Dune: Prophecy - What are Thinking Machines and why were they destroyed? Explained
The first episode of Dune: Prophecy premiered on November 17, 2024, and transported fans to a saga before the arrival of Paul Atreides. Set 10,000 years before the events of Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two, the show focuses on the Sisterhood under the leadership of Valya Harkonnen, who is fighting for the future of humanity. The show also focuses on the origins of the Bene Gesserit.
Fans also go to see a glimpse of the Machine Wars in the first episode of Dune: Prophecy. In this war, all the houses united against one common foe - the Thinking Machines. The wars ultimately saw their destruction and helped usher in a new era of peace and prosperity in the universe.
However, in the show, it is also revealed that the Machine Wars labeled an Atreides a hero and branded the Harkonnens as cowards after they deserted the war.
In the show, the Thinking Machines are ultimately computers that hindered the evolution of humanity and therefore, they were destroyed.
Thinking Machines in Dune: Prophecy explored
While Dune: Prophecy doesn't go in-depth in explaining who or what the Thinking Machines are, Dune creator Frank Herbert's novels do give a bit of explanation but not all of it.
In the universe, Thinking Machines are computers that don't carry a consciousness, but are incredibly intelligent and a source of immense power. Humanity ultimately became extremely dependent on them.
Frank Herbert, unfortunately, didn't explain what these machines looked like. However, his son Brian Herbert did pick up the reigns of the series and alongside his writing partner Kevin J. Anderson, further realized the Thinking Machines.
They explained that the Thinking Machines themselves are robots with giant weapons attached to them.
However, with humanity's dependence on the Thinking Machines growing by the day, it led to their desire to destroy all of them. This was because many felt that the machines hindered the development of humanity, and this is what caused the great Machine War to take place. This saw all the Thinking Machines be destroyed in a Great Revolt.
While the show refers to this as the Machine Wars, in the books they are more popularly known as the Butlerian Jihad. However, the Dune books never went in-depth into the Jihad itself, but it is still mentioned in the original novel and Dune: Messiah.
What is Dune: Prophecy about?
Dune: Prophecy is a series created by Diane Ademu-John and Alison Schapker. The series is set 10,000 years before the arrival of Paul Atreides and focuses on two Harkonnen sisters as they fight for the future of humanity. The official synopsis reads:
"DUNE: PROPHECY follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit."
The show is also inspired by the works of Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson on Sisterhood of Dune. The series stars Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, Tabu, Mark Strong, and more.
Episode 2 of the show will premiere on November 24, 2024. For further updates, stay tuned with us.
