A shocking twist at the end of Dune: Prophecy's Episode 4 will make audience members question everyone's true identity.
Dune: Prophecy is a new sci-fi series on HBO that serves as a prequel to the Dune films, exploring the origins of the Bene Gesserit 10,000 years before the events of the movies.
The show stars Emily Watson as Valya Harkonnen and Indira Varma as Tula Harkonnen, sisters who face threats to humanity and lay the groundwork for the Bene Gesserit order.
Many twists have already occurred, including Sister Kasha's surprising death that ended Episode 1.
Dune Prophecy's Theo Twist Explained
At the end of Dune: Prophecy Episode 4, Mark Addy's Evgeny Harkonnen confronts his niece, Valya, about the death of her brother, Griffin (played by Earl Cave).
Then, in a dream-like moment, young Griffin appears to Valya after Evgeny collapses. After a long embrace and a heartfelt back and forth, Griffin's face morphs. At that moment, Valya says, "Thank you, Theo," revealing that Jade Anouka's Sister Theodosia is a Face Dancer.
One interesting aspect of this shape-shifting ability is that it seems Theo may not have had control over how long she'd be presenting as Griffin, and when she transformed back to normal, the process seemed painful.
Earlier in the episode, Theo's hidden "talent" is teased when she is confronted about using it, with Valya calling it a "last resort."
In Dune lore, a Face Dancer is a metamorphic human known for their ability to replicate any individual's appearance, voice, and personality.
Engineered from axlotl tanks, they lack self-identity and function as versatile infiltrators, often serving as spies or assassins by mimicking their targets with near-perfect precision.
With a Face Dancer within the Sisterhood, Theo's future became much more complex leading into the final two episodes.
What's Next For Face Dancers in Dune?
The reveal that Theo is a Face Dancer could drastically alter the dynamics of Dune: Prophecy. Her presence might signal a deeper infiltration of the Sisterhood by the Bene Tleilax, raising questions about whether she is loyal to the Sisterhood or operating under hidden motives.
Given her ability to mimic anyone, Theo could be used to further the Sisterhood’s clandestine goals, such as influencing key players or sabotaging enemies, while simultaneously casting doubt on the integrity of those around her.
Also, her unique bond with Valya suggests emotional manipulation could play a significant role, potentially leading to devastating consequences if her true nature is discovered.
In Frank Herbert's Dune: Messiah, Face Dancers, particularly Scytale, play a pivotal role in the web of conspiracies against Paul Atreides. As a shape-shifting Bene Tleilaxu operative, Scytale uses his abilities to manipulate key players and infiltrate Paul's inner circle, posing as Otheym’s daughter at a critical point in the novel.
Scytale’s final plan to control Paul by threatening his newborn children shows the Tleilaxu's cleverness and the grave dangers to Paul’s rule, pushing him to use his foresight and quick thinking to win.
The first four episodes of Dune: Prophecy are streaming on Max.
