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This article or section refers to elements from Expanded Dune |
- "Yes, the difficult fights are the best, and the people of Caladan will remember this one for a long, long time."
- ―Paulus' prophetic internal thoughts not long before his death[src]
The final bullfight of Duke Paulus Atreides, which resulted in his planned death and was also the last to take place on Caladan overall, took place in the Plaza de Toros in 10156 AG, around the same time that Padishah Emperor Elrood Corrino IX died on Kaitain.
History[]
Paulus raises his dagger
At first, Duke Paulus played with the Salusan bull for a while, dancing beyond the reach of its horns, completing his expected performance for the excited Caladanian spectators. Seeing that the bull did not tire after the better part of an hour, though, and that it remained focused on killing him, he grew concerned enough that he made up his mind to end the contest as quickly as possible. He planned to use his shield, a trick he had learned from one of the finest matadors in the Imperium.
The next time the bull shot past him, its horns ricocheted off the Duke's personal shield, a collision that finally disorientated it. The Duke stabbed the bull's head with his banderilla and set the barbed hook into its muscles. Unbeknownst to Paulus, however, the barbed tip was not actually drugged, due to the treachery of his own wife, Helena Atreides, in working with the Harkonnens to kill him.
Paulus holds his cape
Because of this, the bull floundered to its feet once more and sped towards him to Paulus' suprirse. The Duke again side-stepped, but the bull managed to get the mutela on its multiple horns, tearing his ceremonial cloth to shreds. At this point he realised that this was going to be a greater challenge than he had expected. Holding up his second banderilla, the Duke used it like a fencing sword. Without a cape to distract the bull, he now had only one short, barbed spear as his weapon, and a partial shield for protection.
The bull charged directly towards Paulus and picked up speed, at which he began to suspect of the sabotage that had taken place. As the bull and the Duke closed to within meters of each other, the bull feinted to the right. Paulus jabbed with his short spear, but the beast instantly swerved and attacked from a different direction. This time the barb caught on a knob of the bull's skin, but did not sink in. It tore out of the Duke's grasp and dropped to the floor as the bull dashed past.
For a moment at this point Paulus was weaponless, but scrambled backwards and snatched for the banderilla on the ground. Turning his back on the bull, he listened for it to grind to a stop and come back, but as he bent over to retrieve his weapon, it reached him with incredible speed, entering his safety zone, ducking under the partial shield and ramming home. Its horns gouged deep into the Duke's back, breaking through his ribs into his lungs and heart to the horror of the crowd, before thrashing him from side to side.
Within seconds of Paulus' death, the Mentat Thufir Hawat and the Atreides guards entered the field and cut the Salusan bill into piles o meat with their lasguns. The creature's momentum caused the carcass to fly apart in different directions. Its head was later placed on a wall in Castle Caladan facing a painting of the Old Duke Paulus.
Appearances[]
- Dune: House Atreides
- Dune: House Harkonnen (mentioned only)
- Dune: House Corrino (mentioned only)
- Dune: The Duke of Caladan (mentioned only)
- Dune (mentioned only)
- Dune Messiah (mentioned only)
- Chapterhouse: Dune (mentioned only)