Paul Atreides (/əˈtreɪdiːz/;[2] later known as Paul Muad'Dib, and later still as The Preacher) is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He is a main character in the first two novels in the series, Dune (1965) and Dune Messiah (1969), and returns in Children of Dune (1976). The character is brought back as two different gholas in the Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson novels which conclude the original series, Hunters of Dune (2006) and Sandworms of Dune (2007), and appears in the prequels Paul of Dune (2008) and The Winds of Dune (2009). According to Brian Herbert, Frank Herbert's son and biographer, House Atreides was based on the heroic but ill-fated Greek mythological house of Atreus.
A primary theme of Dune and its sequels is Frank Herbert's warning about society's tendencies to "give over every decision-making capacity" to a charismatic leader.[3] He said in 1979, "The bottom line of the Dune trilogy is: beware of heroes. Much better [to] rely on your own judgment, and your own mistakes."[4] Paul rises to leadership through military strategy and political maneuvering, but his superhuman powers and ability to fit himself into pre-existing religious infrastructure allow him to force himself upon mankind as their messiah. As "Muad'Dib", Paul becomes the central figure of a new religion, and reluctantly unleashes a bloody jihad in his name across the universe. Paul struggles with the idea of potentially seizing divine control over his newly minted empire, but by following the path of his destiny, he escapes from the burden of it. He lets an assassination plot against him play out, blinding him, and follows the Fremen tradition of the blind going out into the desert to die. The burden of the empire is then placed upon Paul's sister Alia, and his children Leto II and Ghanima. Paul later reappears as the Preacher, seeking to end the religion founded around him, but is assassinated.
Paul is portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan in David Lynch's 1984 film adaptation, by Alec Newman in the 2000 Dune miniseries and its 2003 sequel, and by Timothée Chalamet in the 2021 Denis Villeneuve film Dune and its 2024 sequel.
^The Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson establishes that Tanidia Nerus is an alias of Gaius Helen Mohiam.
^Dune: Creating the Audiobooks (Official promotional video, includes images of Frank Herbert's pronunciation notes for some terms). Macmillan Audio. December 23, 2008. Event occurs at 4:04. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
^Cite error: The named reference Touponce 12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference Clareson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
PaulAtreides (/əˈtreɪdiːz/; later known as Paul Muad'Dib, and later still as The Preacher) is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank...
daughter of Duke Leto Atreides of Caladan and his Bene Gesserit concubine, Lady Jessica, and the younger sister to PaulAtreides. Born on the planet Arrakis...
throne from the usurper, PaulAtreides, for her son, Farad'n. She attempts to assassinate Leto II and Ghanima Atreides, Paul's twin heirs, by sending mechanically...
of PaulAtreides and his Fremen concubine Chani, and the twin brother of Ghanima. Leto is named for his paternal grandfather Duke Leto I Atreides, who...
family in Frank Herbert's Dune universe Alia Atreides Ghanima Atreides Leto II AtreidesPaulAtreidesAtreides (album), a 1980 album by Yannis Zouganelis...
Anderson prequel, Dune: House Corrino. Following the events of Dune, PaulAtreides is in control of the all-important planet Arrakis and therefore the...
Prime and the Atreides of Caladan. The Baron's intent to exterminate the Atreides line seems close to fruition, as Duke Leto Atreides is lured to the...
is the Bene Gesserit concubine to the Duke Leto Atreides, and mother to his young son and heir Paul. Leto has been granted control of the lucrative planetary...
Atreides is the name of three characters in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert: Leto I Atreides, father of Paul "Muad'Dib" Atreides...
House Atreides in exchange for her release. Even so, Yueh allows PaulAtreides and Lady Jessica to escape the attack and gives Duke Leto Atreides the means...
threatens the emperor. The Atreides are soon attacked by the forces of House Harkonnen, longtime enemies of the Atreides, secretly supplemented by Shaddam's...
the Bene Gesserit concubine of Duke Leto Atreides. Mohiam is interested in Jessica's young son PaulAtreides, who is a key figure in the Bene Gesserit...
in the service of House Atreides and one of Duke Leto's right-hand men (with Gurney Halleck and Thufir Hawat). When the Atreides take over the planet Arrakis...
be serialized before book publication. At the end of Dune Messiah, PaulAtreides walks into the desert, a blind man, leaving his twin children Leto and...
House Harkonnen and House Atreides. He is later the Siridar-Absentia of the Atreides homeworld of Caladan while the Atreides occupy Arrakis. In Dune, the...
of Dune (1976) as the War Master of House Atreides, acting as mentor, friend, and advisor to PaulAtreides. He also appears in some of the prequel/sequel...
balance maintained by the Guild, the Great Houses, and the Imperium". PaulAtreides notes in Dune that "The language of the Great Convention is clear enough:...
fruition from the union of an Atreides daughter (planned to be born of the Bene Gesserit Lady Jessica and the Duke Leto Atreides) and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen...
Leto Atreides control of the lucrative spice harvesting operations of Arrakis, ousting the Atreides' longtime rivals, the Harkonnens. The Atreides rule...
known as the Prelude to Dune trilogy. Starting with 1999's Dune: House Atreides, the duo have published 15 Dune prequel novels to date. Dune itself is...
the Atreides, especially Leto and Jessica's son Paul, are in danger from the Harkonnens, and alerts her to the existence of a traitor in the Atreides household...
against the Atreides, and Paul has escaped deification by walking into the desert as a man, while guaranteeing Fremen support for the Atreides line. Parts...
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