My two cents. *Spoilers maybe* -- DUNE Novels Discussion Board

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05/12/24 02:59:55 [ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, [2], 3, 4 ]

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Date Posted: 12:24:56 10/17/03 Fri
Author: Siridar-Viscount Leonov Drakken
Subject: My two cents. *Spoilers maybe*
In reply to: Ghanima 's message, "*Spoilers* and Norma Cenva and curses upon BH/KA" on 11:28:53 10/17/03 Fri

Okay I must say when I read that part I was like.. 'huh.. what?"

But.. let's go deeper. Let's look at the original canon. First off It's never revealed what exactly the full extent of the powers of the Bene Gesserit were. We know they had great speed and physical prowess, some prescient abilities as well as great mental abilities but they were never defined. So we can't exactly say they couldnt do that in the later books. Secondly one of the things Frank Herbert specifically made points about was time having an effect on the whole of humanity. Who is to say that in those 10,000 or so years between the Butlerian Jihad and the original Dune that the Bene Gesserit lost that ability, perhaps they didnt need it anymore, didnt want to use it for some reason, or perhaps genetically they couldnt?

Okay let's also take this approach, this line of questioning. First off in the original canon no one knows how Holtzmans theories worked. The concept of Space Folding worked and had for generations but no one knew why? Why? Because Norma Cenva was a genius. She was genetically far superior to anyone before Paul perhaps? Another of Franks points was that conflict changed humanity. It awoke something in the human organism that allowed humanity to evolve. Remember before Dune humanity was becoming stagnant. Mirroed in the Butlerian Jihad before the Jihad humanity had become stagnant. The conflicts of Dune created Muad'dib the God. The Butlerian Jihad was another conflict that revitalized humanity. It helped created myths and superheroes. Who's to say that those heroes weren't pinnacles of humanity such as Norma Cenva. Who's to say she wasnt a godlike being who created spacefolding technology and could control the mental tempests the original Bene Gesserit could harness. Who's to say that she might not have died at some point without sharing her powers or whatnot?

The point is we just don't know. Perhaps the Sisters of Rossak go through a major change between now and the 10,000 years until the new Dune book that has them exploring prina bindu rather than thier mental powers. I mean after all there is no more machine menace in the original Dune so therefore they don't need thier telepathic suicide storm anymore.. why use such a deadly weapon that I would think would be against the Great Convention anyway.. when they can become living weapons of muscle, tendons and bone.

Anyway I'm not knocking your thought at all. I agree it seemed at first to me like it didnt fit but this is sci-fi. Anything can happen. And in the world of Frank Herbert. I think anything will. Granted again I don't equate Franks work with Brians or Kevins, but the new Dune books are fun to read and I enjoy them on a different level.

M-

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If you think that's bad, wait 'til you get to the last prequel -- Cheryl, 17:46:41 07/06/06 Thu