Paul Atreides

Paul Atreides, also known as Muad'Dib, is the main protagonist of both major film adaptations of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel Dune.
In the 1984 film, he is portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan, while in the 2021 film and its 2023 sequel, he is portrayed by Timothée Chalamet.
==Biography==
===Dune (1984)===
===Villeneuve series===
====Dune (2021)====
Paul is the only son and heir of Duke Leto of House Atreides and his concubine Lady Jessica. Paul was raised on the planet Caladan, training under the influence of high ranking Atreides soldiers and family friends, Gurney Halleck, Duncan Idaho, and Thufir Hawat.
Given his mother's role as a member of the Bene Gesserit, Paul received training from her on the ways of the organisation, but also on the ability to use the Voice. Despite Paul's advanced training, he often found it difficult to control The Voice and therefore, was not as advanced as his mother had hoped.
When House Atreides is given stewardship of Arrakis, a vast planet home to the most valuable substance in the universe, Spice Melange, Paul is desperate to visit the planet with Duncan Idaho, and begs his master to take him with him. Idaho refuses, citing that it is no place for him yet, but also that he would be court-marshalled for breaking Leto's rules. Paul is reluctant to let the matter rest, however, and talks directly with his father about the matter. Leto refutes Paul, citing that he must be protected as the only heir of Atreides, but also that he will become more involved with the running of Caladan during this time. Paul shares his concerns with inheriting the role of Duke, but his father remarks that he will always be the most important thing: his son.
Paul becomes confused and inquisitive when he begins having dreams of a girl within the desert. The recurrent dreams present themselves as visions to Paul, and he believes that he is seeing the future. It quickly becomes clear that the visions are set on the Arrakis, which makes Paul, and those around him, more inquisitive.
Shortly after he is denied travel to Arrakis, Paul is woken during the night by his mother, who reveals that the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam has heard of his dreams and come to visit him. She explains the importance of the visit and asks Paul to comply with her every wish, to which he agrees. Before entering the room to meet with Mohiam, he is warned by Yueh — the Suk Doctor — that the Bene Gesserit have their own ulterior motives therefore he must be wary of them.
Seconds after their meeting, Paul becomes wary of Mohiam when she dismisses Jessica, citing that it is rude for her to be dismissed in her own home, but Mohiam simply remarks that she was once Jessica's teacher. Mohiam subjects Paul to a test under the Gom Jabbar, which he graciously passes with ease. Mohiam is surprised, but nonetheless impressed. Paul questions the Bene Gesserit's motives further when he overhears a conversation between Mohiam and his mother in which they talk about the The One, a prophesied son that will bring peace to the universe. Jessica explains that the Bene Gesserit has been manipulating bloodlines for centuries to bring about The One, but that some believe he has already arrived.
Shortly after their arrival on Arrakis, Paul is invited along with his father, Leto, on a tour of the spice harvesting operations upon the desert planet. They are accompanied by Liet-Kynes, the judge of change. They witness a harvester circling the desert harvesting spice, but are made aware that large sandworms are attracted to the rhythmic thumping caused by the harvesters. Paul and Leto are concerned, however, when the equipment on a carryall fails and the harvester cannot be lifted to safety.
Leto orders as many men to be saved from the harvester as possible, but when Paul leaves the ornithopter to help, he begins experiencing hallucinations due to the vast amount of spice within the air. His hallucinations present themselves in the form of the Fremen girl he has been seeing for weeks. Paul is dragged back aboard the ornithopter just in time before the sandworm ravages the harvester.
Paul faces further dangers when House Atreides is betrayed by none other than Dr. Yueh, who disables the shield surrounding Arrakeen and jams Atreides' communications. Paul is taken hostage along with Jessica by Harkonnen soldiers. Below them, Arrakeen is ravaged by a hoard of Harkonnen and Sardaukar soldiers.
Whilst the Harkonnen men plan to drop Paul and Jessica into the desert, Paul becomes increasingly concerned for Jessica's safety when the men talk about raping her. Paul tries to use the Voice, but fails on numerous occasions. Eventually, he is successful and commands the soldier to remove his mothers gag. Jessica is able to use the Voice to command the men to kill one another and they are successfully able to escape the ornithopter. They take with them a survival kit left by Yueh.
With Arrakis under siege, Jessica and Paul are forced to sleep in a tent in the desert. Sadness overwhelms the two, however, when they find Leto's ring — bearing the Atreides seal — and realise that he is more than likely dead. Paul begins to pull away from Jessica, blaming her and the Bene Gesserit for their intervention.
The following morning, Paul and Jessica venture into the desert where they meet with Idaho, who confirms the death of the late Leto. Paul is welcomed by Duncan as the new Duke of House Atreides, and leads the two to a Fremen stronghold where they meet with Dr. Kynes.
At the stronghold, an old research facility, Kynes explains the history of Arrakis to Paul and Jessica, including how its purpose changed after the discovery of spice. Their time at the facility is cut short, however, when they are attacked by Sardaukar troops and Idaho is killed. Kynes is able to aid Paul and Jessica to safety and allows them to take her ornithopter before telling them she will meet them with the Fremen.
Paul pilots the ornithopter and is successfully able to evade the Sardaukar troops, but crashes in the desert not long after. Paul and Jessica begin to panic, however, when the crash attracts a sandworm. Paul is barely able to escape as he comes face-to-face with the sandworm, but finds that it is distracted moments later when someone activates a thumper nearby.
Shortly after, Paul and Jessica are met by a group of Fremen led by Stilgar. Within the group is Chani, the Fremen girl Paul has been dreaming about. Stilgar allows the two to stay with their group, but Paul is forced to fight when Jamis contests the their membership. Paul is able to defend himself with ease and kills Jamis moments later. He and Jessica are invited to join the Fremen, which the two accept.
==Gallery==
Paul Atreides Dune 1984.jpeg|Kyle MacLachlan as the character in the 1984 film.
Paul Atreides Dune 2021.jpeg|Timothée Chalamet as the character in the 2021 film
Category:Characters
Category:Live-action characters
Category:Males
Category:Male characters
Category:Dune characters
Category:Heroes