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This article refers to elements from Original Dune Pages for this subject as it appears in other canons: |
For the character in the film series, see Jessica Atreides
Lady Jessica of the Atreides (10154 AG - 10256 AG) was the bound concubine of Duke Leto Atreides and the mother of Emperor Paul-Muad'Dib Atreides. An integral figure in her son's rise to power, she became a Reverend Mother of both the Fremen tribes and Bene Gesserit Sisterhood.
Biography[]
A result of the Bene Gesserit breeding program, Jessica was born on Wallach IX from the illegitimate union of Tanidia Nerus and Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, whose identities were concealed according to standard Sisterhood protocol.
She was raised and educated from birth by the Bene Gesserit, who intended to breed her to House Atreides heir Duke Leto and produce a daughter who would then be wed to Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. In addition to settling the ancient feud between both Houses, their union was to produce the Kwisatz Hadarach - a superbeing with powerful prescience and the collective genetic knowledge of all his ancestors.
Duke Leto[]
At first the Bene Gesserit plan appeared to work perfectly. Jessica became the concubine of Duke Leto, which left him free to marry should such a union prove advantageous.
However, their relationship soon grew into genuine love - a love that caused Jessica to disobey her orders and conceive a son for her Duke.
Arrakis[]
In 10191 AG, when House Atreides was given the fiefdom of Arrakis and left their ancestral home of Caladan, Jessica moved into the Arrakeen governor's mansion with Duke Leto and Paul Atreides. However, their rule was short-lived, thanks to the treacherous alliance between House Harkonnen and the Padishah Emperor.
The Harkonnen and Sardaukar invasion of Arrakis resulted in Leto's tragic demise and exiled Jessica and her son into the deep desert. After narrowly surviving the elements and the pursuit of Harkonnens, Sardaukar and sandworms while processing her grief and the knowledge of her true parentage and second pregnancy, Jessica and Paul eventually joined up with a band of Fremen after proving their worth in the ways of survival and combat.
Reverend Mother[]
Encouraged by Jessica's arrival, considerable abilities and apparent fulfillment of an ancient prophecy involving her messianic son, the Fremen Naib Stilgar informed her of their Reverend Mother Ramallo's old age and need for a successor. To establish her and Paul's place in the Fremen hierarchy and guide Sietch Tabr toward continued survival, Jessica undertook the dangerous process of ingesting the highly toxic Water of Life. The act of transmuting the worm's poison while absorbing Ramallo's memories not only elevated her to Reverend Mother status but fundamentally changed the fetus she carried, causing her daughter Alia to be born with full ancestral knowledge.
Paul's ascension[]
Following the death of her Harkonnen father, the exile of Emperor Corrino and the ascension of her son to the Golden Lion Throne, Jessica returned to the comfort of her former home on Caladan to isolate herself from the fanatical worship surrounding her prescient children.
Paul's demise[]
Immediately following her son's desert exile and supposed death, Jessica returned to Arrakis out of concern for her preborn grandchildren, Ghanima and Leto II. Dismayed with the rising cruelty her daughter used to consolidate power, she watched with horror as Alia adopted the self-venerating title of Mahdinate, banned all forms of opposing expression, and executed historians such as Bronso of Ix. In deep concern for the Atreides Empire, Jessica once again resigned herself to Caladan.
Later years[]
Nearly a decade after their birth, Jessica once again returned to Arrakis to observe her grandchildren for any signs of Abomination and hopefully return control of their bloodline to her reconciled Sisterhood. However, during this time she discovered that her Regent daughter had become possessed by the vengeful ego-memory of the late Vladimir Harkonnen, who strove to destroy the Atreides Empire from within.
To protect her from her murderous daughter, Duncan Idaho "kidnapped" Jessica and transported her to Salusa Secundus, home of the exiled House Corrino. There, she taught Farad'n Corrino the ways of the Bene Gesserit, unwittingly preparing him for his eventual role as lover to Ghanima and Royal Scribe to Leto II following Alia's demise.
Legacy[]
Even in death, Jessica's legacy remained far-reaching for millennia. The Sisterhood attributed her universe-changing decisions - particularly their renegade Kwisatz Haderach and his Tyrant son - to the deep love she held for "her Duke." Her actions became known as "the Jessica Crime" and were cited as a valuable lesson in restraint for the good of the Sisterhood and humanity in general.
Description[]
Jessica was a tall, slim woman with bronze-colored hair often tied with black ribbon at the crown. She had an oval face with wide-set green eyes, a small nose, and a wide and generous mouth. In later years her eyes had gone fully blue and her hair became flecked with silver.
Quotes[]
"Gentlemen! No need to fight over me." - Using the Voice to make her captors kill each other, 1965 novel
"How does it feel to be a killer?" - After Paul takes his first life
"Do you know so little of my son? See that princess standing there, so haughty and confident. They say she has pretensions of a literary nature. Let us hope she finds solace in such things; she'll have little else. Think on it, Chani: that princess will have the name, yet she'll live as less than a concubine - never to know a moment of tenderness from the man to whom she's bound. While we, Chani, we who carry the name of concubine - history will call us wives."
"These people have waited for centuries, for the Lisan al-Gaib. They see you. They see the signs." - Jessica to Paul, 2021 film
"Kill him!" - Using the Voice to neutralize her captors
"Your brother attacks the Great Houses. The Holy War begins!" - Jessica to Alia, Dune: Part Two
Trivia[]
- Alejandro Jodorowsky wanted Geraldine Chaplin to portray Jessica in his unsuccessful attempt to produce a film adaptation of Dune.
- Francesca Annis played Jessica in the 1984 movie after Glenn Close turned down the role. In an interview with Annis' son in 2021, he claimed she was wary of taking the role and accepted it on the insistence of producer Dino De Laurentiis and director David Lynch.
- Charlotte Rampling, who portrayed Reverend Mother Mohiam in the 2021 film, was asked to portray Jessica in Jodorowski's production, but she turned the role down over a scene that involved 2,000 Harkonnen extras defecating outside of Arrakeen.
- Saskia Reeves was cast in the 2000 Dune miniseries when Alice Krige proved unavailable. Contrary-wise, Krige took over for the 2003 Children of Dune miniseries when Reeves was unavailable to reprise her role.
- Rebecca Ferguson played Jessica in the 2021 movie and its 2024 sequel, while Zoé Kata Kaska portrayed her in a childhood flashback.
- Tattooed on her face in Dune: Part Two is the Litany Against Fear in Chakobsa.[1]
Gallery[]
.jpg "The Illustrated Dune - Lady Jessica meets shadout Mapes (art by John Schoenherr).jpg (39 KB)")
.jpg "The Illustrated Dune - Jessica Atreides (art by John Schoenherr).jpg (62 KB)")
.jpg "Gurney threatens to kill Jessica (by John Schoenherr).jpg (52 KB)")
.png "Lady Jessica Atreides (Dune Chronicles of the Imperium RPG).png (101 KB)")
.jpg "Lady Jessica Atreides (Dune CCG, art by Mark Zug).jpg (39 KB)")
Bene Gesserit Order
| |
|---|---|
| Mother Superiors | |
| Reverend Mothers |
Gaius Helen Mohiam • Jessica Atreides • Tertius Eileen Anteac • Marcus Claire Luyseyal • Lucilla • Bellonda • Tamalane • Sheeana Brugh |
| Sisters |
Anirul Corrino • Margot Fenring • Irulan Corrino • Quintinius Violet Chenoeh |