Dune Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Dune Wiki
Nudune This article or section refers to elements from Expanded Dune
There are separate pages for this subject as it appears in the other canons, the reasons for this are explained here
Needs Updating
Parts of this article are no longer up to date.This article needs updating from multiple sources. Please update the article to include missing information, and remove this template when finished. Dune: House Harkonnen, Dune: House Corrino, Paul of Dune, Dune: The Duke of Caladan, Dune: The Lady of Caladan, Dune: The Heir of Caladan

Count Glossu Rabban (10132 AG - 10193 AG), also known as the Beast, Mudir Nahya (Demon Ruler), and King Cobra by the Fremen, was the older nephew of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, and the Count of Lankiveil.

Biography[]

Youth[]

The son of Abulurd Rabban, he stayed on Arrakis after his father was removed from the office.

Pardot Kynes accompanied him in a sandworm hunt; he wanted a trophy to take back to Giedi Prime. He had cropped brown hair and was broad-shouldered, deep-voiced, and short-tempered. He had icy pale blue eyes in a sunburned face. He tried and succeeded in killing a sandworm by using heavy explosives displaying his cruel personality and brutish nature, but was frustrated when the worm dissolved into sandtrout leaving him without a tangible trophy for his efforts.

After traveling back to Giedi Prime still sulking from the unsuccessful hunt for the sandworm he participated in a different sort of hunt. He killed the parents of Duncan Idaho and ordered him healed so he would give good sport in the hunt. Little Duncan evaded them twice and the last time he managed to leave off the planet. 

Glossu-rabban-kish

László Kish as Glossu Rabban.

Re-Established on Dune[]

He inherited the Harkonnen penchant for sadism and cruelty, but not the cunning. He was best known for his tyrannical and vastly ineffective governance of Arrakis during the Harkonnen fiefdom of Arrakis, as well as during the insurgency of the Fremen led by Paul Muad'Dib. He earned the nickname "Beast" when he killed his father, Abulurd. The Baron planned to let Glossu rule the planet for a time so that when his favored nephew, Feyd-Rautha, took over, the new ruler would be welcomed as a hero.

Rabban was slain by the Fremen populace of Arrakeen, which he had brutalized many years.

Glossu Rabban was portrayed by Paul Smith in the 1984 Dune movie, and by László Kish in the 2000 Dune miniseries.

Discrepancy[]

In The Dune Encyclopedia Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Glossu Rabbans mother is named Thora Rabban while in Prelude to Dune her name is given as Emmi.

Appearances[]

Preceded by
Abulurd Rabban
Count of Lankiveil
10174 AG - 10193 AG
Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
Leto Atreides I
Governor of Arrakis
10191 AG - 10193 AG
Succeeded by
Stilgar
Advertisement