Liet-Kynes

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Liet Kynes

Political Information

Titles

Great House

House Corrino

Affiliation and Relationships

Loyalty

Biographical Information

Died

10191 AG

Place of death

Botanical testing station, Arrakis

Military Information

Weapons

Crysknife

Physical Characteristics

Eyes

Blue-within-blue

Hair

Black

Height

5 ft 6 inches (168 cm)

Behind the Scenes
First appearance	Portrayed by
Dune (2021 film)	Sharon Duncan-Brewster

"I serve only one master. His name is Shai-Hulud."

―Kynes to the Sardaukar before her death^[src]

Liet Kynes (d. 10191 AG) was the Imperial Planetologist of Arrakis and the Judge of the Change following the arrival of House Atreides. Eventually being won over by the Duke Leto and the Corrino orchestrated Siege of Arrakeen, Kynes defected to Atreides and helped Paul and Jessica Atreides escape the Sardaukar. She was ambushed by Sardaukar after escorting Paul and Jessica to an Ornithopter, and slammed her fist into the Drum sands before dying, taking the Sardaukar with her.

Description[]

As foremost expert on the planet Dune and the ways of its people, Dr. Liet Kynes’ relationship to Dune goes beyond mere duty. An Imperial outsider tasked with overseeing the transfer of power on the planet, her service to House Atreides is complicated by a spiritual connection to both the population and the wild beauty of the planet itself.^[1]

History[]

Judge of the Change[]

Dr. Kynes was introduced as the Imperial Judge of the Change to the House Atreides after their arrival on Arrakis. She took Duke Leto, Paul and Gurney on an aerial tour of their spice harvesting operation.

Complications arose when the carryall's grapple system fafailedils and the harvester was lost to a sandworm, along with its full payload of spice. Suspecting Harkonnen sabotage, Leto was furious at the near-demise of his mining crew and lamented the apparent fact that his house has been set up to fail in the eyes of the Emperor and Landsraad. Surprised by the Duke's altruism, Kynes assumed a more compassionate demeanour and reassured him that the carryall was simply old and that she was not there to undermine him nor his family.

Providing sanctuary[]

After House Atreides was usurped by overwhelming legions of Harkonnens and Sardaukar, Kynes provided sanctuary to three survivors - Paul, Jessica and Duncan - within an old botanical testing station occupied by members of the Fremen. She explained the history of the Imperial research facility and how the terraforming prospects of Arrakis changed upon discovering the spice melange.

Efforts to hide these fugitives were futile, however, as they were soon ambushed by a platoon of Sardaukar. Duncan was slain after taking out several troopers, but Kynes was able to lead Paul and Jessica to a small ornithopter before taking a separate escape route into the open desert.

After planting a thumper and readying her maker hooks for an approaching sandworm, Kynes was violently ambushed by a lone trio of Sardaukar who condemned her for her treachery. However, by pounding a patch of drum sand beneath her, she was able to goad a nearby sandworm into swallowing both her and her attackers.

Quotes[]

"I'm not here to take your part. Arrakis has seen men like you come and go. Take good care of your family. The desert's not kind to humans either." - To Duke Leto, 2021 film

"Bless the Maker and His water. Bless the coming and going of Him. May His passage cleanse the world. And keep the world for His people."

"You'd make a play for the throne? The Emperor feared the Atreides. He brought you here to kill you. What don't you understand? You're a lost boy hiding in a hole in the ground." - To Paul

"I serve only one master. His name is Shai-Hulud." - Last words

Trivia[]

Liet is Chani's father and Stilgar's brother in the book, and this is the first adaptation to depict the character as female.
Although stated to have sandy-colored hair in the book, Liet's skin tone is never described.
Contrary to the book, the name Liet appears to be public knowledge and precedes no hyphen with Kynes' surname.
Liet's death by Sardaukar and sandworm differs from the book and prior adaptations, in which he is stripped of his stillsuit by the Harkonnens, stranded in the deep desert and nearly succumbs to dehydration and heat stroke before being consumed by a spice blow.