Paul is the 15-year-old heir to House Atreides, recently relocated from the water-abundant planet of Caladan to the harsh desert world of Arrakis. Trained from childhood in military tactics and secretive mental disciplines, he bears the heavy expectation of multiple religious prophecies. He possesses keen intellect and emerging prophetic abilities.

Lady Jessica is Duke Leto's concubine and a highly trained member of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood. She possesses formidable physical and mental abilities, including the Voice, which allows her to compel others to obey her commands. She defies her order's careful breeding program by bearing Leto a son instead of a daughter, bringing intense scrutiny upon her family.

Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is the wealthy and hedonistic head of House Harkonnen. He requires anti-gravity suspensors to support his massive body weight. Driven by an ancient family feud, he meticulously schemes to eliminate Duke Leto and reclaim the lucrative spice mining operations on Arrakis.

Duke Leto is the conscientious and widely respected head of House Atreides. He accepts the Emperor's order to take control of Arrakis, fully aware that he is walking into a trap set by his Harkonnen enemies. He rules with empathy and focuses on building loyalty, planning to recruit the fierce local Fremen population to secure his new domain.

Chani is a young Fremen woman who lives among the deep desert tribes of Arrakis. She possesses the characteristic blue-within-blue eyes caused by a lifetime of spice consumption. She is a fierce fighter who closely follows the survival customs of her people.

Feyd-Rautha is the teenage nephew and chosen heir of Baron Harkonnen. Raised in the treacherous environment of Giedi Prime, he is trained to be as ruthless and manipulative as his uncle. He serves as a dark mirror to Paul Atreides, using deceit to secure his victories and advance his status.

Thufir Hawat is an elderly Master of Assassins and the resident Mentat for House Atreides. Trained to function as a human supercomputer, he calculates complex political probabilities. He suspects treachery at every turn and dedicates his formidable intellect to securing Arrakis against Harkonnen sabotage.

Duncan Idaho is a highly skilled swordmaster in service to House Atreides. Handsome and courageous, he helps train young Paul in combat. Duke Leto sends him ahead to Arrakis as an undercover ambassador to make contact with the elusive Fremen.

Gurney Halleck is the rugged, battle-scarred warmaster for House Atreides. He trains Paul in shield fighting and close combat, insisting on rigorous preparation. A poet and musician as well as a soldier, he harbors a deep, personal vendetta against the Harkonnens.

Stilgar is the pragmatic and respected leader of a Fremen community on Arrakis. He commands a tribe accustomed to the lethal conditions of the deep desert. He tentatively observes House Atreides to determine if they are different from the brutal Harkonnens who previously ruled the planet.

The Padishah Emperor rules the known universe, commanding the loyalty of the great houses and the feared Sardaukar military force. He tasks House Atreides with taking over Arrakis to deliberately destabilize them. He carefully manages the balance of power in the galaxy, growing wary of Duke Leto's rising popularity.

Reverend Mother Mohiam is a high-ranking leader in the Bene Gesserit sisterhood and the Emperor's Truthsayer. She travels to Caladan to subject Paul to a lethal test of his humanity using the gom jabbar. She views the universe through the lens of her order's long-term breeding program.

Dr. Yueh is the trusted medical doctor for House Atreides. He bears the diamond tattoo of Imperial Conditioning, which supposedly makes it impossible for him to take human life. He provides Paul with reading material about Arrakis while harboring a terrible secret regarding his wife's capture.

Piter De Vries is the twisted, spice-addicted Mentat serving Baron Harkonnen. Unlike typical Mentats, his mind has been conditioned to lack moral restraints, making him a sadistic and creative architect of Harkonnen cruelty.

Dr. Kynes is the Imperial planetologist and Judge of Change stationed on Arrakis. To the Emperor, he is a scientific authority on the planet's ecology. To the local Fremen, who know him as Liet, he is a secretive leader who champions a generational plan to transform the desert into a habitable paradise.

The Shadout Mapes is a Fremen woman who takes a position as the head housekeeper for House Atreides. She tests Lady Jessica with a traditional crysknife, searching for signs that the Atreides concubine might fulfill ancient Fremen prophecies.

Jamis is a hostile and traditionalist member of Stilgar's Fremen tribe. He resents outsiders and rigidly adheres to the harsh survival customs of the desert. He quickly issues combat challenges to those he feels insult Fremen ways.

Glossu Rabban is the Baron's older nephew, a brutal and slow-witted enforcer for House Harkonnen. Nicknamed the "muscle-minded tank-brain," he is designated to rule Arrakis with maximum cruelty to extract wealth and terrorize the population.

Count Fenring is a deadly political operative and close associate of Emperor Shaddam IV. He functions as a discreet envoy and assassin for the throne, operating in the shadows of intergalactic politics to ensure the Emperor's will is executed.

Lady Fenring is a Bene Gesserit sister married to the Emperor's associate, Count Fenring. She operates subtly within the complex political webs of the great houses, carrying out her order's instructions regarding genetic lines.

Princess Irulan is the eldest daughter of Emperor Shaddam IV. Raised in the Imperial court and trained by the Bene Gesserit, she represents a valuable political asset in a universe where marriage dictates planetary control and alliances.

Esmar Tuek is a prominent spice smuggler operating on Arrakis. He maintains a veneer of respectability, attending diplomatic functions while managing lucrative illicit operations in the deep desert.

Staban Tuek is the son of the spice smuggler Esmar Tuek. He takes over the smuggling operations and manages the complex network of outlaws and refugees surviving the harsh realities of Arrakis.

Harah is a Fremen woman and the wife of Jamis. Bound by the strict, survival-focused traditions of her tribe, her living arrangements and social status are heavily dictated by the outcomes of tribal combat and desert law.