Gurney Halleck is one of the most important characters in Dune, both in the original novel by Frank Herbert and in the recently released film based on the first half of the novel.
To begin with a little bit of introduction, Gurney is the Warmaster of House Atreides and also one of the tutors of the heir of House Atreides and Leto, Paul. When the Emperor instructs Leto to take over the planet of Arrakis from House Harkonnen, Gurney knew the Harkonnens would not remain quiet.
He even warned Paul and was inevitably right. The last time Gurney was seen on screen was during the war, after the Harkonnens attacked House Atreides. He was chasing the enemy with his men.
So, what happens to Gurney? Does he die in the war?
According to the books, Gurney does not die in this war and survives this fall of House Atreides. Later, he ends up being involved in spice smuggling. Two years later, he reunites with Paul and Jessica.
The film eventually reveals that Gurney survives the attack of the Harkonnens and becomes a spice smuggler.
As per the books, Paul and Jessica found out that Gurney is alive when he is discovered during a Fremen raid on a spice harvester. But it is not the reunion you would have expected.
Gurney was of the opinion that Jessica is the one who betrayed House Atreides and he tries to kill her only to be stopped by Paul.
So, if there is a Dune 2, which there should be considering part 1 only gave us half of the entire story, Gurney should be back… if they’re following the book.
In short, Gurney survived the Harkonnen attack on the Atreides and so, he is very much alive.
In the books, Gurney is a pretty diverse character. One example that we even see in the film is his talent for music. When Gurney went into Paul’s room for his training, Paul seemed reluctant to train.
He asked Gurney for a song instead. Gurney, however did not give in to Paul’s pleading. Instead, he explained the gravity of the situation to Paul and also trained him as he should.
It is Gurney who explained to Paul that by giving the Atreides the power to govern Arrakis, the Emperor has actually paved way for an inevitable war between the two great houses. This is because of the significance of spice.
The opening scene of the movie also stressed on the importance of this substance which is vital for space travel and is able to sustain human life. The Harkonnens had harvested this spice for years before the Atreides were given Arrakis to rule.
So obviously, they would not let go. It is basically GOT but in a sci-fi world if I dare say. Gurney is like the mentor chap who knows what is coming up and warns the hero to prepare for it. So yeah, it is not the time for him to say goodbye yet.
Damn! No streaming services found :/
About Dune
Dune (also known as Dune: Part One) is an American sci-fi film based on Frank Herbert’s novel of the same name, directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Part One introduced the planet of Dune/Arrakis, the only place where the enhancer drug “Melange” is found and sought out by many. The Atreides House is sent to the planet as the ruling Duke, as part of their adversaries’ trap. However, the Atreides are aware of the same and aim to defend Dune and their house.
The ensemble cast is made up of Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.
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