Spoilers are ahead for Dune: Part Two.

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two introduced movie-goers to Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (Austin Butler), one of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen’s (Stellan Skarsgård) bloodthirsty nephews. Conceived as part of the Bene Gesserit breeding program, Feyd was born to Abulurd Rabban, the demibrother of the Baron, who formally renounced the dishonorable Harkonnen name. However, Feyd-Rautha followed in his older brother Glossu’s footsteps, becoming an integral part of the ruthless Baron Vladimir Harkonnen’s power-hungry schemes. Dune 2 highlights their fascinating uncle-nephew relationship by having the Baron arrange a unique celebration for Feyd’s birthday on the Harkonnen homeworld of Giedi Prime.

The charismatic-yet-sadistic Harkonnen heir apparent relishes the gift: a chance to slaughter the remaining House Atreides loyalists for sport. The gladiator scene on Geidi Prime is one key reason to see Dune 2 in 70mm and IMAX, but it also reveals a lot about Feyd. Known for his prowess in combat, the novel’s Feyd-Rautha breaks the formal rules of ritualistic knife combat. In Dune: Part Two, Feyd is certainly given an advantage in the ring, but it isn’t framed as his choice, which has implications for his fight with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) in Dune 2‘s ending.

Paul Could Have Easily Defeated Feyd-Rautha In The Book

The Bene Gesserit Paralysis Command Gives Paul A Fail-Safe

In Frank Herbert’s novel, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen uses a hidden poison spur, thus breaking the rules of single combat in the Dune universe. However, that isn’t the only difference from the book in Dune 2 when it comes to Feyd and Paul’s fight. Before the duel, the Baron encourages Glossu (Dave Bautista) to rule Arrakis through violence and fear. The Baron’s hope is that installing the more cunning Feyd-Rautha will make him popular by comparison, thus currying the favor of Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV (Christopher Walken), and setting the stage for Feyd’s strategic marriage to Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh).

On Arrakis, the duel between Feyd and Paul sees two of Dune‘s most powerful great houses clashing and scrambling for power. While Feyd steps in to defend the Emperor, Paul threatens to either destroy spice production or seize the throne. In the novel, the Bene Gesserit implant a command in Feyd’s subconscious; when someone speaks it, he becomes paralyzed. If Paul wants, he can whisper the command during their fight, allowing him to beat the cheating Feyd with ease. Although Paul doesn’t need the command, the movie makes Feyd-Rautha much more dangerous by removing the Bene Gesserit fail-safe altogether.

Why The Bene Gesserit Give Feyd-Rautha A Paralysis Word

Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen Is A Crucial Part Of The Bene Gesserit Breeding Program

Much like Paul Atreides, Feyd-Rautha is a product of the Bene Gesserit’s effort to create the Kwisatz Haderach with their breeding program — a centuries-long endeavor that hinges on careful genetic selection. One of the key pieces of the Bene Gesserit plan was to marry a Harkonnen son to an Atreides daughter; the couple’s offspring would become the prophesied messiah. However, when Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) chooses to give birth to a son (Paul), the Kwisatz Haderach comes a generation early — and spoils the would-be alliance-by-marriage between the rival houses.

Afraid that the animosity between their houses would result in both Feyd and Paul’s deaths, the Bene Gesserit send one of their agents, Lady Margot Fenring (Léa Seydoux), to seduce Feyd and conceive his child, thus ensuring the carefully plotted bloodline would continue. In the novel, Margot is also tasked with planting, in Feyd’s “deepest self,” prana-bindu phrases, so that the Bene Gesserit can bend the killer to their will. Later explained as “hypno-ligation,” the technique makes Feyd vulnerable to the paralysis-causing command. Herbert mentions that the Bene Gesserit use the technique on individuals they deem incredibly dangerous.

Paul Beating Feyd-Rautha Fairly Is Important For His Future Rule

Without The Command, Paul Atreides Isn’t Indebted To The Bene Gesserit

After leading the Fremen to victory in their attack on Arrakeen, Paul reiterates his power and influence by killing Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. In the film, this also comes on the heels of Paul ending the Baron’s life — something his sister, Alia, does in the book. When Feyd steps in to defend the Emperor, he’s positioning himself as not only the next Harkonnen leader, but as a fitting suitor for Princess Irulan, and, thus, the next in line for the Emperor’s throne. However, the way the duel between Paul and Feyd plays out is just as important as the victor’s spoils.

In removing both Feyd-Rautha’s poison spur and the Bene Gesserit paralysis command, Dune: Part Two evens the playing field. While Feyd-Rautha has been trained all his life in the brutal gladiator culture of Giedi Prime, Paul has honed his own skills with his mentors — both House Atreides loyalist Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin) and the Fremen leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem). Although the two warriors have very different approaches, Feyd and Paul are both adept and cunning. Moreover, without the Bene Gesserit intervention, Paul can walk away from the fair fight without being in the debt of the Sisterhood.

Dune 2 Cutting Feyd-Rautha’s Paralysis Plot Made The Final Fight Much Better

Feyd & Paul’s Knife Duel Is A Highlight Of The Movie

By cutting Feyd-Rautha’s poison spur and, more importantly, the Bene Gesserit paralysis plot line, Villeneuve streamlined the fight between the heirs of House Atreides and Harkonnen for the better. Introducing the Bene Gesserit prana-bindu phrases, in addition to all the other world-building and lore Dune 2 was tasked with, might have been too much for viewers to track. Making the duel less complicated also helped raise the stakes, with both Feyd and Paul relying solely on their own skill and cunning. Without an easy “out,” Dune: Part Two‘s single-combat knife-fight sequence felt fittingly tense.