Alia Atreides
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Princess Alia Atreides is a fictional character featured in the Dune series by Frank Herbert.
She was known to her followers as St. Alia of the Knife, the sister of Muad'Dib. She was an Abomination according to the Bene Gesserit; while in the later years of her regency, her enemies and victims among the Fremen called her Coan-Teen, "the female death spirit that walks without feet."
She was born in year 10, 191 after the foundation of the Spacing Guild on planet Arrakis to Jessica Atreides. Her father Leto Atreides I had died eight months earlier. She was a younger sister to Paul Atreides and through their mother a granddaughter to Vladimir Harkonnen.
Her native planet was also known as Dune; the name accurately describes its nature, it was a desert planet. The planet was notable for its production of the spice Melange, a highly addictive drug used to expand consciousness and lifespan. Alia was born a full Reverend Mother having been exposed in the womb of Jessica Atreides who was pregnant at the time she underwent the spice trance. Children born this way are killed by the Bene Gesserit whenever possible, because they have little defense against the personalities contained in Other Memory. Without the existence of a strong personal identity, a child awakened to consciousness in utero is highly susceptible to becoming possessed by one of their ancestors. Jessica, despite her awareness of this likelihood, brings her baby to term, and Alia slowly learns to control what powers she has.
Alia was born with the limited powers of prophecy and second sight. She was raised in a community of Fremen led by her brother in an effort to control the planet and its production of Melange. During the original novel, her powers are only hinted at. But she personally poisons her grandfather while in support of her brother.
The character was further explored in Dune Messiah through her relationship with the Ghola Hayt. At the finale of this second novel, Paul Atreides departs into the desert as is the custom of the Fremen for those who are blind. Alia is named Regent and is made guardian of her brother's children: the heir Leto Atreides II and his sister Ghanima. Alia marries Duncan Idaho who having regained his full memory has fallen in love with her.
In Children of Dune, Alia becomes progressively more witch-like and less human. Falling under the influence of the spirit of her deceased grandfather, the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Alia abuses her powers as Regent and becomes a ruthless tyrant. The Baron's sexual perversions control Alia and her agreement with the spirit Baron in helping her to fight off the other spirits within her, compels her to engage in sexual acts with her aides. During the exercise of his mentat powers Duncan Idaho comes the realisation that Alia has fallen into abomination, and goes onto assist Jessica Atreides escape Alia's murderous plot. As a consequence of this Alia decides to kill Duncan, but sensitised to her dangerous state of mind he recognises the signs of this decision and escapes himself.
The Preacher, actually Paul Atreides returns once more to the steps of the temple and exposes Alia's abomination to the Fremen. Her nephew, Leto Atreides II, returns from hiding and suggests to the Fremen that she be tested with the Trial of Possession, an ancient Fremen ritual for exposing those possessed by the dead.
Confronted by the death of her brother by the crowd in his role as the Preacher and realising the depth of control the spirit of the Baron has on her, she regains control of her body for long enough to dive out of a window, so freeing herself from possession and escape the torments of abomination.
| Preceded by: Padishah Emperor Paul "Muad'Dib" Atreides | Imperial Regent 10,209 - 10,219 | Succeeded by: Padishah Emperor Leto Atreides II |