A scene from ‘Dune Prophecy’. , Photo Credit: IMDb

Amidst the darkness, dire prophecies, flaming bodies and billowing skirts of brotherhood, the mention of insects was cause for celebration. Dune: ProphecyThose mighty sand worms speeding across the desert with their protruding many-toothed jaws were an enigma in Denis Villeneuve’s two Dune films, starring Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides.

Brian Herbert and Kevin J. based on andersen great school of doonA prequel trilogy based on Frank Herbert dune universe, Dune: Prophecy Set “116 years after the end of the Great Machine Wars” (definitely nothing to do with Skynet) and “10,148 years before the birth of Paul Atreides”.

The first episode, ‘The Hidden Hand’, begins with two sisters, Valya (Jessica Barden) and Tula (Emma Canning), traveling from the house of Harkonnen to be trained as Truthsayers to serve the rulers of the Imperium. Joins a sister. After the death of the Mother Superior (Cathy Tyson), Valya uses the voice to force the heiress Dorotea (Camilla Beauput) to kill herself. Valya does this to preserve the sister’s breeding program, which ensures peace in the region by arranging marriages between “suitable” bloodlines.

Thirty years later, Valya (Emily Watson), as Mother Superior, fixes a match between Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sophie Bousnina), heiress to the Lion Throne, and nine-year-old Pruvet Richies (Charlie Hodgson-Pryor). Tula (Olivia Williams) wants her sister to get over her autocratic ways.

Yanez is training to become a truther and believes she can mold Pruvet into whatever she wants. Yanez’s father, Emperor Javico Corrino (Mark Strong), is not very happy with the brotherhood’s interference, but he believes that the fighters accompanying Pruvet will help keep the peace in Arrakis and supply the all-important spice .

A soldier, Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel), brings the unsettling news of his battalion on Arrakis being destroyed not by the rebel Fremen but by rebels of the Imperium. The Imperial Truthsayer, Kasha (Jiehe), sees disturbing visions of fire and destruction, which Valya discounts, even though the Mother Superior had similar dreams.

Yanez goes to a nightclub with her brother, Constantine (Josh Houston), the Emperor’s illegitimate son. At the club, amidst spice and miscellaneous drugs, she meets Corrino’s sword master, Kieran Atreides (Chris Mason), for whom she has a soft spot.

The first episode introduces most of the major players in a game that was played a long time ago or even further, in galaxies far, far away. Watson is watchable as always and anchors the episode. The production design is beautiful, with sweeping vistas, tinkling fountains and misty landscapes. The dresses are stunning, from the muted sheath the Sisterhood sports to Yanez’s scarlet engagement gown.

The engagement party is a fascinating study as Pruvet plays with a forbidden thinking machine (a ball that turns into a bouncing lizard), Baron Harkonnen (Edward Davis) gives the Emperor “whale fur” (cute whales actually trick the mind). ), and the awkwardly intimate engagement ceremony where Pruvet and Yáñez feed each other a version of the pomegranate.

Also read:‘Dune: Awakening’ Trailer: What If Paul Atreides Was Never Born?

Tabu as Samrat’s ex-girlfriend, Sister Francesca, has not been revealed yet. In the absence of a grand world-changing saga, the sibilant castle intrigue maintains interest, and then there’s always the hope of sandworms bursting into action in future proceedings.

Dune: Prophecy will stream on JioCinema with weekly episodes every Monday until December 22.