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This article refers to elements from the cinematic universe established with Dune (2021). Pages for this subject as it appears in other canons:
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Raquella Berto-Anirul was the first Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit Order.
Behind the Scenes[]
Biography[]
Raquella served as the first Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit Order, training a Sisterhood of women to be Truthsayers for the Great Houses. One of those women was Valya Harkonnen, who had abandoned her own family and considered Raquella to be her true mother. When Valya first came to Wallach IX, she struggled to put Sisterhood above all and was unable to take her vow with her sisters. Raquella came to her and took her under her wing, showing her the secret breeding index. She was pleased that Valya understood the goals she had for the Sisterhood, but disliked the division the feud between Valya and Dorotea caused. She called them both to her and said they would both undergo an Agony test, so that they could find a way forward together. Dorotea was prepared for this, but Valya backed out and ran away. Raquella called Valya back to her to tell her she had a message from her sister. Raquella correctly identified that it was a coded message and Valya said it meant she needed to go home. Raquella told her to come back a Mother Superior or not come back at all and sent a dose of the poison for Valya to undergo the Agony.[1]
One of Raquella's goals was to use selective breeding to create superior leaders who were also more under the Sisterhood's control. When Raquella was dying, she asked for Valya. She warned Valya that Tiran-Arafel was coming and told her to grow the Sisterhood and safeguard their power. She knew Valya would be the only one to see the truth and know.[2]
When Lila took the poison to speak to her foremothers, Raquella spoke through her to say the reckoning relied on the one who was born twice: once in blood and once in spice. Tula asked how they fought it, but then Dorotea stepped in and took over talking to Lila.[3]