by Anjini Taneja Azhar
The beauty of science fiction features is their ability to build new worlds for an audience that stands the test of time. While this genre frequently introduces new planets, technologies, and even species – they often use these elements as the framework for a simple yet powerful statement.
Studying and analyzing other sci-fi features is a powerful way to better understand how to take on such ambitious journeys in a limited amount of time. One prime example is the 2024 hit, DUNE: PART TWO written by Denis Villenueve and Jon Spaihts. The epic downward spiral of Paul Atreides brilliantly uses the sci-fi genre to tell a powerful, character-driven story.
While DUNE: PART TWO plays as a gargantuan epic on screen, both in scale and intricacy, the screenplay is a perfect example of ‘economy of language.’ DUNE: PART TWO offers more with less. Vivid imagery and description never holds the pacing back, in fact the story moving forward only unravels more for an audience.
Here we’ll do an examination of the script that truly marks itself as an example for high-caliber sci-fi writing, DUNE: PART TWO. Warning: This article contains spoilers if you haven’t yet seen DUNE: PART TWO.
OPENING IMAGE
DUNE: PART TWO is a sequel, so its opening image will fare differently than most stand-alone sci-fi scripts. The film picks up exactly where PART ONE left off (literally moments later), yet it doesn’t waste time overdoing exposition to catch its audience up to speed.
Part of what makes any brilliant script, and what amplifies a genre script even more, is the understanding that the audience is always smarter than the writer. Assume the audience is always one step ahead, not in need of constant explanation, and write with motion.
The opening image is a simple, two-paged sequence of Irulan (played by Florence Pugh) finishing her records, reiterating now what we saw in PART ONE exactly but what we might have missed in the time between the two films. Her character’s voice in the dialogue is strong, building tension, painting her father’s character, and sending the film off to the races by page 3. It does not read as the writers explaining context to an audience in a linear manner; it reads as Irulan, engulfed in her war-torn turmoil, recounting her own woes in this story.
As you can see, DUNE: PART TWO offers a concise, yet chilling, opening image through the unique perspective of Irulan.
WORLD BUILDING
Although DUNE: PART TWO is a sequel, the script ensures that its first act has the necessary world building to immerse its audience in an otherworldly-adventure. After Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and Jessica Atreides (Rebecca Ferguson) survive an almost deadly encounter with Harkonnen soldiers, establishing the given circumstances of our main characters, they are taken by Fremen soldiers Stilgar (Javier Bardem) and Chani (Zendaya) to Sietch Tabr. This is the ancestral village of the Fremen people. Immediately, the script reorients our main characters and forces them, thus forcing us, into a new world.
Notice how this script does not halt the story to offer descriptions of this new world or exposition for the single purpose of world-building. The world-building in this screenplay moves forward with its characters. We learn about the world with Paul and Jessica. As they interact with the Fremen, or vice versa, more of Sietch Tabr comes alive.
When Atreides and gang return to this village, they bare the body of Jamis, their fallen soldier from DUNE: PART ONE. This is another story element within the plot that allows us to discover the world of the Fremen:
The Fremen people respond to Paul as the Lisan Al-Gaib (the Prophet) and others more skeptical, even calling Jessica a witch. This forces reactions from our supporting characters, Stilgar and Chani. Even moreso, it forces Stilgar to pull Jessica to another situation, forcing the story into another part of the village.
As the story continues, Jessica’s journey moves forward, and we get to learn more about this Fremen village:
Seeing how the Fremen interact in their world, from the families praying and the Watermasters utilizing the water from their dead, allows us to understand the rules of the Fremen world even more. Of course, we can easily observe how using characters and story beats to unravel our world proves for strong storybuilding.
A STRONG CHARACTER ARC
The biggest misconception when it comes to genre screenplays such as science fiction or fantasy, is that these are solely plot-driven scripts. The strongest genre scripts, in fact, use these heightened plot devices such as aliens, war, and villains to show a grand character journey.
DUNE: PART TWO quite literally tells the story of a false-prophet’s downfall. Paul Atreide’s story is a tragedy. This screenplay does not shy away from the depth of Paul’s arc to make room for its high-stakes and perilous journeys. In fact, Paul’s arc directly fuels the journey ahead.
Every scene in DUNE: PART TWO cleverly pushes a character further into a change. For example, below we see Stilgar’s fanaticism grow as the younger generation of Fremen pushback. Paul Atreides, who views Stilgar as a mentor, questions his peers on their own skepticism of the Prophet.
His innocence and his dilemma between what he is expected to be by those he respects (Stilgar) versus those whose respect he yearns for (Chani and the Fremen soldiers) is perfectly painted in this singular scene. We start to see the choice in which Paul Atreides must make.
Paul Atreides’ character arc is not only propelled by the choices presented to him, but by those outside of his immediate story. Outside of the Fremen’s world, back with Princess Irulan, rumours of Atreides being alive and potentially becoming the warrior to lead the Native Fremen further increase tension.
These pressures come back to our protagonist as he is forced into becoming what the world is deciding he is. At the same time, Paul becoming the Lisan Al-Gaib threatens the order of present-day Arrakis. His interpersonal and extrapersonal journey is physically driving the entire plot, our villains, and our subplots:
As Paul’s journey with the Fremen continues while the antagonist forces, the Harkonnens, prepare for war against Atreides, we witness Paul gaining a renewed consciousness on the change that is before him. While some protagonists are unknowingly thrown into change, Paul becomes hyperaware of it.
From external forces to individuals around him, such as Jessica Atreides beginning to manipulate Paul’s journey despite his self-awareness, Paul Atreides finally chooses between the two realities presented in the above social dilemma: a life as an equal alongside Chani or life as a leader that may lead to annihilation. Paul chooses that latter, and change comes forth from every character he cares for:
As we witness Paul’s decision, the script cleverly puts him at center stage whilst displaying what this choice is doing to all of the characters in his orbit. They are all connected and all affected. To understand the gravity of his character’s choice, we now see him through their eyes.
TENSION & STAKES
Once Paul takes on the role as the Lisan Al-Gaib to fulfill the prophecy, the stakes are elevated and the film proceeds with heightened tension. The script brilliantly shows this through the characters around Paul before the world around him. If the stakes and tension are this high within his inner-circle, we can only imagine the explosion that is to follow in the outside world that fears his leadership.
Paul Atreides skyrockets with power, and the film hits the gas yet again. Princess Irulan discovers he has challenged her father (Christopher Walken), marking an upcoming battle that will yet again reorient audiences to a new world order for Arrakis. In the meantime, Paul launches the Fremen into battle:
The tension has risen with Paul having fully assumed his role as the very thing he swore against, the Fedaykin blindly at his side, and Chani’s realization that she’s lost Paul altogether. All of this in one concise scene has shown us there is subjective war off the battlefield.
A POWERFUL ENDING: THE POINT OF NO RETURN
For a science-fiction feature screenplay, an ending can either be a powerful moment of catharsis in which our protagonist has proven successful from their hero’s journey or an ending that indicates more to come. DUNE: PART TWO takes the latter route.
Paul brutally murders our primary villain and offers centre stage to his nephew, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (Austin Butler). Paul Atreides’ point of no return in his extrapersonal journey was the moment he declared himself the Lisan Al-Gaib to the Fremen people.
His point of no return within his interpersonal journey comes in the third act, preparing us for an ending that feels more like a gut punch. Paul prepares to let go of what he loves the most:
What he loves most? Chani.
Paul now becomes the leader that Stilgar prophesied him to be. Yet, we cannot help but notice, he has lost his mother who changed so drastically after drinking the poison, he has lost Chani, and his world is crumbling. He is driven by vengeance, self-righteousness that is misplaced, and a brewing arrogance.
Still, a tense battle against Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Paul Atreides, for the hand of Princess Irulan and control for Paul Atreides (the very thing he did not want when accepted into the Fremen’s world) ensues. This battle occurs near the very end of this screenplay (page 115 out of 119). We understand that this battle will conclude our film, meaning that no matter what, there will be loss at the end of this script, setting the stage for our tragedy to deepen further in the next film.
Notice how the fight scene is concise in its writing, ensuring our ending is not lost amidst overdirection on the page. Instead, the writing relies on tension, emotion, stakes. The directorial aspects come later. For now, there is painting with words.
Paul Atreides emerges victorious, yet he has lost the love of his life and is forced into a marriage of utility. Alone in his heart, yet surrounded by the millions that now worship him, Paul Atreides unleashes the Holy War, sending Arrakis into utter chaos.
The script ends as a tragedy for Paul Atreides, who becomes the worst version of himself all by his own actions, but is forced to make us wonder if he just may save the Fremen in the film that follows.
READY FOR NEXT LEVEL ANALYSIS?
Read the screenplay for DUNE: PART TWO here[1][2] and watch the film to study these elements of the screenplay. Remember, a strong science fiction feature script has its protagonist’s journey at its core, and uses its genre as a superpower to amplify this journey.
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