The Dune ending is explained below, which anyone who’s seen the movie will probably need as director Denis Villeneuve keeps things fairly cryptic in terms of teases. The ending and the various events around it will directly lead into Dune Part 2, so viewers unfamiliar with the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert will probably need a guide to make sense of a few things — most notably, Paul’s spice-induced vision of the future.
Spoilers for Dune Part 1 and Dune Part 2 follow!
Dune Ending Explained: Everything you need to know for Dune Part 2
What does Paul’s dream mean?
Throughout the end scenes of Dune are scattered pieces of a larger vision that Paul (Timothée Chalamet) has. He obviously foresees a close relationship with Chani (Zendaya), who is poised to play more of a role in Dune Part 2, but there are deeper images at play. One scene just before Paul’s climactic duel to join the Fremen shows him losing — or at least, him dying and becoming the “Kwisatz Haderach.” The Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother briefly mentions this near the start of the movie — this is essentially their messiah. Paul Atreides more metaphorically dies, as he will be reborn as a great leader of the Empire.
However, it’s Paul’s bigger spice-induced vision earlier in the movie which sets up the events of Dune Part 2 (and beyond) more directly. In it, Paul watches himself as a Fremen warrior fighting the Emperor’s Sardaukar soldiers in the desert while a sandworm attacks around them. He sees an image of a pile of bodies on fire, Chani with bloody hands holding a knife, “war spreading across the universe,” the Fremen on Caladan, and “fanatical legions” with the Atreides banner. In the rest of the Dune book, Paul rallies the Fremen and the sandworms into a powerful army, but the spice also activates his second sight that turns him into a religious icon and an unstoppable warrior — which continues beyond Dune into a holy war that sees the Atreides conquer the Empire.
What does the desert mouse signify?
A rather cute desert mouse is spotted by Paul a couple of times, including during one of his visions. After winning his fight and becoming a member of the Fremen, Paul chooses a new name for himself. He picks the Fremen word for this mouse — Muad’Dib. This is part of the reason he has a vision of himself, Paul Atreides, dying during this duel. He will basically be Paul Muad’dib from this point on.
Worm riders?
One of the last shots of Dune part 1 is a Fremen riding one of the sandworms. This is what Liet Kynes was about to do earlier in the movie before she was shot by the Sardaukar. In Dune part 2, Paul will use this skill on one of the largest sandworms, Shai-Hulud, and the Fremen army will ride the sandworms into battle against the Harkonnen army.
Will the Emperor appear in the sequel?
It seems very likely that the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV will appear in Dune part 2. The Emperor was completely cut out of this movie but is mentioned constantly, so when the sequel happens Shaddam IV will have to play a big role. His motivations in destroying the Atreides, his connections with House Harkonnen, and basically setting the stage for his downfall at the hands of Paul’s holy war. Fans will just have to wait and see, however.
The Dune movie opens today, October 21, in theaters and on HBO Max. Warner Bros has already arranged a crossover with Epic’s battle royale phenomenon Fortnite as well as a new Dune game based on the movie, which is in development at Conan Exiles studio Funcom. Dune part 2 will feature more of Zendaya’s Chani as well as Stellan Skarsgård’s ruthless Baron Harkonnen.
