The Bene Gesserit also have a quality that gives them trust and power over the other parts of the Empire: they are actually semi-selfless in their goals. At least in the context that they do not solely look after their own position but the Empire (or humanity) as a whole.
For millennia, the Sisterhood basically cleans up the shit of the other houses so the whole thing doesn't collapse. Others think of them as a Manipulative Bastard and true but it is also in the purpose of keeping humanity going.
It's just that the Bene Gesserit tend to think they'd do a better job than anyone else.
Edited by CharlesPhipps on Nov 2nd 2021 at 9:28:44 AM
Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.The Bene Gesserit were at least self-aware of their limitations since they only saw about half of the big picture. The entire reason they bred a Kwisatz Haderach was because he would be able to see the whole thing.
They just suffered the Original Position Fallacy since it never occurred to them that whatever solution a Kwisatz Haderach might discover that they could not see would mean the loss of their own power base.
Disgusted, but not surprisedThe idea is that the Genetic Memory thing is linked to chromosomal makeup. Bene Gesserit only have X chromosomes, so they cannot read the full Genetic Memory of male ancestors. They can still read partial memories of male ancestors since men have an X chromosome. But only a Kwisatz Haderach with an XY chromosomal makeup can read all of it.
Disgusted, but not surprised
They tried that in the beginning. Unfortunately, the "Water of Life" (ie sandworm spit — no seriously) that women ingest to become Reverend Mothers would always kill any men who ingested it. It's not 100% safe for women either, but there was at least a chance of women surviving.
The whole point of the Kwisatz Haderach program was to breed a man who could ingest the Water of Life and survive.
Edited by M84 on Nov 2nd 2021 at 10:53:34 PM
Disgusted, but not surprisedSome clarifications. There is no evidence that Herbert intended the "only female genetic memory" thing to be linked to X chromosomes. That's a fan interpretation. It's never stated explicitly why women can't look into male genetic memory, but Paul describes female and male as "giving and taking forces". The male takes; the female gives. Each is incapable of dwelling in the space of the other. (Call this sexist or whatever; it's the premise.) The Kwisatz Haderach sits astride both of these forces, giving and taking in equal measure.
Regarding the spice poison: It is not the only drug that can be used in the Bene Gesserit rituals, but once they have used it, none of the others work. The "Water of Life" is released by a drowned sandworm. It is part of the chemical process that produces the spice, but in a particularly dangerous form that is extraordinarily poisonous. When transformed by a Reverend Mother (or Kwisatz Haderach) it becomes a potent narcotic that magnifies awareness of genetic memory.
Edited by Fighteer on Nov 2nd 2021 at 11:02:43 AM
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"![]()
I think the chromosome thing might have been something mentioned in the Prequel novels (which weren't written by Frank Herbert himself) — it's been a while since I read them so I can't be certain. But since the prequel novels are dubiously canon and not entirely consistent with the main series, I suppose the chromosome thing might as well be fan interpretation.
Even the Bene Gesserit women are pushed to the limit when ingesting the poison — it takes every bit of their honed mastery over their own bodies' metabolic processes to survive and convert it. And even Paul as the Kwisatz Haderach nearly died after ingesting and converting a single drop of the Water of Life. Nature really doesn't want it to happen.
Edited by M84 on Nov 2nd 2021 at 11:14:25 PM
Disgusted, but not surprisedHerbert would probably avoid a purely genetic explanation even if X+Y works genetically. He was a guy who wasn't shy about saying things were elemental to men and women mentally ala Robert Jordan (who was a massive-massive Dune fan).
Edited by CharlesPhipps on Nov 3rd 2021 at 6:13:48 AM
Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.Nope, Absent Aliens is very much in effect. Plenty of alien life yes, but none of it is sapient.
Edited by M84 on Nov 3rd 2021 at 10:42:21 PM
Disgusted, but not surprisedIt depends on what is meant by "aliens". The main series contains no sapient creatures that are not either human or of human creation. As noted, there is life all over the place but none of it talks. A lot of it is also adapted Earth species.
Edited by Fighteer on Nov 3rd 2021 at 10:43:43 AM
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"Probably hand drawn, frame by frame.
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"

Edited by M84 on Nov 3rd 2021 at 12:06:42 AM
Disgusted, but not surprised