“Might thy knife chip and shatter.” Effectively, positive, however historical past will let you know typically it’s far simpler to deliver a gun to a knife battle. Why, then, in Frank Herbert’s “Dune” universe and each “Dune” adaptation, are the likes of Paul Atreides, Duncan Idaho, and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen continually making an attempt to stay one another with blades as a substitute of (and pardon our language) emptying a clip in each other? The reason is definitely a smart one should you delve into the historical past of the time earlier than the Atreides household touched down on Arrakis. As a result of technological development in a single specific (drive)discipline, weapons bought taken off the desk.
This all took place due to the creation of the Holtzman Defend, a extremely handy forcefield that covers the complete physique of its wearer. On the press of a button on a bracelet or wristband, the consumer is protected from hurt relating to any projectile weapon. Sadly, its distribution made a popular weapon of selection through the Outdated Imperium period – the lasgun – practically out of date. The gun which omitted a beam of sunshine at its goal would not be deflected by the defend, however as a substitute create a small nuclear blast killing anybody within the neighborhood. In consequence, projectile weapons had been virtually fully phased out resulting in different instruments turning into far more practical in battle. Particularly sharp and pointy ones, a few of which might be crafted from sandworms.
Knives is perhaps a weapon of selection, however the Fremen nonetheless have a particular sort of firearm
As a result of fancy shields that hold Paul protected (up to a degree), blades are the important thing instrument of battle, not only for one-on-one fight however battles on an excellent grander scale. The way forward for homes would relaxation on knife edges in huge battles, with lasguns being phased out. In consequence, shields that weren’t solely used to guard a person but in addition complete ships and places may very well be breached by chemical weapons (as seen through the siege of Arrakis in “Dune: Half One”) or easy handguns when it got here to close-quarter encounters.
As for the Fremen, they have an inclination to make use of a firearm referred to as a Maula pistol. This spring-loaded weapon fired toxic darts that moved at such a velocity and drive they may breach Holtzman’s shields and take out whoever they had been fired at. They make an look in Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation being utilized by Paul (Timothee Chalamet) and the meme-worthy Stilgar (Javier Bardem) up to date with a folded grip to be simply saved in a stillsuit. As fancy as they had been, although, a trusty knife or Crysknife (a blade molded from the sharpened tooth of a sandworm) is predominantly used, and we help this choice. With out it, we would not have had the final stand of Duncan Idaho which made Jason Momoa look much more badass than normal, or Austin Butler and Timothee Chalamet’s epic knife battle in “Dune: Half Two.”
