In an exclusive interview with The Direct, Dune: Prophecy's Shalom Brune Franklin went into detail about her character Mikaela's complex, double-sided life.
This article contains spoilers for Dune: Prophecy Episode 2
HBO’s Dune: Prophecy explores the origins of the Bene Gesserit, the secretive and powerful Sisterhood from Frank Herbert’s Dune universe, in a prequel set 10,000 years before Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film.
The series premiered on November 17 with a shocking ending, to positive reviews, praised for its ambitious storytelling and connection to the Great Schools of Dune novels.
Episode 2, "Two Wolves," released on Sunday, November 24, continued a complicated political story across the galaxy, including the introduction of Mikaela, part rebel, member of the Sisterhood, and Fremen.
Mikaela's Alligance to the Sisterhood Over The Rebellion
"It is her place to remember, 'Sisterhood above all.'"
- The Direct: "Can you give us insight into Mikaela’s perspective on the rebellion? Does she believe in their cause, or is her allegiance to the Sisterhood her primary motivation?"
"I think with this rebellion...they're saying these resources in our world are not being shared fairly, which we all can understand and all can relate to, but we all partake in it at the end of the day. You know, we know where things come from, but we are guilty, you know, of partaking in it. I think naturally you would, you know, sympathize a little, wouldn't you? When the rebellion happens to be about liberating your very own people, the people that you come from and the place that you come from. And so there is definitely a part of her, you know, I think she quite likes Horace and I think she is potentially a little inspired by his fight that he has, but ultimately It's not her place to have an opinion on those things.
It is her place to remember, 'Sisterhood above all,' and Valya's plan and what Valya has in store is gonna be the right plan and the right way forward for all of us, for everybody. And I think she has to, has to believe that. Otherwise, she would just get involved with the rebellion and be like, 'See you later, mate. I'm off with these guys.'"
"Can you imagine if this plan falls apart and people are able to connect the Sisterhood to the rebellion, what that would mean for her?"
- The Direct: "Mikaela’s actions expose Kieran as a rebel spy. Does she feel guilt or conflict about betraying someone from her own rebellion, or does her allegiance to the Sisterhood override these emotions?"
"100%. I think I really do think that. She has spent every single day with these people and has grown close to them in some way and even when we see her being stern with him about going off with the princess, it's really all to do with the fact that she really wants there to be a way forward where she can potentially protect everybody and it can work out for all of them.
She can see that his head has been turned by this princess...She's happier to give him up to Valya because Kieran's potentially ruining her plan now. And she doesn't want to end up looking bad in front of Valya that she couldn't even keep this rebellion intact... So in a way, I think she's protecting herself by giving him up too, because she doesn't want it all to be on her head. Can you imagine if this plan falls apart and people are able to connect the Sisterhood to the rebellion, what that would mean for her? Mikaela doesn't want to experience the wrath of Valya...so he's got to go."
Connection to Zendaya's Chani and Arrakis
"You have to keep on watching."
- The Direct: "Zendaya’s character Chani is intertwined with the story of Arrakis and the Fremen. Many have already noted the connection between Keiran and Paul Atreides. Do you think Mikaela shares a similar tie to Chani?"
"Who knows? You have to keep on watching. Who knows!"
"In terms of this rebellion specifically, she is the connection to Arrakis."
The Direct: "Why do you think Mikaela was chosen for this pivotal role in the rebellion, especially considering her admiration for figures like Kasha and her unique position within the Sisterhood?"
"Yeah, definitely. And I think in terms of this rebellion specifically, she is the connection to Arrakis. So she is the person who has those ties, who has the ability to help pull off those attacks, who is able to manipulate in that way.nd Valya needs that. So she needs her...So that it's definitely being used."
The Rebellion's Use of Thinking Machines
"She's a snitch at the end of the day. She's a snitch. She's always going to be snitching back to value."
- The Direct: "The rebellion has chosen to utilize thinking machines, despite the cultural and legal prohibitions against them. How does Mikaela perceive this controversial decision? Does she believe the rebellion is justified in crossing that line?"
"I think anything goes in that world, to be honest, and whatever they need to do in order to, to carry out their plan, she is on board with. And I think she has to be really careful too, because she doesn't want to give herself up. She has to make sure that she plays it right (correctly) in front of them. She can't be seen to be going against the idea of using a thinking machine because they could turn to her and go, 'Why? What? What's your issue with this? We're trying to blow them up. This is the easiest way to do it. What's your problem?'
She doesn't want eyes on her. So I think she has to be really careful with everything. And I think Mikaela herself probably is always thinking about the bigger picture. So things like this, I think she has to kind of turn a blind eye, but she will always report back. She's a snitch at the end of the day. She's a snitch. She's always going to be snitching back to value."
Mikaela's Future & Working on Dune Prophecy
"I'm teetering on the edge of spoiling so I think that's it."
The Direct: Without giving too much away, what can you tease about Mikaela’s role in the rebellion’s story as the season progresses? Will her actions have a significant impact on the rebellion’s trajectory?
"I think it's going to be interesting to watch Mikaela's alliances play out because I think Mikaela is going to keep you guessing of who she serves...I think that's it...I'm teetering on the edge of spoiling so I think that's it."
"Incredibly overwhelming stepping into something like this because of how loved it is."
The Direct: "What was it like working on the set of HBO's Dune: Prophecy?"
"Oh, it was amazing. I mean, the sets themselves, I've never seen anything like it. When you step onto that sort of spice club/den set was unbelievable. The amount of work that goes into that and just how grand everything is. The scale is unbelievable. And it's just been incredible, working with Emily Watson as well.
And Chris [Mason], just such a great experience. And I've had so much fun and we were filming in Budapest as well, and I hadn't spent much time there. So that was a really cool experience... Incredibly overwhelming stepping into something like this because of how loved it is. And I was saying before, it's so different to any other show I've done because normally you finish a show and you go, 'God, we had so much fun making this. I really hope people watch it.' Which is definitely not a fear that you have when you do something like this. It's nice to sort of tick off that one of like, at least we know people will watch it...That's a nice feeling to have as an actor."
Dune: Prophecy Episodes 1 & 2 are now streaming on Max.
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