The new Dune Part Two and Attack on Titan are surprisingly alike: Here’s how

Dune Part Two has hit the theaters! The movie grapples with a wide variety of topics from politics and religion to the fragile nature of the human conscience. The philosophical tones are complemented by breathtaking visuals, action sequences, and chilling music. Carrying out a nuanced plot with so much to offer while maintaining the entertainment quotient is not an easy feat. Another form of media that has phenomenally executed this combination is Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan.

Surprisingly enough, the similarities between Dune Part Two and Attack on Titan aren’t limited to the general approach but further outreaches to the characters and specific scenes. So here’s a breakdown of the similarities between the two! 

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Summary of Dune Part Two

After the fall of the house of Atriedes and the death of his father in Dune Part 1, Paul strives to win over the hearts of the Fremen. His journey continues in part 2 as he learns the ways of the Fremen under Stilgar. He learns to ride the Holy Sandworm and gets accepted by the Fremen for saving Chani, they start calling him Muad Dib Usul. On the other hand, Jessica consumes the Water of Life and becomes the Reverend Mother. She starts talking to her daughter in the womb and conspires to spread the prophecy among the weak to fulfill her ambitions. 

Paul visits the South and he’s given the Water Of Life. He dies after consuming it but is revived after Chani makes him drink her tear. At that moment he gains the ability to see into the future and the past. He finds out the truth behind his father’s death and threatens the emperor to return. Along with the Fremen, he destroys the Harkonnens center and kills his grandfather who was behind his father’s death. 

In the end, he defeats Rautha in a duel and swears to love Chani forever. The emperor’s daughter asks him to spare her dad’s life in return for her hand which will in turn make him the emperor. He accepts the proposal and Chani leaves alone. 

All the similarities between Dune Part Two and Attack On Titan

The turning point of the movie is that moment when Paul drinks the water of life. And it’s also the moment when the similarities between Dune and Attack on Titan start to appear. 

• Up until that point, Paul had always been skeptical of Bene Gesserits and their prophecy. Later he tiptoes his way around the prophecy because of the war visions and potential death of Chani. 
• According to the visions, a visit to the south will fuel the progression of these events. Despite his cautionary approach, he visits the South. 

• During his visit, he is made to consume the Water of Life. The Water of Life is a substance extracted from the holy creature ‘sandworm’. The Water of Life gives him the ability to see the past and the future, along with the memories of the Reverend Mother. 
• This scene is reminiscent of the moment from Attack on Titan when Eren kisses Historia’s hand. Doing that enables him to see all the possibilities and the end of everything. 

From that moment, both Eren and Paul bear the burden of millions of lives. While destiny binds Eren, it’s the prophecy for Paul. Greisha passed on the Titan powers to Eren, and even though Greisha was predestined to do that, his decision pushed Eren to become the perpetrator of the rumbling. 

Whereas Jessica trained Paul to be a Bene Gesserit. She was also the one who directed the inhabitants of the South to give the Water of Life to Paul. Their parents set them up for a life where they had to make tough decisions. At a young age, they were given the power to determine the fate of the world. And they both eventually end up waging war risking the lives of millions at every turn. 

The Path to War

Eren’s decision behind the rumbling was personal to a great extent. He initiated the rumbling to save his loved ones. He was presented with a false sense of choice as everything was pre-determined and he was only the tool to carry out the necessary actions. In Dune, there are multiple attempts to use Paul as a tool.

Paul declares war at the end of the movie. His stance isn’t clear at present. We don’t know his real intentions. But right before he accepted the proposal of the Emperor’s daughter, he promised Chani to love her forever. After that, he walks down the path to war as the savior, Lisan al Gaib. It wouldn’t be too wild if a part of his motivation was to save Chani. 

The World of Dune

There are different political factions with their own set of interests in Dune; the houses with the emperor at the center of it all. Far from all the prosperity at the brunt of exploitation from the houses were the Fremen. Nobody seems to be aware of their suffering or struggle. They are similar to the Eldians from Paradis. Both the Fremen and the Eldians strive for a normal life and work hard for it. Interestingly, Paul is leading the Fremen to Paradise. 

Bene Gesserit and the Titans

The Reverend mother was the manipulator behind everything at first. She was the one behind the death of Duke Atriedes and the downfall of the emperor. She also wanted Jessica to have a daughter who could then marry into the house of the Harkonnens.

As the powers of the Reverend Mother get passed down, the successors can see the memories of their predecessors and the future as well. These powers are similar to the Attack Titan’s powers. Plus, in both the stories the worm is a significant creature. 

Conclusion

Watching Paul become a morally gray character is reminiscent of Eren’s transformation in Season 4 of Attack on Titan. Even Chani could be Mikasa in an alternate universe. Unlike Mikasa, Chani was quick to rebel against Paul when he started defying his values. It’s glorious how the plot thickens with every scene in both series. The progression of Dune from part 1 to part 2 is glorious to witness.

The way Paul slowly comes to terms with the prophecy and uses it for his benefit is quite interesting. Amidst the philosophical and literal resemblance, we completely forgot about the most important similarity. Both Paul and Eren are four-lettered names, and maybe that’s how it all started! On a more serious note, were you able to spot any other similarities? Let us know in the comments!