Dune 2 is set to introduce the grand Emperor who conspired in an evil plot with the Harkonnens to get rid of the Atreides bloodline – but who is the Emperor, his role, and how many have there been?
Christopher Walken was announced to portray the book character role of Emperor Shaddam IV. In the Dune universe, the Great Houses all fall under the control of the great Emperor and his rule. Fans remember that in Dune, the House of Atreides was given rule over Arrakis over the Harkonnens.
Even then, Leto Atreides found the decision odd of the Emperor to do. But he was determined to prove him wrong and secure the Spice trade on the planet while securing forces with the Fremen. Going into the sequel, the storyline expands further to display the otherworldy politics of the original books.
With the Emperor as a main stakeholder that Paul is determined to face – here’s everything to know about the Emperor in Dune.
Who is the Emperor in Dune?
In Dune, the Padishah Emperor is a hereditary title given to the rule of the Corrino Empire. The title was taken up after the Battle of Corrin and controls the Corrino Imperium or simply the Imperium.
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The Imperium is a galactic-wide empire that formed in 88BG with Landsraad, the Spacing Guild, and CHOAM as part of its forces. Many would remember from Dune that the Spacing Guild is only able to achieve vast space travel thanks to the use of Spice.
When it comes to the ruling of the Imperium, the Emperor sits on the throne. Within the original books, there are only a handful of documented rulers. See the full list below:
- Shaddam Corrino I
- Elrood Corrino IX
- Shaddam Corrino IV
- Paul Atreides
- Leto Atreides II
Dune and Dune 2 takes place with the ruling of Emperor Shaddam and his Princess daughter Irulina. The sequel movie follows Paul as he becomes one of the Fremen before succumbing to the Lisan al Gaib prophecy. He leads the Fremen while seeking revenge against the Imperium for destroying the House of Atreides and facing the Emperor.
Per the books, Paul becomes the next Emperor after Shaddam. The list also teases that Paul does have a son in the future of the books. Fans will have to watch Dune 2 to see how the story unfolds or if a Dune 3 will complete Paul’s story.
