When the Atreides take over the planet Arrakis at the order of the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV, Idaho becomes Leto's ambassador to the Fremen, the desert people of Dune that Leto hopes will ally with him in the coming war against the Emperor and the Harkonnens. Appearances Dune Īt the time of Frank Herbert's original novel Dune (1965), Idaho is a Swordmaster of the Ginaz in the service of House Atreides and one of Duke Leto's right-hand men (with Gurney Halleck and Thufir Hawat). In 1976's Children of Dune, Lady Jessica tells Duncan that he was drawn to her daughter Alia because 'you wanted a girl you saw as a younger version of me.' In God Emperor of Dune (1981), the latest Duncan ghola discovers that one of his predecessors had fathered a child with a woman named Irti who closely resembles Jessica.

The Sardaukar sell his body to the Tleilaxu subsequent gholas of Duncan possess the rebellious streak of the original. In the fight that ends with his death in Dune, Duncan kills an unheard-of 19 Sardaukar, the Padishah Emperor's fearsome supersoldiers. Paul Atreides notes Duncan's 'dark round face' and 'feline movements, the swiftness of reflex that made him such a difficult weapons teacher to emulate.' And in Dune Messiah (1969) he is described as having 'high cheekbones' and 'definite epicanthic folds.' Lady Jessica calls him 'the admirable fighting man whose abilities at guarding and surveillance are so esteemed.' Duncan is fiercely loyal to House Atreides, a skilled pilot, and as a Swordmaster of the Ginaz is a gifted hand-to-hand fighter. In Dune (1965), Duncan is described as a handsome man with 'curling black hair' to whom women are easily attracted. The character is played by Jason Momoa in the 2021 Denis Villeneuve film Dune.

Edward Atterton assumed the role in the 2003 miniseries Children of Dune. Idaho was portrayed by Richard Jordan in David Lynch's 1984 film version of Dune, and by James Watson in the 2000 Sci-Fi Channel miniseries.

He is the only character to feature in all six of Herbert's original Dune novels. Introduced in the first novel of the series, 1965's Dune, he became a breakout character and was revived in 1969's Dune Messiah. Jason Momoa portrays Duncan in the film Dune (2021).ĭuncan Idaho is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.

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