Dune: Prophecy 1.2: The Hart of the Matter

Well, there will be spoilers in this review of Dune Prophecy 1.2, because there's nothing I have an interest in talking about that takes place in this remarkable episode that doesn't contain spoilers.

I said in my review last week of episode 1.1 that Desmond Hart, played by Travis Fimmel, was my favorite character, in part because Fimmel is a uniquely memorable actor, in part because the character he is playing was starting to do some remarkable things.  Not just the horrible thing of killing the boy by making him burn from the inside out -- which I would just as soon not have seen -- but the far more extraordinary thing of burning Kasha, a Bene Gesserit member at the same time, "halfway across the universe," as was remarkable upon in 1.2

That's a power that far exceeds what the Bene Gesserit can do, and in episode 1.2 we see Hart has another extraordinary power: he is able to defy Valya's order, delivered via Voice, to slit his own throat -- the same command via which Valya permanently silenced Dorotea in episode 1.1.  (Well, not quite permanently -- we see Dorotea talking to/at Sister Lila, when Lila is in that never never land that the poison she has ingested, which she is supposed to break into non-poisonous "molecules," is coursing through her body and brain.  But you know what I mean.)

Episode 1.2 also gives us at least a partial answer of how Hart got to have such power.  He says he was ingested via a sandworm and came out alive and in possession of his powers.  That of course leaves open the question of who is Hart that he survived such a power-bestowing ordeal.  But it's a good start.

Meanwhile, in other highlights of this episode, there was a legitimately good sex scene between Constantine Corrino (an illegitimate son of the Emperor) and Lady Shannon Richese (older sister of the slain boy -- much older, she's not a child).  This happens in contrast to a subsequent scene in which Kieran Atreides (who of course is bound to have an important role in this series) and Princess Ynez (a legitimate princess) elect not to have sex, which almost certainly means they eventually will.

So Dune: Prophecy is off to a very good start, indeed, and I'll see you back here with reviews of subsequent episodes in the weeks ahead.

See also Dune: Prophecy 1.1: Compelling Prequel ... Dune, Part One: Half the Movie, Twice the Power of Most Other Complete Films ... Dune, Part Two: Not As Good as Part One