Gurney Halleck

This article refers to elements from the cinematic universe established with Dune (2021)
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Gurney Halleck

Part Two
Part One

Political Information

Titles

Warmaster of House Atreides

Great House

House Atreides

Affiliation and Relationships

Loyalty

House Atreides

Military Information

Weapons

Knife

Physical Characteristics

Eyes

Light Brown

Hair

Dark Brown

Height

5ft 9 ½ inches (178 cm)

Behind the Scenes
First appearance	Last appearance	Portrayed by
Dune (2021)	Dune Part Three (2026)^[1]	Josh Brolin

Gurney Halleck was the Warmaster in service of House Atreides. He trained the Duke Leto's son Paul and accompanied the Atreides to Arrakis. Gurney fled to the desert with much of his troop after the Atreides' mortal enemy the House Harkonnen took back Arrakis during the Siege of Arrakeen and became a smuggler. He reunited with Paul Atreides in the desert months later and resumed his servitude to the Atreides, now under a new Duke. He helped Paul wage war against the Harkonnens and the Corrinos and was present when Paul ascended the Golden Lion Throne, waging a Jihad against the Known Universe.

Character description[]

A defiant warrior with the soul of a poet, Gurney Halleck has watched over Paul Atreides since he was born. Although he would never say it aloud, he loves Paul as though he were his own son. As the Duke’s Warmaster, Gurney Halleck has been forged in battle, and will do whatever it takes to protect House Atreides — a people as dear to him as the family he lost to the Harkonnens.^[2]

History[]

Early life[]

Gurney and his family were slaves on the House Harkonnen capital of Giedi Prime. It was during his time as a slave that Gurney's family were murdered by Rabban Harkonnen, who gave him a scar on his cheek to remember him by.

Eventually, Gurney was freed from being a slave, and was taken in by House Atreides, where he became a highly effective Warmaster under the rule of Duke Leto Atreides. He also became close with Duke Leto's son Paul, whom he loved as if he were his own.

Training Paul for Arrakis[]

Halleck briefly takes over the role of Duncan Idaho as Paul Atreides' trainer following the latter's departure to Arrakis. The two briefly practice dueling only days before Paul's departure to Arrakis, in which Halleck warns Paul about the dangers of letting his guard down, especially on a new and unfamiliar planet such as Arrakis. Eventually the duel between the two ends in a tie, and Halleck remarks that Paul would've killed him but died in the process.

On Arrakis[]

Little is shown about Halleck's time on Arrakis, but he is seen accompanying Paul, Leto, and Kynes on their tour of the spice harvesting operation. Halleck is among those who aids the crew of the harvester onto the ornithopter after the landing gear fails, but more importantly responsible for rescuing Paul from the desert when he becomes disorientated following the inhalation of spice.

When soldiers of House Harkonnen and the Emperor's Sardaukar attacked, Gurney led Atreides soldiers in the counter attack. However, it ended with the Harkonnens wiping out a large number of the Atreides army, and Duke Leto was killed, with Paul and Jessica believed to have died as well.

Gurney aided the survivors in escaping Arrakis, but chose to remain on the planet, as he seeked revenge against Rabban Harkonnen for the murder of his family, as well as his fallen friends.

Personality[]

Gurney is fiercely loyal to House Atreides and serves as a trusted advisor and mentor to Paul Atreides. He is proficient in various combat styles and is always ready to defend his house and its members. His dedication to Duke Leto and Paul is unwavering, showcasing his deep sense of duty and honor. As the weapons master for House Atreides, he is a skilled and experienced fighter.

Despite the harsh realities of his life, Gurney maintains a sense of humor and wit. This aspect of his personality provides a balance to his otherwise serious and intense demeanor. He is also a talented musician, known for playing the baliset, a stringed instrument. His musical abilities add depth to his character, showing a softer, more artistic side.

Having endured significant hardships, including losing his family to the Harkonnens, Gurney’s resilience and strength are evident. He is a survivor who continues to fight for what he believes in.

Differences from the original character[]

Gurney Halleck is adapted from the character of the same name from the original Dune novel.

Much like in the original novel, Gurney has a traumatic past as a prisoner of the Harkonnens (including a distinct scar on the left side of his face). This is something he stresses rather furiously to Paul, stating emphatically "You've never met Harkonnens before. They're not human, they're brutal !". However, Gurney's deceased sister is not alluded to.

The film's Gurney is also somewhat more serious and stern than his book counterpart, who was known to be fairly cheerful around Paul, though still a strict mentor. (An early scene pokes fun at Gurney's seriousness, when duke Leto encourages him to smile just a tiny bit during the meeting with the imperial delegation. Gurney replies he is smiling, while his expression remains neutral.) Gurney's dry sense of humour is still the same as in the novel, such as when he playfully points out Paul's potentially fatal mistake during their practice swordfight. He also punctuates his criticism with a "I see you've found the mood..." jab at Paul's reluctance to practice.

Gurney's profficiency with the baliset and his interest in music is alluded to (Paul suggesting a song), but not shown. A scene of Josh Brolin as Gurney playing the baliset was filmed but not used, and might become a deleted scene in future releases.

In the sequel, Gurney is reintroduced into the storyline during his downtime aboard a smuggler carryall. He's seen playing the baliset (likely his own), strumming a tune to a rather bitter song he made up about the tough life among his smuggler friends. He also alludes to his deceased sister when he tells Chani that his family were killed by Rabban, revealing that he gave Gurney his scar.

Trivia[]

In the original books, Gurney is not only a skilled warrior but also a talented musician. He plays a nine-stringed guitar-like instrument called a baliset. This aspect of his character is hinted at in the film.
In the books, Gurney has a notable scar from an inkvine whip, given to him by Rabban Harkonnen. This detail highlights his deep-seated hatred for the Harkonnens.
Gurney is fiercely loyal to House Atreides and serves as a mentor and protector to Paul Atreides. His loyalty and dedication are central to his character.
After the fall of House Atreides, Gurney becomes a spice smuggler in the desert. This aspect of his character showcases his resilience and resourcefulness.
Something didn't cover in the movie that would have made the Baron's failure to understand what was going on in the south easier to belive was the Guild's prohibition on observing some parts of the planet. The Guild Spacial had an interest in allowing some smuggling to go on, in order to have a source of spice that was free from the Emporer's control. The only way to ensure that smuggling happened was to make sure some parts of the pkanet couldn't be observed. The Emporer knew about this but let it go on because a happy guild is one that does him favors, like moving Imperial troops on Guild ships so they can help the Harkonens eliminate the Atreidies. Gurney Halleck survived the Harkonen attempts to find him by becoming a smuggler.

Quotes[]

Duke Leto Atreides : Smile, Gurney.
Gurney Halleck : [blankly] I am smiling.

[Paul is to practice fencing with Gurney]
Paul Atreides : I guess I'm not in the mood today.
Gurney Halleck : Mood? What's mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises, no matter the mood. Now fight!
[the two begin fighting, and Paul eventually puts his blade to Gurney's throat]
Gurney Halleck : I see you found the mood.

Gurney Halleck : You don't really understand the grave nature of what's happening to us. For 80 years Arrakis belonged to House Harkonnen. Eighty years of owning the spice fields. Can you imagine the wealth? In your eyes, I need to see it in your eyes. You never met Harkonnens before. I have. They are not human. They're brutal! You have to be ready.

[Paraphrasing a quote from Atreides soldiers in the book]
Duke Leto Atreides : What do they say about this hellhole again?
Gurney Halleck : To shower, you scrub your ass with sand, my lord. That's what they say.
Duke Leto Atreides : That's what they say.