Murbella is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. She appears in Heretics of Dune, Chapterhouse Dune, and Hunters of Dune
Life
Murbella is raised as an Honored Matre, and has above average superhuman abilities. Among these abilities are the superhuman reflexes independent of her central nervous system, which makes her a formidable fighting force. Also a part of her Honoured Matre heritage is her ability to amplify sexual ecstacy to near unimaginable levels.
Heretics of Dune
When she tries to imprint (sexually condition) the young Bene Gesserit loyal Duncan Idaho Ghola she is confronted by the power the Tleilaxu have secretly built into him. His power is the male equivalent of the powers of the purely female Honoured Matres, so Murbella and Duncan Idaho become sexually addicted to one another, and have four daughters.
This addiction enables the Bene Gesserit to start her training.
Chapterhouse Dune
When she survives the Agony Murbella becomes a Reverend Mother, both loyal to the sisterhood and partly free of her addiction to Duncan Idaho. After the death of Mother Superior Darwi Odrade, Murbella becomes the head of the Bene Gesserit. She kills the Great Honoured Matre and so becomes leader of both the Bene Gesserit and the Honoured Matres. Through this new position she is expected to bring the Honoured Matres back into the Bene Gesserit fold, changing the Sisterhood in the process. [edit]
Hunters Of Dune
Murbella takes the title Mother Commander, a mingling of the titles Mother Superior and Great Honored Matre. Her four daughters by Duncan Idaho are called Rinya, Janess, Tanidia, and Gianne.
Significance
Although she is not the central character focus of Heretics, she proves instrumental in plot and character development. In Chapterhouse she takes even more center stage, and in "Hunters of Dune" she is one of the main characters.