The final moments of Dune: Prophecy’s episode 4 reveal one specie from the Dune novels that might appear in Denis Villeneuve’s threequel.

The HBO Max series Dune: Prophecy has built on the universe of Denis Villenue’s sci-fi films. Based on Frank Herbert’s novels, the show is set 10,000 years before the events of the novel and the Timothée Chalamet starring duology, tracing the origins of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood.

The fourth episode of the show reveals in its final moments a rare superpower in Sister Theodosia. Emily Watson’s Valya Harkonnen has a confrontation with her dead brother Griffin, but it turns out to be Theodosia in disguise. The episode ends with her shapeshifting back to her natural self.

What Does Sister Theodosia’s Transformation In Dune: Prophecy Mean?

A still from Dune: Prophecy | Credits: HBO

Frank Herbert’s Dune novels have always been about more than the Atreides family. While the first three novels focus on Paul Atreides’ journey as a messianic figure for the Fremen and Planet Arrakis, the novels tell a wider story of imperialism and societal structures that seem to be built on profits, power, and control.

Max’s Dune: Prophecy traces the origins of the feudal future that Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films introduced, and focuses on two Sisters of the Bene Gesserit at a time of political upheaval. Emily Watson’s Valya Harkonnen seems to be vying for power, as do multiple other players in this Game of Thrones-esque take on Herbert’s world.

Jade Anouka in Dune: Prophecy | Credits: HBO

In the latest episode of Dune: Prophecy, however, a concept that was not hinted at in the original films was introduced. Despite the political ploys in the show, the element of sci-fi and (a smidge) of fantasy has been in the background. The show has stuff like the Voice and the creatures, but the ending of episode 4 revealed Sister Theodosia as a shapeshifter.

Emily Watson’s Valya Harkonnen gets a makeshift therapy session with her deceased brother Griffin after she kills Evgeny Harkonnen. It is later revealed that Griffin is just an altered Theodosia. GQ speculated that this could be a reference to the species of Bene Tleilax in the books, particularly Dune: Messiah.

The Bene Tleilax are the inhabitants of the planet Thalim in the Dune universe and have the power to manipulate genes. The species are regarded as a necessary evil due to this power for the Landsraad. They are also reportedly the main antagonists in the second novel of the series, Dune: Messiah, which is the inspiration for Denis Villeneuve’s threequel.

Will Denis Villeneuve Include The Bene Tleilax In Dune: Messiah?

A still from Dune: Part Two | Credits: Warner Bros.

Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve gave a near-perfect adaptation of the Dune franchise, and it was announced that he was working on a third film based on Dune: Messiah. Though he mentioned that he was still contemplating a return to Arrakis, he said that he would sow enough seeds for the franchise to be taken forward by other filmmakers.

Set twelve years after the events of Dune, Dune: Messiah sees Paul Atreides preside over a jihad in pursuit of conquering the known universe. The Bene Tleilax become an integral part of a group of insurgents who wish to dethrone Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides, along with the Bene Gesserit, and the Spacing Guild.

Will Villeneuve include the Tleilaxu in the film? There are no confirmations but Dune: Prophecy’s introduction of the species may be the seeds for the upcoming threequel. The Tleilaxu have not been referred to in previous films and the sudden introduction of a key antagonist could be off-putting.

Villeneuve mentioned that he would want the third film to have a unique identity and not just be the final installment of a trilogy. He said to Variety,

If I do a third one, which is in the writing process, it’s not like a trilogy. It’s strange to say that, but if I go back there, it’s to do something that feels different and has its own identity.

The film is currently in the development stage and there has been no greenlight, although Villeneuve has mentioned that he might tackle an adaptation of the novel Nuclear War: A Scenario.

Dune: Prophecy is available to stream on Max.