Summary

• Jessica's abilities as a Bene Gesserit allow her to control others using the Voice.
• In the Dune film, Jessica's relationship with Duke Leto is romanticized but more complex in the books.
• Jessica's lineage, including her father Baron Harkonnen, is a key part of her character and the Bene Gesserit's plans.

Arguably one of the most secretive characters in Dune, Lady Jessica always holds her cards close to the vest. As a sister of the Bene Gesserit order, she has many skills. Her use of the Voice allows her to control the actions of others. Even without her extraordinary abilities, she is extremely observant and capable. While these traits were demonstrated with great ability by Lady Jessica Dune actress Rebecca Furguson in the film, there are aspects of her character that are left out in the transition from page to screen.

Some elements of the on-screen Lady Jessica Dune character are changed for cinematic value. But many interesting backstory plots unfortunately did not fit into Denis Villeneuve’s narrative, at least in Part 1 of his adaptation. While Jessica plays a big role in Dune: Part Twp, there is still so much more about her character that neither movie has shown so far, and there is likely to be a lot that none of Denis Villeneuve leaves out of his movies before all is said and done with the Jessica changes made in Dune: Part Two.

Dune is available to stream on Max.

10 Jessica’s Union With Duke Leto Was Planned

Leto Chose Her As His Concubine

Denis Villeneuve's Dune gives off certain implications about the relationship between Lady Jessica and Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac). Though they are not married, it is obvious they care very deeply for each other. Leto laments that he should have married her and Jessica is visibly shaken by the news that Leto was killed. However romantic this may seem, the books describe their relationship as being more complicated.

Jessica was part of the breeding program to bring about the Kwisatz Haderach.

Jessica was part of the breeding program to bring about the Kwisatz Haderach, though that's ultimately not how it ended up. Her union with Leto was planned to bring about a daughter that they would breed with a Harkonnen heir. This went so far as that Leto even brought "buyers" to the Bene Gesserit school, eventually choosing Jessica to be his concubine.

9 Paul’s Conception Was Not A Plot

Jessica Had A Son Out Of Her Love For Leto

Bene Gesserit are known to control the sex of their children, which is how they plan to bring about the Messiah. Jessica goes against their orders and has a son instead of a daughter. Even though the film implies Jessica did this hoping she would conceive the Kwisatz Haderach, this is not strictly the case in the books.

What the film does not go into is the fact that Paul was not Leto’s firstborn, something only book readers would know about Leto. Leto had a son, Victor, who did not survive. Jessica loves Leto and wants to give him a son after the death of his first son. While Jessica thought that Paul becoming the Kwisatz Haderach was a possibility, it was not the main reason that she conceived him.

8 Jessica And Leto’s Decision Not To Marry Was Mutual

Jessica Knew He Should Marry Into Another House As An Alliance

After years of developing a bond and raising a child, there is no doubt that Leto and Jessica care for each other. Leto may even want to marry her in the Dune film, but there were reasons why they decided not to up until that point. Leto wanted a son and Jessica gave it to him, but she was content to be his concubine. More than anything, Jessica understands political motives.

Should Leto marry her, it would take away the opportunity for him to create alliances with other Great Houses in the Galactic Padishah Empire. This door needed to be kept open in case Leto needed to marry a highborn. Jessica has plans of her own, and she is willing to let Leto move on if he helps to create a bigger alliance with their kingdom. Plus, she would have remained his concubine even if he had married someone else.

7 Baron Harkonnen Is Jessica’s Father

Baron Harkonnen Contributed His Genetic Material To Ensure Jessica's Existence

Some aspects of the Dune movie are confusing, especially concerning the Bene Gesserit. For thousands of years, the Bene Gesserit have employed a breeding program meant to bring about the arrival of the Kwisatz Haderach. A key element of the Lady Jessica Dune story is her place as part of that plan, though even she didn’t know to what extent. Baron Harkonnen is the leader of a Great House and the Bene Gesserit understood that he was required in the breeding program to bring about their Messiah.

The order demanded that Harkonnen contribute his genetic material. Though he was resentful of this command, Jessica was ultimately conceived as the biological daughter of Baron Harkonnen.

6 Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam Is Jessica’s Biological Mother

This Is Only Revealed In The Dune Prelude Novel Series

Jessica’s father is revealed to be Baron Harkonnen, but it is only in Prelude to Dune novels written by Brian Herbert that it is revealed who her mother is. Originally, Jessica’s mother was claimed to be an unknown woman. But the prequel series that was taken from Frank Herbert’s notes details the gruesome way that Jessica was conceived, something only book readers of Dune would know.

Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam demanded that Harkonnen give her his genetic material through blackmail. Mohiam conceives a child with Harkonnen, but the child is genetically unfeasible. Mohiam returns to Harkonnen who viciously assaults her. This resulted in Jessica being born.

5 Bene Gesserit Lineage Is Supposed To Be A Secret

The Bene Gesserit Keeps Secrets To Form The Houses

There are many machinations that the Bene Gesserit conducts secretly. As part of their order, only women are taught The Way as they wait for the arrival of the Messiah. Some of these secrets are the lineage of the Bene Gesserit themselves. Looking at Jessica’s ancestry, there is a reason for this. The Bene Gesserit would not be able to put Houses together if those in their order knew who their parentage was.

Lady Jessica is mysterious in the Dune film, but there is no indication that she knows who her parents are. If she had known her father was Baron Harkonnen, it surely would have colored her attitude toward him regarding her relationship with Duke Leto.

4 Jessica’s Daughter Would Have Wed Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen

The Bene Gesserit Had Plans For Her Daughter

There are many reasons why the Bene Gesserit were upset with Jessica for ruining their plans. When Jessica had a son instead of a daughter, this complicated their attempt to unite Houses Atreides and Harkonnen. Jessica was instructed to have a daughter so the Bene Gesserit could wed her to Baron Harkonnen’s nephew, Feyd-Rautha.

Feyd appears in David Lynch’s Dune and finally shows up in Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two. Feyd is just as corrupt and brutal as his uncle, but the union would have been sure to bring the most powerful Houses together. This all ends in the second movie, as Paul kills Feyd in a duel. This means that not only did Jessica ruin the union with Feyd and her daughter, but the son she had instead killed the one person who was supposed to unite the Houses.

3 Jessica Becomes A Reverend Mother

Jessica Does Not Become Reverend Mother Until The Second Movie

Villeneuve's Dune only covers the first half of the original book, and there was no time for Jessica to reach her potential in the Bene Gesserit. Even though she flouted her teachings by having a son and teaching him The Way, Jessica is still one of the most powerful women of the order. By the end of Dune: Part Two, the first book has ended, but there were major changes to Jessica, which included her role as the Reverend Mother.

While taking refuge on Arrakis with Paul, Jessica goes to lengths she never would have before. She takes the trials to become a Reverend Mother. Jessica consumes the Water of Life to take the next step in her journey. This is an extremely painful process, and she undergoes what is known as the Spice Agony. When she survives, she becomes more powerful and knowing. A version of this happens in the second movie, but Jessica plays a much larger role than she did in the books.

2 Jessica Gives Birth To Abomination

Alia Has a Great Prophecy Herself In Dune

Ultimately Jessica does give birth to a daughter, something that Dune Part 2 includes. Because Jessica is undergoing the Spice Agony while pregnant, her daughter Alia becomes susceptible to Abomination. In the second movie, Jessica begins to communicate with her unborn daughter, and they together realize that Paul is likely starting the Muad'Dib's holy war.

In the book, it explains that this also means that her daughter, Alia, has access to vast amounts of knowledge, including genetic memory. Abominations frightened the Bene Gesserit to a point where they typically ordered them to be executed. Alia is so powerful that, at two years old, she is the one to kill Baron Harkonnen.

1 Jessica Has Emotional Control

Lady Jessica Is Even More Powerful In The Dune Books

The two Dune movies depict Jessica as having control over many people. What the film does not make clear is how Jessica can do this. In the books, she is much more reserved, but the reason for this is that she has to be. Jessica’s control over her emotions allows her to influence others. This is a very subtle quality about her and would be difficult to portray in the films. However, Lady Jessica is a master of many arts in the books, including her mind, and she pulls strings, just as the Bene Gesserit to others.