1. Alia Atreides is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.
22 Facts About Alia Atreides
2.
Alia Atreides was introduced in the first novel of the series, 1965's Dune, and was originally killed in Herbert's first version of the manuscript.
3.
Alia Atreides marries the ghola Duncan Idaho, but becomes possessed by the persona of her deceased maternal grandfather, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.
4.
Alia Atreides is portrayed by Alicia Witt in David Lynch's 1984 film adaptation, by Laura Burton in the 2000 miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune, by Daniela Amavia in its 2003 sequel, Frank Herbert's Children of Dune, and by Anya Taylor-Joy in a cameo appearance in Denis Villeneuve's 2024 film Dune: Part Two.
5.
The daughter of Duke Leto Atreides of Caladan and his Bene Gesserit concubine, Lady Jessica, Alia is the younger sister to Paul Atreides.
6.
William Touponce explains, "Alia Atreides is the archetypal virgin-harlot, a Reverend Mother without motherhood, virgin priestess, witch, and object of fearful veneration for the superstitious masses".
7.
In Dune, Alia Atreides is born a full Reverend Mother when she is exposed to the Water of Life in the womb as Lady Jessica undergoes the spice agony.
8.
Jessica, despite her awareness of this likelihood, brings her baby to term, and Alia Atreides slowly learns to control the powers she has been granted as Reverend Mother and sister of the Kwisatz Haderach.
9.
Alia Atreides is raised in a community of Fremen, led by her brother in an effort to control the planet and its production of melange.
10.
Alia Atreides is captured and the infant Leto killed in a Sardaukar raid on the sietch; she is presented to the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV, who notes that she had been "in command of one of the attacking groups" of Fremen rebels that nearly decimated his raiding party.
11.
Alia Atreides uses her limited prescience in a unique way, projecting thoughts and images into the mind of the horrified Imperial Truthsayer, Gaius Helen Mohiam.
12.
In Dune Messiah, teenaged Alia Atreides is worshipped as a saint, and the avatar of Paul's religion.
13.
Alia Atreides is further explored in the novel through her relationship with the ghola Hayt, who is Paul's teacher, Duncan Idaho, brought back from the dead by Tleilaxu means.
14.
Shortly after, Alia Atreides marries Hayt, who has regained his full memory and is completely restored as Duncan.
15.
Alia Atreides gives the order to Fremen leader Stilgar to execute the Reverend Mother Mohiam and Spacing Guild Navigator Edric after the failure of their conspiracy to seize the throne from Paul.
16.
In Children of Dune, Alia Atreides becomes progressively more devious and power-hungry as she slowly succumbs to Abomination.
17.
The twins offer Alia Atreides their help conquering her inner lives, as they had.
18.
Alia Atreides then loses all control over the other personalities within her and they all fight for dominance over her.
19.
In Sandworms of Dune, the voice of Alia Atreides continues to irk the Baron, driving him to frequent outbursts that confuse those around him.
20.
Alia Atreides is recreated as a ghola on the no-ship Ithaca; in an attempt to grow Alia Atreides exactly as she had been in life, the axlotl tank is flooded with a near-lethal dose of the spice melange.
21.
Alia Atreides is portrayed by Alicia Witt in David Lynch's 1984 film adaptation, by Laura Burton in the 2000 miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune and by Daniela Amavia in its 2003 sequel, Frank Herbert's Children of Dune.
22.
Alia Atreides appears briefly as an infant in one of Paul's visions of the future in the 2021 film Dune, which covers the first part of the book.