10 Best Characters in ‘Dune: Part Two,’ Ranked

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two. Dune was one of the best sci-fi movies of the last decade, deftly merging striking imagery, immersive worldbuilding, and a gripping narrative. But Dune: Part Two takes everything to another level: more characters, more drama, and bigger action sequences. In particular, Denis Villeneuve expands the canvas of this distinctive cinematic universe, adding atomic arsenals, mystical visions, intergalactic battles, and worm-riding. It makes for a true blockbuster for grownups of the kind we don’t seem to get much of these days.

Fundamentally, though, Dune: Part Two succeeds because it’s populated with engaging, fascinating, and frequently complex heroes and villains. They range from the relatable, like Paul and Chani, to the truly twisted and near-alien Baron Harkonnen and Feyd-Rautha. Characters like this could easily have come across as ridiculous or unbelievable, but the talented stars more than rise to the occasion. They make them seem plausible without sacrificing their quirkiness or menace. These are the most memorable figures of Dune: Part Two, who seamlessly blend into Villeneuve’s dangerous yet enthralling universe.

10 Glossu Rabban Harkonnen

Played by Dave Bautista

Dave Bautista has turned in a string of solid performances since pivoting from wrestling to acting, and his work in Dune is yet another example. He is Glossu Rabban Harkonnen, nephew of house patriarch Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård), tasked with governing Arrakis after House Atreides is eliminated. The brutish and unforgiving Raban takes the assignment with sadistic glee., unleashing violence and cruelty upon the unruly Fremen.

Although slightly over-the-top, Bautista’s performance ultimately works since Rabban is such a rageful and unstable character. In particular, he has a few memorable moments where he goes ballistic on subordinates, like when he repeatedly slams an advisor’s head into a screen after receiving news he doesn’t want to hear. Rabban’s cruel treatment of those beneath him reflects the harsh way he himself is treated by his uncle. Due to his repeated failures to bring the Fremen to heel, Rabban is on increasingly thin ice with his boss. Despite limited screen time and little to do in the overall plot, Bautista is able to stand out in a cast of standouts.

9 Gaius Helen Mohiam

Played by Charlotte Rampling

Gaius Helen Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling) is a Reverend Mother of the Bene Gesserit and a senior advisor to the Emperor (Christopher Walken); in truth, she only serves herself. Mohiam is the ultimate schemer in the shadows, treating people like pieces on a chessboard to be manipulated at will. She’s a powerful figure with superhuman talents, including the ability to command people with the Voice.

Mohiam is an intimidating presence in the films. Notably, her introduction is the scene where she forces Paul (Timothée Chalamet) to place his hand in a box that creates illusory pain to test someone’s mettle. In Dune: Part Two, however, Paul knocks her down a peg, even using the Voice on her during a climactic scene and providing some much-needed catharsis for the audience. Interestingly, way back in the 1970s, when Alejandro Jodorowsky first tried to get his version of Dune off the ground, he actually intended to cast Rampling in the role, so her appearance in these movies brings her journey with the character full circle. Like other characters, the Reverend Mother has little screen time, preventing her from reaching her full narrative potential.

8 Emperor Shaddam IV

Played by Christopher Walken

“My father has always been guided by the calculus of power.” Shaddam IV is the Emperor of the Known Universe and head of House Corrino, making him the single most powerful political player in the Dune movies, although even his position is not guaranteed. The pillar of his influence is his army of Sardaukar warriors, which he uses to dominate multiple planets, including Arrakis.

The Emperor does not get much screen time, but Walken manages to imbue him with a lot of characterization. Viewers get the sense that he is Machiavellian and power-hungry but not necessarily evil. Given the vileness of the figures he must contend with, like the Harkonnens, he looks practically beneficent. His daughter, Irulan (Florence Pugh), even says that he loved Paul’s dad, Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), like a son. Nevertheless, this wasn’t enough to stop Shaddam from visiting a grisly fate upon Leto to further his selfish ends.

7 Gurney Halleck

Played by Josh Brolin

The charmingly gruff Gurney Halleck is a military commander in service to House Atreides and Paul’s combat instructor. He is also a talented musician, and audiences hear snatches of one of his songs in the second film. He and Paul have a great friendship, and he is fiercely loyal to the family. Gurney puts his life on the line at the end of the first movie but manages to survive the Harkonnen attack, eking out a living as a spice smuggler.

Gurney and Paul reunite in Part Two, and he joins their mission to take revenge on House Harkonnen. Indeed, Gurney’s desire for payback is especially strong since Rabban Harkonnen murdered his family. This gives him drive and determination but also makes him impulsive. Gurney is not a particularly complex character, mostly just serving to fill the mentor role in Paul’s story. Still, Josh Brolin is a hoot to watch, and Paul needs all the help he can get.

6 Chani

Played by Zendaya

“Here, we’re equal. Men and women alike. What we do, we do for the benefit of all.” Zendaya turns in perhaps her highest-profile performance yet in Dune: Part Two as Chani, a Fremen warrior who becomes a key ally and lover to Paul. She is initially skeptical of him and disbelieves the prophecies but grows to respect him for his courage and the way he treats the Fremen. Chani is a skilled fighter and worm-rider, adept at traversing the dangerous desert wastes. She is also fiercely loyal to her people and motivated by a strong code of honor.

Chani is rare among Dune‘s characters in that he has no desire for power and actually shuns it, seeing it as a political tool made to control and manipulate others. She wants what’s best for the Fremen and is willing to sacrifice anything to defend her extended family. Naturally, this poses problems as Paul’s fame and influence grow, with Chani growing increasingly wary of his grand ambitions. Zendaya rises to the challenge of playing such an intriguing figure, making Chani fierce without depriving her of empathy.

5 Baron Vladimir Harkonnen

Played by Stellan Skarsgård

Stellan Skarsgård is at his most repulsive here as the corpulent Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, the diabolical current steward of Arrakis. He is so fat that he requires anti-gravity devices to move around, which he uses to float about like the world’s most disgusting blimp. He is immensely wealthy and power-mad, just as violent and murderous as his relatives Rabban and Feyd-Rautha, but far smarter, colder, and more calculating.

The Baron is certainly an unsettling figure, not only due to Skarsgård’s reptilian performance but also the copious makeup and prosthetics used to produce his slimy, slug-like look. The Baron is one of the most iconic villains in all of sci-fi – Tywin Lannister meets Jabba the Hut, and Villeneuve’s depiction does the character justice. “I was very happy in my dark place,” Skarsgård said of playing him. “He is such an iconic figure that you only have to show him for five seconds, and then you can leave him, and he lingers.”

4 Lady Jessica

Played by Rebecca Ferguson

“You may die. You may see. The beauty and the horror.” Paul’s mother, Jessica, is another one of the series’s preeminent schemers. She is also a member of the Bene Gesserit, a sisterhood with heightened powers who spread their influence throughout the Known Universe. Jessica is a decent person and a devoted mother, but she too desires power and is willing to do anything, it seems, to pursue it. At times, it’s unclear whether she is acting because she genuinely believes Paul is the Chosen One or if she simply wants to see him on the Emperor’s throne.

Jessica plays the long game, planning multiple moves and hiding her machinations in plain sight. In this movie, she is forced to become a Reverend Mother, taking on the memories of generations of women that have gone before. This provides her with a wealth of knowledge and preternatural intuition but irrevocably alters her personality. She becomes one step removed from the person she used to be but no less formidable for it. The beloved Rebecca Ferguson is outstanding in the role, making Jessica an enthralling yet off-putting presence in the story.

3 Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen

Played by Austin Butler

Actors becoming almost unrecognizable for roles is not strange in Hollywood. Austin Butler is the latest addition to this collection, appearing in Dune: Part Two as the loathsome Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, younger brother to Rabban and nephew to the Baron. He’s a sadistic creep fueled by pain and humiliation, not as hotheaded as Rabban but twice as cruel. The Baron hands him control of Arrakis, a tainted gift that comes with a host of dangers. At the same time, the Bene Gesserit believe they can control him from afar, but with Feyd-Rautha, they might have bitten off a little more than they can chew.

Once again, Villeneuve makes sure that the villains have at least some substance rather than being stock characters. For example, while Feyd-Rautha is evil to the core, he also values combat and respects opponents who put up a decent fight. This isn’t enough to make him in any way redeemable, though, and when he receives his comeuppance during the finale, it’s one of the movie’s most satisfying moments. Butler is brutal as Feyd-Rautha, crafting a beast of a villain that will surely rank among the 21st century’s best portrayals of evil in science fiction.

2 Paul Atreides

Played by Timothée Chalamet

“I am Paul Muad’Dib Atreides, Duke of Arrakis! Long live the fighters!” Timothée Chalamet steps outside his comfort zone with his lead role as the legendary Paul Atreides, scion of House Atreides and supposed messiah meant to liberate Arrakis from domination. He is both tough and sensitive, trained in combat and possessing powers of intuition through his mother’s lineage.

Paul undergoes an impressive arc over the two films, starting green and untested to become a great leader and adroit player of the political game. Stepping into such a beloved character is no small feat, but Chalamet is solid, doing everything that the part requires. He expresses so much while also forever holding something back so that even by the end of the movie, it’s not entirely clear what Paul is thinking or where he intends his plans to lead. This makes his character all the more fascinating—and the hype for Part Three all the more intense.

1 Stilgar

Played by Javier Bardem

“Take my life, Usul. It is the only way.” Stilgar is the leader of the Fremen of Sietch Tabr. He is a proficient fighter and true son of the desert, who knows the dunes and rocks like the back of his hand. He is rugged, blunt, and tough as nails but also surprisingly bighearted. He is more welcoming of outsiders than most of his compatriots, and he is quick to believe that Paul is the Chosen One. Indeed, so strong is his faith that even when Paul denies his divinity, Stilgar says that only the real messiah would be humble enough to deny that he was the messiah.

Oscar-winner Javier Bardem is a true breath of fresh air in these movies. He has a ton of funny moments, imbuing Stilgar with a sort of childlike awe every time he’s around Paul, as well as more emotional ones, like when he tells Paul to kill him so that he can take his place as the tribe’s leader. This proves his devotion to his people and, like Chani, his willingness to abandon power. This sets him apart from the majority of scheming characters in this dog-eat-dog universe. Moreover, Stilgar could easily come across as a religious fanatic blinded by faith, but Bardem keeps him firmly grounded in something far more humane and relatable: hope. It’s a tricky act to pull, but Bardem gets away with it, ultimately turning Stilgar in Dune: Part Two‘s best character.

Dune: Part Two is now playing in cinemas worldwide.

Watch on theaters

NEXT: The 35 Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time, Ranked