It’s the last two episodes of the season, and I’m so excited to share them with you. While I was hesitant at first over the season only being six episodes, I ended up being appreciative because Dune is dense. Between houses and names and storylines, and then add in the time jumps back and forth from the past, six episodes was about as much as my brain could take in. It does help that I’m also reading the book, but with such dense subject material, it was nice to have a light season. That being said, it’s time to dig into the juicy last two episodes and what’s next for the Imperium.
1-5 In Blood, Truth
We open with an arrival on Salusa Secundus and a show of strength in the Imperial home. Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina) is less than thrilled and walks out. Francesca (Tabu, pictured), one of Mother Superior Valya’s (Emily Watson) closest allies and a frequent appearance as her younger self (Charithra Chandran) in flashbacks, has come back to see someone. Not the emperor (Mark Strong), to his sadness, but her son Constantine (Josh Heuston, pictured). Well, color me surprised. I wonder how many of the sisters have given birth and if it was part of the plan or an accident…
“And what have you sacrificed?” “More than you can ever imagine.”
Back at Wallach IX, the sisterhood home planet, acolyte Jen (Faoileann Cunningham, pictured) is asking questions, and like other religious sects or cults or whatever you want to call it, that’s often frowned upon. Tula (Olivia Williams) chides her and removes her from class. And while one might expect a serious telling off or chores or however cults punish nonbelievers, Tula asks if she can trust her and maintain her confidence. Jen agrees, and Tula reveals her secret. If anyone can reach through to Lila (Chloe Lea, pictured) after the Agony, it’s Jen. They need to get to sister Raquella (Cathy Tyson) to figure out what’s affecting the girls and then after that get Lila back. Raquella emerges and solves the riddle: it’s a virus. But from what? And why isn’t it affecting Jen? But also, who else can Lila talk to?
Meanwhile, the rebellion movement has their hands on some explosives and plans on blowing the place up just to cover their tracks and create a distraction. But is Desmond (Travis Fimmel) onto Keiran Atreides (Chris Mason) yet? Well, Desmond shows up at the bar, and what ensues is an absolutely brilliant feat in choreography, fighting, and cinematography. The bartender, Mikaela (Shalom Brune-Franklin) reveals her sisterly identity to Atreides, who isn’t thrilled but isn’t trying to kill her either. Desmond barely makes it out alive but loses his whole team in the process. Wonder what could be next for him.
Atreides makes it back to the palace only to be turned in by Constantine. His mother had told him to seize his opportunity when he found it, and I’d say finding the mole in the palace counts. His dad also listens to his former lover and gives his son an opportunity. To rule over the fleet on Arrakis is quite a choice for someone green of leadership in any capacity, but okay, Dad, give him a challenge, I guess. Ynez visits Keiran and uses her gifts she’s developed before even going to the sisterhood. It was real, and I don’t know if that makes it better or worse.
Desmond is licking his wounds, and it was actually wounds prior that allowed Valya to get her hands on his blood and send it to Tula for testing. They have a thinking machine for their genetic analysis and control of the galaxy. Handy and treasonous. But it spits out the answer. Atreides and Harkonnen parents. Now, where have I heard of that pairing so far this season? He knows his mother is or was a sister, and when the Empress (Jodhi May) comes to visit him, it’s hilarious seeing their mutual hatred of the sisterhood.
“Let us rid the Imperium of these witches forever.”
“I do think the witches will have something to say about that…
1-6 The High-Handed Enemy
Tula, in the present, is reminiscing on the past. She remembers the beginning when Valya (Jessica Barden) chose to murder Dorotea (Camilla Beeput). Tula (Emma Canning), Francesca (Charithra Chandran), and Kasha (Yerin Ha) were all watching. Here’s the thing about living with everyone who can tell when you’re lying: you have to believe something to make it real. We see the girls repeat their lie to themselves, watching the brain manipulation. Tula reveals her precious secret to her sister. Valya vows to take care of them, all of them. Back in the present, Tula seeks to understand the virus better with the help of a sister, who loses the battle with flame.
Atreides is getting his ass handed to him while being held. Poor guy. But he’ll never bow to your emperor and frankly in this day and age, that’s pretty damn hot. Ynez is desperate to help him, even seeking her mother’s assistance. Sadly, Mommy has her own priorities, and right now, it’s to teach you a lesson. Probably not the lesson she hoped for, honestly. Because if I’m Ynez in this position, it’s just going to drive me farther away from your motherly love. So, while she wants to teach Ynez a lesson, the emperor is begging Francesca to stay. He loves her. He wants to rule the galaxies with her. She reminds him there are plenty of political reasons why that cannot be true. But she has a poker hand held back that he doesn’t realize. She was there with Valya and Tula in the beginning. She was part of the group that used the thinking machine to prepare the genetic bloodlines for the perfect queen, Ynez. 
“Blood-soaked roots”
Back at the sisterhood, Lila convinces Jen to relax her restraints. Only, that’s not Lila, is it? Dorotea has made her way back and is seeking vengeance. Acolyte Emeline (Aoife Hinds) has been preaching her works, but the rest of her followers are gone. They’ve been wiped from the records. I wonder who could have done that… Turns out those four did more than just manipulate the timelines. They used the voice to force Dorotea’s followers to either follow them or die. Only one sister chose to live, Sister Avila (Barbara Marten). Dorotea gets her moment and throws the lights on the whole operation.
Meanwhile, Valya is plotting on how to access the palace in order to free Ynez. She plans on using Sister Theo’s (Jade Anouka) powers. She struts right in, sits down on the throne, and gives the emperor a little history lesson. Everything that you are is because of the sisterhood. Every seeming choice was nothing but a predetermined order created for you. Unsurprisingly, this doesn’t go well, and the mother superior is taken to the holding chambers. Oh, sorry, I said it didn’t go well? My apologies; it goes exactly according to plan. Valya gets Ynez and Keiran, even if she doesn’t want him. And Theo dedicates herself to the cause. Oh Theo, I hope we see you again.
Reeling from the news that he’s never had a free moment in his life, the emperor is already a mess, and then Francesca reveals the ace up her sleeve. A toxic needle she’s meant to use on him, but she doesn’t want to. She imprinted on him, and that love cannot be overridden by Valya’s choices. But he wants to make his own choice. Just once in his life. And he does. It’s not the choice I would have personally made, but I can’t deny it was yours, and you made it. Of course, Francesca is not far behind when the empress takes her opportunity. I did say that going against your wife was going to be not good for you, did I not?
Back in the past, we watch Tula make the hardest choice she’s ever made. Francesca finds a local stillborn child for the switch. And such, Desmond makes his way into the world only to wreak havoc years later. Back in the present, Valya is ready for the final showdown, but Tula can’t let it happen. She reveals it all, but the virus has a grip on Valya. She has to let go. She has to let go of her fear and walk through it. And she finally does. Desmond arrests Mommy dearest. Valya makes her way to Arrakis with Ynez and Keiran. And I just have to wonder what in the Imperium will happen next?
Reading Dune right now has been a real treat. I enjoyed the films, and this was a great add-on. Frankly, I liked it better than the Dune story, so I cannot wait for more. I love seeing women in positions of authority and power. Microdosing equality through fiction, right? A woman may not be president in my time, but some really powerful witches were running stuff somewhere, and that’s just more interesting. The entire show was full of powerful female characters, and that’s what we need right now.
