Natalya Arat Corrino

This article refers to elements that only appear in the cinematic universe established with Dune (2021).

Natalya Arat Corrino
Political Information
Titles	Empress
Great House	House Corrino
Affiliation and Relationships
Loyalty	Corrino Empire House Corrino †
Family members	Javicco Corrino (husband) Ynez Corrino (daughter) Constantine Corrino (stepson)
Romances	Desmond Hart (kissed)
Behind the Scenes
First appearance	The Hidden Hand
Last appearance	The High-Handed Enemy
Portrayed by	Jodhi May

Empress Natalya Arat Corrino was a formidable royal who united thousands of worlds in her marriage to Emperor Javicco Corrino.

Official Dune: Prophecy Character Bio

A formidable royal who united thousands of worlds through her marriage to Emperor Javicco Corrino, Empress Natalya wishes to make her own contribution to the young Imperium.

Biography

Ynez's Wedding

Natalya helped her daughter, Ynez, get dressed for her engagement party. She was betrothed to Pruwet Richese, who was only nine years old. Natalya didn't approve of the union and told Ynez she wanted her to be able to rule how she wanted and marry how she wanted. Ynez insisted to her mother that she was happy with the arrangement as she could live the next several years until he came of age how she wanted.

Natalya then went to her husband, who said he didn't feel like he had any choice but to move forward with their wedding. Their own marriage was arranged, but Natalya had been the one to broker it herself. But she knew things were different with Ynez and Pruwet. Javicco said that the marriage came with resources they needed, so it needed to go forward.

At the engagement party, Natalya was horrified when Pruwet pulled out a thinking machine toy. She told him the technology was forbidden and was even more horrified when Ynez supported Pruwet.

Natalya and her children met with the Richeses after they learned that Pruwet had died. Ferdinand was angry not to have an explanation for his son's death and didn't like them trying to blame it on his thinking machine toy. Natalya then talked to Javicco, who told her that Desmond had killed Pruwet using a gift he got from the sandworm that had eaten him. Natalya saw how this power could benefit them. When Valya arrived, she encouraged Javicco to let her interrogate Desmond for them. They watched as Desmond admitted to killing Pruwet and Kasha. Then he told her how he'd gotten his power. Valya told Javicco and Natalya that his words were true to him, but his claims were lies. But since he claimed to serve the Imperium, they sided with Desmond over Valya. They had Desmond come to their meeting with Ferdinand and use his powers on him to get him not to withdraw his support. Then they ordered Ferdinand to go home, bury his son, and never tell anyone what had happened.

Natalya was eating with Javicco, Constantine, and Desmond when Ynez came to them and told them about the rumor that was spreading that Desmond had killed Pruwet. Javicco said he knew about the rumor, but wasn't concerned about it, only the disrespect being shown to him. When Ynez asked to go to Wallach IX to began her training despite the changes, Javicco said no, as their family needed to show a united front. Ynez said they couldn't do that as long as Desmond was by Javicco's side.

In a later conversation with Desmond, Natalya admitted that she was the one who started the rumor in order to help Javicco shore up his power. She wanted them to know they should fear his wrath over thinking machines and everything else. She also gave him surveillance files that hadn't been reviewed.

Natalya appeared with her husband at the High Council. Neither of their children entered with them, but Constantine found them beforehand and wished Javicco luck. Natalya and Javicco were shocked when Harrow Harkonnen asked publicly for an investigation into Pruwet's death, a request that Ynez backed up and targeted specifically at Javicco. Desmond stood up and confessed to killing Pruwet, but said it was an execution, as punishment for him possessing a thinking machine. He said they needed to be stricter on enforcing the laws against them. Then he had the guards bring in criminals that he had found using the surveillance files. He told everyone about a plot the criminals were involved in to use a drone to kill Javicco and everyone else in the room. Then he publicly executed them and Lord Hagal.

Natalya stood by Javicco's side when he announced a new unit, led my Desmond, dedicated to hunting down insurgents. She was displeased when Francesca showed up to this announcement, saying she was there to see Constantine.

When Javicco announced that Constantine would command his new fleet, Natalya and Ynez shared a meaningful look. After the dinner, she went to Desmond, who had survived an explosion. She knew that like her, the Sisterhood had taken everything from him. He told her that the woman who gave birth to him was a Sister and abandoned him to survive on scraps. She leaned in to kiss him and then then said they could take down the Sisterhood forever.

When Natalya caught Ynez trying to break Keiran out of his cell, she had Ynez arrested, despite Ynez trying to explain Keiran's actions. When Javicco learned what she'd done, he came to her, angry, saying she should have consulted him first. She just told him that going forward, her counsel wouldn't be ignored, as she'd swayed Desmond's loyalty to her and she wouldn't be following his orders anymore.

Natalya told Desmond if they could convince the Great Houses that the Sisterhood was behind the plan to assassinate the High Council, they'd authorize retaliation and the Sisterhood would be unable to hide. A trooper then came in to tell them Valya had been arrested and Desmond said to lock down the palace. While he went to deal with that, Natalya went to see Javicco. She saw that he'd stabbed himself and Francesca was holding him while he bled to death. She took a poisoned needle and stabbed Francesca with it, killing her. Then she stepped over Javicco and yelled that the Emperor had been killed.

Notes and Trivia

• Indira Varma was initially cast as Empress Natalya Arat, but later dropped out due to a scheduling conflict.