Alia Atreides

Alia Atreides is a character in the 1984 film Dune. She is the daughter of Duke Leto Atreides I and his concubine Lady Jessica and the younger sister of Paul. She is portrayed by Alicia Witt.

Biography[]

Pre-born[]

Jessica Atreides was the Bene Gesserit bound-Concubine of Duke Leto Atreides, the leader of House Atreides who had recently acquired the Fief of Arrakis from the Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV. The night before their move to Arrakis, Leto and Jessica discussed their future. Jessica told Leto that if she was to bear him another child, they would have to be conceived tonight. They both agreed and Jessica became pregnant. After the Siege of Arrakeen and death of Leto, Jessica and Paul, their son, were stranded in the desert, finding refuge amongst the Fremen whilst the House Harkonnen had retaken the fief of Arrakis. They integrated themselves into their society and eventually the Fremen asked Jessica to become their Reverend Mother, as their current one was nearing death. In doing so, Jessica had to take the Water of Life to gain the memories of her predecessors. Jessica however, neglected to inform the Fremen of her pregnancy. As such, her daughter was Pre-born, having the knowledge of previous reverend mothers and could speak and act as an adult would.

Early life[]

Jessica named her daughter Alia and she matured at a frightening rate. She could speak as if she were an adult and quickly harnessed the powers of the voice. One night, Harah, now Alia's caretaker, told the Lady Jessica that the other Fremen children were scared of Alia, fearing her abnormalalities. Alia heard this conversation and was enraged, attacking Harah with the voice. In the years following the siege, Paul had become the Leader of the Fremen and was seen as a Messiah. He trained the Fremen to use the Weirding Modules and waged a war on the Emperor. Paul took the water of life, wishing to awaken his powers, the sleeper. Alia was awoken in the night after this, nose bleeding. She walked into her mothers room, who was experiencing the same phenomenon, struggling to walk. Jessica asked what was wrong and Alia informed her that Paul had taken the Water of Life.

Battle of Arrakeen[]

After one battle in which the Fremen decimated the Sardaukar, Alia allowed herself to be captured so she could deliver a message from Muad'dib to the Emperor. She entered the Emperor's Hutment and informed the Emperor that 'her brother' was not pleased with him. The Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam was horrified, believing Alia to be an Abomination. Alia used her mind powers and asked Mohiam to reveal to the entourage her identity. Mohiam was shocked to learn that Alia was not just the sister of Muad'Dib, but the brother of the previously believed to be deceased heir of the Atreides, Paul. As Paul and the Fremen forces fought the Sardaukar, Alia waited for a telepathic signal from Paul. When she received this, she beckoned the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen closer to her. She used her Gom Jabbar to slash the Baron and then pulled out his suspensor plugs. Paul blasted a hole in the Hutment and the Baron was sucked out into the mouth of a Sandworm. Alia then floated down to the battlefield and finished off surviving Sardaukar, brandishing her Crysknife whlist her hair blew in the wind. After the battle concluded, Paul met the Emperor's entourage in Arrakeen. He defeated the Harkonnen heir Feyd Rautha in combat and ascended to the Golden Lion Throne, becoming Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe. Using his full powers, Paul made it rain on Arrakis, a miraculous sight, and Alia declared that he was the Kwisatz Haderach.

Quotes[]

"Harah! Would they deny me the right to use this mind? Would they deny me the right to use this voice?"

―Alia Atreides^[src]

"I am the messenger from Muad'dib. Poor Emperor, I'm afraid my brother won't be very pleased with you."

―Alia Atreides^[src]

"And how can this be? For he is the Kwisatz Haderach"

―Alia after Paul makes it rain on Arrakis^[src]

Notes and Trivia[]

Jennifer Jason Leigh auditioned for a role in the film but was not cast. Lynch asked casting director Jane Jenkins to remember her when casting an older Alia in the sequel.
In the sequel, an adaption of Dune Messiah, Alia was to be 'sexy, 17 and [wearing] a very beautiful version of the Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother robes.'
Actors considered for the role of Alia include: Soleil Moon Frye, Maia Brewton, Schnootie Neff, Brandy Gold, Taliesin Jaffe, Morgan Webb, Maggie Dawson, Hayley Taylor and Alissa Haggis. ^[1]
A 3 year old mexican girl named Paola was the body double of Alia from behind.^[2]