Now, let's talk about "you fought well, Atreides".
Yes, Feyd-Rautha enjoys the fight. He enjoys the volence. But he is acutely aware of the fact that he is on the Arena. He's a gladiator - Baron put him here for his own entertainment. On a gladiator's arena, one might be a beast, and another one might be a warrior, but both of them face death; the game is rigged to Feyd-Rautha win, but he still could've died.
This gives us a look into Feyd-Rautha's particular kind of madness: he's cruel, he enjoys the acts of violence, but he's not arrogant to assume he'll always land on top. He understands the hierarchy of power very well. It is shown in his behavior in the Emperor's court: he doesn't get himself involved into a battle he can't win, just observes.
And we know who taught him well.
At the Arena, he shares a short, perverted moment of tenderness with his victim - because it could've been him. The fight was rigged against them both: of course Baron expected him to win like this, without a shield, because Feyd-Rautha was put into the Arena in front of millions of his fanatics. When gift is not a gift?
Nothing about this is honorable. You didn't stand a chance, but you fought well, Atreides.
But the second time we hear this, everything changed.
Baron is dead. For a fleeting moment, Feyd-Rautha is Baron. There is no game within a game. Nobody forces him to step up as a champion. The goal is clear - protect the emperor. Neither fremen or sardaucar will interrupt them.
Finally, he can have his honorable and true fight.
He doesn't kill Paul, while he lays on the floor, because that move would be almost constdered a sucker punch.
And Paul wins the right way. It could've been either of them, but now it's Feyd's choice.
"You fought well, Arteides", and I am grateful for that.
I wonder if Paul catches this gratitude.
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