Following the fiery events of Dune: Prophecy episode 1, both Emperor Corrino (Mark Strong) and the Sisterhood decide to take action to prevent a greater reckoning.
Valya (Emily Watson) decides to head to the Corrino palace to replace Kahsa (Jihae) to ensure the apocalyptic prophecy does not come to pass, leaving Tula in charge of the sisterhood. She brings Sister Theodosia (Jade Anouka) with her to watch over Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina). Meanwhile, Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel) confesses to murder to Javicco and is arrested and imprisoned for his crimes.
Here’s our complete recap of Dune: Prophecy episode 2.
Diplomatic disaster
In addition to confessing to the murder, Hart also tells Javicco he received supernatural abilities after being swallowed by a sandworm. Javicco doesn’t quite believe him, and has to deal with Duke Ferdinand Richese’s (Brendan Cowell) fury. Valya arrives at the palace hoping to interrogate Hart, not just about the death of Pruitt, but also Kasha. After much prodding, Javicco relents and allows her to interrogate Hart.
During Valya’s interrogation, Hart swears his allegiance to the Imperium, saying he saw Kasha as “unworthy.” Valya sees he’s telling the truth as he sees it, but is still unsure how he was able to commit both murders across the universe. Javicco tells her to keep everything discrete to prevent chaos.
Later that evening, Empress Natalya (Jodhi May) secretly comes to talk to Hart about his abilities. He once more pledges allegiance to her and the Emperor, offering his services to her. The following day Duke Richese is summoned to meet with Javicco and Natalya. However it’s an ambush, as they reveal Hart, who attacks Ferdinand with his abilities. They burn him badly but keep him alive. They force him to keep everything a secret and let the events surrounding his son’s death pass.
Speaking across generations
Back at the Sisterhood, Tula (Olivia Williams) asks Sister Lila (Chloe Lea) to speak to Mother Superior Raquella, who of course, died generations before the present. However, Tula reveals that Lila is the descendent of Raquella (Cathy Tyson), and deep within her DNA is the ability to speak to her grandmother. However, the procedure is incredibly risky, especially for a younger student.
Lila shares a deep bond with Tula. They prepare her for the communication ritual called The Agony, as it requires her to be poisoned by sandworm blood (similar to what was seen in Dune: Part Two). She councils and consoles Lila as the ritual begins. The sequence plays like a nightmare, as Lila is overcome by hundreds of “past sisters,” before she encounters her own mother, Dorotea (Camilla Beeput). Within her own mind, Dorotea threatens Lila and possesses her physical body, delivering a message to Tula. She says she’s going to take Lila because Valya “cut short her future.” Lila then dies, unable to shake off the effects of the poison and the psychic attack from Dorotea, much to Tula’s horror.
A secret rebellion
Simultaneously, there’s a rebellion brewing among the common people against the Great Houses because they are holding back spice from everyone else. It’s led by a commoner named Horace (Sam Spruell) and Keiran Atreides (Chris Mason), who acts as an inside man from within the palace. Keiran brings Horace schematics of the palace grounds, while Mikaela (Shalom Brune-Franklin), a Freman bartender cautions Keiran given his close relationship with Ynez. What Keiran doesn’t know is Mikaela is actually a secret member of the Bene Gesserit, and shares the information with Valya.
Valya goes to inform Javicco about the insurrection led by Atreides. However, instead, she finds Hart. Hart confronts her, saying her services are no longer required and she’s no longer welcome to the palace. She tries to use The Voice to get Hart to kill himself, as she did Dorotea, but he manages to resist with ease, to her shock. She leaves in defeat to plan her next moves.
New episodes of Dune: Prophecy release Sundays on HBO and Max.
