IR TV Review: DUNE - PROPHECY - EPISODE 3 (“Sisterhood Above All”) [HBO/Max]
The interpretation of revenge is built on a context of experience, planning and posturing. With the third episode of "Dune: Prophecy," "Sisterhood Above All," the pair of sisters in Valya and Tula Harkonnen are draped in different ideas of progression. This episodes of the ones so far ideally gives a diametric but also the push and pull in the Harkonnens at this point in their mythology. The reactionary progression makes sense though it depends on the point of view. While Valya is the mastermind, the mission that the young version of Tula takes out on another House and the chicanery she uses to do it is quite severe. It creates the most emotional resonance so far because Tula (later played by Olivia Williams) is not unfeeling. The work she does in the revenge for her brother's death is up close and personal but away from the wants of her family, spearhead only by Valya. Emma Canning as the young Tula is very effective as is Jessica Barden as the younger Valya. We see her progression but also why she was brought into confidence.
Valya's ego in many ways will become her undoing whereas Tula's empathy might save her or destroy her. The reason this episode works so well is because it balances four progressions of story. The two when they were young. And then two when they are older. The older progressions are Valya (played by Emily Watson) working the political game but also observing Desmond (Travis Fimmel). He is still a wild card but he harks forward too much to the same problem that plagues another tale 10000 years later. The mysticism that was alluded to in episode one really has not evolved in its abstract images. This episode does show the percursor to the water of life being used to see into the past lives in a very physical visceral way. It also provides the needed divergence of character. Granted things don't qo quite exactly as they might. Another interesting dynamic is of the sisterhood students in almost blindly following their teachers who have flaws of their own. "Dune: Prophecy" is asking some interesting questions and Episode 3 is the best execution of these revolving storylines so far but it also depends very specifically where it ends up. A-
By Tim Wassberg
