Summary
Denis Villeneuve’sDune: Part Twoexhilarates audiences and critics alike, and fans might be looking to learn more about the universe ofDunebeyond the films, and into the books. Since Denis Villeneuve’s two major projects only span the length of the first epic book in the series, there is plenty left unexplored, including some of the more powerful factions that appear at various points in the timeline.
The ending in particular ofDune: Part Twomakes it seem as if the other Great Houses that haven’t received much mention are about to become more significant. But there are a few factions that aren’t Great Houses in theDuneUniverse that have just as much power as Lisan al Gaib himself.
Updated on July 03, 2025, by Chris Harkin:The Dune Universe seems set to continue growing as a multimedia franchise. The prequel series based on the origins of the Bene Gesserit, Dune: Prophecy, is set to land on Max in late 2024. A tentative release date in late 2026 has been scheduled for Denis Villeneuve’s epic conclusion of his Dune film trilogy, Dune: Messiah. With these and potentially more projects on the horizon, fans will be clamoring to learn more about the books, see what houses and factions have been in power at different times, and potentially see new factions never seen before added to this list as the cinematic universe of Dune continues to grow.
12House Richese
The Lesser Technological Faction
Though the Ixians are better known as suppliers of machinery and gadgets of various types in theDuneUniverse, there have been others over time that attempted to match them. Chief among these other factions vying for this slice of power was House Richese. This faction became a Great House and had much power during the reign of both Paul Atreides and his son, the God Emperor, Leto II.
Though House Richese struggled to provide machinery on the level of the Ixians, they found this market to be valuable. While they haven’t made an appearance in theDunefilms to date, their family was introduced indirectly through a board game,Dune: Imperium, set in the cinematic universe of the films.Imperiumrevealed that Ilban Richese of the family was the grandfather of Paul’s father, Duke Leto Atreides.
11House Fenring
The Emperor’s Confidantes
Despite not being a Great House, but rather a House Major, there was a notable place held in the Imperium by House Fenring. Instead of a Duke, the leader of a House Major is a Count, and Count Hasimir Fenring became a close personal friend, and assassin, for Emperor Shaddam IV. He was also considered an option by the Bene Gesserit for their breeding program leading to the Kwisatz Haderach and was considered a “potential” similar to Paul Atreides and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen.
House Fenring gained a great deal of importance through their close ties to the Emperor. Both Count Fenring and Lady Fenring appeared in the original Dune book, although only Lady Margot Fenring made it into the Denis Villeneuve adaptions thus far, with Tim Blake Nelson having been cast in the role of Count Fenring but all of his scenes being cut from the final version.
10The Ixians
Technological Faction Kept In Check
The Ixians are a technologically focused race in theDuneUniverse who survived the worst effects of the Butlerian Jihad to become hugely advanced in technology. Their workshops were responsible for many hugely impactful technologies throughout theDunebooks, particularly the no-field which allowed individuals to hide from guild navigators and others with prescient abilities.
As spice began to grow sparse in the galaxy at one point, Ix also invented a mechanical substitute for guild navigators, allowing ships to continue crossing space without the need for as much spice. The Ixians were often able to make advantageous alliances due to their technological advancements, but they were hardly ever a major threat on their own.
9House Harkonnen
Once Rich But Effectively Wiped Out
Before the events seen afterDune: Part Two, House Harkonnen was one of the most powerful forces in the Universe ofDune. Baron Vladimir Harkonnen was even seriously considering the idea of putting his nephew, Feyd-Rautha, on the throne of the Imperium. The riches amassed by the Harkonnen family during their tenure on Arrakis allowed them to consider supplanting the Emperor himself.
With the power of Giedi Prime, their savage and uncompromising nature and military might, House Harkonnen were one of the great threats to the Universe until Paul Atreides all but eliminated them. Technically, they lived on, since Paul, Jessica, and Alia of the Atreides line were all part-Harkonnen.
8Bene Tleilax
Genetically Altered Humans, Creators Of The Ghola
The Bene Tleilax were a hugely influential factionthroughout theDunebook series, as they created and guarded closely the ability to create ghola creatures, essentially cloned versions of people who had died. The Tleilaxu were reviled by almost every other major house and faction but were deemed necessary because, like the Ixians with their technology, the genetic knowledge held by the Tleilaxu was too valuable to destroy.
As such, the Tleilaxu were able to send Paul Atreides a ghola of Duncan Idaho, named as a gift, which was meant to be part of a plot to destroy him. This ghola was the first to regain the memories of its past life, enabling the Tleilaxu to begin effectively reincarnating themselves as well as others, increasing their power even more as they continued to strive toward eventually subjugating all around them to their religion.
7Honored Matres
Destructive Force From The Scattering
The group known as the anti-Bene Gesserit, the Honored Matres was an organization that formed during the Scattering, when humanity purposefully spread out to avoid its own destruction. The remainders of the Bene Gesserit sent on this excursion, as well as the Fish Speakers obedient to Leto II, formed a much more dangerous and terrifying group than anyone could have imagined.
The Honored Matres used their enhanced abilities and sexual manipulation to control people. When they returned from the Scattering, they began a direct war with the Bene Gesserit, destroying entire planets, including Arrakis, in their attempt at conquest. The group didn’t exist in the time of Paul Atreides, but they remain one of the most terrifying and all-powerful in the history of the Dune Universe.
6House Corrino
Former Emperors Of The Known Universe
The leading Great House in theDuneUniverse until the rise of Muad’Dib was House Corrino.Members included Emperor Shaddam 4and Princess Irulan, both seen inDune: Part Two. However, they lose much of their power from the moment that the Fremen prove themselves to be better fighters than the legendary Sardaukar fighting force.
From there, it is only a matter of time before Paul, having accepted his role as the Mahdi, manages to depose them of their ruling place. The House Corrino does survive, and Prince Farad’n, the grandson of Emperor Shaddam 4, manages to secure a marriage with Paul Atreides’ daughter Ghanima, giving House Corrino a technical future, but like House Harkonnen, it was all under the Atreides banner now.
5CHOAM
Economic Control Over The Universe With A Monopoly
CHOAM is a huge corporation that spans the cosmos in theDuneUniverse. CHOAM stands for Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles, and they come into contact with almost every item that is transported anywhere, on any planet. This level of power is significant, but CHOAM is still at the mercy of the Spacing Guild for transportation.
CHOAM has the economic powerto control many of the Great Houses, who are reliant on the income provided by CHOAM to continue living the sort of lifestyle one expects of such high-ranking families. Just like in the real world, theDuneUniverse is governed by money, and CHOAM has much of that, therefore they have a great deal of power.
4The Spacing Guild
A Necessity For Interstellar Space Travel
Space travel in theDuneUniverse comes down to the spice. Without it, the Spacing Guild navigators are not able to plot courses through folded space. This is all a complicated way of saying that the Spacing Guild, which has a monopoly on space travel through their training of these navigators, has enormous power in theDuneUniverse, which is the way that Paul Atreides scares off theGreat Houses at the end ofDune: Part Two.
CHOAM and all the Great Houses are reliant upon them.The Spacing Guild is mainly concerned withthe continued flow of trade and travel and is therefore generally apolitical, but if they chose to take a stance or sided with a particular Great House, they would give enormous power beyond anything that almost anyone could match.
3The Fremen
Harnessing Desert Power & Worship Of Lisan al Gaib
The Fremen of Arrakis are shown throughout the latestDunemovies to be the deadliest troops in the Universe. They easily brush aside the elite Sardaukar forces of the Emperor and therefore are practically unstoppable on the battlefield. They didn’t openly take to the battlefield though, at least not before finding their Mahdi in Paul Atreides.
With religious fervor driven by the appearance of their prophet, the Fremen fight like nothing in the known universe. They start a holy war that seeps across the cosmos and showcases the true strength of their people. The hardy, desert-grown race is devastating but easily led due to the workings of one group that proves itself the most powerful in the universe over and over.
