Season 1, Episode 5, titled “In Blood, Truth,” directed by Anna Foerster and written by Carlito Rodriguez and Leah Benavides Rodriguez, explores the identity of Desmond Hart and the Bene Gesserit’s relentless schemes to secure their influence over the Imperium. This episode highlights the Sisterhood’s power struggle with Hart, illustrating their gradual ascendance—a rise that will only meet its match with the emergence of Paul Atreides.
The episode centers on the theme of family, emphasizing that home lies within familial bonds, whether forged by blood or through friendships. The Sisterhood, House Corrino, and House Harkonnen are all portrayed as families, unified by their shared loyalties and affections. However, in the universe of Dune, loyalty to one’s faction ultimately outweighs the bonds of love. This is evident in the Sisterhood’s willingness to sacrifice one another for their long-term agenda, House Corrino’s determination to maintain power, and House Harkonnen’s cutthroat ambition to climb the Imperium’s hierarchy.
The episode poignantly depicts how emotional connections often serve as tools of manipulation in the quest for dominance. Yet, these displays of love are not wholly false, reminding us that even the most calculating characters in Dune are not devoid of humanity—not even the God Emperor, Leto II Atreides.
The Sardaukar
On Salusa Secundus, Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark Strong) and Empress Natalya (Jodhi May) preside over a ceremony inaugurating a new elite regiment called the Sardaukar, with Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel) appointed as its new Bashar. The rank of Bashar, akin to that of a colonel, is a prestigious military position, though it is outranked by the Burseg and the Supreme Bashar. However, the ceremony is interrupted by the arrival of Sister Francesca (Tabassum Fatima Hashmi) of the Bene Gesserit. Francesca, the Emperor’s former lover and the woman he holds dearer than his own Empress, makes a bold entrance. She claims her visit is not related to Bene Gesserit affairs but rather a personal matter involving Prince Constantine (Josh Heuston).
Francesca’s statement is likely both true and false. While she is indeed loyal to Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson) and has been part of her inner circle since their friendship began, her motives are layered.
On one hand, Valya summoned Francesca to Salusa Secundus to rekindle her influence over the Emperor, steering him back toward supporting the Bene Gesserit. This alignment would enable the Sisterhood to further their schemes: persuading Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina) to join their ranks, securing Prince Constantine a prominent position to bolster Ynez’s future rule, and ultimately governing the Imperium from behind the scenes. Valya, meanwhile, intends to address the threat posed by Desmond Hart, with a plan already in motion to eliminate the new Bashar.
On the other hand, Francesca’s personal reasons are equally genuine. She seeks to provide Prince Constantine with a sense of closure and reassurance about his purpose in life—protecting his sister, Ynez, from the many dangers that surround her. These dual motives—loyalty to Valya and a desire to comfort Constantine—highlight Francesca’s intricate role in the unfolding power struggle.
Desmond Hart in Power
Later, Desmond Hart meets with Harrow Harkonnen (Edward Davis), who attempts to reconcile with the Emperor’s executioner out of fear of retribution against House Harkonnen. However, Hart makes it clear that he will only excuse the Baron’s “crimes” if Harrow provides him with evidence that can be used against the Bene Gesserit. Specifically, Hart demands information regarding the Sisterhood’s interference in the Imperium’s spice trade.
Harrow explains that he initially believed pirates were hijacking shipments of his valuable whale fur. However, his focus shifted to investigating contraband, leading him to uncover an underground market in Zimia run by a gang of Arrakian smugglers. This market deals in weapons, whale fur, and spice.
In essence, Harrow suggests that his investigations have revealed a connection between the rebels and illegal trade in Zimia. By leveraging these operations, the rebels and their allies generate solari to fund their activities, including the acquisition of thinking machines. Harrow advises Hart to gain control over the Arrakian smugglers, as this would allow him to uncover the identities of the rebels and their collaborators.
Desmond expresses gratitude for the information but remains firm in his conditions. He will only offer House Harkonnen a reprieve if the evidence implicates Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen in the underground market.
Did Harrow betray his aunt? The answer is no. Valya herself orchestrated the meeting between Harrow and Hart as part of a larger plan to ensnare the Bashar in a trap, ensuring his eventual elimination. This maneuver allows Valya to neutralize her rival without incurring any repercussions from the Imperial House. Harrow’s apparent “eagerness” to assist Hart is a calculated move, designed to help House Harkonnen regain favor with the Emperor—a result that aligns perfectly with Valya’s long-term ambitions.
Sister Lila Becomes an Abomination
On Wallach IX, Sister Tula Harkonnen (Olivia Williams) leads the sisters and acolytes in their investigation into the source of the nightmares plaguing the Bene Gesserit. Tula enlists Sister Jen (Faoileann Cunningham) to assist with the treatment of Sister Lila (Chloe Lea), who remains haunted by visions of her ancestors, particularly Reverend Mother Dorotea. Jen is specifically chosen to witness Tula’s efforts to revive Lila, as she and Lila share a close bond as best friends.
During their interaction, Lila warns Jen of a reckoning she has foreseen—a future where the Imperium descends into tyranny, driving humanity toward self-destruction. However, the peculiar manner of Lila’s speech leads Jen to a startling realization: the person speaking is not Lila but Mother Superior Racquella, who is using Lila as her vessel.
With Lila’s body as her medium, Mother Superior Racquella aids Tula in researching the nightmares, with Jen serving as their assistant. Tula explains the developments that have occurred in the decades since Racquella’s death: Valya has dramatically expanded the Bene Gesserit’s influence and numbers, while Dorotea’s death resulted in the dissolution of the zealots. Racquella expresses her disappointment that Valya and Dorotea failed to reconcile, though she admires Valya’s unyielding resolve.
Despite her reflections on the Sisterhood’s history, Racquella focuses on the task at hand: uncovering the origins of the nightmares and unraveling the mystery of Desmond Hart’s powers.
The Night Club Raid
As Desmond Hart and the Sardaukar raid the nightclub, Sister Mikaela (Shalom Brune-Franklin) distracts Hart, allowing Keiran Atreides (Chris Mason) to plant bombs to destroy any evidence of rebel activity. The raid itself is part of a larger trap orchestrated to lure Hart into the nightclub, where Mikaela plans to detonate the bombs, aiming to eliminate both Hart and his entire Sardaukar regiment.
Ultimately, the plan successfully destroys the nightclub, its contents, and any secret connections to the Bene Gesserit. However, there is an unintended consequence: Mikaela’s fighting techniques against the Sardaukar reveal to Keiran Atreides that she is a Bene Gesserit sister. This revelation severs Mikaela’s ties to the rebellion, forcing her to relinquish the influence she spent years cultivating for Valya’s plans. Mikaela is deeply upset by this loss but remains loyal to the Sisterhood’s cause.
While Desmond Hart survives the explosion, his entire regiment is wiped out. Left with no evidence to implicate the Sisterhood, he is forced to retreat, empty-handed and defeated.
Meanwhile, Keiran returns to the Imperial Palace, only to be arrested for his connections to the rebellion. Mikaela had provided evidence of Keiran’s affiliations to Valya, who passed it along to Francesca, who in turn delivered it to Constantine. This move was part of the Bene Gesserit’s larger scheme to elevate Constantine’s status within the Imperial House. The strategy succeeds, with the Emperor awarding his illegitimate son a prestigious high-ranking position in the Imperium.
However, this event exacerbates tensions between Constantine and Crown Princess Ynez, who is still bitter over her brother’s failure to support her during the previous Landsraad assembly. Ynez remains frustrated that Constantine did not help her accuse Desmond Hart of his crimes or stand up to their father, further straining their already fragile relationship.
Rating: 9/10