Jodorowsky's Dune Uncovered

Scene 43 : Fighting Robot

Paul enters his gymnasium and bows before Duncan, Gurney, Thufir and Yueh. He hesitates to speak due to the presence of stranger whose head is hidden under a hat and behind a large fan.

Hawatt explains to Paul that he is a friend, and Paul says as they are leaving Caladan today he'd prefer not to have a lesson. Idaho knocks Paul down, telling him not to mix feelings and fighting.

Hawatt removes the hat and fan from the stranger - it is a robot!

Hawatt explains "This robot will judge your courage, your speed and resistance. You cannot defeat him. If you try, you'll die."

The robot is imprinted with Paul's voice, and now Paul alone can stop the fight.

Thufir activates the robot and it stands, monitoring Paul's movements, breathing, the sound of his heart.

Paul attacks and easily knocks the clumsy robot to the ground, but it gets back up and with each encounter the robot becomes more powerful, and soon Paul is fighting for his life but refuses to surrender. Finally Thufir shots the robot and it explodes.

Leto and Jessica enter the gymnasium to investigate the explosion. Leto understands Paul's frustration and explains he knows that Dune is a trap, but explains to Paul that the Emperor is fearful that Leto could unite the Minor Houses and break the economic block of the Emperor, the Major Houses and the Guild.

The Atreides are being set up to fail so that Leto will lose his reputation and the Minor Houses will remain fragmented. One hope remains, if they can recruit the Fremen the Atreides will have an army more powerful than the Imperium's.

Jessica then (very quickly) teaches Paul how to use the Voice, and proclaims that they will survive.

The Moebius storyboards move this scene into the Guild ship, and begins with another sweeping camera move, zooming through space and into the window of a gymnasium on the ship.

The available storyboards end during the fight, so it is unclear if the scene continues as per the script, however a glimpse of the script shown in the Jodorowsky's Dune documentary does match that from the script.

Continue to Part 15: Departing Caladan