I'd like to talk to you guys about who I believe is the most tragic character in Dune. I know manys first pick for this would most likely be Leto II, and for good reason. Letos entire life was a tragedy from the moment he was born, but at least Leto had a choice. It wasn't much of a choice in fairness, but that choice was still present. Compared to the character who I think is more tragic. Duncan Idaho.

Duncan's entire existence is that of a slave. When he wasn't a slave to the Harkonnens anymore, he was a slave to the idealistic whims of his new masters, who I believe abused him more than the Harkonnens ever did. For what could be worse pain, than the betrayal of love? Duncan would argue this heavily I know, but that's what makes it all the more tragic. A slave that's unaware of his situation.

No matter how much Duncan gave, his existence would never find rest. Forced to be the Atredies meat puppet for thousands of years. All for the "neccesitites" . But the neccesitites never end. He was always required one way or another. And when he didn't comply, they just made a new one. He wasn't given true choice. His existence was that of a yes man, or a dead man. And the ones that said yes wanted to believe in the goodness of the Atredies so much. Even the Atredies gene line deluded it's self in believing it.

And even when Duncan finally realized the situation he was in, he wasn't even able to really be upset about it like a normal human should be. His mentat logic prevented this, and so did the perspective of too many lives compiled onto a singular existence, resulting in apathy. The debt he owed to the Atredies ended with his first death, and everything after that was an insult to his memory. Paul honestly disgusts me for not killing the first ghola on the spot, and not dismantaling the tleilaxu for it.

Sure the tleilaxu ended up being integral elements in the future of the series, but Paul had no way of seeing that given the vision blockers on them.