All the pieces Star Wars Took From Dune

Warning! This text comprises SPOILERS for Dune: Half Two.

Regardless of its standing as some of the profitable and unique science fiction collection of all time, Star Wars merely would not be the identical with out Dune. Though George Lucas’ epic area opera modified the sport for the style, it is clear that the collection took severe inspiration from Frank Herbert’s celebrated novel. Because of this, it isn’t unreasonable to say that with out Dune there could be no Star Wars because it exists in the present day. Paul Atreides and his holy conflict has been acknowledged as some of the vital and influential works within the entirety of science fiction, spawning a number of variations and pale imitations.

With the discharge of Dune: Half Two and the completion of Paul’s rise to energy within the Fremen faith, the comparisons are much more prevalent. Set on the desert planet of Arrakis, the Dune saga facilities across the legendary substance spice – a drug able to imbuing enhanced consciousness and facilitating intergalactic journey. Due to the novel’s widespread acclaim, Dune‘s affect has permeated many points of recent popular culture. Nonetheless, maybe due to its shared style, the guide’s most evident descendant might be the Star Wars motion pictures. Right here is all the pieces that Star Wars took from Dune.

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Tatooine Is Arrakis

Maybe the obvious similarity between the 2 is the setting. Dune’s defining function is the tough, arid setting of Arrakis, which boasts oceans of sand rather than precise water. In contrast, Tatooine appears to have a barely extra affluent inhabitants and pure sources, however the bodily and climatological similarities between the 2 planets are uncanny. Moreover, certainly one of Tatooine’s most well-known traits is the dual suns that illuminate the horizon. Whereas Arrakis solely orbits a single star, it does have two distinguished moons, which can have influenced Lucas’ interested by Tatooine.

Tatooine additionally grew to become as essential to Star Wars‘ story as Arrakis was to Dune‘s, although for various causes. In Dune, whoever managed Arrakis managed the recognized universe, because of the significance of spice. In Star Wars, nevertheless, Tatooine grew to become a hub for a number of generations of Skywalkers, with each Anakin and Luke spending their early days there and Rey later returning to honor their legacy. Tatooine was additionally a central level within the prison underworld of the galaxy, as Jabba the Hutt’s palace was positioned in Mos Espa and the Pyke Syndicate moved spice via Tatooine.

The Sarlacc Is A Sandworm

Each Dune and Star Wars boast an array of unimaginable and terrifying creatures. Nonetheless, none are maybe extra iconic than Arrakis’ gigantic sandworms, which might develop to lengths of a number of tons of of meters and are even used as a way of transportation by the planet’s native Fremen folks. Though there are not any direct equivalents within the Star Wars universe, the sandworms do share some traits with the notorious Sarlacc pit, first seen in Return of the Jedi.

Though the Sarlacc’s full physiology is rarely totally revealed, the creature’s sharp enamel bear a hanging resemblance to these of the sandworms, from which the Fremen make their fabled Kris knives. To make the comparability much more concrete, the Sarlacc even lives in a area of Tatooine generally known as the Dune Sea.

Spice Is Spice, Although They Play Completely different Roles

One of the crucial essential plot factors in Dune is the so-called spice melange, a mind-altering substance that permits for interstellar journey and that is solely recognized supply – not less than within the first guide – is the planet Arrakis. Possession of the spice influences all the pieces on the earth of Dune and is among the components that shapes the Harkonnen/Atreides feud on the heart of the narrative. Though the spice of Star Wars just isn’t as vital to the general plot because the spice of Arrakis, George Lucas’ movies do function the same story ingredient.

In Star Wars, spice is a mind-altering drug that’s extremely wanted by prison syndicates. Whereas the hallucinogenic facet is similar, it would not have the identical significance to area journey because the spice in Dune does, as journey in Star Wars comes from hyperdrives and navigational calculations. Spice nonetheless does play a task in Star Wars‘ area journey, curiously, as the Kessel run proven in Solo and the run to get to the mines the place spice was gathered performed into the legend of Han Solo. Although the thought and identify are very comparable, Lucas did handle to make Star Wars‘ model of spice distinctive.

Individuals Survive The Desert The Similar Approach

Residing out on the agricultural sandflats of Tatooine, Owen Lars labored as a moisture farmer within the unique Star Wars film – ably assisted by his nephew, Luke Skywalker, and – for a restricted interval – the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO. Though Lars’ career initially looks like pretty innocuous backstory, it’s really one other instance of the hyperlink between the franchise and Dune. On Arrakis, gadgets generally known as dew collectors permit the inhabitants to reap water – fulfilling virtually precisely the identical operate because the moisture farmers of Tatooine.

Survival did not play as huge of a task on Tatooine because it did on Arrakis, although. In Dune, survival was not possible outdoors of cities and not using a stillsuit, which gave folks a strategy to recycle water misplaced to sweat and different bodily capabilities. Except for the moisture farms, the warmth of Tatooine hardly ever turns into a consideration for the folks of Star Wars.

The Empire Is The Imperium

In Star Wars, the Empire serves because the clear antagonists of the story, subjugating planets and hunting down dissenters. Nonetheless, though they continue to be some of the iconic villains in cinematic historical past, the Empire owes a transparent debt to Dune’s Imperium. As the middle of political energy within the galaxy, the Imperium is arguably a barely extra morally ambiguous presence than the clearly evil Empire. Nonetheless, the Padashar Emperor’s clear ambition and aggression in direction of the novel’s protagonists firmly locations them in opposition – very like Star Wars’ Galactic Empire.

Even the Emperors themselves share eerie similarities and infrequently labored within the shadows. The occasions of Dune start as a result of Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV used underhanded techniques to pit the Harkonnens towards Home Atreides, as he feared the facility Duke Leto was gaining. Emperor Palpatine equally used Anakin Skywalker to destroy the Jedi Order, the one pressure able to opposing the Sith and his Empire. Neither of them completed the job, although, as certainly one of their enemies survived, Paul in Dune and Luke in Star Wars, to dethrone them.

The Insurgent Alliance Is Comparable To The Fremen

Each Star Wars and Dune function guerilla warriors preventing for freedom from the oppression of an imperialist incursion. Nonetheless, whereas the Insurgent Alliance owes a transparent debt to Dune’s Fremen, there are variations between the 2. As an illustration, Star Wars’ rebels are drawn from all corners of the galaxy, whereas Dune’s initially hail completely from Arrakis. The Fremen additionally play a way more tragic function in Dune, as they turn out to be cannon fodder for Paul’s holy conflict, whereas the Insurgent Alliance will get a contented ending and a liberated galaxy. However, the presence of freedom fighters in each works gives one other unmistakable connection.

Stormtroopers Are The Sardaukar

Not solely do each Star Wars and Dune function an oppressive empire, however each variations additionally boast their very own crack troops. Though the preventing talents of Star Wars’ stormtroopers have been much-debated, what’s simple is that they share some clear similarities with the Imperium’s Sardaukar. Each units of troopers are imagined to characterize an elite preventing pressure that’s feared all through the galaxy and used to implement the Emperor’s will. Though the 2 designs are fairly totally different, there may be little question the stormtrooper idea owes a debt to Dune.

Princess Leia Is Alia Atreides

Princess Leia is among the most important characters in all the Star Wars story, driving the narrative all through. Though her function as a powerful and iconic insurgent chief is unquestionable, it is also clear that there are similarities between her character and Dune’s Alia Atreides. The youthful sibling of most important protagonist Paul – which suggests one other Star Wars connection due to Luke and Leia’s familial bond – Alia is a mysterious character, blessed with preternatural perception and thoughts management talents due to her publicity to the Water of Life. Equally, Leia can also be Drive-sensitive, suggesting that the hyperlink between Leia and Alia is extra than simply etymological.

Jedi Thoughts Methods Are The Voice

The pervading affect of The Drive may be felt all through the Star Wars story. Though Dune lacks the equal of an omnipresent religious energy, there are traits of The Drive all through Dune – certainly one of which is the power to follow thoughts management. Sure characters within the story, similar to Paul and his mom, Woman Jessica, are able to utilizing the voice to affect and management others. Whereas this doesn’t grant them the power to maneuver objects with their minds, it does bear a hanging resemblance to Obi Wan’s capacity to manage the stormtroopers on Tatooine.

The Jedi Council Is The Bene Gesserit

Within the prequel trilogy, the Jedi Order is revealed to sit down adjoining to politics, providing counsel to political leaders whereas subtly influencing affairs from the sidelines. Equally, the world of Dune is shepherded by the Bene Gesserit cult – a matriarchal group manipulating occasions behind the scenes and infrequently accused of witchcraft. Very like the Jedi, Bene Gesserit members may be discovered all through the galaxy, highlighting their significance to the world of Dune. Although the all-female make-up of the Bene Gesserit differs from the Jedi order, each teams’ standing as pseudo-religious organizations demonstrates one other clear connection.

Anakin Skywalker Is Paul Atreides

Maybe the largest hyperlink between the Bene Gesserit and the Jedi, past their spirituality, is each teams’ quest for a so-called Chosen One. On the earth of Star Wars, the Chosen One prophecy claims a determine will convey steadiness to the Drive and trigger the destruction of the Jedi’s enemies, the Sith. In contrast, the Bene Gesserit imagine that their Kwisatz Haderach will convey in regards to the ascension of the human race – a course of that the group makes an attempt to provoke by way of genetic manipulation.

Each Anakin and Paul additionally subverted their respective destinies. Anakin was meant to serve the Jedi and destroy the Sith, but his function was reversed in tragic vogue. Paul was meant to serve the Bene Gesserit, but he actively labored towards their plans and took energy for himself with out their consent. Though there are variations, as Anakin was ultimately redeemed whereas Paul totally leaned into his villainous function, the presence of a messianic determine in each franchises might be greater than a mere coincidence, and Dune: Half Two could also be a greater model of Revenge of the Sith.

Darth Vader Is Baron Harkonnen

Darth Vader’s revelation about Luke Skywalker’s true parentage in The Empire Strikes Again is among the most well-known scenes in film historical past. Nonetheless, though the dramatic second stays iconic, it maybe would not have existed in any respect with out Dune. Very like the surprising reveal in Cloud Metropolis, it’s defined midway via Dune that Paul Atreides is definitely the nephew of his sworn enemy, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. Though it’s not Vladimir himself who divulges this data, the function of heritage for each Paul in Dune and Luke in Star Wars highlights how the 2 tales stay intently related.

Whereas they share many similarities, they’re additionally very totally different. Each Luke and Paul additionally initially rejected their newly revealed relationships, solely to come back to simply accept their ancestry, although they did so in very other ways. Luke found that his standing because the son of Darth Vader did not have to outline him and he selected to be higher. Paul, then again, used his relation to the Harkonnens to justify rising the violence and ache he inflicted, changing into extra like them with each motion. Their variations are highlighted in how they handled their family members, as Luke spared Vader whereas Paul killed the Baron.

Padmé Amidala Is Chani

One of the crucial tragic points of each Star Wars and Dune is how the fallen heroes deal with their former loves. In Star Wars, Padmé Amidala watched in horror as Anakin fell deeper into the darkish facet of the Drive. In Dune, Chani needed to do the identical with Paul, regardless of her warning that she would solely love him so long as he did not change. They have been additionally each betrayed in the long run, with Anakin killing Padmé for what he thought was an affair with Obi-Wan, and Paul turning from a trusted member of the Fremen to the reason for innumerable deaths.

Each Padmé and Chani additionally needed to endure tragedy on a bigger scale than simply their respective love pursuits. Padmé was a senator within the galactic senate, and she or he was pressured to observe because the beacon of democracy she as soon as admired fortunately allowed itself to be consumed by totalitarianism. Chani was skeptical of the Lisan al Gaib prophecy from the start, however she was powerless to cease the opposite Fremen from deifying Paul and taking part in into his plans.

Kylo Ren Is Feyd-Rautha

Dune‘s affect on Star Wars did not finish when Lucas left the franchise in 2012, although. Within the sequel trilogy, Kylo Ren rose up as a brand new darkish facet pressure to oppose the heroes of Star Wars. He was stronger, youthful, and extra ruthless than the villains that got here earlier than him, and Kylo Ren was clearly impressed by Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen from Dune. Feyd-Rautha rapidly made an impression along with his brutal strategies, ruthless methods, and frenzied preventing fashion, all attributes that additionally apply to Kylo Ren. Even their lineages are comparable, as Kylo Ren was the grandson of Darth Vader and Feyd-Rautha was the nephew of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.

They don’t seem to be precisely the identical, although, and Kylo Ren and Feyd-Rautha served very totally different functions of their respective tales. In Star Wars, Kylo Ren aimed to reestablish the Empire years after it had been defeated. In Dune: Half Two, Feyd-Rautha was referred to as in to assist the Harkonnens hold management of Arrakis, finally failing and falling to Paul’s blade. Feyd-Rautha additionally had extra doubtful morals, as he was clearly villainous in his killing of the Fremen, however he additionally opposed Paul. Kylo Ren ultimately earned redemption and gave his life to avoid wasting Rey.

The similarities between Dune and Star Wars are obvious, and even the guide’s unique writer noticed them. Within the 2003 Frank Herbert biography Dreamer of Dune, written by his son Brian, it’s claimed that Herbert really thought-about suing George Lucas. This demonstrates the clear parallels that Herbert himself noticed between his work and the Star Wars motion pictures. Star Wars did even have greater than sufficient to set it other than Dune, although, and its legacy as some of the unique tales within the style continues to be well-earned. Star Wars was undeniably influenced by Dune, however there is not any cause the 2 franchises cannot share the science fiction crown.