History Characters / DuneDenisVilleneuveHouseHarkonnen

* AdaptationalBadass: The novel version is constantly thrown around by events, playing a perfunctory role in the Emperor's machinations, and this is best shown when he's reduced to submission by the Emperor's arrival. His film version, in contrast, is almost always much more in control of everything: kills personally Yueh in a impressive way suggesting he is not a total NonActionGuy, and when the Emperor arrives in Arrakis, even if their encounter transpires the same way, the Baron at least has the will and influence to gather the noble houses in response and turn them ''against'' Shaddam. Notably, he also claims to have a plan to plant a Harkonnen on the imperial throne, which, assuming he was not simply talking off his arse, he would clearly have a non-zero chance to achieve in this version.

[[caption-width-right:350:''"RATS! HARRY RATS! KILL THEM!! KILL THEM!! KILL THEM ALL! KILL... THEM... ALL! RATS!"'']]

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: While the Harkonnen are arguably more kill crazy than their book counterparts, the film leaves out the Baron's pedophilia, it also leaves out a lot of the more petty evil actions of the Harkonnen on Arrakis meant to frivolously waste water in full view of the natives both as a taunt and as a flex of their exceptional wealth, such as how the palace is purposefully designed to not retain its humidity from dissipating into the outside air, and the elaborate dinner rituals designed to waste water before handing the wet towels to beggars to scrabble over the water from wringing said towels.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: While the Harkonnen are arguably more kill crazy than their book counterparts, and the film leaves out the Baron's pedophilia, it also leaves out a lot of the more petty evil actions of the Harkonnen on Arrakis meant to frivolously waste water in full view of the natives both as a taunt and as a flex of their exceptional wealth, such as how the palace is purposefully designed to not retain its humidity from dissipating into the outside air, and the elaborate dinner rituals designed to waste water before handing the wet towels to beggars to scrabble over the water from wringing said towels.

* ChildishOlderSibling: His little brother Feyd is also a [[Ax-Crazy vicious nutcase]], but what Feyd ''isn't'' is a PsychopathicManchild.

* AdaptationalDumbass: Downplayed. He's much less incompetent than the literary Baron, but he lacks his novel counterpart's streak of GenreSavvy. Notably The Baron accepts Rabban's statement that Paul and Jessica died from flying into a sandstorm, whereas his book counterpart flew into a rage when presented with this claim, knowing that it's premature to believe they're dead if the Harkonnens NeverFoundTheBody. Additionally, in the book Piter and the Baron develop the plan to bring the downfall of House Atreides. While the Emperor aided and supported him, it was largely The Baron's scheme. In the movie, The Baron is depicted as a junior, albeit extremely willing, partner in The Emperor's ploy.

* AnimalMotifs: His tendency to [[ScreamingWarrior snarl and bark during combat]] gives him a primal quality not unlike a rabid dog, not to mention how often he bares his [[ScaryTeeth blackened teeth]]. Gurney outright calls Feyd an "animal", a description that is even more appropriate here than in the original book.

* AlwaysNight: The planet Giedi Prime is fouled with pollution, preventing sunlight from piercing the cloud cover.

* AdaptationalBadass: The novel version is constantly thrown around by events, playing a perfunctory role in the Emperor's machinations and only surviving to Leto's attempt on his life by dumb luck, and this is best shown when he's reduced to submission by the Emperor's arrival. His film version, in contrast, is almost always much more in control of everything: kills personally Yueh in a impressive way suggesting he is not a total NonActionGuy, and when the Emperor arrives in Arrakis, even if their encounter transpires the same way, the Baron at least has the will and influence to gather the noble houses in response and turn them ''against'' Shaddam. Notably, he also claims to have a plan to plant a Harkonnen on the imperial throne, which, assuming he was not simply talking off his arse, he would clearly have a non-zero chance to achieve in this version.

* AdaptationalBadass: The novel version is constantly thrown around by events, playing a perfunctory role in the Emperor's machinations and only surviving to Leto's attempt on his life by dumb luck, and this is best shown when he's reduced to submission by the Emperor's arrival. His film version, in contrast, is almost always much more in control of everything: he survives the attempt thanks to his personal gear and quick thinking, kills personally Yueh in a impressive way suggesting he is not a total NonActionGuy, and when the Emperor arrives in Arrakis, even if their encounter transpires the same way, the Baron at least has the will and influence to gather the noble houses in response and turn them ''against'' Shaddam. Notably, he also claims to have a plan to plant a Harkonnen on the imperial throne, which, assuming he was not simply talking off his arse, he would clearly have a non-zero chance to achieve in this version.

[[caption-width-right:350:''"Rest? REST? KILL... THEM... ALL! KILL... THEM... ALL! RATS!"'']]

* NotSoStoic: [[spoiler:When Leto releases the poison gas in his tooth, the Baron goes visibly OhCrap and rapidly escapes to the farthest, highest corner of the ceiling he can find to remove himself from the threat. He is still clinging to that spot when his servants unseal the room the next morning, and is moaning in pain, fear or both.]]

A great House of the Landsraad, with their capital on the heavily industrialized planet Giedi Prime. The historical enemies of House Atreides, they are infamous for their underhanded and sinister political tactics, fueled by ambition, malevolence, hatred and brutality. They are ruled by a Baron.

* DragonAscendant: [[spoiler:Feyd succeeds his uncle as head of House Harkonnen, following the Baron's death at Paul's hands in the climax of ''Part Two''. His ascendancy doesn't short-lived, however, as Feyd himself is killed by Paul in a final duel to decide the Imperial throne.]]

* NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction: Being a full-fledged BloodKnight, Feyd relishes a good fight when he finds one. Notably, when he cuts down the first two Atreides soldiers who'd been drugged, Feyd does so casually with an almost bored expression on his face. When he gets to Lanville and realizes he isn't drugged and can actually give him a fight, Feyd is notably ecstatic and savors every second of it, even discarding his shield to make the fight more fair and barking at the guards to back off when they try to assist him.

* AlbinosAreFreaks: The villainous Harkonnens and their soldiers have very pale skin in this adaptation. Villeneuve [[https://ew.com/movies/dune-trailer-breakdown-denis-villeneuve/ explained]] that their homeworld of Giedi Prime is so polluted that they're not used to the sun. Stilgar also mentions that Harkonnen bodies are so loaded with chemicals that the Fremen can only use the water they extract for cooling purposes.

* RedRightHand: In addition to the BaldOfEvil and EvilAlbino traits shared among all Harkonnen, Feyd and his cannibalistic harem have had their teeth painted black. This makes him particularly unsettling to look at, especially when he's [[ScaryTeeth baring them in the heat of battle]].

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Feyd is still very much a psychotic despot-to-be, but the film's AdaptationalBadass treatment makes him much more of an honorable warrior than the original CombatPragmatist from the book. His attempts to assassinate the Baron are also omitted, with him reacting to his own assassination attempt with the disgust of someone who considers himself over treachery, and it's stated Feyd intends to inherit his uncle's titles legitimately.

* AmbitionIsEvil: All Harkonnen leadership seek power to one degree or another, and will use any means possible to see their ambitions realized. Due to their brutal MightMakesRight philosophy, a Harkonnen has to be ruthless and cutthroat to climb the social hierarchy, or risk being killed themselves by someone even more ambitious than them.

* AmbitionIsEvil: All Harkonnen leadership seek power to one degree or another, and will use any means possible to see their ambitions realized. Due to their brutal MightMakesRigh philosophy, a Harkonnen has to be ruthless and cutthroat to climb the social hierarchy, or risk being killed themselves by someone even more ambitious than them.

* AmbitionIsEvil: All Harkonnen leadership are ambitious to one degree or another. Due to their brutal MightMakesRigh philosophy, a Harkonnen has to be ruthless and cutthroat to climb the social hierarchy, or risk being killed themselves by someone even more ambitious than them.

* DragonTheirFeet: [[spoiler:He outlives the Baron by attempting to get out of dodge as soon as Paul and the Fremen descend upon the Imperial stronghold. He doesn't get past Arrakeen before Gurney catches up to him and settles his grudge with a knife to the Beast's throat.]

* AdaptationalWimp: The reader never quite gets a look on Feyd's inner world in the novel, so it's reasonable to assume he's just as confident and worldly as he looks. Meanwhile, the film makes him surprisingly vulnerable in this field, showing him disappointed and angry at his uncle's attempt on his life, and later insecure and almost disturbed at Margot's advances. Her report on him to Mohiam explicitly state she is drawing on his insecurities to manipulate him.