#irual

[irualdesire]

The tragic side of Irual (Irulan/Paul) with book quotes 😿

[irualdesire]

Always near each other in multiple universes~

Amy/Laurie and Paul/Irulan ♥♥♥

[irualdesire]

A beautiful edit that tells a story of what was behind the scenes or what could have been.

[irualdesire]

(gifs credited to Saintsalia)

So Dune: Prophecy just came out and can't help but see some Irulan/paul coded parts. Was shocked since didn't think I would since 10,000 years before they were born. We know how tradition and preserving the old ways is important in dune. We sadly never had a chance to see Irulan and Paul's wedding. Not sure if it was described in detail in the books. This is probably the closest we will get to it on the screen. That or they do a brief flashback in the third dune movie. We have a CORRINO princess in an arranged marriage and see that feeding each other the pomegranate is an old wedding custom to complete the ceremony. Even though Paul in the books married her just in title and nothing else - he would still need to adhere to the ancient wedding customs since this display is to prove to the houses that he has a legitimate claim to the throne through the marriage. (Film version may be more like an arranged marriage since co-rulers) As someone on tumblr had mentioned; Pomegranate being used for the marriage ceremony of the house Corrino has greek connections. Taking a bite of the fruit trapped Persephone into the underworld and bound to the god/king of the underworld. Half in the light of the surface with her mother (goddess of fertility and the harvest ironicly) Can't help but see the tradition being Irual coded. Paul becomes darker and more like a villain that had mostly good intentions at the start. Irulan was on the surface and heir to the known universe. Might be symbolic of her being torn between her upbringing of being a tool for the BG and her growing feelings for Paul despite his treatment. Still trapped regardless. Then icing on the delicious cake is that the Corrino and Atreides bloodlines have been intertwined before. Or at least their ancient ancestors were together. The present princess is in a relationship with her swords master mentor, an Atreides. Before she is stuck being wed to a child, they have a steamy night together in a spice den.

Would have been interesting if Paul while memory walking into the past, saw how their houses did find the connection to be together. Houses intertwined together at points over those thousands of years. Even his father was seen as a sort of son to the emperor. Irulan was close to being married to him if she were older. My thoughts so far on that amazing first episode of the series lol

[irualdesire]

A golden moment of Irulan/Paul from the past

While their wasn't much interaction between the two in SciFi's mini series adaption what they did give us was generous~ Showed how if fate was kinder to them, they most likely would have chosen to be together of their own free will. In the scene they shared, the princess was sent to a party being thrown by the atreides house to represent the emperor. Paul was still himself, moody and hot tempered before his calling and the water of life happened. After Paul gets tipsy from spiced beer he made this comical display for his friend while impersonating the Baron Harkonnen. Irulan appears to have an obvious attraction to Paul. Clapping at his display and essentially crashing his merry making. Paul gave a side-eyed glance to his friend as a silent signal to leave the two of them alone. It's interesting to note that their are equal amounts of flirting as their is passive aggressive banter. Paul warning her about the beer and Irulan rising to his challenge and drinks the rest of it down. Slight cattiness in him mentioning how she isn't 'refined'. She tries to show how they are the same, understands him since they both are burdened with heavy responsibilities. Her with being the future Empress and him as the duke, protecting the most vital resource in the universe. Both feeling that solitude. This scene showed Paul's attraction to her yet also assessing who she really is past the surface. Heavy flirting from Irulan being bold about trying to spark his interest. The tension is there as they get closer with every response in their verbal discourse about their lives. Irulan tried to prove her life isn't just roses and rainbows. The image above shows how close they were to a kiss. They even begin to dance together. Yet their time of understanding and chemistry is short lived because then their protectors from both sides come and are ready to start attacking each other with the princess having gone 'missing'. The display proved her points to Paul about being in a cage. Their was a cute exchange with Paul saying she was under his protection and her scoffing at that. ♥

It's a beautifully romantic scene...the lighting with the moonlight in the background. Irulan taking the initiative to hold his arm which is caught in the reflection of the window to lead him into a dance 💕💗😳

They show foreshadowing of how well they would serve as an emperor and empress. Being the responsible ones and leading by example since their underlings were itching to start a conflict. Irulan mentioning that she hopes to see him again. Then the massacre of house atreides happens. Irulan is furious with her father using her (not to her knowledge) to lull them into a false sense of security. She is so upset by what happened that she sent her own people out to find out the truth of what transpired. Paul had to flee to the desert and well we know what happens after that. Sad how if they were in their regular stations in life things could have been different. Time passed and misunderstandings over her part in it even small, may have ocurred. Paul can go through memories so perhaps he did realize she was innocent in that but in this version time wasn't kind for them. He met chani and had a child with her in those years of waiting for the right time to get revenge.

Can watch the scene on youtube should you desire.

[irualdesire]

Hmm, summaries like this can change but I was right that Chani was prego. From the sound of this - don't think they will do a major time-skip. As emperor he has done that right after crowning himself as such as well as into years ahead. Don't think the time skip is necessary for the story. This might take place months after the end of Dune: 2. Could see this causing friction between Irulan and Paul. Especially if he kept his word with them being co-rulers and perhaps more. Jealousy can still be present since he still loves Chani and obsessed with finding her or bringing her to safety to the palace. Her or the BG wanting to assassinate Chani. Irulan didn't want Chani's death in the books and in the movies isn't 100 percent team bene Gesserit. She might make the decision to help Paul keep Chani alive despite it breaking her heart. 🤔 Irulan and Paul were described as 'ill fated lovers' before during the press tour I think. Then again, could have been a slip for those that didn't read the books.

Does make the mind reel with how this may play out.

[irualdesire]

My Paul & Irulan Playlist

[irualdesire]

Irual Predictions and musings

Some thoughts on the future Paul and Irulan scenes in Dune: Part 3

I am new to the Dune fandom and admit my knowledge is only based off the movies and what I have read online so if I get some facts wrong, please excuse it. Like others, was seduced to the series from learning Timothee and Florence would be portraying these complex and mesmerizing characters.

Their have been apparently changes from the books but I'm hoping it continues. I felt like Paul's outward indifference to his wife was a bit too harsh and was more plot point driven to avoid a triangle in the book version. Can't help but think if their situation were done in another series or hell in real life…the outcome could have gone any way. Was and still am upset how Irulan is essentially the scapegoat and blamed for the sins of her father when she had no hand in the attrocities done to the atreites house. From a writer's standpoint, think the author had a clear idea over the couple he did want but didn't want other characters to have a voice to derail it.

Sometimes in stories, characters can have a life of their own. Steering the stories as it's written to deviate from the author's original concept or outline. Personally believe Irulan was that in the book version of Dune.

However, the movies may give us a better insight into her character. From what I heard of online, she wasn't by Paul's side in many parts of the story. Yet I feel much is in the background and more subtle with these two. They were married 12 years together and she wrote many, MANY books on Paul and his families legacy. Apparently how she recounted the tales and wrote them was with affection and not filled with hate or immense bitterness where it would bleed into the archiving.

I find it hard to believe some feelings would not stir given much time would have needed to be spent together for her to be able to write what he told her down. Maybe it's the fanfictions I have read but I think other conversations would have likely arose outside of just narrating and Irulan being simply a scribe. He did put her on the council and respected her enough to put her in that position. Chani was also on there but given she was his lover and he ruled over everyone - including the Fremen, she would need to also have a voice on there.

An interesting insight into their relationship in the movies is that they will rule the empire together. That's monumental. Like equals and I hope he will make her a proper empress. In the books he saw a vision of her to know her face and who she was trained by. With this knowledge, he chose her to be his wife. Well political move but she did have other sisters but the emperor had enough faith in her capabilities to be a 'formidable empress' to make her his heir in both versions. Don't think his vision or memory diving was spoken about in depth regarding her but with coming to a decision like this - given Paul's abilities, would think he would sift through the memories and information needed to make such a decision. One he didn't tell his lover about given the movie version of that scene from Chani's shock, sadness and of course the fury at his decision to seek power as well as make the plans to marry another.

In the first movie he had the thought already in his head since he took note that the emperor's daughters were unwed. I think this was before he had a relationship with chani to. I liked the quiet reactions of Irulan in the scene when he usurped the emperor and made his intentions clear for his daughter. Irulan wasn't smug at still holding the power. Her life had just been flipped upside down. Fearful for her own family yet still staying calm to gauge what was transpiring. She had desperation to try to save her Father's life, beseeching Paul in her own way even though she didn't have anything to bargain with. Since he already made his command that he would marry her but she specifically said 'Willing' bride as long as the former emperor's life was spared. By saying willing - that could mean she also was open to being partners, with the other responsibilities that go along with being married. This was before the Bene Gesserit plans were ordered to Irulan for the breeding program to have Paul's children.

Irulan in her earlier scenes had shown she did not approve of the Bene Gesserit's drastic plan to 'wipe out an entire bloodline'. She looked and sounded appalled at the revelation especially since her father saw Paul's father like a son. Makes me sad to think that if circumstances were different and their weren't prophecies and that attrocity committed out of fear and jealousy wasn't done - (truly the Bene Gesserit's fault all this unfolded for the endgame they sought and Jennifer) …that Irulan and Paul could have very well had an arranged marriage but in a more organic, healthy way given the closeness the houses had at one point. Yet due to the Bene Gesserit having their hooks in her father, fanning the fear and paranoia…the emperor had thought of marrying Irulan off to Feyd Rautha which seems to show how his mental decline from their interference.

At one point when Irulan was 14, her father already had the desire to marry her to Paul's father Leto. Have him as a legal son if things had been different and she was of age and relations had been better at that time. So it's not a far stretch that if their wasn't bad blood..paul and Irulan would have still been connected since Leto already was with Jennifer and their was the age difference.

They established Irulan being extremely intelligent. Reverent mother mentioned she 'was her most astute student'. Makes me wonder if in movie-verse Irulan had finished her training with her by speaking in past tense or had to discontinue her training since she was also being groomed as her father's heir (Double pressure…) She was said to have a hidden rank among the Bene Gesserit so we aren't sure how strong she is (according to my knowledge anyway) Her father also complimented her for being formidable in the future. Then she is the first to think that Paul was still alive - which as we know proved she was right. She also called out the reverend mother for her schemes having failed. I hope in the third movie she will choose to put Paul first and turn her back on the reverend mother since a couple times it was already shown she disapproves of her actions.

In the books, when Paul 'dies' Irulan breaks down and cries…realizing how much she loved him at his passing. It is canon as far as the books are concerned that she did love him even though it was unrequited or on the surface perhaps? Tragic yet bittersweet how she takes care of Paul's children. Even though he threatened her life and forbade her from having her own kids…while denying her the right to bear his. Despite that treatment - with his loss I think she wanted to keep him close even though they were children he had with another woman. Just like she put such time and energy in preserving his history, it was something to keep his memory alive and help her feel she could offer something to him he would accept despite the cold behavior he gave her.

In these movies she seems curious with an air of admiration of Paul. She noted his odd warrior name but still knew what it meant and probably acknowledged him being a threat to her fathers empire given the emperor's fear and the victories Paul already had with sabotaging the spice harvesting. Florence Pugh also mentioned that movie Irulan is thinking one step ahead. Paul is able to have visions and see the future but maybe this is a hint how they do have their own battle of wits and try to one up each other. He may keep his word that they will rule the empire together but she is still trained and answering to the Bene Dessirit.

The third movie's dynamic for them may have this symbiotic relationship where they need each other but at the same time can't trust one another. Irulan with her being controlled by the reverend mother and Paul being the one that took over and exiled her father and sisters. Not sure if things will unfold differently in the movie since paul might actually kill her father since his marriage to her is meant to legitimize his claim to the throne. Her father being alive may not be needed.

My prediction is that Irulan will have a more prominent role since the director did say she would be one of the main characters. Think she will be torn between doing what she was conditioned to do by the reverend mother and being loyal to paul and his pursuits. Think she will be a spy for them and to try to have a child with Paul. The breeding program and all. Not sure if he will actually sleep with her or they are suggestive with it. He and chani are essentially on the outs as of the end of the second film. Chani being betrayed and still independent, going off to the desert. That does leave an opening for Irulan and paul to have moments together. As another fan mentioned before, the roles may be reversed. Chani going after paul and trying to sabotage his empire for the sake of her people. Paul is using them for his endless holy war so she does have plenty of drive to go against him.

I don't think she has that much influence, especially compared to Paul so she may try to do the contraceptives to Irulan or try to assassinate one or both of them to put a stop to it. Their may be a focus on their being a triangle versus chani/paul against the world like in the books. Irulan may turn her back completely on the bene desserit. Paul and irulan may be something more outside of confidants and marital obligations in the bedroom (if it gets to that point) We don't know if chani and paul stay separated or if after an assasination attempt - they mend the fence. Florence did mention timmy is her 'boo' again. Thought it was a light hearted comment given they will be married like the characters from Little women but I can't help but think that perhaps in talks with the director/screen writer, that may be the angle they are going for.

Chani in the books does have kids with paul but maybe she was already pregnant leading up to his victory with taking the throne (movie-verse) but Irulan has a child as well so it keeps with the story path from the books with paul having two heirs. Oh well, we won't know till the movie comes out lol

Back to the ponderings for the pairing~

In the movie: Irulan appears to have signs where she doesn't fully trust the Bene Gesserit. She spoke incredulously when they wanted to focus on using Paul's cousin. Is more sympathetic towards what had happened to Paul. Can be foreshadowing of them finding a middle ground together. Since the neglect and humiliation Irulan suffered in the book version was more due to guilt by association. She didn't have a choice to be taught by the shady Bene Gesserit and Paul's own mother was a former one of them. I would think he would have more empathy towards her due to her situation. Perhaps, he wanted to leave her to her own devices up until it conflicted with his relationship with Chani? That and a child that wasn't his would be a threat to his reign.

Read in numerous fanfictions that Paul would have a certain amount of possessiveness despite giving her freedom to have her own lover. We didn't have many scenes in the books with them but in terms of fan theorizing the more in depth aspects of their arrangement-relationship it is more fun that way. Paul doesn't seem like the type of character that would take too kindly to his 'wife' outwardly showing affection to another as he did with his own concubine. One of those situations where he can dish it out but can't take it.

More possessive over her feelings for him and kind of preserving it? Paul has visions and can sense emotions, peer into memories so it goes to reason he would be aware of her feelings for him even before she was. Denial and all that. She couldn't be trusted since she was still being controlled to a certain extent by the Bene Gesserit. So I would think he would delve into her to check on her intentions and mind from time to time just to be sure. Seems like something he may do and more straight forward than the mind games with talking face to face for answers. We know irulan has the abilities to mask and block parts of her mind but when compared to Paul - not sure how well those abilities would hold up.

With the Chani being fed contraceptives storyline from the book - felt that showed a level of caring from him and protectiveness that wasn't seen clearly before. Yes, their were pretexts for the actions but when Chani wanted to kill her for feeding her contraceptives for years paul told her to not to or asked her not to. In actuality, they had already been married for years by that point so his footing with the houses acknowledging his position would have already been cemented. He wouldn't have been the first monarch to have accidents happen to their legal wife to free the position to remarry or uncomplicate a situation.

Think a certain level of regret and protectiveness had developed. He enabled Irulan to do this for YEARS. Granted it served the purpose to prolong chani's life since it looked to have been an unavoidable fate for her. It wasn't incredibly malicious on Irulan's part and think Paul understood that. It was womanly pride more so than any planning from the Bene Gesserit. Since he had denied her own child and sharing his bed (that we know…) Think Paul understood the motivations and pushed her to do it. Paul would have probably done it himself but Irulan was doing his dirty work inadvertently. Was rather messed up that he didn't have a one on one discussion with chani about giving up the idea but instead let his wife handle things.

Yet, he still didn't want Irulan to be punished for those actions and this is just conjecture but believe he respected her more outside of her intelligence. That she was pushed to take action from her jealousy and yearning. Outside of just words with arguments over the failmarriage situation. Yet still not enough to earn his wrath.

Now back to the infamous marriage proposal erm…command from the movie. Another thing I noticed was that Irulan will not simply have his name and that would be the extent of her role. He put emphasis on her also being safe. Saying in few words, in his own way that she won't be treated violently or like a war crime criminal. That's what I perceived from that sentence. He also said this in front of Chani without any deliberation. He tried to reinforce his love for her beforehand but still - communication was lacking suffice to say.

I believe that Irulan could understand Paul on a deeper level than anyone because both of them have both been puppets on a string. Paul with Jennifer's plans along with the Bene Gesserit's scheming for thousands of years. Paul's rage stems from what was done to his family but more than that it's what he was turned into. Think their was a desire to be a normal human duke. We know he adapts and embraces his role as a Messiah. Irulan was also bred with the proper bloodlines to create her. To be used and fulfill a purpose. To be a player that could be manipulated. Both Paul and Irulan were plunged into a situation that stripped them of their freedom and control. Even with Paul's desire for more power for his grand purpose - he is still a prisoner just as much as Irulan. Just to fate and his visions, the path he believed he needed to take. That understanding of kindred spirits would be there if the two of them spoke about it. Here is hoping we at least get a moment of understanding between them. Anyway, thank you for reading my thoughts~