Summary

• Dune movie quotes deepen the epic's allure, highlighting crucial moments with powerful lines.
• Characters like Duncan Idaho and Duke Leto Atreides offer profound insights amidst the action.
• Memorable quotes from Reverend Mother Mohiam and Baron Harkonnen enrich Dune's alien world.

Whether they're directly taken from or the novels by Frank Herbert or created for the script of the 2021 film, the best Dune movie quotes make the sci-fi epic feel even more engrossing. It’s easy to praise director Denis Villeneuve for the movie's vast universe and stunning visuals, but its well-written script and powerful lines shouldn’t be overlooked. Herbert's novel was called impossible to adapt, but the 2021 movie not only brought his universe to life but also enriched it with memorable lines.

The best lines from Dune are usually said during crucial turning points or major events, and almost all carry the same gravitas as the story itself. Some of these lines even carry more weight now that Dune: Part Two has continued the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet). From Reverend Mother Mohiam’s (Charlotte Ramping) test to Baron Harkonnen’s (Stellan Skarsgård) invasion of Arrakis, the film’s key moments are punctuated by haunting quotes that breathe life into Dune’s extraordinary alien world.

Dune is available to stream on Hulu and Max.

10 “Dreams Make Good Stories, But Everything Important Happens When We’re Awake.”

Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa)

While he is one of several characters who is killed off in the first movie, Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa) makes a memorable addition to Dune. He is one of the most loyal and skilled warriors of House Atreides and shares a strong bond with young Paul. He is able to be his protector but also offer him counsel that no one else can.

Paul's dreams in Dune worry him about what they say about the future, especially when one of them shows Duncan dying in battle. Duncan is shaken by his supposed death, but he hides this from his friend. He chooses to be optimistic, reassuring Paul and telling him not to worry about his dream. While Duncan does a great job of comforting his friend, he sadly turns out to be wrong in the end.

9 “You Fight When The Necessity Arises, No Matter The Mood.”

Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin)

In a tense moment in the film, Paul unintentionally makes the Warmaster Gurney angry when he nonchalantly tells him he’s not in the mood to train. Gurney snaps back at him and asks “What’s mood to do with it?” reminding the royal heir that he has to be ready to fight at any time.

Unlike Paul, Gurney has seen hundreds of battles and understands how treacherous the move to Arrakis can be. It’s his job to make sure the future Duke is skilled and strong enough to defend himself from potential dangers on the foreign planet, whether it’s from the elusive Fremen or the cunning Harkonnen. Gurney’s aggressive reaction is understandable but still jarring for both viewers and Paul, who promptly devotes his full attention to the training session.

8 “A Great Man Doesn’t Seek To Lead. He’s Called To It.”

Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac)

As the figurehead of a Great House, Duke Atreides’ (Oscar Isaac) role isn’t always easy. His son and heir, Paul, sees his struggles and the turmoil that comes with leadership. When Paul raises the idea of not becoming the next Duke, his father doesn’t seem shocked.

Leto reveals that he never aspired to be a leader himself, but accepted the responsibility anyway when he was “called to it.” There’s a moving moment where he explains how even if Paul never accepts the title, he’ll still be “the only thing” the Duke “ever needed” him to be: his son. It helps make Leto a lasting presence in Dune: Part Two even after his death.

7 “An Animal Caught In A Trap Will Gnaw Off Its Own Leg To Escape. What Will You Do?”

Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling)

When Paul and the Reverend Mother Mohiam, leader of the Bene Gesserit, first meet, they immediately dislike each other. Paul’s defiant attitude and the Reverend Mother’s distasteful use of the Voice on the young heir cause friction between the two of them.

Things only get worse when the enigmatic Truthsayer reveals a mysterious box. When asked what’s inside, she simply responds with “pain.” Paul complies and puts his hand in the box, making sure to use all his strength not to remove it and risk death by the Gom Jabbar. As if the excruciating pain wasn’t enough, the Reverend Mother taunts him, daring him to fail. It’s a stressful exchange that hints at the true extent of Mohiam’s cruelty.

6 “When Is A Gift Not A Gift?”

Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård)

Baron Harkonnen’s nephew, Count Rabban, is infuriated by the Emperor’s decision to transfer stewardship of Arrakis to House Atreides. He angrily asks his uncle why their leader would take that away from them, to which the Baron calmly replies with a cryptic line. The powerful Baron Harkonnen is not worried about Arrakis at all, as he knows everything is going according to his devious plan. The “gift” that the Atreides family is receiving is nothing but an elaborate ruse to distract them from the Harkonnens’ evil scheme. It’s a chilling scene that warns audiences of the chaos to come.

5 “I Am Commanded To Say Nothing, To See Nothing.”

Liet Kynes (Sharon Duncan-Brewster)

The Imperial Planetologist and appointed Judge of the Change, Liet, is torn after watching the brutal invasion and destruction of Arrakis. When Duncan begs her to become a witness and to testify about what she has seen on the planet, she reminds the swordsman of her oath to the Emperor.

Thankfully, Liet eventually realizes that she can no longer stand by and “say nothing,” so she breaks the rules and interferes by rescuing Lady Jessica and Paul. Though she is a smaller member of the Dune cast, this line helps shape a powerful arc for Kynes as she heroically defies orders and dies in the name of honor rather than duty.

4 “Arrakis Is Arrakis, And The Desert Takes The Weak. My Desert. My Arrakis. My Dune.”

Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård)

Baron Harkonnen's creepy floating body makes him an intimidating force of evil but it is his actions that are truly diabolical which is especially apparent after a meeting with the Reverend Mother. Although he promises her that no harm will come to Lady Jessica, he tells his nephew later on that “no Atreides will live.”

According to his twisted logic, he’s technically not harming them if he just leaves them to die in the harsh deserts of Arrakis. This is exactly what his subordinates unsuccessfully do later on. The Baron may have underestimated just how formidable the Atreides family can be. However, his cryptic insistence that it is "my Dune" shows that he will not give up the planet willingly.

3 “The Mystery Of Life Isn't A Problem To Solve, But A Reality To Experience.”

Jamis (Babs Olusanmokun)

Paul's visions of the Fremen Jamis is one of the most interesting aspects of the movie. Though they never met, these visions show Jamis as a friend who offers guidance to Paul. However, when they finally meet, Paul is forced to kill Jamis in a duel. One of his more profound quotes comes in handy when Paul is struggling to navigate his Ornithopter through a sandstorm.

Paul hears Jamis in one of his visions where the Fremen explains how people “must move with the flow of the process” and “join it,” making sure that they “flow with it.” While he likely wasn’t referring to controlling aircraft, Paul uses his advice to get away from the storm and land safely in the desert. By simply going with the flow and experiencing “the mystery of life,” the young heir learns an important lesson about learning to let go.

2 “My Road Leads Into The Desert.”

Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet)

In one of the most stirring scenes in Dune, Paul refuses to go off-world and reminds his mother that he is on the right path. He stuns Lady Jessica and the Fremen when he recounts how his father came to Arrakis “not for the spice, not for the riches, but for the strength” of the Fremen.

After his long journey to reach the sandworm riding Fremen and the grueling Amtal with Jamis, they predictably accept his request to go with them to their Sietch. Chani describes this moment best when she turns to Paul and tells him that “this is only the beginning,” implying that there are greater adventures to come.

1 “I Must Not Fear. Fear Is The Mind-Killer. Fear Is The Little Death That Brings Obliteration.”

Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson)

If there’s one line most viewers will remember from the epic sci-fi film, it’s from Lady Jessica’s chant about facing her fears. She recites this passage when she’s feeling overwhelmed and anxious, like when the Reverend Mother tests Paul or when she’s flying through the sandstorm with her son.

She starts to chant to calm herself down in stressful situations, reminding herself that she has to “permit it to pass over” her and through her. Once she remembers that “when the fear has gone there will be nothing” and only she “will remain,” she regains the strength she needs to push through. It’s a useful mantra that some fans may even find themselves reciting long after they’re done watching the movie.