Paul Atreides Shouldn't Be Hero Worshipped

A video essay on Dune Part 2 and Paul Atreides as a character.
If you enjoyed the video, please consider contributing to my Patreon page
/ biologicalriley
Information sources:
Cosmopolitan article on the MENA erasure in Dune Part 2
www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/enter...
Nerds of color.org interview with Denis Villeneuve about how Dune criticizes the white savior narrative
thenerdsofcolor.org/2021/09/0...
Video sources (Trailers):
Dune Part 1
Dune Part 2
Breaking Bad Season 5
Image credit:
Heart break
Siam Pukkato
Audio Sources:
Half Mystery by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Inspired Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

[@ArthurCrane92]

Speaking as someone with little to no context on DUNE before the new movies, this twist really hit while still feeling like part of the story that has been told so far. The moment I realized "Oh, we'really doing this" was a real moment of transcendence.

[@mahmudmurad4655]

Paul is not a hero, nor a villain, is a tragic figure. He can't escape the future in front of him.

[@meh27143]

Paul's decision is basically a variation of the trolley problem. On one side you have his family, his people (Fremen and off screen those people on Caladan), and on the other side you have the Great Houses and people under them.

[@donny1960]

Paul is a "Hero". But is also a flawed Human. He can be both. But people today just have to put everything in a box. Is much easier to do. Paul could see many possible futures. And the path he chose was the one where Humanity survives. That makes him a villain in some people's eyes. Paul saw the "Golden Path". The path that prevents Humanity from becoming extinct. He did not have the courage to take that path. He left that to his son. But he knew that the Bene Gesserit condemned Humanity to a certain death with "The One". He started the plan to save everything. Was Paul perfect. No. But if he did not make the hard choices he did. Humanity would have been extinguished. He sacrificed the thing he loved the most in order to save the Universe. And still he is called a villain. Paul Atreides is obviously a fictional character. But thank God he had to make these decisions. And not some of the "real" people that only see the surface of a problem. But do not have the will to make the hard decisions that a true leader has to make. By the last Dune book that Frank Herbert wrote. Thousands of years had passed. Years that Paul made possible by his "wicked" choices. Frank Herbert said that the Dune tale was a warning about charismatic leaders. But some people misinterpret that as Paul being a "bad" guy. If you read the whole quote. Herbert says that the followers of such leaders let mistakes that all humans make, get way out of hand. It was a warning to be warry of the process. Not an excuse to place blame. Paul did the best he could. Caused destruction. But ultimately saved Humanity. Seems a bit "heroic" to me.

[@kizi180]

Quetion, but he was the one the witches (forgot their name) was trying to create, right?

[@matthewtoll7858]

Bene gesserit and yes

[@EdGy2k]

I dunno how this video has only 150 views and you only have 600 subs, or hell, even how tf this even got recommended to me, but as someone who read the books and took a huge interest in the analysis of the books on their "real world" supposed counter-parts, I can only applaud this effort the explain the not-so heroic portrayal of Paul in the movies that somehow sneaked under the radar of so many people. I've heard tons of people who think Paul finally accepted his role as the Messiah in the Part 2, and dedicated his life to saving the universe, when this is actually so far from the truth. Hope this video reaches everyone interested in this truly interesting Sci-Fi universe. Great job dude!

[@MGD2309]

I think these movies pulled that off brilliantly - he isn't a hero and when he takes the mantle he does it with a contained rage, which blew me away (hats off to Chalemet). You're so invested in the movie by that point that you want to see him win even knowing what is to come. He only embraces his destiny as the future where the Fremen (& Chani most of all) are not destroyed. The other adaptations had Paul as more of the hero figure whereas this Paul only seems like a standard hero...if you aren't paying close enough attention.

[@thatsmeomfgikr6220]

Paul isn't a hero, but he is relatable. Most people would choose revenge against those that killed their family. Likewise, most people would seek power if they had the means.

[@theadmiral4625]

You do realize that the Bene Jesserit LITERALLY created the “prophecy” right??? So Lady Jessica isn’t twisting anything but going along with the plan all along…… Jesus as if you DIDN’T know anything about Dune……..