Aside from his parents, Duke Leto and Lady Jessica of the Bene Gesserit, Paul's companion-teachers on Caladan include Thufir Hawat, Gurney Halleck, and Duncan Idaho, as well as the traitor Dr. Wellington Yueh. Frank Herbert's magnum opus Dune opens with Paul's interactions with Lady Jessica and the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam. From there, a few key pro-Atredies characters appear one after the other.

When the Mentat Master of Assassins, Thufir Hawat, slips into Paul's training room before the departure, Gurney Halleck is not far behind. Between Thufir and Gurney, Paul is more at ease with the latter. The duo's conversation is fluid, and certainly more informal. As Dune depicts, Paul has learned quite a deal from Gurney.

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Gurney Halleck Serves The Atreides

Gurney has been in service of the honorable Atreides family and shows nothing but unwavering loyalty to the House. Herbert's Dune explores his character through Princess Irulan's narration:

"You have read that Muad'Dib [Paul] had no playmates his own age on Caladan. The dangers were too great. But Muad'Dib did have wonderful companion-teachers."

Muad'Dib, the name adopted by Paul Atreides, was mentored by resilient, capable people. Princess Irulan's writing is a testament to the fact that it took a village on Caladan to raise him. The excerpt adds:

"There was Gurney Halleck, the Troubadour-warrior. You will sing some of Gurney's songs as you read along in this book."

In the novel, Gurney Halleck passes Thufir in the hall and cheekily accuses Paul of sinking a "barb" in "old Hawat" and says:

He slams open the training room of Castle Caladan and walks in with a handful of weapons, and his musical instrument: the nine-string Baliset. In the absence of the Swordmaster, Duncan Idaho (who leads the second wave onto Arrakis), Gurney takes up weaponry with Paul. Though a mercenary for Duke Leto Atreides I, Paul considers Gurney more as a friend, thanks to his sharp wits, humor, and "deviltry."

Gurney Halleck Is The Imperial Troubadour-Warrior

A favorite among Imperial troubadours, Gurney walks in with the baliset slung over the shoulder. The warrior and tactician would often belt out songs and recite proverbs to its tune. He sings "Galacian Girls" in the beginning of Herbert's Dune:

Herbert writes Gurney as the witty one among Paul's companions at Caladan. He calls Paul "young imp," and mocks his fighting abilities:

"And it was decided in council that you being such a poor fighter we'd best teach you the music trade so's you won't waste your life entire."

Amid this verbal volleyball, Paul buckles his shield belt and declares, "Then, let's fight!"

Paul Atreides Vs. Gurney Halleck

While there is no shortage of formidable characters in Dune, Gurney's fighting capabilities are par excellence. He gives Paul an excellent piece of fighting during their duel when the latter declares he is not in the mood for a fight:

"Mood? What has mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises - no matter the mood! Mood's a thing for cattle or making love or playing the baliset. It's not for fighting."

This motivates Paul into action and at the end of the fight, his blade is at Gurney's jugular while the latter's Kindjal is at his groin.

Gurney Halleck's Past

Gurney's backstory inspires resilience and endurance. Dune reveals he survived and escaped the Harkonnen slave pit on Giedi Prime, and rose to one of the highest ranks as the Warmaster for the most honorable House. Leto I rescued him, which inspired Gurney's loyalty to House Atreides. Gurney nursed deep hatred towards the Harkonnen, especially the older nephew of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Beast Rabban, who killed his younger sister, Bheth Halleck. He also bears a beet-colored inkvine scar on his jaw given to him by Baron's astute nephew, Beast Rabban.

Gurney's past is painful, but inspiring and honorable. As a Warmaster for House Atreides, Gurney trained and led armies. As such, he was well-versed in the art of war and trained Paul in warfare. Gurney was among the Atreides' most loyal men, a close friend of the Duke, and someone who truly cared for Paul. After his duel with the boy, Gurney thinks to himself:

He was uneasy before the big departure, and knew what a challenge it was to move to Arrakis - "...a planet that had never known seas or fishes."The future of House Atreides rests on Paul's shoulders and Gurney is well aware that the Ducal heir's burden is a heavy one. He wishes for him to bear it and thus plays a key role in his life as his guide and mentor.

Gurney Halleck In Denis Villeneuve's Dune

Herbert's Dune describes Gurney as "an ugly lump of a man," but in Denis Villeneuve's movie adaptation, he is portrayed by Josh Brolin, which is a shift from the author's description. But his personality remains much the same. Gurney is a strict mentor, plays the baliset, and recites the following lines as they arrive at Arrakis:

Gurney raises the morale of the Atreides military forces on Arrakis, and later, leads the counterattack against the Harkonnen and Sardaukar forces. Though the movie keeps the character's fate on a cliffhanger, those who have read the novel know that he survives the attack. Gurney is all set to reprise his character in Villeneuve's Dune Part: Two.

Dune

Based on the novel by Frank Herbert, Dune follows the story of Paul Atreides played by Timothée Chalamet, whose family take control of a planet that holds the key to faster than light travel, and certain mental powers. This futuristic fantasy world is rife with politics, religion, wars and betrayals, as empires and factions fight for control over the planet.

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