Fremen
The Fremen are a group that features in Dune.
Contents |
History
The Fremen were a human race that inhabited the desert world of Arrakis.
In 10,191 A.G., the Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV ordered House Atreides to replace their enemies House Harkonnen in the administration of Arrakis. This saw Duke Leto Atreides, his Bene Gesserit concubine Lady Jessica, and their son Paul Atreides arrive on Arrakis to take control of melange mining operations. Whilst there, the Duke Leto looked to ally with the Fremen as he deemed them to be fearsome warriors whose power could he harnessed into a powerful fighting force. However, years of harsh Harkonnen rule and dealings with Imperial agents led to the Fremen being distrustful of the Atreides. This began to change when they started to see Duke Leto's even-handedness and generosity with the Atreides leader sending his warmaster Duncan Idaho to the Fremen as an ambassador. Idaho's fighting skill managed to gain the respect of the Fremen and it appeared that they were on the path of aligning themselves with House Atreides.
A religion has arisen around Paul, and a jihad was being fought in his name across the universe. Korba, one of Fedaykin death commandos became one of the chief priests of the religion of Muad'Dib. Another Fedaykin, Farok, was one of many Fremen disillusioned by the changes Paul's regime brings to their culture, and he joins the conspiracy to unseat Paul initiated by the Spacing Guild, Tleilaxu, and Bene Gesserit. Lichna, the daughter of Paul's trusted Fedaykin Otheym, was killed and impersonated by a Bene Tleilaxu Face Dancer Scytale as a means to infiltrate Paul's household, which ultimately fails. Chani died giving birth to Paul's twin heirs, Leto II and Ghanima, and a blinded Paul follows Fremen tradition and walks into the desert to die.
Overview
In appearance, the Fremen were humans notable for their sinewy frame and leathery tanned skin. The most distinguishing was their eyes that were entirely blue due to excess ingestion of the Spice Melange with this feature being known to them as the Eyes of Ibad.
The Fremen are distinguished by their fierce fighting abilities and adeptness at survival in these conditions.
Water held an important role in the Fremen culture and was deemed a source of life. The harsh conditions of Arrakis meant that it was a precious resource to the Fremen. The act of spitting whilst deemed an offense to other cultures was actually a sign of respect to the Fremen as thy parted with some of their water to greet another. According to their rules, one's water belonged to the tribe and thus when a Fremen died or was killed in combat then rather than being buried or cremated the deceased had their body rendered down into water shared with the survivors.
During personal disputes, matters could be settled by issuing the Tahaddi Challenge that resulted in a fight to the death. It could be announced in matters such as
They were noted to live in patriarchal collectives in the sietches that were led by a Naib. Each sietch also had a Sayyadina who were a wise women trained in the spiritual traditions of their people who can serve as a spiritual leader or as an acolyte to a holy woman that were the Fremen version of a Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother. The young untried youths within a Fremen community were referred to as a Wali.
The Shai-Hulud were seen as a physical manifestation of God.
A significant part of the Fremen mythology was created by the Bene Gesserit Missionaria Protectiva, an arm of the matriarchy which practices 'religious engineering' by introducing contrived myths, prophecies and superstition among the populations of the Empire with the intent to later exploit them to the advantage of an individual Bene Gesserit or the entire order. In the case of the Fremen, a messiah legend has been put in place.
Later on, an elite class of Fremen warriors formed the Fedaykin who were guerrilla fighters that became feared death commandos.
The Fremen have a language unique to them, but also use Chakobsa for ritual purposes.
Fremen used archaic weapons such as maula pistols and crossbows to great effect, but the most deadly and prized possession of a Fremen warrior is the crysknife — a personally-tuned blade ground from the tooth of a sandworm. An untreated crysknife will disintegrate soon upon the death of its owner unless it is close to human flesh. Fremen tradition also demanded that a drawn crysknife must not be sheathed until it drew blood.
The Fremen wore complex full-body filtration systems called stillsuits which reclaimed the body's moisture.
Members
- Assan Tariq :
- Buer Argarves :
- Chani :
- Farok :
- Geoff :
- Harah :
- Jamis :
- Korba :
- Lichna :
- Liet-Kynes :
- Muriz :
- Namri :
- Otheym :
- Pardot Kynes :
- Ramallo :
- Sabiha :
- Selim Wormrider :
- Shadout Mapes :
- Stilgar :
Notes
- The Freman were created by Frank Herbert where they featured in the setting of the Dune universe.
- In an interview, Herbert said that he based Fremen culture, in part, on the desert-dwelling Bedouin and San People.
In other media
Television
- In Frank Herbert's Dune, the Fremen appeared in the setting of the live-action television mini-series.
Films
- In Dune, the Fremen appeared in the setting of the 1984 live-action film adaptation.
- In Dune, the Fremen appeared in the setting of the 2021 live-action remake film.
Video games
- In Emperor: Battle for Dune, the Fremen appeared in the setting of the 2001 video game where they were one of the five sub-factions.
- In Dune: Spice Wars, the Fremen appeared as a playable faction in the setting of the 4X real-time strategy video game.
Appearances
- Dune:
- Dune Messiah:
External Links
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