Burning Questions 'Dune: Prophecy' Needs to Answer in Season 2

Days before the season finale of Dune: Prophecy, HBO surprised fans with the announcement that the show has been renewed for Season 2—which is excellent news, because “The High-Handed Enemy” left a number of mysteries unsolved. We know who Desmond Hart is now, but it’s still not clear who turned him into a superpowered operative capable of destroying enemies with his mind, and that information seems key to understanding what’s really going on here.

Given the time it took to make these six episodes, it seems unlikely that Season 2 will premiere before 2026, but in the meantime, keep reading for a list of burning questions that Dune: Prophecy needs to answer.

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Every unanswered question we have following the Dune: Prophecy Season 1 finale

Who created Desmond Hart’s virus?

The Sisterhood finally figured out—at least in part—how Desmond got his burning powers. He was implanted with a nanomachine that acts as a virus, as Valya learned in her vision. What she didn’t see, however, was who put it there. She saw a shadowy figure observing as a robot implanted Desmond with the machine, so there was seemingly a human calling the shots—but who, and why? Extremely unclear, but maybe Valya and Ynez will find some answers on Arrakis.

Who’s going to be the new emperor—or empress?

Now that Javicco is dead, the throne of the Imperium is vacant. Natalya is obviously making a play for it, but the show hasn’t really established how the transfer of power works. Will she just automatically become the person in charge now that her husband is dead? We know that women can take the throne because the sisters are grooming Ynez for it, so that’s apparently not an issue, but it seems unlikely that no one will think it’s suspicious that both her husband and his lover are now dead. There’s also Constantine to contend with: While he’s illegitimate, the succession rules aren’t clear. Who’s to say Javicco didn’t secretly name him as his heir in the event of a situation like this?

Related: What Is ‘the Voice’ in ‘Dune: Prophecy’?

How much did Valya really plan about Javicco’s death?

Valya has always been 10 steps ahead of everyone else, but there was one bit of her grand plan that didn’t go off exactly as she described it. She wanted Francesca to kill Javicco with the meta-cyanide needle (a.k.a. the gom jabbar), but instead Francesca showed it to him and told him that Valya wanted him dead. Javicco, having just been told by Valya that the Sisterhood engineered his entire life, took matters into his own hands and stabbed himself. It seems like Valya could have easily predicted that Francesca wouldn’t go through with it and Javicco would instead kill himself after her dressing-down, but the next part is where things got murky: Empress Natalya walked in as Javicco lay dying and killed Francesca, raising the question of whether Valya predicted that too.

Valya is ice cold, make no mistake, but Francesca was one of the last remaining members of her inner circle. Would she really sacrifice one of her most loyal sisters when the stakes are this high? It’s hard to know, but there’s one decent explanation for why she might have allowed Francesca to die: If Constantine finds out that Natalya murdered his mother, he will almost certainly kill her, removing yet another obstacle in the Sisterhood’s plan to put Inez on the throne.

What’s Constantine up to with the fleet?

Constantine has so far been kind of a failson, but he did love his mother, so the probability that he comes back to avenge her death is high. Will he also make a play for the throne, or will he go join his sister on Arrakis? Remember too that Valya was the one who wanted him appointed commander of the fleet in the first place, so whatever he’s doing out there in space probably has a purpose we don’t yet know.

Related: Dune: Part Three – Cast, Director, Plot

Whose side is Harrow on?

The penultimate episode showed Harrow promising to bring Desmond evidence that the Sisterhood has been meddling in the spice trade, but he then had a conversation with Valya that hinted he’s still on her team. The finale, however, revealed that the strange orb thing that Desmond gave him was actually a recording device, and he now has footage showing Valya plotting the emperor’s murder with Francesca and Theodosia. He could bring it to Desmond, sure, but this also seems like something the Landsraad would be highly interested in, and there’s nothing Harrow wants more than legitimacy.

How will the acolytes react to the news that Valya and Tula are mass murderers?

The most cliffhanger-y moment of the finale was Dorotea-in-Lila’s big reveal to the acolytes that Valya and her gang killed all the Butlerian sisters who didn’t want to accept Valya as their new Mother Superior. Sisters aren’t afraid of a little death—sisterhood above all, and all that—but they are very actively interested in the truth, and they now know Valya has been lying to them for years. If Valya and Tula ever return to Wallach IX, they’re going to need to watch their backs. 

Related: All the Ways ‘Dune: Prophecy’ Connects to the ‘Dune’ Movies