Liet Kynes (d. 10191 AG) is a character in the 2021 film Dune. She is the Imperial Planetologist of Arrakis and the Judge of the Change following the arrival of House Atreides. Liet is portrayed by Sharon Duncan-Brewster.
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 is first introduced as Judge of the Change following the arrival of House Atreides on Arrakis, where she takes Leto, Paul and Gurney on an aerial tour of their spice harvesting operation.
Complications arise when the carryall's grapple system fails and the harvester is lost to a sandworm, along with its full payload of spice. Suspecting Harkonnen sabotage, Leto is furious at the near-demise of his mining crew and laments 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 assumes a more compassionate demeanor and reassures him that the carryall was simply old and that she isn't there to undermine him or his family.
Providing sanctuary[]
After House Atreides is usurped by overwhelming legions of Harkonnens and Sardaukar, Kynes provides sanctuary to three survivors - Paul, Jessica and Duncan - within an old botanical testing station occupied by members of the Fremen. She explains 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 are futile, however, as they are soon ambushed by a platoon of Sardaukar. Duncan is slain after taking out several troopers, but Kynes is 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 is violently ambushed by a lone trio of Sardaukar who condemn her for her treachery. However, by pounding a patch of drum sand beneath her, she is able to goad the nearby sandworm into swallowing both her and her attackers.
Quotes[]
"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.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Dr. Kynes explaining local conditions during thopter flight (Dune, 2021).jpg (53 KB)")
_01.jpg "Dr. Kynes using binocs (Dune, 2021) 01.jpg (50 KB)")
_02.jpg "Dr. Kynes using binocs (Dune, 2021) 02.jpg (48 KB)")
.png "Dr. Kynes' house (Dune, 2021).png (297 KB)")
.jpg "Dr. Kynes at the start of her escape from the botanical testing station (Dune, 2021).jpg (43 KB)")
.jpg "Dr. Liet Kynes with Maker hooks (Dune, 2021).jpg (47 KB)")
_at_the_LA_Dune_Exhibition_(2021).jpg "Individual character crysknife props (Dune, 2021) at the LA Dune Exhibition (2021).jpg (542 KB)")
Promotional images[]
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| Characters from Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two | |
|---|---|
