This article contains spoilers for the films Dune Part 1 and Dune Part 2. 

All persons have within them an intrinsic desire to be saved from the problems that are afflicting them. While this is true at a personal level, it is perhaps even more true at a societal level: a person may desire someone to come along and deliver them from their self-destructive habits, but a society will have an even stronger desire for something or someone to deliver them from their social, economic, and political problems. The science-fiction world of Dune explores what can happen to good persons and societies under intense political and religious pressures to be delivered from societal evils.

Denis Villeneuve’s masterpiece films Dune Part 1 and Dune Part 2 tell the story of the fall and rise of House Atreides from the perspective of Paul Atreides. Because the film is told from Paul’s perspective, who starts off with the noble motivations of reestablishing his family’s house and liberating the oppressed Fremen people, many assume that Paul is the clear protagonist and hero of the films. However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that Paul is not a hero but rather an antichrist figure who is directly responsible for the death of billions.

A couple of disclaimers: first, this analysis concerns the Dune universe as presented in Denis Villeneuve’s films, not Frank Herbert’s novels. And second, when the term “antichrist” is used, I am referring to anyone who embodies the pattern of Christ but with a meaning opposed to Christ’s life and actions.

False Prophecies

Dune Part 2 makes it clear that the Fremen prophecies of the Lisan al-Gaib have been strategically planted by the Bene Gesserit for their own manipulation and political advantage. Paul is aware of this, saying to his Bene Gesserit mother, Lady Jessica, “It’s not a prophecy. It’s a story that you keep telling, but it’s not their story, it’s yours…What your people did to this world is heartbreaking.” This is a direct antithesis of how the prophecies of Christ are spoken of; Christ is said to be “destined before the foundation of the world but made manifest at the end of time for your sake,” (1 Peter 1:20) the one who is “the head over all things” (Ephesians 1:22) and is “the beginning and the end” of history itself (Revelation 22:13). While Paul Atreides is a created and contrived savior, Christ is an uncreated and predestined Savior. This is further confirmed by Paul at first denying to be the Lisan al-Gaib to the Fremen people, and only later adopting the title after drinking the Water of Life and realizing the only way House Atreides can survive is if he claims to be the Fremen Messiah. This is directly opposite of Christ, who from the first chapters of the Gospel of John is called and accepts his identity as “the Son of God, the King of Israel.” (John 1:49-51).

Repeating the Fall

Lady Jessica drinking the Water of Life and then giving it to Paul to drink has numerous parallels with the biblical eating of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This makes it clear that Paul and Lady Jessica are people who embrace and repeat the fall of humanity into death, and not Christ-figures who reverse it. Consider the similarities between eating of the fruit and drinking of the Water:

Christ before the Jews and Paul Atreides before the Fremen

Christ’s appearance before the Jewish Sanhedrin and Paul Atreides’ appearance before the southern war council have many inverted parallels, again making it clear that their lives and meanings are in fact opposed. Christ appears before the Sanhedrin to be put on trial for blasphemy, whereas Paul appears to usurp for himself control of the Fremen people. Consider the parallels:

All of these parallels show that Christ and Paul Atreides embody the same patterns, but with the opposite meaning; Christ’s exaltation as king and God is proclaimed through death and suffering, whereas Paul Atreides seizes divinity and kingship for himself, being one who “takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be a god.” (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

Results of the Messianic Revolution

The immediate aftermath of Paul claiming to be the Lisan al-Gaib is a holy war that kills billions of people who do not join his movement. Conversely, the immediate aftermath of Christ claiming to be the Messiah was his own torture and death, followed by the torture and death of his disciples who went and publicly preached Christ’s resurrection. From this it can be seen that Paul’s messianic claims demand a world in which billions of others unwillingly suffer and die for his power and influence, whereas Christ’s messianic claims result in a world in which his disciples willingly suffer and die in order to lay down their life for others (John 15:13).

Conclusion

Far from being the hero that the Fremen believe him to be, Paul Atreides in reality is a political leader who manipulates preexisting propaganda for his own benefit. His self-serving agenda is the exact opposite of the life of Christ, who came “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45). The meaning of Denis Villeneuve’s masterpiece is clear: Paul is an antichrist, not the Christ. (1)

1: Nerdist. (2024, February 14). Denis Villeneuve on a possible Dune 3. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HmPdj9pySsc