Stilgar/XD

Stilgar, full name Stilgar Ben Fifrawi, was the Naib, or leader of Sietch Tabr, a Fremen tribe of Arrakis during the Atreides Fiefdom.

Early life
Stilgar was born in the year 10141 AG in Sietch Umbu; he was the brother of Frieth. Later, he lived in Red Wall Sietch. In 10154 AG at age 13 he was saved by Pardot Kynes from bullying Harkonnen bravos. The act resulted in a lifelong friendship, and in Stilgar adopting Kynes dream of transforming Arrakis into a clement and green planet. Stilgar became Naib of Sietch Tabr when he called out and defeated the existing Naib. He went on to establish himself as one of the most respected and fearsome Fremen.

Paul and the Revolt on Arrakis
Upon the change of the Arrakis fief in 10,191AG from House Harkonnen to House Atreides, Stilgar was befriended by Atreides Swordmaster Duncan Idaho, who had been sent in advance by Duke Leto Atreides to gauge and study the Fremen. In Idaho's reports to Leto, Idaho had judged Stilgar to be a 'good example' of the Fremen of Arrakis. Indeed, through Idaho's relationship with Stilgar and his tribe, he became so impressed with the Fremen and their ways that Idaho accepted dual loyalties to the Atreides and to Stilgar.

After House Harkonnen attacked Arrakis and House Atreides went renegade, the remaining members of the Atreides family, namely the Ducal heir Paul Atreides and his mother, the Lady Jessica, sought refuge with Stilgar and his tribe. Eventually, through Paul's leadership and the development of his prescient powers, Stilgar became the general of the Emperor of the Known Universe.

Sack of Kaitain
In 10,194 AG, Stilgar led Paul's forces on the sack on the former Corrino capital worlkd of Kaitain. The world fell easily to Stilgar and his Fedaykin forces, as Elias and other troops, ransacked the buildings of Corrinth City. As the Fremen gutted the Imperial Opal Palace, the Imperial Necropolis, and destroyed countless museums, members of the Landsraad became concerned about the Dune-warriors sensibilities.

Later that week, when Paul arrived to address the Landsraad for the first time since assuming the Royal Throne, the Emperor explained that the destruction of Kaitain was the symbolic ending of the Corrino era. Stilgar listened behind Paul, as many of the nobles fell into line behind House Atreides. Others, such as Earl Memnon Thorvald, of House Thorvald, had witnessed the sack of Kaitain firsthand, stormed out of the Assembly, to foment a rebellion.

Near-Death on Jericha
Stilgar led many battles throughout the Imperium for Muad'Dib, but in 10,196 AG, Stilgar had a life-changing experience on the planet Jericha. As Stilgar led Jihadi troops against the rebel guerilla forces of Earl Memnon Thorvald; the Atreides' commander, Burbage, had warned Stilgar of attacking Thorvald's forces in the mountains in a frontal assault, and told Stilgar to attack in stealth.

Stilgar ignored the warnings of Burbage and attacked first with Ornithopters and other air craft. The forces of Thorvald were arrayed in the mountains and had Suspensor-suppressing equipment, which casued all of the aircraft to crash. Still committed to a forceful attack, Stilgar and the Jihadi forces had to confiscate ruh-yaks from the local Jericha townsfolk, and make a dangerous journey up into the hill country. As the ruh-yaks crossed over the river, Stilgar and his Fremen, began to panic, and some started to drown. As Stilgar had a near-death experience as the river water filled his lungs, Burbage lifted him out of the water, and began pumping his lungs, and saved his life. Stilgar decided to retire to Arrakis, and become Paul's chief advisor.

The Regency
It was through Paul Atreides that Stilgar and the other Fremen Naibs realized their collective dream of turning Arrakis into a lush and green paradise. During the regency of Alia, Stilgar was instrumental in allying the Fremen tribes with the Lady Jessica and her grandchildren, Leto II and Ghanima against Alia, who had become possessed by the ego-memory of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.

Legacy
Stilgar lived a long and prestigious life, thanks in no small part to his diet of melange, a pervasive ingredient in all Fremen food and drink. Stilgar's descendants flourished well into the reign of Leto II the God-Emperor, and probably beyond.

He wrote a preface for the book "Muad'Dib, The Man" for the Princess Irulan.

Appearances

 * Dune: House Atreides
 * Dune
 * Dune Messiah
 * Children of Dune

Behind the Scenes
Stilgar's early life was detailed in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy of novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Frank Herbert makes only limited references to his upbringing in the original Dune novels.

Stilgar was played by Everett McGill in the 1984 Dune movie; by Uwe Ochsenknecht in the 2000 Dune miniseries; and by Steven Berkoff in the 2003 Children of Dune miniseries.