawn, Not His Brain
- Played by Dave Bautista
- Appears in Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024)
As the nephew of Baron Harkonnen, Glossu "Beast" Rabban serves as his uncle's intimidating henchman. Glossu assumes control over Arrakis after leading the attack against House Atreides. He is ordered to ensure the efficient production of spice on the planet, but this becomes difficult due to repeated attacks by the Fremen.
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Although many Harkonnens are revered even by their enemies for their tactical subtlety, Glossu is more of a blunt instrument. What he lacks in deviousness he more than makes up for in brute force, even earning the nickname "Beast" after killing his own father. While Glossu may have his shortcomings (even his own uncle recognized Glossu's ineptitude), he is certainly a dangerous enemy to have.
4 Jessica Atreides
The Baron's Secret Daughter, And A Reverend Mother
- Played by Rebecca Ferguson
- Appears in Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024)
At the start of Villeneuve's Dune, Jessica Atreides is the official concubine of Duke Leto and the mother of Paul Atreides. By the end of Dune: Part Two, she is Reverend Mother of the Fremen and a key figure in her son's rise to power. As such, she is one of the most significant figures in Herbert's narrative, a function made possible by her cunning, resourcefulness, and talent for surviving even the most dangerous situations.
While Jessica's role as part of the Bene Gesserit is never in question, her family tree certainly is. It is revealed that Jessica is the secret daughter of Vladimir Harkonnen. This information was concealed as part of the Bene Gesserit's centuries-long breeding program to create the Kwisatz Haderach. Jessica subverted this program by giving birth to a son rather than a daughter, but this did not stop her from playing a vital role in changing the course of human history.
3 Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen
A Cunningly Twisted & Charismatic Harkonnen Who Thrives On Pain
- Played by Austin Butler
- Appears in Dune: Part Two (2024)
The psychopathic Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen represents a serious threat to the vengeful Paul Atreides. An expert fighter and strategist, Feyd-Rautha is ordered by Baron Harkonnen to solve the Fremen problem on Arrakis. He responds with brutal efficiency, launching an explosive and devastating attack on a Fremen sietch. He even succeeds in wounding Paul during a duel, although Paul eventually bests Feyd-Rautha.
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Yet the tension between Feyd-Rautha and Paul is part of a far bigger picture. The powerful Bene Gesserit planned for Paul's mother, Jessica, to give birth to a daughter; this daughter would then marry Feyd-Rautha in order to reconcile the feuding houses. While this does not come to pass, the Bene Gesserit maintains an interest in Feyd-Rautha, even sending a representative, Margot Fenrig, to conceive a child with him.
2 Paul Atreides
Unexpected Heir To House Harkonnen, The Kwisatz Haderach
- Played by Timothee Chalamet
- Appears in Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024)
Paul Atreides is a character with many names, including Muad'Dib, Usul, and the Lisan Al Gaib. However, as the shocking twist in Dune: Part Two reveals, Paul is not only part of House Atreides but also has a connection to the Harkonnens via his mother, Jessica. This means that Paul and his sister Alia are the grandchildren of Baron Harkonnen; depending on the version of Dune being experienced, they are also his murderers.
While Paul is less devious than his Harkonnen ancestry would suggest, he is able to draw on the darkness inherent in his secret family to make some tough decisions. Indeed, it is perhaps this same darkness that leads Paul to become a genocidal antihero rather than an entirely virtuous character.
1 Vladimir Harkonnen
The Disgusting Ruler Of House Harkonnen
- Played by Stellan Skarsgard
- Appears in Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024)
While power in Frank Herbert's saga may be won through hand-to-hand combat or in epic battles, it may also be consolidated through more subtle means. Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is a prime example of the latter technique, as he is able to amass considerable influence by striking deals behind the scenes. However, the Baron's indirect approach does not detract from his perverse brutality, which is especially emphasized in Frank Herbert's original novel.
Indeed, Baron Harkonnen sets the standard for the cruelty and repressive tactics used by those in the service of House Harkonnen. It's safe to say that both his faction's political success and its worst excesses can be traced back to Vladimir Harkonnen, making him one of the key figures in Dune's universe.
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