The action takes place during the interview between an unnamed Fremen priest and Bronso of Ix, a historian who is facing execution for his heretical history of Paul Atreides. Paul is known as the Kwisatz Haderach, a result of a selective breeding program by the Bene Gesserit sisterhood. He possesses exceptional mental and physical abilities, including prescience. After being exposed to the spice on the planet Arrakis, Paul became the messianic figure of the indigenous people known as the Fremen. With their support, he overthrew the previous Emperor and initiated a violent religious war called the Jihad. Bronso is condemned for tracing the political and secular aspects of Paul's rise to power instead of adhering to the official Fremen religion, which considers Paul and his sister Alia as godheads.
In epigraph from the scriptures of Paul's cult, emphasizing that Paul and Alia are human despite their extraordinary abilities. An excerpt from Bronso's controversial history describes Paul's journey to power. Paul, the son of a Great Family, received training in the Bene Gesserit tradition from his mother, Lady Jessica, who believed he was the Kwisatz Haderach. He also underwent Mentat training, a profession focused on extreme logic and cognitive conditioning. As Emperor, Paul controls the production and distribution of spice, a substance crucial to the Bene Gesserit's powers and the Spacing Guild's interstellar travel. Spice is addictive, and withdrawal is fatal. While many attribute Paul's downfall to his enemies or the plotting of the Fremen priest Korba, Bronso argues that the failure is tied to the deadly nature of prophecy.
The conspirators engage in subtle power struggles, withScytale impressing Gaius Helen Mohiam and Edric's participation being necessary due to his prescience shielding them from Paul's detection. Irulan realizes she must commit to the conspiracy to gain Edric's protection. Scytale outlines the plot, which involves introducing a ghola - a replicated human created from Duncan Idaho's corpse - to Paul. The ghola, named Hayt, will impact Paul psychologically and distract his sister Alia romantically. Scytale also plans to manipulate the Fremen religion and attempt alternate spice production using a stolen sandworm. The economic entity CHOAM will support whoever offers the best chance at profit.
Paul returns to his chambers in Arrakeen, longing for normalcy and reflecting on the risks of going out alone. He wears a stillsuit, a garment that connects him to his past as a Fremen. Chani brings him coffee, reminding him of the man he killed to win the coffee pot. Paul contemplates the death and violence that has occurred in his name and discusses Chani's proposal for him to impregnate Irulan for strategic reasons. Paul rejects the idea, fearing it would threaten Chani's position. Chani senses a plot against Paul by Irulan and expresses her concern about being away from the desert for too long. She reveals that she visited Sietch Tabr to address her infertility. Paul laments his prescience and the burden of his role as a hero and god. He questions the consequences of his choices and his attempts to transform Arrakis into a paradise.
An epigraph in which Paul describes his fear of the development of human weapons. Scytale, disguised as Duncan Idaho, visits Farok, a Fremen general who has become an informant in the plot against Paul. Farok expresses his disillusionment with Paul as the Fremen messiah and shares his experience encountering an ocean for the first time. Farok's son, who lost his eyes in war, uses music to implant data into Scytale's subconscious. Farok describes Paul's fortress and introduces Lichna, the daughter of a loyal Fremen warrior. Scytale murders Farok and his son,
assuming Farok's appearance to gain Lichna's trust.
Alia senses that the Imperial Council meeting will not go well. Alia was born fully conscious and prescient, connected to the memories of other Bene Gesserit Reverend Mothers. Irulan fears that Edric's prescience will not protect her from Alia. The meeting includes Korba, the head priest, Irulan, Chani, Stilgar, and Paul. Korbaleads a call to prayer, and Stilgar raises concerns about a treaty with the Spacing Guild. Irulan suggests withholding spice as a negotiation tactic, but Chani counters that it would disrupt space travel. Stilgar asks if Paul can see a future that reveals the location of a secret haven, but Paul acknowledges the paradoxical nature of his prescience. Paul agrees to sign the treaty on the condition that CHOAM drops its challenge to a new tax. Irulan brings up the issue of Paul's lack of an heir, and Paul considers running away to Sietch Tabr with Chani. He rejects Irulan as the mother of his heir due to her loyalty to the Bene Gesserit. Paul accepts a Spacing Guild ambassador on Arrakis, realizing he cannot see the guild's steersmen in his prescience.
Alia observes from a secret chamber as the Spacing Guild ambassador, Edric, meets Paul in his throne room. She senses Paul's agitation and recognizes the ghola of Duncan Idaho, a replicated version of the deceased man. Paul accepts Edric as ambassador and questions the ghola, named Hayt. Edric explains that Hayt's genetic manipulation by the Tleilaxu makes it uncertain if he is truly Duncan Idaho, but he possesses some of Duncan's qualities. Paul senses a trap but chooses to accept the ghola out of loyalty to his lost mentor. Edric leaves, and Paul dismisses Stilgar to deal with Gaius Helen Mohiam. Paul questions Hayt further and reflects on his inability to see Hayt's arrival with his prescience.
Irulan visits Gaius Helen Mohiam in her cell. The Reverend Mother believes she may not leave Arrakis alive and expresses disappointment in Irulan for failing to bear Paul's heir. Gaius Helen suggests the manipulation of Paul and Alia into an incestuous relationship to preserve their bloodline. Irulan reveals that Chani is using a Fremen fertility diet, making it impossible to administer the contraceptive poison. The two continue their conversation using secret sign language. Gaius Helen instructs Irulan to administer an abortifacient to Chani if she becomes pregnant, fearing the introduction of Fremen genetics. Irulan decides to go beyond the Bene Gesserit's expectations and considers exposing their plot.
Alia navigates through the crowds at her temple and contemplates the popularity of the Dune tarot, which makes prescience more difficult. She retreats to her chambers, feeling agitated, and takes a bath. Alia senses a shadowy figure in her future andexperiences sexual frustration. She engages in reckless and dangerous training, drawing concern from Paul and Stilgar. Stilgar suggests finding a partner for her. Paul informs Alia about the Guild's plan to abduct a sandworm for spice production, implying the presence of Fremen conspirators. Stilgar questions why Paul and Alia cannot use their prescience to uncover the plot, and Alia reminds him that all power has its limitations.
Paul holds a private audience with Edric, who is accompanied by Scytale in disguise. Edric provokes Paul with myths about his father, and Paul corrects the information dispassionately. Gaius Helen Mohiam scolds Irulan for her failure to bear Paul's heir and discusses the possibility of an incestuous relationship between Paul and Alia. Irulan is instructed to administer an abortifacient to Chani if she becomes pregnant. The conversation continues in secret sign language. Irulan resolves to go beyond the Bene Gesserit's expectations. Gaius Helen worries that Irulan will expose their plot.
Alia investigates the body of a murdered girl in the desert, suspecting it to be Lichna. She ponders semuta and Tleilaxu Face Dancers but cannot deduce much from the crime scene. Alia expresses her frustration with her role as a godhead and longs for a normal life. Hayt flies Alia back to Arrakeen in an Ornithopter, and they engage in banter and debates about natural law. Hayt confesses his loyalty to Paul but admits he is there to destroy him. As they fly over the shrine of Duke Leto Atreides, Hayt experiences a disturbance due to his connection to Duncan Idaho. Arriving in Arrakeen, Hayt kisses Alia, acknowledging their shared sexual tension. Alia notes the danger in Hayt's honesty.
Paul enters a spice trance to see through the fog caused by the Dune tarot and has a vision of a falling moon, interpreting it as a warning of his own demise. He reflects on the inevitability of fate and discusses his mortality with Hayt. Paul expresses his belief that Chani's death is necessary for humanity's survival.
Gaius Helen Mohiam is summoned to Paul's throne room and interprets the display of power as an attempt to humble her. Paul offers to negotiate privately and proposes artificially inseminating Irulan to preserve the Atreides genes, but denouncing any resulting children. Gaius Helen asks for time to consider the offer and leaves. Paul reveals his plan to travel to Sietch Tabr with Chanifor the birth of their child.
Scytale and Edric conspire together, fearing that Paul and Alia may discover their plot. They discuss the weakness of their alliance and the consequences of their success or failure.
Paul trains with Hayt to distract himself. Chani confronts Paul about Irulan feeding her contraceptives and demands her death, but Paul refuses. Paul probes Hayt about recovering his past self as a ghola. Chani expresses her fear of her pregnancy developing at an unnatural pace.
Scytale infiltrates Paul's palace disguised as Lichna. Chani recognizes Lichna as the daughter of an ally but is fooled by the face dancer's imitation skills. Paul, however, recognizes Lichna as the murdered girl in the desert and senses another prescient being concealing visions. Scytale attempts to convince Paul and Chani to accompany him to Otheym's home. Paul decides to walk into the trap on his own terms, believing he can choose a different fate.
Paul reflects on the bureaucracy of the Qizarate and witnesses Alia's display of prescient powers during a rite for pilgrims. He realizes that Alia has seen the same future as him.
Paul arrives at Otheym's house and meets Bijaz, a mysterious Tleilaxu-created being who speaks in riddles. Otheym greets Paul as an old friend and reveals that Bijaz contains the names and plans of Fremen traitors. Paul suspects Bijaz's involvement in the Tleilaxu conspiracy.
As Paul and Bijaz leave Otheym's house, it explodes with an atomic stone burner, killing everyone inside. Paul and his men survive but lose their eyes due to the radiation. Despite being blind, Paul can still see
using his prescience. He orders artificial eyes for his men and commands Stilgar to investigate the stone burner.
Paul and Chani share a tender moment, but Chani is disturbed by Paul's blindness and rejection of Fremen tradition. Paul promises that their child will lead a greater empire. Alia begins the Imperial Council in Paul's absence, and he later arrives to confront Korba, who is accused of being involved in the plot. Paul intimidates the Fremen leaders with his supernatural sight.
Hayt questions Bijaz and learns that he is truly Duncan Idaho. Bijaz implants a command in Hayt's mind, instructing him to offer Paul a ghola replicated from Chani's corpse after her death. Hayt's memory of the conversation is erased.
Alia ingests a large dose of spiceto reach Paul's plane of prescience. She searches for the father of her children in her vision but is unable to see him clearly. Hayt finds Alia and fears she has taken a lethal dose, but she refuses medical help. Alia's vision reveals that Hayt is both dangerous and salvation for Paul, and that Paul is trying to merge all potential futures into one but is unsure why. She sees that Paul is trapped by his deification and will struggle to live in a world without Chani. Alia also sees that she will give birth to a prescient child.
Paul and Chani travel to Sietch Tabr with a group of companions. Chani notices the changes in their home caused by outsiders and water, including the presence of children with muddy feet. A sandstorm brews, and Chani goes into labor. Hayt realizes that he has been implanted with a compulsion to protect Paul and becomes concerned for Paul's
well-being.
Hayt informs Paul about the compulsion and Paul assures him that there will be no violence. Chani dies during childbirth due to Irulan's poison. Hayt overcomes his compulsion and regains his identity as Duncan Idaho. Paul learns that Chani gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, which surprises him as he only foresaw a daughter. Paul enters the birthing room and is preoccupied by his son's indication that this is a different world. Scytale threatens the newborn twins, offering Paul a ghola of Chani. Paul realizes his children were born with prescience and full consciousness. He kills Scytale and names his son Leto II and his daughter Ghanima. Paul loses his prescient vision again, seemingly permanently.
Paul chooses to exile himself into the desert, following Fremen tradition, believing that the future no longer requires his physical presence. Stilgar affirms that Paul was truly Fremen, while Duncan acknowledges his true identity as an Atreides. Duncan notes that Paul's self-imposed exile serves to maintain Fremen loyalty and prevents his complete deification. The plots of the Bene Tleilax and Bene Gesserit have failed, the Qizarate's hypocrisy has been exposed, and power is consolidated within Paul's empire.
Alia, now the regent of the empire until Leto II comes of age, orders the execution of the remaining traitors. Stilgar carries out the execution of Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, as she predicted. In her grief, Alia summons Duncan and expresses her sorrow overPaul's choice to embrace his fate, knowing that the universe would have crumbled if he had chosen a different path. Alia reveals that she has spared Irulan, who dedicates herself to writing Paul's history, realizing her love for her husband. Alia and Duncan confess their love for each other.
"The Ghola's Hymn" describes Paul as a "fool saint" and a blind oracle, wandering eternally through the desert and time.