WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Dune: Prophecy episode 5.
Prince Constantine Corrino’s real mother is revealed at the beginning ofDune: Prophecyepisode 5 “In Blood, Truth” which indicates that he and Princess Ynez are actually step-siblings.Dune: Prophecyis a six-part series based on the 2012 novelSisterhood of Dune, which was written by originalDuneauthor Frank Herbert’s son, Brian, and Kevin J. Anderson. The story takes place more than10,000 years before the rise of Paul Atreidies, which is chronicled inDenis Villenueve’sDune(2020) andDune: Part Two(2024).Dune: Prophecyreveals theorigins of the powerful shadow sisterhood known as the Bene Gesseritand how they manipulated the fate of humankind.
Dune: Prophecyepisode 1 “The Hidden Hand"introduced Emily Watson’s Valya Harkonnen, a fierce and calculated leader, and her biological sister, Tula Harkonnen.Dune: Prophecyepisode 2 revealswhat happened to Lila and her grandmother, Reverend Mother Dorotea, after Tula and Valya Harkoennen encouraged her to endure a life-threatening ritual known as The Agony. InDune: Prophecyepisode 3, Tula takes Lila’s life into her own hands aftershe apparently died during The Agony ritualand tries to resurrect her through the use of forbidden technology. Episode 4 reveals that Lila was resurrected through the Thinking Machine, Anirul, whileepisode 5 introduces the alluring Sister Francesca.
New episodes ofDune: Prophecyrelease every Sunday at 9 PM on HBO & MAX.
Sister Francesca Is Constantine Corrino’s Mother In Dune: Prophecy, Not Natalya
Princess Ynez is Constantine’s step-sister
Dune: Prophecyepisode 5 reveals that Constantine is actually not the direct child of Empress Natalya Corrino. Instead, a newly introduced member of the Sisterhood named Francesca is Constantine’s real mother. It’s evident thatConstantine has a hard time winning over the Emperor’s good graceswithout the help of his mother, as he is usually preoccupied with more hedonistic pursuits and doesn’t express much interest or capability in being a true leader. As soon as Sister Francesca arrives on Salusa Secundus, Constantine is given new opportunities by the Emperor, who is still in love with Francesca.
Apart from Valya and Tula Harkonnen, Sister Francesca appears to be one of the most respected members of the Bene Gesserit at that time. She has a softer approach than either of the Harkonnen sisters and even Natalya, who immediately senses that her husband’s attention has drifted from her to Francesca inDune: Prophecyepisode 5. During private moments between Francesca and her son, Constantine opens up about how little respect he feels from the Emperor.Francesca makes a point to convince Javicco to give Constantine a larger role, which is why he is being sent to Arrakis to oversee spice production.
Why Valya Needed Francesca’s Help With Constantine To Manipulate The Emperor
As the son of a Sister, Constantine would be a tool to Valya
As with many of the developments inDune: Prophecy, Valya Harkonnen is pulling the strings behind the scenes to determine Constantine’s fate. Valya was the one who initiated the proposal that Constantine should lead the fleet of the Corrino army, which is why Francesca encouraged Javicco to run with the idea. Even though Francesca shares a child with the Emperor, she is clearly still adhering to the “Sisterhood Above All” mantra and is willing to manipulate her own son for the benefit of the Sisterhood.Valya’s plan ends up working as Francesca successfully convinces the Emperorto hand over his fleet to his son.
Valya needed Constantine to lead the fleet of the Corrino army so thatthe son of a Sister could be in charge of that crucial position. With Valya and the rest of the Sisterhood getting sidelined and nearly ostracized from the Imperium, Valya plans to inspire Javicco to allow Ynez back into the Sisterhood school on Wallach IX. Valya still believes that it is of the utmost importance for the future of the Sisterhood and to prevent The Reckoning that a Sister becomes Empress. Valya convinces Francesca that Javicco, with Desmond’s help, is becoming the prophesized tyrant that would set back humankind for hundreds of thousands of years.
How Sister Francesca’s Presence Pushes Natalya To Desmond Hart
Javicco can’t contain his desire for Francesca
Emperor Javicco can hardly contain his excitement at seeing Francesca again. Francesca basically has Javicco in the palm of her hand and easily convinces him to give Constantine a chance at holding a serious role that he can grow into properly. Javicco attempts to turn Francesca’s request into a romantic engagement, which Francesca discourages. Nevertheless,he and Francesca meet in secret, which raises Natalya’s suspicions. Natalya approaches Desmond knowing that they share a commonality: they both hate the Sisterhood and will do anything to get them out of the Imperium. This new union will likely place Natalya and Desmond against Francesca and Javicco in theDune: Prophecyfinale.
Dune: Prophecy
Cast
Set in the universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune series, Dune: Prophecy, a sci-fi epic, follows the political and spiritual struggles on the desert planet of Arrakis. As factions vie for control of the prized spice melange, a prophesied hero emerges, challenging the balance of power and the fate of the galaxy.
