The iconic villainous family, the Harkonnens, appears differently in the HBO series “Dune: Prophecy” compared to previous movie adaptations. The show’s prequel storyline, set 10,000 years before Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film, offers an origin story that explains their evolution.
In the TV series, Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen and Reverend Mother Tula Harkonnen are portrayed with short brown hair and healthy flesh-colored skin. This distinct appearance is a result of their origin on Planet Lankiveil, a water-based maritime planet in the Corrino Empire. In contrast, the Harkonnens’ descendants 10,000 years later appear as bald-headed, pale-skinned characters.
According to Frank Herbert’s son Brian Herbert, the show’s storyline depicts the Bene Gesserit sisters forming a socio-religious cabal and rising to power on Lankiveil. As they adapt to their environment, they naturally develop into human-like beings with brown hair and healthy skin. The Harkonnens’ migration to planet Prime Geidi 10,000 years later leads to an evolutionary transformation, resulting in the characteristic bald heads and pale skin tone of the villainous family from the movie adaptations.
This origin story serves as a classic example of natural selection, where the Harkonnens adapt to their environment and change their appearance accordingly. The show’s portrayal highlights the complexities of evolution and the importance of considering the unique characteristics of each planet in the Dune universe.
Source: https://movieweb.com/dune-prophecy-harkonnens-look